Video marketing campaigns can engage your consumers so you can win them over more easily. And while there’s a lot of other reasons why you should invest in video productions, you may find that producing original, high-quality videos can be difficult, time-consuming, and even expensive at times.
Fortunately, businesses can take advantage of the numerous websites offering free stock video footage. These resources come in many different categories and types—from short clips for simple social media posts to animation (and even visual effects!) for your ad campaigns.
Ready to find great footage for all kinds of video marketing campaigns? Check out this extensive list of the top 28 websites that offer free stock videos.
28 Free Stock Video Websites to Get Royalty-Free Footage
1. Videvo
Videvo offers a large collection of free stock videos and motion graphics. And if their selection of 7,600+ footages still isn’t enough for your business needs, the website adds new HD stock videos daily and even has a wide variety of music tracks and sound effects.
However, be sure to verify the licensing of any video on Videvo before using it for your marketing campaign. This is due to the fact that while most are licensed as royalty-free, there are other footages that used other licensing formats. To guide you, here are the differences between them:
- Royalty-Free – Most videos in Videvo have this licensing. This allows you to use the stock footage for free without the need to credit the owner. In short, you can upload the clip wherever—be it on social media or on a street advertisement—and whenever you like.
- Videvo Attribution – This attribution simply means that you can still use the Videvo stock video for free but you must properly credit the owner of the said clip. To do this, you can simply add a small text in your video or include the owner’s details in the video description.
It’s also important to know that you cannot distribute the clips (download then re-upload on another site) in their original form.
- Creative Commons 3.0 Unported – This is similar to the Videvo Attribution but unlike the latter, you can freely distribute the footage in its original version. Having said that, you don’t have the authority to sell the Videvo clip in its unedited form.
It’s also a must to give credit to the owner whenever the free stock video is used or distributed.
2. Pixabay
If you think Videvo has a huge number of royalty-free stock videos, Pixabay’s 1.5 million (and still counting!) free resources may surprise you. There’s also no need to worry about accidentally infringing copyrights as all of their free stock videos have Creative Commons Zero (CC0) licensing. This just simply means you can freely use or edit the clips accordingly without having the need to credit the owner.
Pixabay is also the home to millions of free stock photos, illustrations, and even vectors. Surely, you can have everything you need for every imaginable theme—be it nature, cityscape, animation, and even outer space—on this website.
3. Pexels
While Pexels originally started as a free stock photo site, it quickly became one of today’s most popular library for royalty-free videos.
This is due to the fact that the website offers a vast collection of free stock video footage under the CC0 license. Just make sure to utilize the search bar in order to find exactly what you’re looking for in your video marketing campaign.
4. Vidsplay
Another website that also offers a significant amount of free stock videos is Vidsplay. It has a drop-down menu that contains various categories from animals to transportation. This ultimately makes the hunt for high-quality and relevant footages easier.
Aside from the easy navigation, Vidsplay also lets you see the important details of each stock video—from duration, resolution, format and even frame rate.
Furthermore, all of their resources can be downloaded and used for both personal or commercial purposes for free without having to sign up on their website! However, you still need to add a credit link to Vidsplay somewhere on your video, whether it’s embedded on your website or distributed as a short commercial ad.
Tip: Despite its straightforward website layout, it can still get confusing as Vidsplay mixes its video clip thumbnails with ads. Make sure you don’t accidentally click these clips which only redirects you to other sites.
5. Videezy
Videezy offers a wide variety of high-quality and free stock video clips, in both HD and 4K resolution. But perhaps this website is more popularly known for its jaw-dropping aerial drone footage.
However, you still have to credit Videezy when using its clips. Some of its videos are also labeled with “Pro” which means you have to pay with credits in order to use it.
Tip: Shot an interesting subject with your camera? You can earn a passive income by simply uploading your resources on Videezy.
6. XStockVideo
With over 12,000 Facebook fans and more than 10,000 video downloads every month, XStockVideo is definitely another free stock video website every marketer shouldn’t ignore.
All of its footages are free to use for educational, events, and promotional purposes. However, you need to pay a small amount of money for commercial use. Don’t let this discourage you, though, as this is the same fee that covers the cost of the website’s maintenance and the employment of people who share more free stock videos.
If your business has a knack in video production, you can also become a paid contributor for XStockVideo. Simply apply through their official form found on their website.
7. Life of Vids
Life of Vids is the creation of Leeroy, an advertising agency located in Canada. Through this website, the team shared their vast collection of free stock video content to be used in your blogs and pages. It’s completely free but you are only limited to use up to ten stock videos on your website.
So while you might be tempted to download all their high-quality footage—which are updated every week, by the way—you’re really not allowed to use all of them in your web space. Fortunately, you can always donate to the company through a beer and who knows, they might even allow you to use more clips!
