Storyblocks
Storyblocks provides subscription access to stock media and creative tools for video production.
What Storyblocks is
Storyblocks provides subscription access to stock media and creative tools for video production. Its library is described as having over 10 million human-made assets, including footage, templates, music, sound effects, photos, vectors and illustrations. The AI Toolkit includes video editing, video generation and image generation, with voiceover on some plans; these tools use monthly credits. An Adobe Creative Cloud plugin brings the library into Premiere Pro and After Effects for searching, previewing and downloading assets. Maker is an online video editor connected to the library, and Maker for Teams adds brand kits, collaboration tools and custom templates. Templates are available for Premiere Pro, After Effects, DaVinci Resolve and Apple Motion. A free account provides watermarked previews, folders and Maker video creation, but there is no free trial membership. Essentials costs $21 a month billed annually; Unlimited All Access costs $30 a month billed annually and includes music and sound effects. Small Business costs $40 a month billed annually and covers one employee at an organization with fewer than 50 employees, excluding agencies, production companies and broadcast companies. The service also offers API access and royalty-free licensing.
Good
- Library includes footage, music, templates and images.
- Adobe plugin supports searching and downloading assets.
- Maker provides online video editing.
- Royalty-free licensing is available.
- Free account includes watermarked previews and Maker.
Watch out
- Free account previews are watermarked.
- No free trial membership is available.
- Small Business licensing excludes agencies and production companies.
Who it suits
Storyblocks suits video creators seeking a subscription library of stock media alongside editing tools. Its Adobe plugin is relevant to users working in Premiere Pro or After Effects.
Verdict
Storyblocks combines a large stock media library with editing and AI tools, with features varying by plan. Review the listed license scope and annual billing terms, especially for the Small Business plan.
Plans and prices
From Storyblocks's own pricing page, checked 14 Oct 2026.
| Plan | Price | What it gives you |
|---|---|---|
| Essentials | $21 a month | 1 user · individual license · unlimited downloads · 8K/4K/HD footage · templates · photos/vectors/illustrations · 3,000 AI credits/month · video editing/generation · image generation · Adobe Creative Cloud plugin · Storyblocks MCP · billed annually |
| Unlimited All Access | $30 a month | 1 user · individual license · unlimited downloads · 8K/4K/HD footage · templates · photos · vectors · illustrations · music · sound effects · 4,500 AI credits/month · video editing/generation · voiceover · image generation · Adobe Creative Cloud plugin · Storyblocks MCP · Maker · billed annually |
| Small Business | $40 a month | 1 user · small business license · business must have fewer than 50 employees and cannot be an agency, production company, or broadcaster · unlimited downloads · 8K/4K/HD footage · templates · photos/vectors/illustrations · music · sound effects · 6,000 AI credits/month · video editing/generation · voiceover · image generation · Adobe Creative Cloud plugin · Storyblocks MCP · Maker · billed annually |
| Business | Priced on request | 1+ users · business license · unlimited downloads · AI toolkit · Maker for Teams · admin controls · organization-wide coverage · $1 million indemnification · broadcast and OTT rights · dedicated customer success · onboarding and ongoing support · flexible invoicing |
The facts
Each one read from Storyblocks's own pages, with the date it was checked.
What it does
- Adobe integration
- The Adobe Creative Cloud plugin lets members search, preview, and download Storyblocks assets inside Premiere Pro and After Effects.checked 14 Oct 2026
- Adobe system requirement
- The Adobe plugin requires Premiere Pro version 15.4 or later and is installed through Adobe Exchange and Creative Cloud.checked 14 Oct 2026
- AI library policy
- Storyblocks states that its stock library remains 100% human-made even though subscription plans include AI tools.checked 14 Oct 2026
- AI Toolkit
- The AI Toolkit includes video editing, video generation, image generation, and plan-based monthly credits; voiceover is included on Unlimited All Access and higher plans.checked 14 Oct 2026
- AI tools
- The AI Toolkit includes video editing, video generation, image generation and, on some plans, voiceover; its features use monthly credits.checked 30 Sep 2026
- API access model
- Free test keys are available with lower limits, while full API access requires contacting enterprise sales for a quote.checked 14 Oct 2026
- API authentication
- API requests use a public key, expiration timestamp, and SHA-256 HMAC generated with a client secret.checked 14 Oct 2026
- API availability
- Storyblocks exposes a version 2.0 public API at api.storyblocks.com for searching, retrieving details, downloading, categories, collections, Content ID claims, expiring content, and similar search.checked 14 Oct 2026
- Asset library
- The company describes its stock library as containing over 10 million human-made assets, including footage, templates, music, sound effects, photos, vectors and illustrations.checked 30 Sep 2026
- Compliance
- Storyblocks states that it is PCI Level 3 compliant and uses PCI-compliant payment processors.checked 14 Oct 2026
- Data hosting
- The Trust Center says customer data is primarily hosted in multiple AWS availability zones in us-east-1.checked 14 Oct 2026
- Documentation and support
- The help center contains dedicated collections for subscriptions, licensing, Content ID claims, asset specifications, templates, Maker, the Adobe plugin, AI Toolkit, MCP, and account administration.checked 14 Oct 2026
- Extensibility
- The pricing page lists Storyblocks MCP as a workflow integration on the published plans.checked 14 Oct 2026
- Human-made library
- Storyblocks says its library is 100% human-made and contains more than 10 million assets.checked 14 Oct 2026
- License model
- Storyblocks licenses downloaded assets as royalty-free, worldwide, and perpetual for projects created while the subscription is active; this is a proprietary commercial license rather than an open-source software license.checked 14 Oct 2026
- Licensing limit
- The Small Business plan covers one employee and an organization with fewer than 50 employees, excluding agencies, production companies and broadcast companies.checked 30 Sep 2026
- Limit: AI generation scope
- Photutorial reports that Storyblocks' AI Toolkit lacks an AI image generator, text-to-video tool, and AI music generator.checked 14 Oct 2026
- Limit: licensing and claims
- Trustpilot reviewers report recurring music licensing complexity and YouTube copyright claims despite having paid licenses.checked 14 Oct 2026
The company
- Company history
- Storyblocks’ company history timeline begins in 2009 with the launch of Videoblocks.checked 30 Sep 2026
- Company identity
- LinkedIn lists Storyblocks as a privately held software company founded in 2011, headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, with 201–500 employees.checked 14 Oct 2026
- Headquarters
- Arlington, Virginia, United Stateschecked 23 Sep 2026
- Legal name and owner
- Crunchbase identifies the legal entity as Footage Firm Inc., formerly VideoBlocks, and says it was acquired by Great Hill Partners.checked 14 Oct 2026
Money
- Free access
- A free account provides watermarked asset previews, folders and Maker video creation, but does not include a free trial membership.checked 30 Sep 2026
- Free account limits
- A free account can download watermarked previews, organize assets in folders, and make Maker videos, but it does not provide a free trial membership.checked 14 Oct 2026
Alternatives to Storyblocks
- 1
Soundstripe
Free planAndroidiOSWebAPI8.1Free plan - 2
123RF
AndroidiOSWebAPI7.7From $16.10 a month - 3
Dreamstime
AndroidiOSWebAPI7.7 - 4
Vecteezy
Free planWebAPI7.4Free plan - 5
Jamendo Licensing
AndroidiOSWeb6.7From €89 a year - 6
Audiio
AndroidiOSWeb6.6From $14.99 a month