Freedom251 › Stock Media Software
Storyblocks
What Storyblocks is
Storyblocks provides subscription access to a stock media library and tools for video production. Its collection includes over 10 million human-made assets, such as footage, templates, music, sound effects, photos, vectors, and illustrations. The AI Toolkit offers video editing, video and image generation, and voiceover on some plans; these tools use monthly credits. An Adobe Creative Cloud plugin lets users search, preview, and download library assets in Premiere Pro and After Effects. Maker is an online video editor linked 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 offers watermarked previews, folders, and Maker video creation, but not a free trial membership. Essentials is $21 a month billed annually; Unlimited All Access is $30 a month billed annually; Small Business is $40 a month billed annually. The Small Business license is for one employee at an organization with fewer than 50 employees, excluding agencies, production companies, and broadcast companies.
Who it suits
Storyblocks suits video creators who need stock media, editing tools, or Adobe Creative Cloud access to library assets. Its Small Business plan is limited to a single employee at qualifying organizations.
What it does well
- Library contains over 10 million human-made assets.
- Adobe plugin works with Premiere Pro and After Effects.
- Maker connects online editing with the asset library.
- Templates support four named editing applications.
- Free account includes watermarked previews and Maker.
What to know first
- Free account assets are watermarked.
- There is no free trial membership.
- Small Business excludes agencies and production companies.
- AI Toolkit features use monthly credits.
Limits
The free account provides watermarked previews and Maker video creation, but no trial membership. Essentials includes 3,000 AI credits per month; Unlimited All Access includes 4,500 and Small Business includes 6,000. The Small Business license covers one employee at an organization with fewer than 50 employees and excludes agencies, production companies and broadcast companies.
Plans
| Plan | Billed and limits | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Essentials | billed annually · 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 | $21 a month |
| Unlimited All Access | billed annually · 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 | $30 a month |
| Small Business | billed annually · 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 | $40 a month |
| Business | 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 | On request |
As storyblocks.com lists them, read 14 Oct 2026. The maker's own page has the final word.
Getting started
- Open the Storyblocks website.
- Create a free account to access watermarked previews, folders and Maker video creation.
- Choose Essentials, Unlimited All Access or Small Business for a paid individual subscription.
- Use the Adobe Creative Cloud plugin with Premiere Pro or After Effects to browse assets.
- Use the website, macOS or Windows access, or API and extension options.
Verdict
Storyblocks combines a large stock library with video tools and editor integrations. Check the license scope and monthly AI credits against your intended use and plan.
Questions
Is Storyblocks free?
A free account includes watermarked asset previews, folders and Maker video creation. It does not include a free trial membership.
How much do the paid plans cost?
Essentials costs $21 a month billed annually. Unlimited All Access costs $30 a month billed annually, and Small Business costs $40 a month billed annually. Business pricing is available by quote.
Which platforms does Storyblocks support?
The listed platforms are API, extension, macOS, web and Windows.
What does the Adobe plugin do?
It brings the Storyblocks library into Premiere Pro and After Effects for searching, previewing and downloading assets.
What does the Small Business license cover?
It covers one employee and an organization with fewer than 50 employees. Agencies, production companies and broadcast companies are excluded.
Does Storyblocks offer a commercial license?
Yes. The listed license type is royalty-free, and commercial licensing is available.
Facts from Storyblocks's own pages
- Adobe integration
- The Adobe Creative Cloud plugin lets members search, preview, and download Storyblocks assets inside Premiere Pro and After Effects. · storyblocks.com, 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. · storyblocks.com, 14 Oct 2026
- AI library policy
- Storyblocks states that its stock library remains 100% human-made even though subscription plans include AI tools. · help.storyblocks.com, 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. · storyblocks.com, 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. · storyblocks.com, 30 Sept 2026
- API access model
- Free test keys are available with lower limits, while full API access requires contacting enterprise sales for a quote. · documentation.storyblocks.com, 14 Oct 2026
- API authentication
- API requests use a public key, expiration timestamp, and SHA-256 HMAC generated with a client secret. · documentation.storyblocks.com, 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. · documentation.storyblocks.com, 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. · storyblocks.com, 30 Sept 2026
- Company history
- Storyblocks’ company history timeline begins in 2009 with the launch of Videoblocks. · storyblocks.com, 30 Sept 2026
- Company identity
- LinkedIn lists Storyblocks as a privately held software company founded in 2011, headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, with 201–500 employees. · linkedin.com, 14 Oct 2026
- Compliance
- Storyblocks states that it is PCI Level 3 compliant and uses PCI-compliant payment processors. · trust.storyblocks.com, 14 Oct 2026
- Data hosting
- The Trust Center says customer data is primarily hosted in multiple AWS availability zones in us-east-1. · trust.storyblocks.com, 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. · help.storyblocks.com, 14 Oct 2026
- Extensibility
- The pricing page lists Storyblocks MCP as a workflow integration on the published plans. · storyblocks.com, 14 Oct 2026
- Free access
- A free account provides watermarked asset previews, folders and Maker video creation, but does not include a free trial membership. · help.storyblocks.com, 30 Sept 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. · help.storyblocks.com, 14 Oct 2026
- Headquarters
- Arlington, Virginia, United States · storyblocks.com, 23 Sept 2026
- Human-made library
- Storyblocks says its library is 100% human-made and contains more than 10 million assets. · storyblocks.com, 14 Oct 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. · crunchbase.com, 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. · storyblocks.com, 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. · storyblocks.com, 30 Sept 2026
- Limit: AI generation scope
- Photutorial reports that Storyblocks' AI Toolkit lacks an AI image generator, text-to-video tool, and AI music generator. · photutorial.com, 14 Oct 2026
- Limit: licensing and claims
- Trustpilot reviewers report recurring music licensing complexity and YouTube copyright claims despite having paid licenses. · trustpilot.com, 14 Oct 2026
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