Video dominates our online world. From the video ads played on a loop at retail stores to the viral video on social media, everyone wants a piece of the video market. If your business is to make an impact and stand out against the competition, you need a good video content strategy. To go along with that, you also need- quite simply- engaging video. For the video editor working on a tight budget, paid platforms such as Shutterstock might not be the best solution. There are plenty of free stock footage video platforms out there where you can find great clips to bring your content to life. All of the platforms listed below offer free stock footage videos completely royalty-free with no strings attached. Please note these websites are not listed in any particular order. Let’s get started.
- Pixabay
- Pexels
- Videvo
- Videezy
- Dareful
Ah, Pixabay. This stock video platform is arguably one of the best out there- if not the best. There are over 1.5 million videos available for download on this website, and most of them are very high-quality. Whether you need a quick clip of an office meeting or a serene clip of a sunset, Pixabay has it all. All videos are formatted as .mp4 and usually no longer than a minute. Resolution is displayed in the preview image, so you know what quality you are getting. Unlike most other free stock video websites, Pixabay hosts its content under Created Commons Zero. This means you don’t have to use attributions or credit the creator in any way. However, it is always good practice to give credit when credit is due.
Pexels is great for finding not only free stock videos but also mockup green screen footage. There are plenty of free stock photos as well as videos. Similar to Pixabay, all content uploaded on the website is under Creative Commons Zero, so you do not have to attribute the content creator. However, credit the video creator when possible for good karma. A wide range of content is uploaded to the video library, including people walking, blurred beaches, videos of leaves, GoPro footage, time-lapse videos, and much more. Using chroma keying- a technique for replacing green screens- you can insert your own images or videos into the green screen part of the stock video. This allows for a free, customizable experience. No 4K videos can be found on Pexels, but there are plenty of HD options.
Videvo provides free stock footage based on what its members upload. This is a community-based video sharing platform, so there will be a wide range in quality. Most of the content is good to use but expect to do some searching. If you need a lot of 4K videos, there is a small collection but nothing substantial. Video format usually comes in your standard .mp4 format, but there are videos uploaded under a QuickTime format as well. What makes Videvo so great is the large number of unique content available. Since this is community-based, you can also contribute content to the platform after signing up for an account- also free, by the way. The use of Videvo footage does require the use of attribution depending on what license type the video content falls under.
VIdeezy is a great place to look for aerial, drone footage. They host a wide assortment of HD clips ranging from nature views to retail footage and provide a sorting filter in search to find exactly what you are looking for. All of the videos are provided in a .mp4 format with the resolution listed in the preview section. While most of the stock videos on Videezy are free, there are several paid options available for purchase as well. With so many HD and4K options to choose from, you should be able to find something that works for your project without spending a dime. The use of Videezy footage does require the use of attribution.
Dareful is the only website that provides a complete collection of royalty-free, 4K stock video footage- completely free of charge. There are no HD videos on this website, which might limit your options if your project cannot support 4K video. But if 4K is your speed, you should definitely browse Dareful’s video library. As of right now there is only a small collection of footage, but in time the library will grow. Dareful is best used for aerial footage of nature, traffic, and cities as well as holiday-themed footage of fireworks, fireplaces, and Christmas celebrations. Each video comes in at 30 seconds or less and includes a description of what is happening in the video as well as the resolution, frame rate, and license type.
