best cheap stock video

The 9+ Best Cheap Stock Video Sites [HD & 4K for 2023]

Videos are powerful because they command people’s attention. But the process of making them is expensive. For starters, you’ll need a good video camera and great editing skills, and it takes time to put all the pieces together.

But did you know you could shorten the time and resources that go into video creation by utilizing stock footage?

Adding high-quality stock video footage to your video project or film can make it appear professional, even if you’re a rookie. Although most stock agencies require membership, annual plans, or limited downloads, some grant you access at an affordable price.

In today’s post, I’ll show you nine sites offering cheap stock footage. From free services to those offering the lowest prices and royalty-free licenses, I’ve got you covered.

This post may contain affiliate links, which means I’ll receive a commission if you purchase through my links, at no extra cost to you. Please read full disclosure for more information.

Best free stock videos

Pixabay

Pixabay logo

Pixabay has fantastic free stock videos that their community of video content creators has produced.

The videos can be used for commercial or non-commercial uses, and you can search easily for the high-quality video clips you need!

Price: Free!

best runner-up free videos

Pexels

Pexels Logo

Pexels is another great site that offers free stock videos.

Some users find that they don’t have as many genres of videos as Pixabay. But, it’s a great alternative if you can’t find something there.

best for unlimited downloads

Artgrid

Artgrid logo

Artgrid is a relatively new stock footage site that offers unlimited downloads when you buy a subscription.

Users love their high-quality, unique, and cinematic videos. They also love that it is affordable!

cheapest paid option

Videvo

Videvo logo

Videvo offers a vast library of free HD and 4K video clips and motion graphics that can be used in personal and commercial projects.

The site offers affordable premium plans that provide access to even more footage, making it the perfect option for those on a budget looking for high-quality video assets.

best free VFX

Footage Crate

FootageCrate logo

Footage Crate offers a wide variety of high-quality video assets, all created by industry professionals.

The site’s user-friendly interface and royalty-free licensing make it an excellent resource for video content creators looking to enhance their projects.

What Are the Best Cheap Stock Video Sites?

Because videos are becoming increasingly popular, there’s an abundance of stock video sites that shortens the time required to produce an extensive collection of videos. Below is a list of sites where you can purchase cheap stock footage for your projects.

1. Pixabay

Discover-and-download-free-videos-Pixabay

Overview

Pixabay is a fantastic website for free stock videos. You can find a vast collection of high-quality videos in various resolutions. The site is easy to use, and you can search for videos by keyword or category. Plus, there’s a community of contributors who are always adding fresh content so that the library is constantly updated.

Top Features

  • Extensive library of high-quality videos in different resolutions.
  • All videos on Pixabay are free for personal and commercial use without attribution or fees.
  • User-friendly site with an easy-to-navigate search function for finding videos by keyword or category.
  • Community of contributors uploading new content regularly, ensuring a constantly updated library.
  • No watermarks or intrusive ads make it an ideal resource for content creators and businesses.

Pricing

All Pixabay videos and other stock media (photos and images, animated GIFs, music, etc.) are free to download and use.

Pixabay Pros

  • Great free stock video clips for video creators to use!
  • Videos have no watermarks.
  • Has great free photos, illustrations, music, and vectors, as well as videos.

Pixabay Cons

  • It is sometimes hard to distinguish between free videos and sponsored paid videos.
  • The app can be glitchy at times (use the desktop version instead).

Bottom Line

If you’re searching for a free stock video website with high-quality content and a royalty-free license, you can’t go wrong with Pixabay! They offer a broad selection of excellent quality free stock footage that you can use for personal or commercial use without worrying about attribution or fees.


2. Pexels Video

Pexels Free Stock Footage

Overview

Pexels launched as a free stock photo site but later included stock videos due to the great demand for them. The videos are high-quality and royalty-free, even for commercial projects. However, you shouldn’t resell them as stock videos or use them for monetized activities without altering or adding value to them.

Top Features

  • Access to a large community of videographers that upload new content regularly.
  • Videos are categorized into themes and niches, such as nature, food, business, flowers, cars, technology, landscape, and space.
  • The intuitive search bar lets you find free stock footage using specific keywords. When you click on a video, you’ll see a collection of videos that are similar to it, which enhances user experience.
  • Ability to preview videos before downloading them.
  • Attributions aren’t required. So, you don’t have to worry about giving credit to the owner or infringing on a copyright.

Pricing

Pexels is entirely free to use; there are no paid membership or subscription plans. However, you may find sponsored videos from its partners. When you click on them, you’ll be redirected to another website where you’ll purchase the video clips.

