The video format is here to stay! If you are not yet using videos for your marketing, it is time to start. To get you going, we have compiled a list of websites where you can find amazing stock videos online (and mostly for free!). See for yourself!
1. Pixabay – one stop for all content creation
Price: Free
License: Creative Commons Zero (CC0)
Video format: Vertical and horizontal
Pixabay is one of the best places online where to get free, good-looking stock videos. It is worth mentioning that Pixabay offers not only videos – you can get free stock photos, audio, illustrations, and more. It means it can be a one-stop for all your content creation needs.
All their content is royalty-free and you can use it for personal and commercial use. There are no rules on how to do it. For example, you don’t have to reference the author (however, it is a good tone to do so!).
Pixabay offers a variety of videos – there are people, animals, nature, cars, urban scenes, family, friends, and so on.
2. Pexels – a place to find green screen video footage
Price: Free
License: Creative Commons Zero (CC0)
Video format: Vertical and horizontal
Pexels has a vast collection of free videos you can use under the Creative Commons Zero license. It means you can use it freely, without any terms. The video collection has content for all types of situations and needs. Similar to Pixabay they offer videos of people, nature, cars, urban scenes, animals, friends, and so on.
One thing that makes Pexels stand out is its supply of videos with green screen elements. Using these types of videos you can truly make their stock video feel more on your brand and convey your specific message the best.
It is also worth mentioning that Pexels also offers free stock photos.
3. Mixkit – a unique selection of videos
Price: Free
License: Restricted license and Free license
Video format: Vertical and horizontal
Mixkit offers not only videos but also different audio – from sound effects to background music. On their website, you can find videos in vertical and horizontal formats for different tastes and needs.
The only thing you need to be careful about – some of their video content is under a restricted license. It means that it is for personal or educational use only (no commercial use!). Before you download the video and use it, make sure you know under what license it is.
4. Clipstill – find cinemagraphs of your dreams
Price: Free and 19$ one-time payment
License: Standard license and Extended license
Video format: Vertical and horizontal
What is a cinemagraph? Cinemagraph is a picture with one moving (video) element. For example, a picture of a teacup with steam coming from it. Or a nature shot, but the leaves on one bush slowly move.
The selection of cinemagraphs on the Clipstill website is not the biggest one, but maybe you will find just what you need!
Cinemagraphs are eye-catching and interesting elements. Clipstill offers horizontal and vertical videos, so you can use them for a website or social media.
Before using their art, make sure you know what license to get – standard or extended. Standard will work for most cases (also for commercial use).
5. Motion elements – videos for every occasion
Price: Free, 16$/month or pay per item from 1$
License: Royalty-free license (but has some different use formats, for example, Editorial-use only and P.R.O.)
Video format: Vertical and horizontal
If you search Motionelements website well, you can find videos for everything. Starting from classic stock videos to Zoom backgrounds. There are also videos with graphic elements that resemble a presentation and other elements that can be used as a background in a video.
Motionelements has a royalty-free license for all their offers, but some come with strings attached. For example, you have to be attentive and see tags like “Editorial use only” or “P.R.O.”. “Editorial use only” prohibits to use their content for commercial needs but P.R.O. applies to music.
In Motionelements you get to download 5 pieces of content for free. After that, you need to pay a monthly fee or pay for every item you download separately.
6. Free Nature Stock – the best place for the best nature shots
Price: Free (but you can support the creator and photo/video artist by a donation)
License: Creative Commons Zero (CC0)
Video format: Horizontal
Clean, clear, and simple. Free Nature Stock offers nature videos and photos. No logging in, no extra steps. Just search the items and download what you need.
In the video section, they don’t have the biggest collections, but it is marvelous. All videos are in HD quality and they will awe you!
7. Vidsplay – natural-looking videos
Price: Free
License: Royalty-free
Video format: Horizontal
Vidsplay has a collection of very natural, easygoing videos. They have a homemade touch which can be a bonus if you want to create real, down-to-earth content.
They offer royalty-free licenses for all their items and all their videos are 100% free.
8. Coverr – filmed and AI-generated videos
Price: Free or 6$/month for Coverr+
License: Free Use
Video format: Horizontal
Coverr is a great stop where to get amazing-looking videos. One of their best features is AI-generated videos that are eye-catching and sometimes out of this world. It is an interesting option to consider if it aligns with your brand.
Coverr videos are free to use, including commercial use. The only thing you cannot do is resell their videos or create a competitive service with their items.
9. Videvo – Large collection of various videos
Price: Free or Premium starting at 7.99$/month
License: Royalty-free, Videvo Attribution License, Creative Commons 3.0 Unported (CC-BY), NASA License, Public Domain License
Video format: Horizontal
Videvo has a huge collection of stock videos. If you search their website, most likely you will find what you need. They offer the vast majority of videos for free but some content is reserved just for Premium users.
They have lots of licenses and two usage rights (All Projects and Media or Editorial Use Only), so before downloading a video you need to read carefully the licensing and Usage tab.
10. Videezy – a place for digital artists
Price: Free or Pro starting from 19$ a file
License: Videezy Standard license
Video format: Horizontal
Videezy is one of the largest free stock video resources online. They also offer other items that could be interesting to digital artists, for example, vectors, photos, and Photoshop paint brushes.
If you want to access some additional items, you need to sign up for the Pro version. There you can pay 19$ for one download or choose packs with credits. However, that said, the free item library is quite extensive so you might find what you are looking for there!
Videezy has several licenses and you need to carefully check the license card before downloading and using their items. Most of the free videos are free to use commercially with the condition that you give an attribution. But no worries, they have very clear instructions on how to do it right.
11. Dareful – urban and nature shots
Price: Free
License: Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0 Deed)
Video format: Horizontal
Dareful has some amazing nature shots and urban city views. Their library consists of mostly landscape videos as well as some drone shots. If that’s what your project needs, you will find something for your liking!
Dareful uses Creative Commons Attribution License which means that you have to give attribution when you use their videos. But it is a small price to pay, considering that their videos are completely free for all usage, no strings attached!
12. Storyblocks – stock videos with additional value
Price: From 25$/month
License: Individual License or Business License
Video format: Horizontal
Storyblocks goes a step further. They not only offer free stock videos, but they also have an almost complete library of all kinds of media you might need. That includes animated backgrounds, templates for video editing softwares, audio, and images. They also have resources for video creators and creative tools for video editors.
Storyblocks items are not free, but starting from 25$/month you can get unlimited downloads on all their items. It is still a pretty good deal.
13. Shutterstock – the most famous stock video library
Price: From 89EUR/month for 5 downloads
License: Standard License and Enhanced license
Video format: Vertical and Horizontal
Shutterstock has videos of almost anything, so, surely, you will find what you need there. The only downside is their high prices for its content, but despite that it is one of the most used and famous places online where to get stock footage. It is a good solution for big companies with extensive marketing and creative budgets.
They offer two kinds of licenses – standard and enhanced. Standard is a little bit limited and you need to check what are some regulations you need to follow when using their content. Enhanced license lets you do anything with the material.
In conclusion
Video content nowadays is much more accessible than ever before. If you don’t have time or resources to create your own, don’t be shy to use the footage that is available online for free! Just make sure you know what license the video has and that you know how to honor it.
