As a Footage Secrets reader, your not new to the wonders that stock footage can do for your production (And if you are, you can learn all about stock footage here). Now though, you're probably wondering just how much does stock footage cost? Here we're going to tell you exactly how much you're going to be spending to get the clips you need to complement your work, we'll also tell you exactly where to get them!
Many filmmakers and producers are working on a sensitive budget and none of them would want to compromise on the quality of their works of art and as you probably well know, it can be a real challenge to find the content that you love at a price you can afford.
So to help you plan out your budget sheet and get the shots you need for your next project, check out our guide on How Much Does Stock Footage Cost.
How Much Does Stock Footage Cost at the Best Stock Video Agencies
In short, stock footage clips at the top suppliers range between $60 and $200 depending on resolution (HD or 4K – lower resolutions, when available, are logically cheaper). But this is for single clip purchasing, and some of these footage agencies have discounts for volume buying. Here's a quick overview at stock footage prices:
Video Resolution | iStock | Shutterstock | Adobe Stock | Storyblocks |
---|---|---|---|---|
HD | $60 / $170 | $79 | $79,99 | $49 / Unlimited downloads for $99 a month |
4K | $60 / $170 | $199 | $199,99 | $199 / Unlimited downloads for $99 a month |
As you see, depending on what your needs are regarding budget, video resolution, and volume of content, your options vary. Let's dive into the cost for stock footage at each of these agencies –all of them listed amongst the Best Stock Footage Agencies in the industry– and the lowest prices you can get from them:
(By the way, you may also want to explore AI video generation as an alternative to get the video content you need at affordable rates).
Shutterstock
Shutterstock is one of the most popular sites to buy stock videos. The company is at the top of the stock imagery industry, and they have been selling stock for over a decade.
Shutterstock Stock Footage offer includes millions of high quality, Royalty free video clips in varied themes and styles, that can be bought on demand, by clip or with discount video packs.
To browser Shutterstock's libraries, you need a member account, but you can sign up for free. They only charge you when you buy assets.
Shutterstock prices their videos according to resolution, and you can buy them on demand, one by one.
Shutterstock Single clip pricing:
- Web: $39
- SD: $59
- HD: $79
- 4K: $199
But you get a better deal with video packs. Also priced according to resolution, they offer packs for 5, 10, and 25 videos, which save you from $16 and up to over $900 from single clip price. Of course, getting these super low prices demands a bigger upfront investment.
Lowest Clip Price with Video Packs (25 videos):
- Web: $31,56
- SD: $47,56
- HD: $63,16
- 4K: $159,16
However, the best deal to buy stock footage is with the new Shutterstock video subscriptions. They have a monthly download limit, and three billing options to choose from. The best is that subscriptions let you download HD and 4K clips indistinctly. Here's the breakdown:
10 Clips a Month | 20 Clips a Month |
---|---|
Month-to-Month $359 | Month-to-Month $669 |
Annual billed Monthly $159 | Annual billed Monthly $199 |
Annual billed Upfront $1,599 | Annual billed Upfront $1,999 |
As you can see, with a subscription you could get a 4K video clip for under $9! That's a bargain if we've ever seen one.
If you're looking for discounts to buy Shutterstock stock videos, we have a great deal: our Shutterstock Coupon Code will save you 15% in your stock footage purchases, including single videos, video packs, and video subscriptions!
Pond5
Pond5, one of the pioneering companies dedicated entirely to stock footage, has expanded its offerings to include various media types, positioning itself as a comprehensive resource for video creators.
Their website hosts an extensive collection of over 5.5 million stock videos, along with sizable libraries of stock audio and images, all available under a Royalty-Free license.
You can purchase individual items from the full library on-demand with a straightforward pricing structure, or opt for a membership that grants you periodic downloads from a curated selection of 200,000 clips, along with additional music and image resources, all at highly competitive rates.
The website is both sleek and highly functional, featuring an advanced search engine with numerous filtering options. Recently enhanced with computer vision technology, this intelligent feature analyzes images to deliver more accurate search results and recommends similar content, making it easier than ever to find the perfect videos for your projects.
iStock
iStock (previously known as iStockphoto) is one of the top stock imagery agencies in the microstock industry, famous for the high quality of its library and for being one of the few companies in the space offering exclusive content.
