where can i get free stock footage?

Here are some of the best places to get free stock footage (HD/4K clips, b-roll, backgrounds, nature, people, business shots, etc.):

Best overall free stock footage sites

• pexels.com — One of the easiest places to start. Lots of free HD and 4K clips, generally simple licensing, and good for YouTube, social media, and presentations.
• pixabay.com — Huge library of free videos, animations, and backgrounds. Good for general-purpose footage.
• mixkit.co — Curated, higher-polish footage with many cinematic-looking clips. Mixkit offers free downloads and has separate licenses depending on the asset, so check the clip’s license before commercial use.
• coverr.co — Good for modern lifestyle, office, tech, and website hero background footage.
• videvo.net — Large collection including motion graphics and effects; licensing varies by clip, so check attribution requirements.

For cinematic / specialty footage

• images.nasa.gov — Great for space, science, and historical footage (check usage rules for specific materials).
• archive.org — Useful for vintage footage, documentaries, and historical clips. Licensing varies.
• dareful.com — Known for scenic 4K nature and landscape shots.

Quick tips before using free footage

• Check the license on the individual clip, especially for commercial projects.
• Avoid clips with recognizable brands, logos, or people unless the usage rights cover your project.
• Download the highest resolution available (4K if you plan to crop or stabilize).
• Keep a folder with the clip name and license page URL for your records.

For most creators, I’d start with Pexels + Pixabay + Mixkit and only look elsewhere when you need something more specific.

Several fantastic platforms offer high-quality, royalty-free stock footage for personal and commercial projects without breaking the bank.

• Pexels offers a massive library of HD and 4K clips that are completely free for commercial and personal use. You don't even need to create an account or provide attribution (though credit is always appreciated). Browse options directly on Pexels Videos.
• Pixabay features hundreds of thousands of free video clips, animation loops, and vertical phone-format footage. Their simplified license allows commercial use without mandatory attribution. Check out the selection at Pixabay.
• Coverr provides hand-picked, cinematic HD and 4K footage that is completely free with no watermarks, sign-ups, or attribution requirements. Explore categories ranging from nature to tech on Coverr Stock Video.
• Mixkit is backed by Envato and offers a gorgeous curation of free 4K and HD video clips, music tracks, and Premiere Pro templates. No attribution or sign-up is required for their free tier clips. Start searching on Mixkit Free Stock Video.
• Videezy has a large community-driven selection of free HD and 4K B-roll, background animations, and aerial drone shots. Note: Some files require attribution or a paid credit upgrade, so check individual licenses closely. Visit Videezy.

Are you looking for a specific type of footage (like nature, drone shots, or urban B-roll), or do you need a particular resolution/format (such as vertical for TikTok/Reels or 4K)?

Here are the best platforms to find high-quality, watermark-free free stock footage for your projects:

• Pexels offers a massive library of completely free HD and 4K videos. All clips are free for commercial and non-commercial use, and attribution is never mandatory (though always appreciated). No account is required to download.
• Pixabay features hundreds of thousands of free video clips, motion backgrounds, and animations uploaded by a community of creators. Their content is safe for commercial use under the Pixabay License with no attribution needed.
• Mixkit provides a curated selection of 100% free, high-definition stock video clips created by talented filmmakers. It includes a great range of categories like lifestyle, tech, and aerial drone shots.
• Coverr specializes in beautiful, cinematic, and hand-picked background video footage. It's especially popular for website headers, social media, and marketing projects and requires no attribution.
• Videvo offers thousands of free stock videos, motion graphics, and audio clips. Note that while many clips are completely free, some fall under a Creative Commons attribution license, so you will want to double-check the license requirements on individual clips.

If you tell me the specific theme or style of your project (e.g., nature, tech, cinematic, or social media), I can recommend which of these sites has the best selection for it.

Absolutely. For free stock footage, these are the ones I'd start with:

• pexels.com — probably the best all-around option. Lots of HD/4K B-roll, and Pexels says its videos can be used commercially without attribution.
• pixabay.com — huge selection, especially useful for nature, backgrounds, abstract footage, and unusual subjects. Commercial use is generally allowed without attribution.
• mixkit.co — great if you want footage that feels more cinematic/curated rather than generic stock.
• coverr.co — particularly good for website backgrounds, lifestyle shots, and atmospheric clips.
• videvo.net — good for footage plus motion graphics, but check the license on individual clips, since attribution requirements can vary.

