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.
As an indie filmmaker myself, I know I’ve been in positions where I needed quality footage but just couldn’t manage to film it myself (for whatever reason!). That’s when I look at sites like the ones in this article.
In today’s post, I’ll show you nine sites offering cheap stock footage. From free services to those offering the lowest prices and a royalty-free license, 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.
What Are the Best Cheap Stock Video Footage 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
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
Pixabay Cons
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
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 include a royalty-free licence 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
Pexels Cons
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
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 offers three monthly 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
Artgrid Cons
Bottom Line
Whether you’re a YouTuber or a small video marketing agency, Artgrid is a cool platform for all kinds of creators. Their cheap stock video footage 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
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
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
Videvo Cons
Bottom Line
Besides being free, Videvo offers premium clips for low prices, 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
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 easily find free video clips 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 can benefit from Footage Crate, from small YouTubers to big blockbuster production companies. Also, the video clips are categorized nicely to help you find what you want.
6. Envato Elements
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 video clips every month.
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
Envato Elements Cons
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
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
Storyblocks Cons
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
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
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
Motion Array Cons
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
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
Coverr Cons
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
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
SplitShire Cons
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 to license or sell 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 stock video footage sites. 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.
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.
Final Thoughts
Stock video footage comes in handy when you don’t want to produce a video from scratch, or you’re not equipped to shoot footage. The nine sites offering cheap videos and even free videos discussed here can help you save time and money.
I hope these sites help you produce more film and video content easily and cheaply!
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