8. Splitshire
SplitShire started out as a free stock photo website but later on expanded to offer high-quality stock videos as well. The site has a wide range of beautiful footage which mostly consists of drone shots and outdoor scenes.
Feel free to use them in all of your social media pages, websites, and blogs, thanks to the SplitShire’s straightforward layout where you can easily download the free content. However, you can’t sell the footage or use them for inappropriate projects such as discrimination, racism, and violence.
Did You Know? SplitShire is owned by only one person, graphic and web designer Daniel Nanescu, who wanted to share his work for personal or commercial use. This ultimately makes the free stock videos and photos found on the site extremely unique yet cohesive at the same time.
9. Dareful
Dareful is a website you should visit if you’re looking for high-quality free stock videos in 4K resolution. And while its collection of content are not that huge compared to the aforementioned websites, you can still find really breathtaking shots from time lapse videos to drone footage. Furthermore, expect new clips to be added weekly on the site. You can even sign-up for email notifications to get updated whenever the site uploads fresh content.
If you’re still in doubt to use the content found on Dareful, all are under the Creative Commons 4.0 license. This means that these stock video clips are 100% free and can be used in any type of project, whether personal or commercial.
And like SplitShire, you’ll also be surprised that Dareful is a one-man show from Joel Holland, the founder of VideoBlocks (more on this website later).
10. Distill
Distill is a free stock video website that offers carefully curated HD footage for both personal and commercial use. It is made for creatives by creatives so you’ll surely find something that helps you stand out, no matter what your project is all about.
Simply submit your email address to receive ten free stock videos every ten days. You can also be a part of Distill and share your footage for free if you’re particularly skilled in videography. However, make sure your clips are not discriminatory in any way as the site is very strict when it comes to submissions.
11. Footage Crate
Footage Crate is the home to free stock videos that features VFX and other media elements. So if you’re aiming to create short clips or features that has special effects, you’ll surely benefit from the vast collection of content Footage Crate offers.
From explosions, fire, smoke to sci-fi elements, and even magic powers, Footage Crate has 10,000 (and counting!) content in full HD resolution. Furthermore, you can choose from four download formats for your free stock videos, depending on your project type:
- MOV (PNG Codec) – If you aim to have your video with special effects shown in any big screen, choose this particular codec. It can be quite heavy and troublesome for some computers when editing but the end result is always very sharp and high-quality.
- PNG Sequence – This video formatting is ideal for any online sharing in blogs, social media networks, and websites.
- MOV (ProRes 4444) – Select this codec for native Apple support. This also allows for easy previewing when using Final Cut or iMovie for your editing works.
- MP4 (H.264 Codec) – This codec is best for lightweight editing platforms and when you prefer to have a little bit of flexibility.
However, despite the large array of content at Footage Crate, you can only download 5 free stock videos per day. Also, video clips that are marked with a star are exclusively available for pro users only. Nevertheless, a third of Footage Crate’s content are 100% free.
12. Freestock
With the everyday creator in their minds, Freestock’s team of creative-industry leaders offers over 3,300 free stock videos that can be used for your own personal or commercial use. However, before downloading their free resources, you must first credit the site with a link back to the particular clip you have chosen.
Did You Know? In addition to high-quality free stock videos, Freestock also features thousands of carefully curated photos, icons, vectors, and other editorial content.
13. Motion Array
Motion Array is definitely the ultimate video maker’s platform. The site features more than 200,000 high-quality free stock videos and this huge library of free content are still growing everyday. Aside from the stock video footage, you can also find After Effects, Premiere Pro, Final Cut, and Davinci Templates as well as various editing presets and royalty-free music.
Simply sign-up for a membership to receive access and start downloading thousands of these free stock video footage. You can also opt for a monthly subscription to unlock other professional features on the website such as reviews, portfolio, and plugins.
Tip: While most of Motion Array’s assets are cleared for commercial use, there are still a number of clips that are labeled as “Editorial use only.” Make sure to check the licenses first before using the particular content for your projects.
14. MotionElements
If Motion Array is every video maker’s haven, MotionElements prides itself to be the go-to marketplace for video creators worldwide. They have a huge library of royalty-free resources consisting of 3 million stock content with a focus on video, templates, and music.
Searching for free stock animation videos? Look no further than MotionElements. If you want super slow motion clips, you can also find them at this website. There are also a wide range of 360° VR videos for your unique cinematography needs. However, do keep in mind that each resource offered by the site has different licensing and some come at a hefty price. Nevertheless, you can still browse their collection of free stock video footage.
15. Motion Places
Primarily looking for breathtaking landscapes and country-themed free stock videos? Then look no further than Motion Places. Feel free to browse and download the site’s large collection of full HD clips from major cities in America, Europe, and Asia. However, make sure to give proper credit when using it for your personal and commercial projects by linking back to Motion Places.
