Storyblocks vs Artlist: A Complete Comparison for Video Creators

Storyblocks and Artlist are two well known providers of stock video and music for creators. They both provide massive libraries that enable users to produce professional-grade videos without having to address any copyright concerns. This said, each of these platforms has its own unique upsides and downsides. RankMarket has introduced this group buy service to bring low-price access to these VA tools, making this the best solution for anyone in need of production upgrades without the hefty price! Discover the right platform for your creativity today.

About Storyblocks and Artlist

Storyblocks was started in 2009 as a more affordable option compared to the mainstream stock media model. The focus is basically to equip creators with resources and tools so they can make more and improved videos at a fast pace. This has flexible, all you can download plans for every type of budget.

Artlist started in 2016 as a royalty-free music site for independent filmmakers looking for affordable music licensing. In 2019, they launched the Artgrid stock footage platform to boot. Acquisition followed acquisition in 2021, when sound effects subscription service FXhome was absorbed.

This post does not compare Artgrid vs Storyblocks because Artgrid has only stock video plans. Since both Artlist and Storyblocks have stock content plans, those are the plans we will be comparing.

Storyblocks vs Artlist individual plans

Storyblocks and Artlist both offer a range of subscription plans tailored for individual users’ footage needs. With both platforms you can choose what’s best for you based on your budget and how much content you’ll want to download. Storyblocks’ subscription plans include their Starter, Unlimited All Access, and Pro plans. Artlist’s individual plans include Max Social and Max Pro.

Artlist versus Storyblocks licensing

Storyblocks’ individual license covers worldwide, unlimited distribution for print, digital, and video production. It also includes coverage by individuals for both commercial and personal projects.

Artlist’s Max Social plan only covers an individual for one channel on each social platform. This includes Facebook, YouTube, Twitch, Instagram, podcasts, and TikTok. Similar to Storyblocks’ license, the Max Pro plan from Artlist covers individuals for both commercial and personal video projects.

Everything in both Storyblocks’ and Artlist’s library is royalty-free. That means you won’t have to track down licenses for different projects or assets. With both Artlist and Storyblocks, when your subscription expires, so does your license for any new projects. So you can only use downloaded assets in projects created with an active subscription.

Indemnification offered

Indemnification is essentially insurance that any stock content you download is safe to use for any type of project. It protects creators from any third-party claims that content downloaded from a company infringes on their intellectual property rights. When it comes to Artlist vs Storyblocks for indemnification, there’s no real comparison. Storyblocks’ individual plans provide creators with an indemnification safety net of up to $20,000. Artlist does not offer indemnification.

Individual license restrictions

Storyblocks content can be used for client projects under an individual license. But, it must be incorporated into an original project in some way, or the content itself must be modified. Including Storyblocks stock content in an original work which is then distributed is permitted by its license. However, sharing or selling the unedited, original stock content files is not permitted by Storyblocks’ license. Artlist forbids reproducing, distributing, or re-selling any of their assets.

Comparing the stock content offered by Storyblocks versus Artlist

Of course, one of the biggest factors when deciding on the right service depends on what kind of stock content is offered per service, so we have our comparison as below — Storyblocks vs Artlist

The number of assets and types of media offered in a stock media subscription is an important consideration. After all, you want to ensure that their library covers the kind of content your projects require and is up to your standards. Artlist has 400,000+ assets of every imaginable kind, and Storyblocks has well over a million.

Video (HD/4K/Etc.)

Artlist and Storyblocks provide high quality footage in a wide variety of categories and themes. HD footage only is included in Artlist's Max Social plan and Storyblocks' Starter plan. Artlist Max Pro plan backed footage with up to 8k resolution and can be upgraded to RAW/LOG files. With the ULAA and Pro plan, you will only obtain a max 4k resolution with Storyblocks. Still, Storyblocks provides a massive range of animated backgrounds and motion graphics, while Artlist is devoid of any. Artlist also has Artgrid for their footage and template-only plans, whereas Storyblocks only has bundle plans for now.

