How to Access Unlimited Stock Footage for Less Than $50

Stock video libraries make life easier for anyone who relies on video to communicate with their audience. And in today’s world, there’s an ever-growing number of people and companies who rely on video. 

Since 2018, the amount of online video content people watch has almost doubled. This poses a huge opportunity for brands to connect with their audience – but also a big challenge. Creating high-quality video content is tough, and doing it consistently is even tougher. 

But using stock videos makes the process easier, faster, and more affordable. Here, we’ve sourced six stock video libraries that provide unlimited clips for one affordable fee. How affordable? These options all cost less than $50 per month.

What Are Stock Videos?

Stock videos, which are also called stock footage or b-roll, are clips intended to supplement a larger project. They’re short, often under one minute in length. And since they tend to be generic, they can be edited seamlessly into other videos. 

Let’s imagine you’re a YouTuber making a video about tips for backpacking through France. You’re using clips you filmed during a trip you took. But as you’re reviewing your footage, you realize there’s shots you missed. Maybe you’d like a drone shot of Paris as you do an introductory voiceover. 

What’s a content creator to do? You could re-work your video, but that might mean compromising your vision. Your other option? Buy stock footage. Let’s jump into the advantages of this approach.

Advantages of Using Stock Video Libraries

Creating video content often involves trade-offs between artistic desires and practical considerations. Using stock video libraries means you’ll need to make fewer compromises.

Stock Videos Boost Production Value 

Stock footage allows you to include clips that you couldn’t otherwise. This can add depth and interest to your content. 

Stock Videos Are Convenient

Stock videos can be sourced online. This saves you the time and hassle of shooting secondary footage.

Stock Videos Are Affordable

A flat-rate subscription means one predictable cost, without any unpleasant surprises. These plans are significantly more affordable than buying individual clips.

Stock Videos Are Legal

It’s legal to use stock videos on YouTube and for commercial purposes. That said, it’s still a good idea to check the company’s specific terms. To be clear, you’re purchasing licensing rights to use footage in your project. Since you don’t have exclusive rights, other creators can use the same clip in their content. 

Affordable Stock Video Libraries

Stock footage agencies offer clips through their online libraries. The subscription models we include here are a good solution for high-volume creators. They will let you stretch your creative muscle while also stretching your budget.

Artgrid: Best for Commitment-phobes

Unsure about using stock video? Try Artgrid. Their free trial lets you download watermarked versions of their entire catalog. 

If you decide to move forward, they offer three plans. Their Creator Plan, which is their most popular, costs $39.92 monthly.

One small caveat: technically, there is a download limit, but you’ll likely never reach it. To prevent misuse by bots or jerks, downloads are capped at 100 clips per day. 

ProVideo Factory: Best for the Budget-minded

All unlimited subscription plans provide good value. But, by our calculations, ProVideo Factory is the best. Access to their 200,000-clip library costs just $9.99 per month. But their affordability doesn’t come at the expense of quality. Television networks such as CNN, NBC, and BBC use their footage.

Like other stock video companies, ProVideo does set some boundaries. They don’t mind if you download a few dozen clips that might be useful for a future project. But they don’t want you to download 500 clips in a single day that you have no intention of using. Fair enough, right?

Clipstock: Best for Creators Who Want a Big Catalog

Clipstock has a catalog of 700,000 to 1 million clips. It’s hard to peg down an exact figure, as they’ve been busy adding a backlog of footage into their online library. But one thing is certain. More clips provide more options for content creators. 

Some of Clipstock’s shots are stand-alones. Others are part of a sequenced group of shots. For example: you might see a bride walking down the aisle and then see that same bride standing at the altar. 

Their plan rings up at $99 for your first year (and $199 annually after that). 

FINDSTORY: Best for Storytellers in a Hurry

FINDSTORY organizes their footage into stories. They claim this allows you to find the right clip in half the time.

As with some of the other libraries, FINDSTORY limits you to 100 files per day. If you need more, you can email their customer service team. 

Their Vlogger plan ($19 per month) only allows you to use footage in your own projects. Upgrading your plan allows you to transfer licenses to clients. 

Storyblocks: Best for Creators Looking for Diversity

The best storytelling happens when everyone’s story can be told. For that reason, Storyblocks is working to add more diversity to its library. Their goal? For their stock footage to represent what the real world looks like. 

Storyblocks offers an individual plan for $39.99 per month. Don’t need unlimited downloads? Their starter plan ($19.99 per month) allows for five downloads a month, but 4K footage isn’t included. 

FilmHERO: Best for Camera Snobs

FilmHERO organizes their footage into packs, with three to 20 clips in each pack. The majority have been filmed on the best cameras in the business: RED Cinema Cameras or Phantom Flex Super Slow Motion Cameras. 

After your subscription expires, you can’t use their footage to create new projects. Since they allow you to download every shot in their catalog, this is a reasonable limitation.

Their monthly plan for unlimited downloads is $49 per month. For more savings, opt for their $180 annual membership.

Stock Video Libraries for Every Type of Creator

Whether you’re a start-up or a corporation, your customers want video content – and they want a lot of it. Using stock video libraries saves you time without compromising on quality or blowing your budget. So give it a try – your audience is waiting.