Did You Know? Motion Places also has a wide range of high-quality stock videos in 4K resolution for larger-scaled projects but it will set you back $99 or about ₱5,000.
16. OrangeHD
While not as updated as other websites listed above, OrangeHD is still a viable option for anyone looking for full HD free stock video footage. There are over twenty pages of video resources so it might just have what you need for your personal projects. (For commercial use, you need to pay a small sum of money for the owner of the video.)
To easily browse their huge collection of free content, you can filter the videos through the search bar or categories navigation located in the sidebar.
17. Coverr
Coverr started out as a side project from the creators behind Veed.me, a video production marketplace. Today, the former keeps growing to provide free stock video footage for all creative enthusiasts around the world.
With seven beautiful resources added each week, you can download free stock videos from all sorts of different categories such as animals, aerial, food, nature, people, tech, and a lot more. Do also use the search function to get even more targeted videos.
18. CuteStockFootage
CuteStockFootage has a large collection of free stock videos that are perfect for any video creator, whether amateurs or professionals. Aside from high-quality clips, you can also find various photos, sound effects, and textures which are all free to use. Furthermore, there’s no limit at this website—you can easily download as many resources as you want without the need to sign-up for an account.
19. Stock Footage 4 Free
Like CuteStockFootage, Stock Footage 4 Free offers unlimited downloads for their library of free stock videos. The website also uploads new clips every day so you’ll surely find something that suits your project!
Simply sign-up for an account to have access to their entire collection of professional and high-quality footage which you can use for both personal and commercial purposes. However, do read on the restrictions the videos might have with regards to broadcasting and redistribution.
20. IgniteMotion
IgniteMotion primarily offers one type of free stock video footage—animated motion backgrounds. These background clips are perfect for use in infographic-style and typography videos, whether for personal or commercial purposes. Feel free to download them all in HD quality in both MP4 or MOV formats.
However, you only have the option to filter by category to find relevant videos according to your liking as there’s no search bar on the website. Fortunately, all the clips are hosted on YouTube so you can easily search on the video hosting platform.
21. ISO Republic
ISO Republic’s straightforward homepage layout allows you to easily browse the thousands of free stock videos they offer. From clips of nature, landscape, and architecture to real-life footage of animals and people, you’ll surely find something fitting for your next video project. There’s no sign-up required and you can easily download free stock video footage in one click.
Tip: ISO Republic features several related videos from Shutterstock which can occasionally pop up beside every search. Be wary of these clips because while they might be breathtaking, they aren’t really free stock videos.
22. Mazwai
Mazwai is a fuss-free platform for unique, high-quality free stock videos. And unlike other royalty-free libraries, the website offers clips that are about two to four minutes long. This ultimately gives you a significant amount of content to work with for your personal or commercial projects.
However, before using the clips, make sure to check out the licensing information located on the download page. For your reference, you can find two types of license for content on Mazwai:
- Creative Commons 3.0 – Video footage under this licensing are free to use as long as you credit the author of the clips.
- Mazwai License – Video clips with this type of license can be freely used without the need to credit the owner of the original footage.
23. Mitch Martinez
Mitch Martinez is a website offering more than 1,500 free stock videos in full HD, 2K and 4K resolution. And with over 35 categories to choose from, you’re bound to find something that would perfectly suit your personal or commercial project. Furthermore, you don’t need to credit the site whenever you use the clips, unless they are intended to be shown for a really big production.
Did You Know? Mitch Martinez is solely owned by a cinematographer based in Philadelphia, United States with the same name. He aims to upload a minimum of 500 free stock video footage every year, using his RED Epic Dragon camera.
24. Mixkit
Mixkit features a wide arrange of free stock video footage, all in full high-definition resolution. Attribution or credit to the proper owner and sign-up to the website are not required for all the resources found on Mixkit. Furthermore, the site regularly updates their collection with ten new and fresh free stock videos every week.
Tip: Need more inspiration for your next creative project? You can also check out Mixkit’s library of free stock graphic artworks.
25. Clipstill
If you’re looking for something unique to add to in your videos, Clipstill’s collection of royalty-free stock “cinemagraphs” might just be something you need. A cinemagraph is simply a living photograph—a still image in a seamless loop lasting for 3 to 8 seconds. This type of fresh content is great for all kinds of purposes such as marketing or building your presence in social media.
However, Clipstill only offers free use of their distinct cinemagraphs at Web resolution (640 x 360). The site requires you to pay a small sum of money to get the full HD version of their resources.
26. Wave.video
While wave.video is not a simple website per se, a seemingly endless collection of free stock video footage can be found inside this online video maker. It also offers more than 400 professionally-designed templates and 300,000 royalty-free audio tracks which can ultimately help you create the best video for both personal or business purposes. Furthermore, it allows you to easily upload your clips in various platforms for instant online engagement.
