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The importance of video content cannot be denied. Did you know that a majority of people - almost 75% - would rather watch a product video review than read an article about it? Or, that the users of YouTube, the world’s largest video streaming platform, watch 5 billion videos every single day? Just by looking at these stats, it's easy to see that videos are the future of digital marketing.
However, if you have ever created a video, you know how expensive it can be. Producing a high-resolution 4K video would cost you at least $3,000, as you would have to source your equipment and hire professional videographers to film it. Stock footage, on the other hand, is a much more cost-effective and appealing alternative to producing your videos, and because of that more and more video creators are using it in their projects.
In this review, I will take a look at the 10 best stock video websites that offer amazing collections of both paid and free stock footage. So if you are looking for a way to enhance your videos and save time and money on production, then this article is for you.
Best Stock Footage Websites
Best Stock Footage Websites
1. Envato Elements - Best Overall
1. Envato Elements - Best Overall
Price
Price
Unlimited Plan includes unlimited downloads of all assets in the library - $33/month or $198/year
Student Plan includes unlimited downloads of all assets in the library - $23/month or $138/year
Library
Library
Envato Elements is an excellent option not only for video creators but also for web developers, web designers, and freelancers on a budget who need bulk content for their projects. Envato Elements offers a wider range of digital assets than any other site on this list. In their library, you can find stock video footage (both HD and 4K), sound effects, music, graphic templates, photos, and more. There is also a vast selection of easy-to-use WordPress themes, plugins, and template kits that can help you build a great-looking website from scratch or expand the existing one.
Envato Emelents library boasts over 2 million digital assets and can satisfy all of your creative needs. Plus, all members get free access to Tuts+, a learning platform that offers courses, e-books, and tutorials covering a wide array of subjects.
License
License
All the assets in the library are licensed under the one, single-use commercial license which means that you can use all the downloaded files in commercial projects but you need to re-license each asset for every use. And if you decide to end your subscription, you would still have broad commercial rights for all the items that were registered when your membership was still active.
2. Adobe Stock
2. Adobe Stock
Price:
Price:
10 Standard Assets A Month Plan includes standard assets (high-res photos, vectors, illustrations, templates, 3D, and music tracks), rollover of up to 120 unused licenses - $49.99/month or $360/year
25 Standard Assets Or 3 HD Videos A Month Plan includes standard assets and HD videos (prices vary), rollover of up to 300 unused credits, and 20% off purchases of 4K videos, extended licenses, and Premium assets - $69.99/month or $600/year
750 Standard Assets Or 25 HD Videos A Month Plan includes standard assets and HD videos (prices vary), and 20% off purchases of 4K videos, extended licenses, and Premium assets - $199.99/month or $3000/year
Credit Packs $49.95 from (5 credits = 5 images) to $1200 (150 images or 18 HD videos)
Library
Library
Adobe Stock is an excellent resource for creators who are looking for high-quality visual content. With over 125 million assets available, there is a vast selection of photos, videos, and illustrations to choose from. And because Adobe Stock integrates with Creative Cloud applications, it’s easy to find and use the assets you need for your projects. You can use Adobe Stock to find the right content for your projects, and then license and download it directly from Adobe. Adobe Stock also offers a variety of creative templates, 3D assets, and other digital assets. By licensing content from Adobe Stock, creators can save time and money while still getting the high-quality content they need.
Adobe offers several subscription plans for Adobe Stock, as well as the option to purchase individual assets. The monthly subscription plans start at $29.99/month for 10 images, and the annual subscription plans start at $199.99/year for 750 images. The price per asset varies depending on the plan you choose but starts at $4,99/image for the monthly plan and $0.26/image for the annual plan. 4K videos are not included in Adobe Stock subscriptions but can be purchased separately. The price for 4K is $199, and members get a discount of 20%.
Adobe Stock is a great service but it isn't cheap, so might not be worth it for smaller creators (if you are a freelancer, you might want to look into Envato Elements instead). However, Adobe Stock offers a lot of unique content and it is a great choice for bigger production companies with a higher budget.
Read the full article Adobe Stock Review: Is It Worth It Paying Extra?
License
License
Adobe offers three different types of licenses for their stock images: Standard, Enhanced, and Extended. Standard is the most basic license, allowing for royalty-free use of an image of up to 500,000 copies. Enhanced allows for unlimited use of an image, as well as the ability to print it in high resolution. Extended is the most comprehensive license, allowing for unlimited use of an image, along with all the rights granted under Standard and Enhanced.
