Storyblocks Contributor review
by Footage Firm, Inc. (d/b/a Storyblocks)Stock video marketplaces for contributors
A subscription stock library that pays non-exclusive video contributors a monthly share of a revenue pool, split by the relative value of their downloads.
- Free plan
- Approval wait
- Usage-based
- Prices hidden
What you're paying for
- Built-in reach (main value)
- Easy to adopt
Add your existing footage to a subscription library of everyday creators and business customers, without giving up the right to sell it elsewhere.
Storyblocks is a subscription library: members pay a monthly or annual fee, and the help center says over 85% are hobbyists, freelancers and small business owners. Enterprise customers, API licensees and creator tools that use the library through integrations download from it too. Contributors are not paid a commission per sale but a monthly share of a revenue pool, split by how much of that revenue their downloads account for. Video stays non-exclusive, and the uploader reads Shutterstock and Pond5 CSV files as they are.
- A subscription audience beyond the websiteMembers include hobbyists, freelance editors and YouTube creators, and the agreement also counts Enterprise customers and API licensees; the getting-started guide names creator tools that access the library through integrations.Evidence: Help: How does Storyblocks work?; Partner Program Agreement; getting-started guide (2026-10-15)
- Reuse the clips and metadata you already haveVideo is non-exclusive. Clips go up through the web uploader (100 files at a time) or sFTP, and the CSV importer accepts files formatted for Shutterstock or Pond5 with no editing; IPTC Core fields are read from the video files.Evidence: Help: How do I upload video clips?, How do I tag my content? (2026-10-15)
- Pay that follows subscription revenueThe about page says that if company revenue rises 10%, so does the amount shared with contributors, though the agreement lets Storyblocks recalculate the pool at its sole discretion. The getting-started guide reports a 73% rise in the earnings pool over 12 months, with no dates given.Evidence: About Our Partner Program; getting-started guide (2026-10-15)
- Best for
- Videographers who already sell footage elsewhere and want another non-exclusive outlet with monthly payouts, broad payout methods and CSV reuse.
- Good to know
- The share of revenue placed in the pool and the pool size are not published, so earnings per download cannot be worked out before joining.
How Storyblocks Contributor compares
Against 3 other products we reviewed in Stock video marketplaces for contributors: what you pay for with each, the five access facts, the plan limits we recorded and each review's bottom line. The note under the table says how each one was checked.
| Metric | Storyblocks Contributor | Shutterstock Contributor | Pond5 | Adobe Stock Contributor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| What you're paying for | Built-in reachAdd your existing footage to a subscription library of everyday creators and business customers, without giving up the right to sell it elsewhere. | Built-in reachPut your footage in front of Shutterstock’s buyers and partner channels for free, while you keep selling the same clips anywhere else. | Built-in reachSell footage to a video-first buyer base at a flat 30% share from the first license, with no levels to climb and nothing to pay to join. | Built-in reachSell footage on Adobe Stock and inside Adobe’s own apps for one flat 35% share, with the dollar earnings per download published up front. |
| Overall score | 4.7 | 7.7Best | 7.5 | 6.5 |
| Free option | Free plan | Free plan | Free plan | Free plan |
| Card to start | –Not measured | No card needed | No card needed | No card needed |
| Getting access | Approval wait | Self-serve | Self-serve | Self-serve |
| Starter priceCheapest paid plan | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Pricing model | Usage-based | Usage-based | Usage-based | Usage-based |
| Pricing page | Prices hidden | Public prices | Public prices | Public prices |
| Video royalty (new non-exclusive seller) | Not stated as a percentage; a monthly share of a revenue pool, split by downloads | 15% for the first 10 video licenses a year; 22% average over 100, computed | 30% flat from the first license; no levels | 35% flat from the first license |
| Highest video royalty | Not stated; video is non-exclusive only, with no exclusive rate | 40% over 25,000 video licenses a year; no exclusive program | 40% exclusive (video only; Shutterstock still allowed) | 35%; no levels and no exclusive program |
| Dollar earnings per download published | No; the agreement says per-download earnings are not disclosed | No, a percentage of the price received | No, a percentage of net license revenue | Yes: $2.80 to $8.40 (subscriptions), $22.40 to $28.00 (HD), $56.00 to $70.00 (4K), US prices |