Pexels Pros

  • Features diverse people in their high-quality clips and photos.
  • Lots of royalty-free videos to use.

Pexels Cons

  • May lack videos on newer topics (i.e., tech).
  • Be careful around kids, as some content may be inappropriate.

Bottom Line

Pexels Video offers a user-friendly free stock footage website with unlimited downloads. If you’re looking for professional-looking video clips with royalty-free licensing, Pexels is a great place to begin.


3. Artgrid

Royalty-Free-Stock-Footage-Artgrid-io

Overview

Known for its ultra-high-quality stock footage, Artgrid offers unlimited downloads at an affordable price. It works with independent filmmakers globally to ensure subscribers get the best results. As a result, Artgrid’s library booms with new files, and you won’t run out of stock footage for your project.

Top Features

  • Apart from using keywords, you can search for stock footage using filters, such as theme, shot type, people, collections, and filmmakers, which increases your chances of getting unique results.
  • The footage is available in HD clips, 4k, 8k, ProRes/DNxHR, and RAW/LOG clips.
  • Each clip is part of a story, making it easy to create uniformity in the final video.
  • You can preview videos, save them, or purchase them by hovering over them or clicking on them.
  • The license is simple and covers everything, including YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, Commercials, and broadcasting.

Pricing

Artgrid pricing

Artgrid offers three plans, but they’re billed annually:

  • Junior: $19.99 per month
  • Creator: $29.99 per month
  • Pro: $49.92 per month

Also, you can contact the company if you want a customized solution.

Artgrid Pros

  • Has high-quality video clips.
  • Related videos are suggested with each video clip.
  • The pricing model allows for unlimited downloads.
  • New video footage is being uploaded each day!
  • Lots of unique and emotion-filled videos.
  • Many video clips are part of a collection, so you can get different angles of the same scene.
  • You can download preview video clips and try the program out for free!
  • Search videos by shot type, time of day, framing, camera movement, and more!

Artgrid Cons

  • The website is not optimized for use on mobile devices.
  • You need to buy the Creator plan to get access to 4k/8k videos.

Bottom Line

Whether you’re a YouTuber or a small video marketing agency, Artgrid is a cool platform for all kinds of creators. The video quality is top-notch, and the price feels like a steal.

To see my full review of this program, check out this article: Artgrid Review: Powerful Cinematic Stock Footage


4. Videvo

Videvo

Overview

Videvo is a stock video footage website that offers free and affordable premium video clips, including royalty-free music and sound effects to pair with your clips. The company produces its content and accepts contributions from trusted sources. So, you’re sure of getting the best value for your money.

Top Features

  • Access over 50,000 free stock footage and up to 1 million royalty-free video clips if you sign up for the premium plan.
  • The free stock videos are licensed under Creative Commons and the company’s attribution license, allowing you to use them commercially and for various projects.
  • You can download both free and premium video clips in 4k resolution.
  • For easy access, videos are categorized into agriculture, education, entertainment, medical, drone footage, lifestyle, sports, religion, people, and many more.
  • Hovering over a video plays a preview, which saves you time on clicking to view.

Pricing

Premium-Plans-–-Videvo

Videvo has three pricing plans:

  • Videvo Lite costs $7.99 per month
  • Videvo Plus costs $14.99 per month
  • Videvo Pro costs $24.99 per month

Videvo Pros

  • The Lite plan is super-affordable.
  • Many people love the fact that they offer many videos for free.

Videvo Cons

  • Some customers find it difficult to end their subscriptions.
  • It can be hard to search through their videos.

Bottom Line

Besides being free, Videvo offers premium content for cheap, and you can cancel anytime. Also, it’s a great platform if you want a variety of quality stock footage without breaking the bank.


5. Footage Crate

FootageCrate

Overview

Footage Crate is a VFX and motion graphics provider. Over time, it has proven to be a store for the best free filmmaking resources and affordable professional-level content. The platform displays thousands of HD and 4k video elements and special effects from Hollywood, such as magical powers, henchmen, water and ice, and zombies.

Top Features

  • You can find free videos with ease by adding “free” to the keyword.
  • More than 10,000 customized HD video clips with access to new content every week.
  • Several download formats are available to ensure the videos are compatible with all video editing software.
  • Videos are pre-matted and contain lossless codecs, ensuring they don’t lose their original details and raw color.

Pricing

Footage Crate offers Free and Pro memberships. With the free membership, you’re limited to 5 downloads daily, and there’s an option to donate $15 per month to get up to 20 downloads daily.