3. Artgrid
3. Artgrid
Price:
Price:
Junior HD Plan includes unlimited downloads of HD/H.264 videos - $24,92/month or $299/year
Creator 4K Plan includes unlimited downloads of 4K/ProRes/DNxHR videos) - $39,92/month or $479/year
Pro RAW/LOG Plan includes unlimited downloads of 4K/8K/RAW/LOG videos in ProRes/DNxHR formats - $49,92/month or $599/year
Library
Library
Even though Artgrid is a relatively new site, it has already become one of the best stock footage subscription services. For a low monthly fee, Artrig members gain unlimited access to a library of over 100,000 high-quality videos that are available in a wide range of formats and resolutions: RAW / LOG, HD, 4K / 8K, ProRes / DNxHR. Besides the superb quality of the footage, what makes Artgrid stand out among competitors is its unique story-driven organization of clips that helps speed up the editing process.
License
License
Artgid's license is straightforward and simple: all footage is royalty-free and can be used worldwide in any personal or commercial project. All the downloaded files are yours to keep, so even if you cancel your membership, you will be able to use them in the future.
There are two more important things I'd like to mention. First, the daily limit of downloads is 100 clips. And second, if you sign up for Artgrid membership using the link below that I've received from the company, you will get 2 extra months of unlimited downloads on your subscription for free.
In 2022, Artlist launched Max bundles that include unlimited downloads of royalty-free music, SFX, stock footage, video templates, plugins, and access to video and image editing apps. The prices start at just $29.99 per month, and there are several plans available: from Max Social which covers social media channels to Max Pro which covers all personal and commercial projects.
4. Motion Array
4. Motion Array
Price
Price
Unlimited Plan includes unlimited downloads videos, audio, images, templates, plugins, presets - $29.99/month or $249.99/year
Free Plan includes free access to hundreds of digital assets, 1 month trial of the Video Review tool and the Portfolio Site Builder - free
Library
Library
Motion Array is another great site that offers a wide array of digital assets such as Adobe After Effects and Adobe Premiere Pro templates and presets, Final Cut Pro templates, royalty-Free music and sound effects, high-quality footage and motion graphics, photos, and Adobe Premiere Pro plugins. Motion Array members also get access to two awesome tools - Review which allows them to share uploaded videos with clients and collaborators in real-time, and Portfolio Builder that helps create portfolio video sites very fast.
License
License
Motion Array has a simple, commercial license. There are some assets that are labeled "For Editorial Use Only" and those cannot be used for commercial purposes. However, the majority of assets can be used in both personal and commercial projects. Everything you create using Motion Array assets while your paid subscription is active will be covered forever. But once you cancel your membership, you won't be able to use downloaded files in any new projects.
5. Storyblocks
5. Storyblocks
Price:
Price:
Unlimited All-Access Plan includes unlimited downloads of HD and 4K videos, music, loops, sound effects, photos, illustrations, vectors, and After Effects templates - $65/month or $349/year
Unlimited Video Plan includes unlimited downloads of HD and 4K videos and After Effects Templates - $39/month or $199/year
Basic Video Plan includes 5 downloads of HD videos per month - $19/month or $99/year
Library
Library
Storyblocks is one of the best stock video sites for royalty-free stock footage. It's a subscription-based service that offers access to an impressive library of more than 1,5 million videos, audio clips, and images. There are different subscription options to choose from. I personally use the Unlimited Video plan because I need a lot of stock footage and it offers excellent value for money.
License
License
All the items in the library are royalty-free and can be used worldwide for both personal and commercial projects. Even if you cancel your subscription, you can still use all the files you downloaded before for any of your future projects.
Storyblocks is a one-stop place when it comes to stock content. You will find a collection of both amazing stock photos and videos to help you create professional projects at a fraction of the usual costs.
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6. Pond5
6. Pond5
Price
Price
Pond5 Membership includes 10 downloads per month - $199/month or $999/year
Single Files - $25-$450 for HD clips and $5-$500 for 4K images
Pond5 is another company that is dedicated to providing royalty-free stock videos that people can access at any time. According to Pond5, their purpose is to provide filmmakers, creators, and producers with the content and tools they need to help improve their projects.
Library
Library
Pond5 library has a massive collection of over 60 million stock videos, music tracks, images, sound effects, After Effects templates, and 3D models (around 13 million files are included in the subscription).
License
License
All the files come with a royalty-free license. There are two types of assets in the library: those that are marked "Editorial" and which cannot be used in any form of promotion, commercial, advertisement, or endorsement, and those that are marked "Commercial" and which can be used for commercial projects.