| Per-download minimum | Not stated | $0.10 at every level | Not stated | Not stated for video |
| Payout minimum | $10 on Payoneer; not stated for other methods | $25 (you can set it up to $2,000) | $25 (fixed; smaller balances roll over) | $25 |
| How payouts are made | Automatic, monthly on the 15th; you can hold payments | Automatic, monthly | Automatic, monthly on the 15th | On request, from 45 days after the first sale |
| Payout methods | Payoneer, PayPal, direct deposit, wire, check, eCheck ($0 to $25 fee per payout) | Payoneer, PayPal, Skrill (no bank transfer, wire or check) | PayPal, Skrill (4% deducted), Payoneer | PayPal, Payoneer (outside the US only), Skrill |
| Joining | Free, by application with a portfolio review; under 5% of artist applications accepted | Open and free; tax form needed; every file reviewed | Open and free; government ID check before submitting; every file reviewed | Open and free with an Adobe ID; email and phone checks; every file reviewed |
| Removing clips | By request, with 30 days’ notice | Delete one or many at any time | Delete single files any time; batch removal through support | Delete one at any time; removing more than 100 items or 10% (whichever is greater) in 90 days needs 90 days’ notice |
| AI training use of your clips | Covered by the agreement; AI revenue share at a rate Storyblocks sets; no opt-out described | Data licensing at a 20% average share; video opt-out | Dataset licensing at 20% per licensed item; opt-out | Used to train Firefly; no opt-out; discretionary yearly bonus |
| AI-generated video | Not accepted | Not accepted | Not accepted | Accepted when labelled |
| Bulk upload and metadata | sFTP and CSV metadata (Shutterstock and Pond5 CSVs accepted); web upload of up to 100 files | FTPS and CSV metadata; web upload of up to 100 files | FTP and CSV metadata; batch edit and templates | CSV metadata; SFTP for qualified accounts |
| Bottom line | From its public pages, Storyblocks Contributor is an application-only, non-exclusive video library with well-documented payouts and useful bulk tools. Pay is a share of a pool whose size is not published, and the agreement covers AI dataset use with no opt-out described. | From its public pages, Shutterstock Contributor is a free, open, non-exclusive outlet with paid and optional data licensing and automatic monthly payouts. The share starts at 15% and resets every January, and a few pages disagree on payout details. | From its public pages, Pond5 is a free, footage-first marketplace with a flat 30% share, a 40% exclusive option that still allows Shutterstock, and paid, optional dataset licensing. Video prices follow tiers that are not published. | From its public pages, Adobe Stock Contributor pays a flat 35% on video from standard plans, credit packs and on-demand, and publishes the dollar figures per download. Clips also train Firefly with no opt-out, payouts are on request, and rates can change with no notice period. |
Evidence: Storyblocks Contributor: facts checked 2026-10-15 from its public sign-up and pricing pages, no completed hands-on run; Shutterstock Contributor: facts checked 2026-10-15 from its public sign-up and pricing pages, no completed hands-on run; Pond5: facts checked 2026-10-15 from its public sign-up and pricing pages, no completed hands-on run; Adobe Stock Contributor: facts checked 2026-10-15 from its public sign-up and pricing pages, no completed hands-on run. Prices in USD as listed, excluding tax. "–" means not recorded.
Score
- Royalty for a new seller
- 0.0 / 10, Fair
- paid a monthly share of a revenue pool split by the "relative value" of each download; the pages do not state what share of subscription revenue goes into the pool, and the agreement says the pool size is not published
- Earnings clarity
- 3.0 / 10, Fair
- video share not stated as a percentage; subscription and pack valuation explained; no minimum per download; the about page says the pool rises 10% when revenue rises 10%, while the agreement lets Storyblocks recalculate the pool at its sole discretion without updating the agreement; payout minimum for methods other than Payoneer not stated, although the agreement says the threshold is set on the website
- Getting paid
- 9.0 / 10, Excellent
- payout minimum $10; paid monthly; Payoneer, PayPal, direct deposit, wire transfer, check, eCheck; hold or raise the minimum
- Rights and control
- 6.0 / 10, Good
- non-exclusive video; remove a clip with notice; site sets prices; 15 days’ notice of changes
- AI and data terms
- 4.0 / 10, Fair
- paid at the site’s discretion; no opt-out; use disclosed; AI-generated video not accepted
- Access and reach
- 6.0 / 10, Good
- application with samples, sold beyond the site, FTP or CSV upload, demand data or briefs
Review
Review from public pages
Written from Storyblocks Contributor's public pages (pricing, security or privacy, and docs) as read on Oct 15, 2026. We did not sign up, and no hands-on run is published yet.
