In this article, we’re diving into the best sites for downloading royalty-free videos. They’re both paid and free. Let’s break it down.
There are three main types of licenses for these videos:
- Free royalty-free videos. Here, you don’t need to credit the author to use the video. Sites like Pexels and Pixabay are perfect for this.
- Free royalty-free videos where you must credit the author. You can find these on platforms like Videvo or Coverr.
- Royalty-free videos you can download from sites like Stock Adobe or GettyImages.
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What’s a royalty-free video?
Let’s talk rights. “Royalty-free” means no traditional copyright headaches. These restrictions are either gone or were never there.
You can use and tweak these videos without asking for permission every time.
They’re great for commercial projects, but sometimes you might need to credit the video’s author.
You can grab these videos for free or pay for them. Here are the top sites to get them.
The 5 Best Free Stock Video Platforms
#1 Pexels Videos
Pexels is a top choice for free royalty-free videos. It’s packed with thousands of videos on every topic you can think of.
The search system is simple, letting you pick videos by orientation. This is great for vertical videos on TikTok or Instagram, or the more standard horizontal or square formats.
Videos here have no audio. With so much content, it’s smart to create an account. This way, you can “like” or “save” videos to find them easily later.
Pexels also offers royalty-free photos for download, just like the videos. And the best part? No need to credit the authors. Learn more about Pexels’ usage rights here.
- HD & 4K videos ;
- Vertical and horizontal formats ;
- Regularly updated content ;
- Videos for any keyword ;
- No need to credit authors.
- Sometimes large files to download;
- Popular, so you might see these videos elsewhere;
- So many videos, finding the right one can be a challenge.
#2 Pixabay Videos
Pixabay, around since 2010, is a treasure trove. It’s not just about videos. You’ll find photos, music, illustrations, and sound effects.
If you had to pick one site from this list, Pixabay should be it.
It’s easy to find fresh content. You can search for videos added in the last 24 hours or week.
A cool feature here is seeing how many times a file has been downloaded. This helps if you’re looking for something less common.
Like Pexels, you don’t have to credit the author at Pixabay (though it’s nice if you do). Check out Pixabay’s license details for more info.
- HD & 4K videos ;
- No need to credit authors;
- Constantly updated content ;
- Variety of royalty-free content.
- Search results can be hit or miss;
- Quality varies across content.
#3 Videvo
Videvo, like Pixabay, is a hub for royalty-free videos, photos, and music.
The site is in English, which might make searching a bit harder. But, the videos here are unique—less typical than what you find on Pexels or Pixabay.
Searching is easy. Use keywords or predefined categories, and filter by duration, license, or resolution.
At Videvo, not everything is royalty-free without author credit. Often, you need to mention the author in your video or its description.
Make sure to use the right filters to see only free-to-use content.
If crediting authors isn’t your thing, the other four sites on this list might be better for you.
Videvo still stands out with its distinct content library.
- HD & 4K videos ;
- Wide range of videos ;
- Unique videos for download.
- Site in English ;
- Search results can be hit or miss;
- Most free videos require author credit;
- Premium content is in Videvo’s Pro version.
#4 Mixkit
Just like other sites, Mixkit lets you search using keywords or browse through many categories.
All videos we checked out are copyright-free and don’t require crediting the original author.
On their license page, they talk about a “restricted license” for some videos, meaning you can’t use them in commercial projects. But it seems these are rare—we didn’t find any like that.
Each video has a link explaining what you can do with it. This is super helpful to avoid mistakes.
The search filters are great too. You can choose by orientation, duration, upload date, and more. It’s perfect for finding the exact video you need.
Mixkit is part of Envato Elements, which is known for its paid content library. This adds extra trust to Mixkit.
- Lots of unique content;
- HD & 4K videos ;
- Great search filters (duration, date, orientation, tags…) ;
- No need to credit authors.
- Site in English ;
- Not every video is in 4K;
- Fewer videos than Pexels or Pixabay.
#5 Coverr
Finally, we have Coverr, another free, royalty-free video bank.
Coverr’s only in English, so no luck with French keyword searches. It’s a bit tricky to find exactly what you need.
Coverr has lots of free videos. But, some content is locked behind their premium package, Coverr+. Same goes for downloading large files—they’re in the Coverr+ subscription. The videos are great for making product presentations, fitting nicely with sales proposals.
The downside? The search filters are limited. You can only sort by “Newest” or “Popular”. This means lots of scrolling to see all their videos.
- HD & 4K videos ;
- No need to credit authors on most content;
- Only high-quality videos;
- Frequent new content.
- Site in English ;
- Search filters are pretty basic.
- Can mix up Coverr and Shutterstock ads;
Other Platforms:
We looked at many sites to make this Top 5 of free, royalty-free video banks.
Some sites come and go, and the quality varies a lot. Our Top 5 is about the best out there.
But, here are two more sites. They’re not top-tier, but still handy:
10 Royalty-Free and Pay-Per-View Video Banks
If you have a budget for videos, consider paid royalty-free video banks.
Paid content is less common, so it’s less likely you’ll see it elsewhere.
These paid banks often offer video series. The same actor in several videos. This helps make your content feel more connected. It’s great for things like paid ads.
A tip: When buying subscriptions or credits, ask support about licenses. Some have limits, like how many people can view your content.
#6 Shutterstock
Since 2003, Shutterstock has been a big name in video downloads.
It’s loaded with millions of videos. Their slogan says it all: “Anything you can imagine, you’ll find on Shutterstock”.
For buying, you’ve got choices: credits, a yearly subscription, or just buying what you need.
#7 Stock Adobe
Adobe’s content bank is as versatile as its Photoshop and Premiere Pro tools.
Stock Adobe has everything: images, fonts, 3D, audio, vectors, and videos.
You can buy videos in different ways: single purchase, subscription, or credits.
And with Premiere Pro, you can access your Adobe Stock library. This is a big help for video editing.
#8 iStock
Founded in 2000, iStock is another go-to for video projects.
It boasts millions of videos. What sets it apart is its variety. You can find videos for almost any profession.
It’s great for visualizing any project, a step up from free video banks.
iStock offers single purchases and subscriptions for downloading a number of items.
#9 Artgrid
Artgrid might be less known, but it’s a gem. It’s part of Artlist company. They offer a huge variety of videos.
What’s special? They have 8K quality videos and a subscription system. This means unlimited downloads.
#10 Motion Array
Motionarray is an all-in-one site. It has videos, photos, music, and templates.
The “Footage” section is impressive. The filters are spot-on, making it easy to find what you need.
Access to content is via a subscription.
#11 123RF
Founded in 2005, 123rf is a major player in photo and video content.
Like Shutterstock or iStock, it offers several million videos.
Choose how you buy: credits, subscriptions, or single video purchases.
#12 GettyImages
GettyImages, since 1995, offers HD or 4K videos from around the world.
They’ve added an AI-assisted creation tool to try out.
It’s for professionals, given the pricing. Videos are mostly bought individually.
#13 Dreamstime
Dreamstime offers royalty-free videos. The quality feels a bit dated, like late 2000s.
If that’s the style you need, Dreamstime is a good pick.
#14 Envato Elements
Mentioned earlier with Mixkit, Envato Elements is the paid version for videos.
It’s an all-in-one site. With a subscription, you get unlimited downloads. This is a big plus.
#15 Freepik
Freepik is known for visuals and images. Now, they’ve added videos.
You’ll find films, animations, wallpapers, and more. Great for spicing up your videos.