This makes them one of the most valuable sources to buy stock footage at affordable prices. But they are also very reliable. As if their over 15 years in the market were not enough, there's another point to make them trustworthy: they are backed by the renowned Getty Images, the parent company operating iStock. We have also written a more deep review of iStock Video here.
iStock prices their videos in credits according to the collection they are part of, and not based on resolution. They have two main collections, and therefore two price tiers, and videos in HD and 4K resolution cost exactly the same within them.
iStock Single Clip Pricing:
- Essentials (non-exclusive and affordable): 6 credits – base price $60
- Signature (exclusive and high valued): 18 credits – base price $170
The final price of each video will depend on the credit pack you buy. They have a quick checkout system to buy just one video, which represents the base price. But if you acquire larger credit packs the individual credit price is reduced, and so each clip becomes cheaper. Accessing these lower prices implies spending more in credits upfront, however, iStock credits never expire, so it's a very flexible option that lets you invest now and decide when to spend later.
Lowest Single Clip Price (with largest 300 credits pack):
- Essentials: $48
- Signature: $144
This is one of the best offers in stock video, thanks to not being resolution-based. Whereas a 4K clip is around $200 at most other suppliers, iStock has awesome 4K videos for only $60. Moreover, they have exclusive footage for only $170! And the cost can be even less using larger credit packs. This is the lowest price rate for 4K stock footage across the market!
Do you want to buy great and unique stock footage? iStock Footage is the place to go. Sign up for free now and start browsing their widely varied libraries.
And if you want to save money, you're at the right place: with our exclusive and limited time iStock Coupon Code you can get a 15% discount in EVERYTHING INCLUDING CREDITS iStock sells! This includes all credit packs, so you can get your stock videos cheaper than ever. Hurry up, it's only valid for a limited time, so hurry up!
And here you can explore different methods to download iStock images without a watermark.
Adobe Stock
AdobeStock is a relatively new service in stock imagery, that offers stock footage along with stock photography, and it's a very interesting option with a lot of potential usability for creatives.
The Adobe Stock service, as its name gives away, is part of design software company Adobe, owners of some of the most popular video editing tools like Premier Pro and After Effects, and of the cloud design platform Creative Cloud that includes all their software tools. For more details, read our Adobe Stock review.
Adobe Stock integrates a collection of stock footage directly into Adobe's Creative Cloud, allowing you to browse, license, and edit stock footage into your video production without ever leaving the design program's interface. And as you'll see below, all of this, at very affordable prices under an on demand structure and based on resolution.
Adobe Stock Single Clip Pricing:
- HD: $79,99
- 4K: $199,99
Adobe Stock also offers you the chance to buy on demand with credits, and the bigger the credit pack, the less each individual clip will cost, going as low as $64 for an HD video and $160 for a 4K clip.
However, the best prices in stock footage are with their latest mix-and-match subscriptions. These plans let you download photos and videos indistinctly (although the number of downloads for each media type varies) with a monthly download limit. You can hire a subscription month-to-month or for a whole year (paying monthly), and there are three volume tiers. These plans have the lowest prices for video content, especially for 4K, since all videos come at the same cost regardless of resolution. You can get HD and 4K clips for between $22.39 and $9.99 with a monthly plan and as little as $15.99 to $7.99 with an annual subscription!
These price points are very reasonable, especially if you consider the variety and quality of the content and the hugely convenient functionality of their integration with Creative Cloud. If you are fond of Creative Cloud video editors, you can certainly exploit all the benefits of their service.
Do you want to explore this offer? Visit Adobe Stock and start downloading amazing videos without moving from your favorite editing app!
Storyblocks Video (previously Videoblocks)
Storyblocks Video is a relatively young stock footage company that rapidly gained and sustained popularity amongst footage buyers and producers. This is mostly due to the fact they have a different and appealing buying model, lots of high quality footage, and are constantly improving their service. You can read all about them in our Storyblocks review.
The company sells unlimited download subscriptions to its wholly-own library with over 1 million clips. They have high quality standards, and their clips try to cover the most varied topics and styles.
Storyblocks Unlimited Subscriptions Prices:
- Monthly Subscription: $39
- Yearly Subscription: $199 – Save 57%!
Their Unlimited Video membership is as innovative as super convenient. For a flat monthly fee, you get access to their whole library and you can download as many clips as you want. It's not hard to see how cheap it can be: if you download more than 10 clips, you're paying less than $3,90 for each. If you were to downloads hundreds of them, well… do the math, it'll be just cents per clip.
Want to buy great footage at Storyblocks? Then get to their website now. And know that their annual subscription saves you 57% from the regular subscription price!
If you are unsure about going for this service or a similar one like Envato, this comparative analysis of Storyblocks vs Envato is just what you need to decide!
Buy Stock Footage at the Best Prices with Footage Secrets
And there you have it, some of the best companies and prices you are likely to find out there in the stock footage market, so what are you waiting for, grab your stock footage and get creating today!
Know any other great, wallet-friendly resources? Drop us a comment below and we'll update our lists with any of your great suggestions!