What the public pages show
We read Storyblocks' contributor portal, the About Our Partner Program page and the getting-started guide (both render only with JavaScript, so we read their text from the portal's own script files), the Member Library and Machine Learning Partner Program Agreement (effective May 8, 2024), the Tax Center and the contributor help center's 76 articles on Oct 15, 2026; we did not apply, sign up, log in or open the removal form for this review. The main www.storyblocks.com site returned an empty bot-check page to us, so its about page was read from an Internet Archive copy (Oct 1, 2026); buyer prices, which this rubric does not score, were not read.
The mechanics are well explained. The agreement and a chart on the about page show how a download is valued: each member's subscription value is split across that member's downloads in the month, and a free-trial member's downloads are valued as if the trial subscription were worth $10. Payments go out on the 15th for the previous month, the fee for each of six payout methods is published, and you can hold payments to save on fees. Non-exclusive video, sFTP upload and CSV metadata are documented, and the www.storyblocks.com about page (archived copy) says Storyblocks accepts less than 5% of artist applications.
A few points need a question. The agreement says the pool size is not published and that Storyblocks cannot tell you your exact percentage or earnings per download. The about page says the pool moves with revenue, while the agreement lets Storyblocks recalculate it at its sole discretion. The license FAQ says you can remove content any time with 30 days' notice, while the removal article says contributors cannot remove content themselves and must file a request. Most payment articles were last updated in October 2020.
Strengths
- Six payout methods with published fees
Payoneer has no fee with a $10 minimum; PayPal and direct deposit cost $1 per payout, eCheck $5, check $6, a US wire $15 and an international wire $25 in USD or $20 in local currency.
vs Pond5: Shutterstock, Adobe Stock and Pond5 pay only through Payoneer, PayPal and Skrill (Adobe’s Payoneer only outside the US); Pond5 states only Skrill’s 4% fee, Shutterstock and Adobe none.
- Automatic monthly payouts you can hold
Payments go out on the 15th for the previous month’s earnings, and you can hold them indefinitely from the dashboard to reduce third-party fees.
Compared: Adobe Stock pays only on request, and iStock’s payout minimum is $100.
- Download valuation explained with a worked example
The agreement shows two $50 members: one download from the first is worth $50, one of five from the second is worth $10. Downloads during free trials are credited at an assumed $10 subscription value, and Enterprise and API downloads by their subscription fees.
vs Pond5: Adobe Stock lists dollars per download by buyer plan; Pond5 says only that a subscription download pays on the price paid for that item.
- Bulk tools that read other sites’ files
sFTP upload, CSV metadata that accepts Shutterstock and Pond5 formats unchanged, and IPTC Core read from video files.
Compared: iStock’s public pages describe no FTP or CSV upload.
- Monthly demand data
The help center publishes in-demand video keywords each month with an opportunity score out of 100 and a CSV download, and the dashboard shows your top downloads and categories.
Things to know
- Earnings per download cannot be worked out in advance
The share of subscription revenue placed in the pool and the pool size are not published, and the agreement says Storyblocks cannot tell you your exact percentage or earnings per download. No minimum per download is stated.
Workaround: The dashboard shows an estimate during the month, finalized before payments go out on the 15th.
- Clips go into AI datasets, with no opt-out described
Uploaded clips, including ones Storyblocks rejected, may go into datasets for AI training and licensing. The AI revenue share is a percentage Storyblocks sets, paid in June and December.
Workaround: After removal, clips are left out of new datasets; datasets and models made before then keep being used.
- Removal is by request, with 30 days’ notice
Contributors cannot remove clips themselves: a Google Form takes a CSV or XLS list of files, and removal follows the 30 days’ notice in the license terms. Members who downloaded a clip may download it again for up to 12 months after removal.
Workaround: Without a Google account, the help center says to email [email protected].
- Short notice for changes
The terms can change on 15 days’ email notice, and the pool calculation can change at Storyblocks’ sole discretion without updating the agreement.
Workaround: You can end the agreement with 30 days’ notice, and earned revenue share is still paid.