The Pro membership, on the other hand, offers unrestricted access to all assets on the platform and faster downloads. You can sign up for the Pro plan at $39/month or the Enterprise plan at $79/month.

Bottom Line

With a wide range of resources, everyone, from small YouTubers to big blockbuster production companies, can benefit from Footage Crate. Also, the videos are categorized to help you find what you want.


6. Envato Elements

Envato-Elements-Unlimited-Stock-Videos-Music-Photos-Graphics

Overview

Envato Elements is a subscription platform offering unlimited downloads of creative assets, including stock footage, WordPress themes, photos, and audio. All assets have the same royalty free license terms, enabling you to utilize them for personal and commercial use.

Top Features

  • Unlimited downloads with a royalty-free license.
  • You can download HD videos and 2k and 4k stock footage.
  • Supports applications such as Adobe Photoshop, Lightroom, and Illustrator.
  • Access to free tutorials to enhance your video creation skills.
  • Get up to 12 handpicked free files every month.

Pricing

Envato-Elements-Unlimited-Stock-Videos-Music-Photos-Graphics Pricing

Envato Elements offers four unique plans:

  • The Individuals plan costs $16.50 per month
  • The Students’ plan offers 30% discounts
  • The Teams plan costs $10.75 per member
  • The Enterprise plan is customized based on your needs

Envato Elements Pros

  • Has a clear licensing structure.
  • The stock videos are high-quality.
  • There is a great “suggest a video” button if you can’t find something.
  • Great value for money!
  • Motion and Final Cut Pro assets and templates are included.
  • You can download stock videos in different sizes and with different qualities.
  • Includes stock images, video templates, music, fonts, and 3D templates, along with stock videos.

Envato Elements Cons

  • The search function may show unrelated videos.
  • Many videos are drone shots.
  • Some people find that their customer service is sub-par.

Bottom Line

Envato Elements is an exceptional platform for teams requiring unlimited access to stock video. Also, students can take advantage of the low prices to complete their work in record time.


7. StoryBlocks Video

Storyblocks Stock footage

Overview

Storyblocks is another cheap stock footage site that provides access to unlimited downloads, so you don’t have to pay per asset. It also has an extensive collection of sound effects, animated backgrounds, photos, etc., to add more vibe to your videos. And to save time on editing each clip, you can utilize StoryBlocks’ online video editor, Maker.

Top Features

  • Search for stock videos using the search bar or browse through top categories.
  • Access to royalty-free stock footage that you can use for personal and commercial purposes.
  • The tutorials hub offers access to video creation and monetization tips and tutorials.
  • Integrates with Premiere Pro and After Effects.
  • You’ll get high-quality videos in HD and 4k resolution.

Pricing

StoryBlocks offers three plans for individuals:

  • Starter: $15 per month
  • Unlimited All Access: $30 per month
  • Pro: $35 per month

There’s a subscription plan for businesses. However, you’ll have to contact the company to discuss the options that match your business needs.

Storyblocks Pros

  • Pricing is very reasonable, making it a great budget option for creative projects.
  • Get videos, photos, music, vectors, and illustrations with your subscription.
  • Unlimited downloads with a subscription plan!
  • Works great with Adobe After Effects.

Storyblocks Cons

  • As this is a new site, they are still building their library of video clips and images.
  • Note that billing is on an annual basis for most plans.
  • Fewer cinematic videos than on some other platforms.

Bottom Line

Although StoryBlocks offers unlimited downloads, you can only access five downloads monthly through its starter plan, which is recommended for beginner creators. However, you’ll get free video creation resources from its website.


8. Motion Array

Motion-Array

Overview

Motion Array is an online marketplace offering unlimited digital assets, such as stock video footage, video templates, music, sound effects, and photos. Whether you’re working solo or in a team, you can optimize your workflow using its extension panel, which also integrates with the latest versions of Adobe apps.

Top Features

  • Unlimited downloads if you subscribe to a paid plan.
  • The license lasts a lifetime and covers several video projects, such as films, social media videos and monetization, and advertising.
  • A review and collaboration tool for teams and individuals that need customer feedback while working on a project.
  • Access valuable tutorials and resources to improve your creativity.
  • Integrates seamlessly with Photoshop, Premiere Pro, and After Effects.

Pricing

Pricing-Motion-Array

For individuals, Motion Array offers a monthly plan costing $29.99/month. However, you can save up to $100 if you pay for the annual plan, billed at $19.99 monthly.

Teams, on the other hand, can pay $37.50 per month for two members. They can add up to 20 team members at a cost.