My quick ranking

Best overall: Pexels Best variety: Pixabay Best cinematic B-roll: Mixkit Best website/background footage: Coverr Best motion graphics: Videvo

One important thing: "free" doesn't mean you can redistribute the raw clip or necessarily use footage containing recognizable logos/people however you want. Check the individual license when you're making something commercial. Pexels and Pixabay both have specific restrictions around trademarks, endorsement, and standalone redistribution.

If you're making YouTube videos, TikToks/Reels, documentaries, or cinematic edits, tell me which one and I can point you toward the best footage libraries for that specific style.

Absolutely. Here are some of the best places to get free stock footage:

1. Pexels Videos — Great all-around choice for people, lifestyle, travel, nature, and vertical/social-media footage. Free to use with no attribution generally required.

2. Pixabay Videos — Huge variety, including nature, backgrounds, animation, effects, and unusual subjects. Pixabay says its content can be used commercially without attribution, subject to its license and third-party rights.

3. Mixkit — One of my favorites for cinematic-looking B-roll. It has HD/4K footage, no watermark, and many clips don't require attribution. Just check whether a particular clip has the Free or Restricted license.

4. Coverr — Particularly good for website backgrounds, cinematic B-roll, nature, business, and lifestyle footage. It offers free HD/4K clips and says attribution isn't required.

5. Videvo — Useful for motion graphics, aerial footage, effects, and stock clips, but pay closer attention to the license because different clips can have different requirements.

⭐ My recommendation

If you're making YouTube videos, TikToks/Reels, documentaries, or music videos, I'd start with:

Pexels → Mixkit → Pixabay → Coverr → Videvo

One important tip: “free” doesn't automatically mean unrestricted. Check the license for the specific clip, especially if you're using recognizable people, logos, brands, or footage in paid advertising.

If you tell me what kind of footage you're looking for (cinematic, cars, city, nature, people, anime-style, horror, etc.), I can find the best free sources for that specific type.

Here are the best platforms to find high-quality, free stock video footage and B-roll for your projects, ranging from massive community libraries to specialized cinematic archives:

• Pexels : One of the absolute best and most popular hubs for creators. It offers a massive collection of HD and 4K clips that are completely free for commercial and personal use, with no attribution or sign-up required (though crediting is always appreciated).
• Pixabay : Features millions of media assets, including a huge library of free high-definition and 4K video clips. Like Pexels, their standard license allows for commercial use without mandatory attribution, though you should watch out for sponsored/paid Shutterstock results at the top of search pages.
• Mixkit : Created by Envato, Mixkit provides a curated, clean selection of professional-grade stock videos. They offer a robust free tier with distinct licenses allowing commercial use without watermarks, making it ideal for YouTube videos and marketing projects.
• Coverr : Excellent for hand-picked, cinematic, and trendy clips. It's heavily used for website background loops, social media, and aesthetic B-roll. Videos are free for commercial and personal use with straightforward, business-safe terms.
• Videvo : Offers a vast blend of completely free clips alongside premium options. Note that while many clips are free, some carry a Creative Commons license requiring you to attribute the creator, so check individual file terms.
• Dareful : Created by a single dedicated videographer, this site specializes in gorgeous 4K nature, aerial, and landscape footage. It is entirely free, though downloads may cap out at 1080p for certain free tiers now.
• Canva : If you use Canva for editing or quick social media creation, their built-in elements tab contains thousands of pre-licensed, free stock video clips ready to use directly in your workspace.
• Internet Archive : Perfect if you are looking for vintage, historical, or niche archival film clips. Much of the historical and educational footage hosted here falls into the public domain.

Are you looking for a specific type of footage (like nature, corporate, sci-fi, or aerial drone shots) or do you need it for a commercial or personal project ? I can point you toward the exact library best suited for your needs.