As you can see, Pond5 offers a great selection of stock video footage, but the prices are quite high as well. If your budget permits, and if you are looking for unique video files to enhance your projects, then I recommend you look into Pond5 Membership. Otherwise, there are better alternatives on this list.
Price
Price
Video Subscription Plan 1 includes 10 clips -
$159/month - Annual Subscription, Billed Monthly
$359/month - Monthly Subscription, No Contract
$1,599/year - Annual Subscription, Billed Upfront
Video Subscription Plan 2 includes 20 clips -
$199/month - Annual Subscription, Billed Monthly
$669/month - Monthly Subscription, No Contract
$1,999/year - Annual Subscription, Billed Upfront
Clip Packs
5 SD clips - $299
5 HD clips - $359
5 4K clips - $599
Library
Library
If you search for the word stock on Google, chances are, the first results you will see will be from Shutterstock. Whenever I refer someone to Shutterstock for stock videos, they get confused because the platform is dominant in photos, not video. Nevertheless, Shutterstock is a good stock video site especially for businesses that can afford to spare some money and are looking for consistent quality and variety. Shutterstock offers monthly and annual subscriptions, and there is also an option of purchasing clip packs and separate 4K videos (starting at $179 each).
Shutterstock’s library is huge, they have over 10 million royalty-free 4K and HD videos to help you easily create great video content. Their site is excellent when it comes to user experience and interface with features such as resolution search.
License
License
Shutterstock subscription includes a Footage license that covers web use. And in case you need other distribution rights (for TV, film, etc.), then you can contact the company directly.
Price
Price
Free
If you are looking for free stock videos you can use commercially without any limitations, then Pexels might be a great option for you. When Pexels initially launched, it was supposed to be a free stock photo site. Later on, the platform started sourcing videos from creators after realizing how popular the video content was getting. In addition, Pexels is the only platform that offers awesome mockup videos that you can edit. You can use these mockup videos to showcase anything from your website, mobile app, or even a home for sale. All videos on Pexels can be used for commercial purposes.
Price
Price
Single Videos - starting at $5 for single usage and $15 for unlimited usage (however, the majority of videos are much more expensive)
VideoHive is a marketplace where you can buy stock video footage and motion graphics. It is a part of Envato Marketplace which means that the quality of the videos is good.
Library
Library
VideoHive's library has over 1,5 million stock footage clips, video effects, and After Effects templates.
License
License
All the videos are royalty-free, and there are two licensing options. You can get a regular license which is ideal if you won’t be reselling the end product. However, if you intend to sell the end product, you should get an extended license.
Price:
Price:
Essentials Video Clip - 6 credits (~$60)
Signature Video Clip - 18 credits (~$170)
Library
Library
iStock is another stock video website that falls in the same category as Shutterstock as it focuses more on photos as compared to videos. Nevertheless, iStock has a gigantic collection of more than 2,5 million HD, 4K, and SD video clips. All the files in the library are divided into two collections: The Essential Collection and The Signature Collection. The files in the Essential collection cost 6 credits, while the files in the Signature Collection cost 18 credits. Both contain high-quality files, but Signature video clips are exclusive and cannot be found on any other stock sites.
All the files in the library are priced in credits. You can buy individual credits for $12 each or opt for credit packs to save money. The larger the pack you buy, the greater the discount you will get. For instance, if you buy a 3-credit pack for $33, you will be paying $11 for each credit. But if you get a 300-credit pack for $2400, each credit will cost you only $8. And keep in mind, that as long as you use your iStock account at least once a year, your credits will never expire.
License
License
All iStock footage is royalty-free and comes with a standard license that allows the usage of files in virtually any project (websites, podcasts, advertising, video productions, presentations, blogs, publications, etc.).
Price
Price
Free
Pixabay is another stock video website that offers hundreds of royalty-free clips at no cost. You can even edit the videos to suit your needs and resell the edited videos if you want. As with most free stock footage websites, the quality of the videos on Pixabay is either hit or miss.
Library
Library
The content on Pixabay is released under the Creative Commons license meaning you don’t have to request explicit permission before you can edit the videos. The footage is royalty-free and can be used for commercial projects. Pixabay’s videos come in many formats including MP4 and AVI.
Conclusion
Conclusion
Stock footage is a powerful tool when it comes to video and marketing campaign creation, especially when you don't want to produce original footage. Creating your own videos from scratch can be a costly, painful, and time-consuming process, which is why you may consider using stock footage. These 10 stock video websites that we talked about in this Imho Reviews article will help you get started and provide you with everything you might need to help optimize your video creation workflow.
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