Motion Array Pros

  • Compatible with Adobe Premiere and Final Cut Pro X.
  • It includes cinematic video footage, so it’s great for filmmakers.
  • Great for video editing, graphics, titles, and various other assets.

Motion Array Cons

  • It may not include as many videos as other sites.

Bottom Line

Motion Array is one of the most affordable stock video sites that offer premium quality videos plus unlimited downloads. The user interface is modern and easy to navigate. Also, you can create a free trial account to determine whether the service is worth paying for.

9. Coverr

Coverr stock footage

Overview

Coverr is a stock video platform that offers a large collection of high-quality videos and a royalty-free license at no cost. You can use its assets for commercial and non-commercial purposes without requesting permission or giving credit to the owner.

Top Features

  • Videos download as HD clips in MP4 format, but you may find a 4k resolution occasionally.
  • Categories, such as work from home, arts and crafts, tech, and animals, make it easy to find stock videos.
  • Access to Shutterstock collection at a discounted price.
  • Coverr’s API lets you embed stock videos in your website or app.
  • Email subscription notifies you of the latest videos on the platform.

Pricing

Coverr is entirely free.

Coverr Pros

  • Has tons of fantastic free videos to download!
  • Allows you to embed the video on your website in one click.

Coverr Cons

  • Limited number of videos.

Bottom Line

Coverr is ideal for anyone who’s producing videos on a small budget. You don’t have to pay anything to use use the site.


10. SplitShire

Free-Stock-Photos-SplitShire

Overview

SplitShire began as a personal store for stock images and expanded to include videos. The content is free to use, but it’d be helpful to input your creativity so you don’t end up with footage that anyone can find randomly.

Top Features

  • Access to thousands of videos uploaded by a renowned photographer and graphics designer, Daniel Nanescu.
  • The videos have a consistent style, which makes it easy for you to combine multiple video clips from the site.

Pricing

SplitShire is free to use.

SplitShire Pros

  • Tons of beautiful nature and outdoor videos.
  • They are free to use!

SplitShire Cons

  • Only good for those looking for outdoor footage.

Bottom Line

Whether you’re a social media marketer, business owner, or website designer, everyone can use content from SplitShire. You can also edit the video by incorporating matching stock images from the site.


What Is Stock Video?

A stock video is video footage that has been shot with the intention of licensing or selling it so that others can use it in a creative project. It’s also called stock footage or a B-roll and is usually about 20 to 60 minutes long with no multiple angles or cuts.

When you purchase stock video footage, you’re paying for the license, which permits you to use it in commercial projects. However, you’re not allowed to resell the footage. You’ll usually get a royalty-free license to make a one-time payment and then use the content multiple times.

Although some videographers shoot stock videos for specific projects, others are generic. Some examples include videos of families, animals, nature, food, cityscapes, aerial views, transportation videos, slow-motion videos, sports clips, natural disasters, and historical moments.

How to Choose the Right Stock Video for Your Needs

Now, let me tell you how to pick the right stock video footage.

Identifying Your Needs

Before looking for stock video footage, you should understand why you need it. If your video project requires a scene that you can’t shoot, probably due to bad weather or not having the right lens, then stock video becomes necessary.

Quality Considerations

Quality is supreme when choosing cheap stock video footage. You should ensure that the resolution and frames match your existing footage to avoid complicated editing. For example, if your existing footage is in HD, using a 4k stock video requires stepping down to fit what you already have.

Also, because many websites offer stock video footage, they may have been overused. As a rule of thumb, you should always edit stock footage to reflect your unique elements, such as brand color, logo, shooting style, and suitable music.

Cheap Stock Video

Common Questions About Cheap Stock Video Footage

Where Can I Get Free Stock Videos?

You can get free stock videos from Pixabay, whether for commercial or non-commercial projects. Other sites for free stock footage include Pexels, Videvo, Coverr, Life of Vids, Splitshire, and Videezy.

How Much Do Stock Videos Cost?

The price of stock videos ranges between $60 to $200, depending on the stock video footage agency, the content volume, and the video resolution. On average, 4k videos cost $199 per download, while HD video clips cost $79. However, you can save more money when you purchase subscription plans.

Is It Legal to Use Stock Footage?

Provided you have the proper permission, it’s legal to use stock footage. This permission is a license and states whether you can use the footage for commercial or personal or use. There’s also public domain stock video footage that doesn’t require a license. But you should ensure it’s in the public domain before using it.

Conclusion: Cheap Stock Videos

A stock video comes in handy when you don’t want to produce a video from scratch, or you’re not equipped to shoot footage. The nine cheap stock video footage sites I discussed can help you save time and costs, enabling you to churn out more video content with few resources.

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