Music/SFX

Both Storyblocks and Artlist have a huge library of music / sound effects from all kinds of genres, themes, and moods. Artlist has a music-only and SFX-only plan, so you can choose one of them if you are a creator with only an audio extension, while all the bundled plans include SFX and music together, which is done for all creators. The starter plan at Storyblocks only includes music (select ULAA or Pro plan for SFX too).

Templates

You can find templates in all of the Artlist bundle plans if you need some. Templates are only available in ULAA and Pro plans on Storyblocks. Their libraries include templates for Adobe Premiere Pro, After Effects, and DaVinci Resolve, available from both Storyblocks and Artlist. Artlist, for example, includes Final Cut Pro templates in their offering, while Storyblocks has Apple Motion templates as well.

Images

On the other hand, Storyblocks carries tons of image files, vectors, and illustrations—something Artlist lacks. All of Storyblocks plans include images.

Download limits

Whether you buy monthly or annual, every one of Artlist’s bundle plans features unlimited downloads. This is matched exactly with Storyblocks, where its ULAA and Pro plans feature this, but its Starter plan only delivers 5 monthly downloads.

Storyblocks versus Artlist tools

Plugins

Storyblocks has integrations with Adobe Creative Cloud for After Effects and Premiere Pro, only on the Pro-level plan. The Storyblocks plugin is seamless integration that imports their entire stock library right inside of your editing program of choice, plus your in-site folders.

Plugins (40+ plugins, Included with all Artlist bundle plans for at least 7 software programs) Of course, the caveat is that Artlist’s plugins are visual effects and editing plugins, not plugins that bring their stock content library into your editor.

Apps/tools

Individual subscription plans from Storyblocks offer Maker access, which is the in-house video editor that connects to its entire stock library with ease. Maker also offers some ready-made templates, which you can customize with your own content.

Artlist Max Social includes HitFilm Creator, a pro-level video editor that enables unlimited exports up to 4K UHD. Also part of it is an advanced image editor known as Imerge Creator. HitFilm Creator — limited songs, templates, SFX and VFX

HitFilm Pro and Imerge Pro come as part of the Max Pro plan from Artlist. HitFilm Pro — Professional video editor, 3D tools and a huge visual effects library. Provides Unlimited 8K Exports & Advanced Tools, Limited Songs, Templates, SFX, and Visual Effects.

Artlist vs Storyblocks team and enterprise plans

Your team or organization may require a stock subscription however. Storyblocks and Artlist both have subscription plans that are ideal for teams, no matter the size. Storyblocks has their Storyblocks for Business plan, and Artlist has their Max Teams and Enterprise plans.

Storyblocks for Business compared to Artlist licensing

Rewritten: Storyblocks for Business includes a license that covers unlimited global distribution in perpetuity for all commercial or internal projects written to your company or organization. An advantageous aspect of Storyblocks business license in particular is that it lacks a derivative work clause. This means you can download assets and reproduce without needing to make material changes to them.

Disclaimer: Artlist has custom licenses in the case of businesses, and they have the Enterprise plan. Which implies, they have no license they can look to for this comparison. As we cannot tell you what their business license entails, definitely ask! Nobody wants to get a license that robs you off.

The unlimited distribution around the globe for any video project featured in Artlist's Max Teams plan, can be used for any commercial or personal purposes. For a business or organization with 100+ members, their Enterprise plan includes coverage without limits. And this is true for both your personal and commercial projects. Enterprise plans of theirs are all customizable in their terms and licenses.

Regarding how long you get to keep the files you acquire, anything you download with Storyblocks for Business is yours for life. Artlist keeps downloaded assets for published projects within the active period of your plan. Though after your subscription ends, you lose ownership of those assets, and they revert back to Artlist.

Indemnification

As discussed earlier, Storyblocks’ individual plans include up to $20,000 in indemnification protection against stock assets claims for unauthorized use. With Storyblocks for Business that coverage is expanded to $1,000,000 and covers all users in your organization. No indemnification from the Artlist team and business plans. This means that if you face any legal problems due to the use of their content, you may be liable for any costs.