Absolutely. Some of the best places for free stock footage right now are:

• Pexels Videos — Probably my first choice. Lots of high-quality footage, including 4K, and free for personal and commercial use without attribution.
• Pixabay Videos — Huge selection of video, plus photos, music, and sound effects. Generally free for commercial and noncommercial use without attribution.
• Mixkit — Great for polished-looking cinematic B-roll, backgrounds, vertical footage, and 4K clips. No watermark; many clips can be used commercially without attribution. Check the individual clip's license, because some are restricted to noncommercial use.
• Videvo — Good for stock footage and motion graphics, but licensing varies by clip, so check the license before using it commercially.
• Coverr — Particularly useful for website backgrounds and cinematic lifestyle footage.

My quick ranking

Best overall: Pexels
Biggest variety: Pixabay
Best-looking/cinematic: Mixkit
Best for motion graphics: Videvo

One important tip: “free” doesn't automatically mean unrestricted. Before putting a clip in a monetized YouTube video, advertisement, client project, etc., check the license for that specific clip—especially if it contains recognizable people, logos, or brands.

If you tell me what kind of footage you're looking for (e.g. cinematic city shots, cars, nature, people, horror, gaming, business, anime-style, drone footage), I can point you to the best sources/search terms for it.

You can find high-quality, royalty-free stock footage for personal and commercial projects without spending a dime on several great platforms:

• Pexels : Widely considered one of the best overall options. It features a massive community-driven library of HD and 4K clips, offering great horizontal, square, and vertical (portrait/Reels) formats with no sign-up or attribution required.
• Pixabay : Excellent for sheer search breadth with hundreds of thousands of free video clips. It covers everything from live-action B-roll to animation and effects, all under a generous free commercial license that doesn't mandate attribution.
• Mixkit : Features a very clean, curated selection of gorgeous HD and 4K clips. You don’t need an account to download, and the clips are free for commercial and personal use. (Note: Always double-check individual asset terms, but the core library is exceptionally user-friendly).
• Coverr : Hand-picked, highly cinematic footage that is especially popular for website background loops, aesthetic B-roll, and social media marketing. No watermarks or forced attribution.
• Videvo : Offers a mix of completely free clips alongside premium options. It’s fantastic for advanced editors because it hosts stock music, motion graphics, and sound effects too, though some free clips require you to provide attribution.

If you tell me what kind of project you're working on (like a YouTube video, a TikTok/Reel, or a corporate ad) and what style of footage you need, I can recommend which of these sites will have the best matching clips.

You can get high-quality free stock footage from these sites:

My usual picks by project:

• 🎬 YouTube videos: Pexels + Pixabay
• 📱 TikTok/Reels/Shorts: Pexels + Mixkit
• 🌄 Cinematic travel edits: Dareful + Mixkit
• 💻 Website backgrounds: Coverr
• ✨ Overlays, particles, effects: Videvo/Videezy

A quick warning: “free” does not always mean “no restrictions.” Before using footage commercially (ads, client work, products), check the individual clip’s license—especially for recognizable people, logos, and locations.

Here are the best websites to find high-quality, free stock footage for your video projects, ranging from personal YouTube videos to commercial work:

• Pexels - Offers a massive library of completely free HD and 4K video clips. All videos are free for commercial and non-commercial use with no attribution required (though it's always appreciated).
• Pixabay - Features a huge community-contributed collection of royalty-free stock videos, motion graphics, and loopable backgrounds available in HD and 4K.
• Videvo - Provides a mix of completely free stock footage and motion graphics alongside premium clips. Be sure to check the specific license on each clip, as some require attribution.
• Coverr - Focuses heavily on beautiful, high-definition background and B-roll footage that is free for commercial and personal use with no attribution needed.
• Vidsplay - A straightforward site offering free stock video footage updated regularly. It requires a simple credit link back to their site if you use their clips.
• Mazwai - Known for high-production-value, cinematic video clips and slow-motion footage. Most videos are free to use with proper attribution.
• Mixkit - Created by Envato, this site offers a curated selection of free video clips, music tracks, and premiere pro templates ready for commercial use without attribution.

If you'd like, let me know:

• What kind of project you are working on (YouTube, commercial, short film, etc.)
• What specific vibe or genre of footage you need

I can recommend which of these sites will have the best specific clips for you.