There’s a catch, though. Wave.video’s free editing plan only comes with limited inclusions and you have to pay for the pro version to unlock other features. Having said that, you can still take advantage of the free version to get high-quality free stock videos.
27. Internet Archive
The Internet Archive does not only consist of community texts or audio but also has a large collection of free stock video footage submitted by users around the world. Feel free to search more than 800,000 videos uploaded to the site which can be filtered by year uploaded, media type, topics, and even language.
28. Videoblocks
While it doesn’t offer free-of-charge stock videos, subscribing to Videoblocks is still something your business should consider especially if you have a small budget to spare. At a monthly fee of $39 (or ₱1,978), you’ll have unlimited access to the site’s huge collection of stock footage ranging from every possible category such as 360° VR, aerial, green screen, slow motion, and time lapse videos.
Feel free to use and share the stock videos however you like—just make sure you don’t redistribute the original clip as is—and whenever you see fit. You’ll also have a legal guarantee from Videoblocks that all the content you have access to will not infringe on any third party’s intellectual property rights.
Tip: Still can’t find what you’re looking for? Use the search fields to narrow down the results and find the perfect footage for your personal or commercial project.
5 Tips to Find the Right Royalty-Free Videos for Your Marketing Campaign
All the websites listed above can benefit every business looking for high-quality and free stock videos for their campaigns. However, in order to make the most out of these vast selections of free resources up for grabs, you need to know some essential tips. Read on to learn how you can find the right royalty-free footage for your video marketing campaign.
1. Go for Aspirational
Always remember that every type of powerful and successful marketing focuses on the audience—and video marketing is no exception. So before you go on looking for the most amazing and breathtaking free stock video footage out there, you should first take your time to think about what actually interest and inspire your audience.
If you run an automotive business, ask yourself if shots of the jungle or mountains can move them or a panorama of the city is enough to make them take action. Likewise, if you own a fashion boutique, would your consumers feel inspired by a shot of a tailor at work or a footage of models walking down the runway?
Ask these questions in your mind as most companies don’t use literal representations of their product. The main goal is to find and share content that resonates with people while simultaneously keeping them hooked.
2. Be Specific in Your Search
Most websites offer tons of free stock videos, making it easy to get lost with all the resources in presented to you. The end result is the same—a brand video telling a very confusing story.
In order to find relevant clips for your video marketing campaign, you should narrow down your choices. You can easily do this by clicking on a particular category that’s usually found at the header or on the sidebar.
However, in order to really get targeted results, utilize the search bar—but this doesn’t mean you should only type in generic words. For instance, it’s better to use the phrase “a woman drinking champagne alone in a bar” instead of “a woman drinking.” If you’re looking for a free stock video of a particular place, you can also get greater videos by adding the actual name of the city on the search bar.
3. Apply Filters in Your Search
Typing in specific words in the search bar can only do so much, though. For a much more refined and very specific video results that go hand-in-hand with keyword research, you should also apply filters. It’s recommended to filter out results by maximum resolution, frames per second, file format, most popular, date uploaded, user name, and of course, by category.
And while most free stock video websites don’t offer this feature, some actually has this feature—all you have to do is check!
4. Don’t Forget Allegory and Metaphors
Having difficulty finding the right words when narrowing down your searches? For instance, when looking for free stock video footage about universal concepts like love or peace, you may have a hard time figuring out how to properly describe these abstract ideas.
To make life easier, most video creators use allegories and metaphors to come up with physical symbols that can represent these intangible feelings. So try typing in the words “hearts” or “doves” which allegorically symbolize the two aforementioned feelings.
On the other hand, metaphors can be used to stand in place of another object or idea. For instance, when talking about success in your video marketing campaign, you can symbolize this particular idea through a clip of someone reaching a mountain peak or finishing a race.
5. Check Out Other Clips of the Same User
If you found a free stock video footage that you really like but doesn’t quite match the “cinematography” you had going in with your video marketing campaign, you can always check out the owner’s other works. Chances are, the video creator also uploaded other clips on the website from the same shoot which often feature similar settings and people but only in different angles or lighting.
Doing this actually makes the search work significantly easier because you actually like the videos produced by the user. Furthermore, you’ll also be able to tell a more coherent story, thanks to the consistent visual elements found on your scenes.
ALSO READ: 26 Sites to Find Awesome (and Royalty-Free!) Background Music for Your Video Production
With this extensive list of the top 28 websites offering free stock videos, you can get your hands on high-quality footage without the need to undergo the complicated (and often difficult!) video production process.
Still having a hard time deciding which free stock video footage is the best for your next video marketing campaign? You can always consult the video production professionals at Mustasa Republic. We can help you narrow down your choices and even work with you in editing to give you engaging brand campaigns that will ultimately drive sales. Contact us today to get started!
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