It seems like every content creator these days has a subscription to Storyblocks, one of the leading stock media companies out there. And since you are reading this post, you've probably heard of the service before but are not entirely convinced that it's a good fit for your business or personal projects. In this review, I will talk about pricing, pros and cons, discuss the key features of Storyblocks, reveal the common issues people had with Storyblocks, and compare it to the top five similar platforms. I will also share my own experience with the company - I've been a member of Storyblocks Video (f.k.a Videoblocks) and Storyblocks for several years now. Plus, I will show you a video to demonstrate what kind of things you can create using Storyblocks footage. Okay, let's get started.

What Is Storyblocks?

Storyblocks is a subscription stock footage website that offers members unlimited access to millions of videos, audio, images, After Effects templates, animated backgrounds, Premiere Pro templates for as low as $30 a month. All downloaded files are royalty-free and can be used in any of your projects forever.

In 2017, Videoblocks, a popular royalty-free video stock service and a graphics marketplace, launched a new stock photo, video, and audio service called Storyblocks. I've been a big fan of Storyblocks Video (f.k.a Videoblocks) for quite some time, so naturally, I was excited to test their new platform. And today, I'm ready to share my opinion with you. 

Storyblocks Review:

Storyblocks is a great stock video subscription service with a library of more than 1.5 million digital assets that include commercial use. The content is royalty-free, the license does not expire. It's best for those that are looking for an unlimited high HQ stock video, audio, and images at an affordable price.

Storyblocks now represents all of the company's services: video, audio, and image stock libraries. Storyblocks offers their members affordable monthly and annual plans.  

A few years ago, the company announced that Storyblocks Video (f.k.a Videoblocks) merged with Storyblocks, becoming one platform. You can read my review of Storyblocks Video (f.k.a Videoblocks) here. All of Storyblocks services, including Storyblocks Video (f.k.a Videoblocks), are easily accessible by clicking the button on the top of their main page. Storyblocks has also added additional assets, such as animated backgrounds, After Effects Templates, Apple Motion Templates, fonts, etc.

Storyblocks Pros

1. Unlimited downloads. Storyblocks offers a membership that includes an unlimited number of downloads while the subscription is active and unlimited usage of files downloaded even after membership is no longer active. 

2. Easy licensing with unlimited usage. Standart and enterprise license: both are royalty-free in perpetuity, can be used worldwide, cover unlimited usage for individual and commercial projects. And unless your projects cost more than $20,000 to produce you can use the standard license.

3. Great variety of stock footage - 1+ million HD and 4K clips, Adobe Premiere and After Effects templates, motion backgrounds; audio - 100,000+ music tracks and sound effects, and 430,000+ photos, illustrations, and vectors. 

4. New stock videos, images, and audio files are constantly being added to the platform at no extra cost for members.

5. Storyblocks is very affordable. The price of Storyblocks unlimited annual subscription is the same as some stock companies charge for just one 4K video. There is also an option of getting a separate video or audio subscription in case you don't want to get an unlimited one that includes everything. See the price breakdown below.

6. Storyblocks subscription gives you access to their own online video editor, Maker. It simplifies the process of video creation and it is easy to use even for beginners.

Storyblocks Cons

1. Storyblocks is not free. But as you know, the free footage is usually of very low quality, and you wouldn't want that for your projects.

2. Choosing the right subscription plan may be tricky. This article should help you make the right decision.

3. Storyblocks used to have a free trial option but they removed it a couple of years ago. However, since it only gave access to a video library (no audio or images) and considering the already low price of Storyblocks subscription, it's not a big deal.

4. Storyblocks is a very popular site, so the content is a bit common, and sometimes you see the same footage in other people's videos. That's not an issue for me though, because the Storyblocks library is so big and diverse that I always find unique content for my videos there.

With the Unlimited Video plan, you get an unlimited number of downloads: HD and 4K footage and After Effects Templates. Music and images are not included. This plan costs $50 per month or $240 per year ($20 per month) if you purchase an annual subscription.      

Storyblocks Audio: 

Similar to Storyblocks Video, you can choose from two Audio plans: Basic and Unlimited.  

With the Basic Audio plan, you get 3 downloads per month (only music). It costs $15 per month or $120 per year.

With the Unlimited Audio plan, you get an unlimited number of downloads of music and sound effects. Videos, images, and After Effects Templates are not included. This plan costs $30 per month or $180 per year if you purchase an annual subscription.

Which Plan Should I Use?

Now you may be asking yourself: do I really need a Storyblocks subscription? Will it be good for any of my projects? And if I do, should I get just a Video subscription, or do I need Audio, too? Or, maybe, I should get an Unlimited All Access plan?

Well, that all depends on your needs. I have an Unlimited Video subscription because I always need footage for my projects. And when I need to make thumbnails, I usually just use screenshots from the videos - and that actually saves me hundreds of dollars each year. However, when I need to get music for any of my videos, I prefer to get a monthly subscription to the Audio plan and download as many audio clips as I need.