Restrictions

If storyblocks offer is a stock files you cannot sell, license, or redistributing because of their license work. You also are not allowed to build a trademark or a logo using anything from Storyblocks stock library. Scripts or bots or other programs which automatically have mega access that download large amounts of stock files manually are completely prohibited.

Crucially, you cannot on any of the stock files downloaded from Storyblocks, use it in any manner that may incite violence or to commit any illegal activity. Content will be marked specifically when it's suitable for commercial use if model- or property-released. But read the small print carefully. If you have content with no release (such as photo content, video content, etc), you will need a signed release from the model or property owner to be fully protected.

Artlist prohibits the duplication, distribution, transfer, or resale of its assets. Similar to Storyblocks, you are not permitted to use any of the files in any way that incites violence, hatred, discrimination, or other insults.

Also, the artlist max teams license only includes organization up to 7 members. In comparison, Storyblocks for Business provides unlimited seats.

Comparing the content offered by Artlist and Storyblocks for Business

Video

Artlist Vs Storyblocks Stock Footage Professional quality stock footage across all themes and categories. Regarding resolution, Storyblocks for Business supports up to HD, and 4K footage. Artlist Max Teams and custom Enterprise plans are available, which go up to 8K footage quality with an option to upgrade to get RAW/LOG files.

Music/SFX

Storyblocks and Artlist both provide a wide range of music and sound effects across various genres, themes, and moods. Both sites feature a ton of music and SFX, so all business or team plans include access to that.

Templates

Templates are also included with all of Artlist’s team and business plans, as well as Storyblocks for Business. These templates are for Adobe Premiere Pro, After Effects, and DaVinci Resolve. Artlist has Final Cut Pro templates, while Storyblocks has Apple Motion templates.

Images

Stock Images Stock images are one of the big differentiators between Artlist and Storyblocks. Storyblocks for Business has a huge collection of photos, vectors, and illustrations.

Download limits

Artlist’s Max Teams and Enterprise plans, along with Storyblocks for Business, offer unlimited downloads.

Tools included with Artlist vs Storyblocks for Business plans

Storyblocks and Artlist both offer an assortment of integrations, tools, and plug-ins, on top of unlimited stock content, to polish up your video projects. But their offerings are not identical.

Plugins

Only Storyblocks includes its Adobe Creative Cloud plugin for Adobe After Effects and Premiere Pro with Storyblocks for Business. With the Storyblocks plugin, you can access their entire stock library right from inside your editor, and also have access to your folders and files on your site.

Artlist features more than 40 plugins, and has anything but a paywall at all, gaining access with any type of team and business plan from more than 7 software programs combined. Take note though, the plugins that Artlist has are meant strictly for visual effects and editing. And they do not pull their stock content into your edit.

Apps and tools

Included in Storyblocks for Business, Maker for Teams is an easy-to-use video editor that integrates seamlessly with their entire stock library. Such as one-click custom branding settings, ready-made templates for rapid video creation, and powerful collaboration tools to name a few exclusive business features.

HitFilm Pro and Imerge Pro are offered as part of Artlist’s Max Teams and Enterprise plans. HitFilm Pro is another high-end video editor equipped with a massive visual effects library plus 3D tools. Provides unlimited exports up to 8K, advanced tools with a choice of songs, templates, sound effects, and visual effects. Tinderbox — Imerge Pro is a high-end image editor with a batch export and complex masking functions.

Storyblocks offers a wide range of stock videos and assets. You can learn more by visiting the official Storyblocks website.

Artlist is known for its music and video licensing services. To explore their offerings, check out the official Artlist site.

 

Conclusion

Both Storyblocks and Artlist are amazing resources that can help you create professional grade videos with licensed music and footage to accompany your work. Storyblocks is a great place to get surrounded by a variety of videos and Artlist is popular a lot due to a better music library for licensing. However, if you're a creator or business sticking around for the long haul and need premium resources, you can pay for the actual versions of these platforms for access to added features and higher quality assets.

RankMarket is the cheapest option for a group buy service, which gives you access to these pro tools for a handful of bucks. So what are you waiting for, visit RankMarket now, those tools are available to you and more if you want to step up your video production!