Best Storyblocks Alternatives of October 2023

By Matic Broz, editor-in-chief of Photutorial covering stock media, Adobe, and design. He founded Photutorial while finishing his PhD in computational biosciences.

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Best Storyblocks alternatives

Storyblocks (formerly Videoblocks) has, for a very long time, been a favorite resource of affordable stock footage for many creatives. But in recent years, several Storyblocks alternatives offering more affordable or higher quality videos have popped up.

Having tested and used over 40 stock video and image sites, we found that the best Storyblocks alternative is Envato Elements. It’s not only half as inexpensive, but it also has ten times more videos and other media assets. Here are the 7 best Storyblocks alternatives.

The best Storyblocks alternatives

  1. Envato Elements: Best overall
  2. Artlist: Best for cheap 8K footage
  3. Pond5: Best for premium footage
  4. Adobe Stock: Best for Adobe users
  5. PremiumBeat: Best for audio & SFX
  6. Shutterstock: Best for videos + photos
  7. Motion Array: Best by Artlist Ltd

1. Envato Elements

Compared to Storyblocks, Envato Elements has a much larger collection of stock videos (4.2 million), video templates, audio, and SFX. At the same time, an Envato Elements subscription also includes content you cannot get on Storyblocks, such as fonts, graphics, themes, and add-ons.

Envato ElementsStoryblocks
Cost$11.50–$39.00/month$30.00–$35.00/month
Videos4.2 million1.5 million
Video templates461,00025,000
Audio774,00019,440
SFX629,00043,000
Indemnity6 month’s subscription fees$20,000
CouponsUp to 70% discount (Read more »)No
Free trial12 files per month (Read more »)No

» Dive deeper: Read our in-depth comparison of Envato Elements vs Storyblocks

2. Artlist

You should pick Artlist over Storyblocks when you need unlimited downloads of videos at 8K resolution. Both Artlist and Storyblocks have video editing apps, which are relatively similar.

ArtlistStoryblocks
Cost$29.99–$68.00/month$30.00–$35.00/month
Videos180,0001.5 million
Video templates20,00025,000
AudioData not available19,440
SFX50,00043,000
IndemnityNo$20,000
CouponsNoNo
Free trialNoNo

3. Pond5

Like Storyblocks, Pond5 is one of the few stock video sites that consistently offer up to 8K footage. However, Pond5 has many more videos (Data not available) in its collection than Storyblocks and also provides an indemnity of up to $1M. Yet, Pond5 is also one of the cheapest stock footage providers.

Pond5Storyblocks
Cost$7.99–$25+/video$30.00–$35.00/month
VideosData not available1.5 million
Video templates/25,000
AudioData not available19,440
SFXData not available43,000
Indemnity$15K–$1M$20,000
Coupons20% on the first order (Read more »)No
Free trialNoNo

4. Adobe Stock

Adobe Stock is the best Storyblocks alternative for professionals who already use or are planning to use Adobe Premiere Pro. The main advantage of Adobe Stock is that it’s fully integrated into all Adobe apps, including the video editing essentials: Premiere Pro, After Effects, Audition, Animate, and others.

Adobe StockStoryblocks
Cost$7.99–$199.80/video$30.00–$35.00/month
Videos26 million1.5 million
Video templates99,00025,000
Audio72,00019,440
SFX1000+43,000
Indemnity$10K$20,000
CouponsNone (Read more »)No
Free trialYes, 3 or 6 videos (Read more »)No

5. Premium Beat

Premium Beat doesn’t have any videos but is meant to be a premium extension of Shutterstock music and sound effects. As a result, Premium Beat is for anyone who needs audio only and is dissatisfied with Storyblocks’s audio quality. Also, Premium Beat is a good Storyblocks alternative for those who need a more comprehensive license.

Premium BeatStoryblocks
Cost$48.75–$64.95/month$30.00–$35.00/month
Videos/1.5 million
Video templates/25,000
Audio37,00019,440
SFX16,20043,000
Indemnity$10K–$250K$20,000
Coupons15% on all videos (Read more »)No
Free trialYes, 1 video (Read more »)No

6. Shutterstock

Shutterstock is best known for its largest collection of stock images, but it also offers over 29.2 million videos. And contrary to popular videos, Shutterstock videos are very affordable, starting from just $2.22 per video when bought with subscriptions.

ShutterstockStoryblocks
Cost$2.22–$65/video$30.00–$35.00/month
Videos29.2 million1.5 million
Video templates/25,000
Audio30,50019,440
SFX/43,000
Indemnity$10K–$250K$20,000
Coupons15% on all videos (Read more »)No
Free trialYes, 1 video (Read more »)No

» Learn more: Shutterstock video pricing

7. Motion Array

Despite having a smaller library compared to Storyblocks, Motion Array stands out with a diverse range of digital assets and a cheaper $20/month subscription. Its user-friendly platform and Adobe application integration offer a smoother workflow, enhancing the user experience. Although the license expires upon subscription cancellation, the variety of assets, cost-effectiveness, and superior usability make Motion Array a worthy choice in stock media services.

Motion ArrayStoryblocks
Cost$19.99–$29.99/month$30.00–$35.00/month
Videos90,0001.5 million
Video templates60,00025,000
Audio100,00019,440
SFX100,00043,000
IndemnityNone$20,000
Coupons/No
Free trialNoNo

Is Storyblocks the best stock video site?

Storyblocks used to be an amazing stock video site but has lately been surpassed by many stronger competitors.

Storyblocks pros and cons

Pros

  • Built-in video editor
  • Adobe Premiere Pro plugin
  • 1.5 million stock videos
  • Unlimited downloads subscriptions

Cons

  • Relatively small collection of stock videos
  • No 8K footage
  • No annual discounts or coupons
  • Issues with subscription cancellation

Storyblocks cost

The Unlimited All Access plan costs $30/mo, while the Pro plan is priced at $35/mo. Alternatively, there’s the Starter plan for $15/mo, although it restricts users to only 5 monthly downloads and limits video quality to HD.

What to look for in a Storyblocks alternative

When looking for Storyblocks alternatives, the first thing you should consider is what you don’t like about Storyblocks or what you’re missing.

For most people, it’s one or any combination of the following: high subscription fees, a small number of video and other media assets, or the absence of 8K footage. For each of these, there’s a Storyblocks alternative that covers your needs.

For example, if you need something that has more videos, audio, and video templates at half the price, you should look at Envato Elements. On the other hand, if you cannot do without 8K footage, Pond5 and Artlist are your best options.

Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

What is the best Storyblocks alternative?

Overall the best Storyblocks alternative is Envato Elements, which has a much larger collection of stock videos, audio, and video templates. Envato Elements is also much cheaper than Storyblocks. A good Storyblocks alternative for professionals is Adobe Stock.

Is Videoblocks the same as Storyblocks

VideoBlocks is the old name for Storyblocks, and they mean the same thing.

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