So before you make any decision ask yourself these questions:

1. What kind of materials do I need? Do I only need HD and 4K footage for my projects or will I use audio as well? 

2. How much stock do I need? How often will I be creating new content?

3. Do I have all of my projects lined up for the next few months? Or is there a possibility of getting any new ones that I'm not aware of?

For my work, videos are very important. Every week I need some clips for my projects but I also don't want to store hundreds of gigabytes on my drive. And that's why I get an annual Unlimited Video subscription from Storyblocks. When it comes to music, I don't need to use it that often, so I prefer to get a monthly subscription whenever I'm working on a project that requires me to use high-quality audio clips. 

Storyblocks has millions of videos, images, and audio clips. So just take a look at your projects and decide how much stock footage you need. You can browse through the library to get an idea of what kind of digital assets Storyblocks have. If you are constantly creating new videos and always looking for inspiration, then you'd probably benefit from the Unlimited plan and it might be even worth purchasing an annual subscription. And if you just have a few projects, then it might be a good idea to try an Unlimited Video monthly plan, download enough stock footage and come back when you need more. And if you just need a few video files to spice up your videos, then try a Basic plan and see how it works out for you.

Storyblocks License

Is Storyblocks Royalty-Free?

Anything you download from Storyblocks is covered by a royalty-free license. That means that you can use all the content for any of your personal and business projects worldwide. All downloaded files are yours to keep even if you cancel your membership, and you can use them in any future projects. 

Storyblocks Free Trial 

Unfortunately, Storyblocks doesn't have a free trial anymore. However, you can create a free Storyblocks account to check out the platform. This way, you will be able to download watermarked previous, organize all the assets into folders, and share them with your clients or colleagues. And if you like the platform, you can then purchase a subscription.

Storyblocks Video Editor

Storyblocks Maker Review

In 2020, Storyblocks launched their online video editor, Maker. It is a great addition to the platform as it allows members of any skill level to create beautiful videos in a matter of minutes.

Maker is integrated with the Storyblocks library and that saves a lot of time. There is a built-in tool that guides you through the whole process of video creation. There are hundreds of customizable templates to choose from, and you can personalize your videos with intros, outros, logos, fonts, animations, images, videos, etc. 

Maker is included in the Storyblocks All Access subscription.

If you are not ready to commit to a subscription yet, you can sign up for a free Storyblocks account and check out the video, photo, and audio libraries for free. There are no extra charges and no upselling techniques. Plus, Storoyblocks is constantly adding new content to the Unlimited Members Library at no additional cost for members.

Why Storyblocks Is Worth It For Me?

• It is easy to use and I get unlimited downloads. No extra or hidden fees whatsoever. 

• It saves me a lot of time because I don't have to shoot footage myself. I can also create a video really quickly using the Maker video editor.

• I get a lot of ideas for creating new videos just by browsing through the video library. 

• There is more than enough footage for all of my projects and new videos are constantly being added.

• It's cheap compared to other stock services.

• It helps me create more streams of income to maintain my lifestyle.

• All the content is royalty-free, which means that I don't have to worry about licensing. 

Common Complains About Storyblocks And Why It Might Not Work For You

We went through hundreds of Storyblocks reviews and decided to discuss the most common issues the users were having and come up with ways to fix them. Here we go.

• You need to be computer savvy (to a certain degree, of course). You need to know how to download and open/use files, especially if you are planning to use After Effects templates. Every template comes with a step-by-step tutorial, but if you've never used AE before it will take you a good 20 minutes to figure things out at first.

• Storyblocks is a paid service. Many people are under the impression that the membership is free, but in reality, it is a subscription-based service and it costs money. However, the price is great, especially if you opt for an Unlimited All Access plan.

•  You get an unlimited number of downloads with your subscription plan. If you cancel your subscription you will no longer be able to download new footage from Storybooks. All the files you downloaded before are yours to keep forever.

• Some people are also complaining that the cancellation process is a bit complicated. However, I think that it is a pretty straightforward procedure that takes a minute or two. Here is an article that talks about it.

Storyblocks Alternatives

There are many services similar to Storyblocks that sell stock video footage. Here is a quick overview of Storyblocks and a comparison with other best stock video services.

Storyblocks Comparison: Verdict 

Storyblocks offers a very good variety of stock footage at a very competitive price. However, I believe that there is no one platform that suits everyone's needs. I am not sure if Storyblocks is the right fit for you, but it really took my video editing skills to the next level which helped me grow my business and earn more money. If you decide to give it a try and take action, then I'm certain that your video editing will never be the same.

Storyblocks Marketplace Update

On September 10th, 2019 Storyblocks closed their marketplace for good. All payments, including the ones that didn't reach a threshold, were made. The company's representative stated that they made a decision to shut down the Marketplace because only 5% of Storyblocks users have even purchased anything from there. They may open the Marketplace again in the future, but for now, they are focusing on adding more content from specific artists and contributors to the library.