Pricing reality
Joining is free (no fee is stated). You are paid a monthly share of the Member Library revenue pool by the relative value of your downloads. The agreement’s illustration: two members at $50 a month, one downloads only your clip ($50 of value), the other downloads five clips, one yours ($10); your clips get $60 of the $100 in value, so you are paid 60% of the pool, whose size is not published. Downloads during a free trial are credited as if that member paid $10. Payout fees are deducted from each payment: $0 on Payoneer (with a $10 minimum), $1 for PayPal or direct deposit, up to $25 for an international wire in USD. No payout is made until your tax form is approved (the dashboard shows the default 30% withholding until then). The AI revenue share is paid twice a year, around June 15 and December 15.
Exit path
Send a removal request (a list of files as CSV or XLS) or end the agreement in writing with 30 days’ notice; content leaves the Member Library within 30 days and earned revenue share is still paid. Members keep their licenses and may re-download for up to 12 months. Datasets and models made before removal keep being used, and Storyblocks may keep one archival copy. You keep the copyright, and non-exclusive clips can keep selling elsewhere.
Compared with
- Pick Storyblocks Contributor when
- You want payouts by bank deposit, wire or check with published fees, a $10 Payoneer minimum, and pay tied to subscription revenue.
- Pick Shutterstock Contributor when
- You want open sign-up, a stated share per license (15% to 40%), a $0.10 floor per download and an opt-out from data licensing.
- Pick Storyblocks Contributor when
- You want more payout methods with published fees, the option to hold payments, and a CSV importer that reads your Pond5 file.
- Pick Pond5 when
- You want a flat 30% per license stated up front, 40% for exclusive clips, and a paid dataset share you can opt out of.
- Pick Storyblocks Contributor when
- You want automatic monthly payouts, bank or check options with published fees, and a $10 Payoneer minimum.
- Pick Adobe Stock Contributor when
- You want a flat 35% share with dollar earnings per download published, open sign-up, or you make labelled AI-generated video.
Choose it if
- You already sell footage elsewhere and want another non-exclusive outlet that reads your Shutterstock or Pond5 CSV.
- You want monthly payouts by Payoneer, bank deposit, wire or check, with the fee for each method published.
- You are fine with pay tied to a subscription pool rather than a set share of each sale.
- You plan shoots around demand and want a monthly in-demand keyword list.
Look elsewhere if
- You need to know your share or earnings per download before uploading.
- You want to keep your clips out of AI datasets, or you make AI-generated video.
- You want open sign-up, an exclusive rate, or to remove clips yourself at any time.
Bottom line
From its public pages, Storyblocks Contributor is an application-only, non-exclusive video library with well-documented payouts and useful bulk tools. Pay is a share of a pool whose size is not published, and the agreement covers AI dataset use with no opt-out described.
Plan limits at a glance
| Limit | As recorded |
|---|---|
| Video royalty (new non-exclusive seller) | Not stated as a percentage; a monthly share of a revenue pool, split by downloads |
| Highest video royalty | Not stated; video is non-exclusive only, with no exclusive rate |
| Dollar earnings per download published | No; the agreement says per-download earnings are not disclosed |
| Per-download minimum | Not stated |
| Payout minimum | $10 on Payoneer; not stated for other methods |
| How payouts are made | Automatic, monthly on the 15th; you can hold payments |
| Payout methods | Payoneer, PayPal, direct deposit, wire, check, eCheck ($0 to $25 fee per payout) |
| Joining | Free, by application with a portfolio review; under 5% of artist applications accepted |
| Removing clips | By request, with 30 days’ notice |
| AI training use of your clips | Covered by the agreement; AI revenue share at a rate Storyblocks sets; no opt-out described |
| AI-generated video | Not accepted |
| Bulk upload and metadata | sFTP and CSV metadata (Shutterstock and Pond5 CSVs accepted); web upload of up to 100 files |
Read from the vendor's public pages on Oct 15, 2026. No hands-on run is published yet. How we check
We have not published a sign-up run for Storyblocks Contributor yet. The access facts above were read from its sign-up and pricing pages on Oct 15, 2026.
We have not published API calls for Storyblocks Contributor yet; access was not open to our agent.
Storyblocks Contributor lists 2 plans.
- Storyblocks ContributorFreeMember Library Partner Program (video)$0/moMonthly share of the Member Library revenue pool, by the relative value of your downloads
- Free to join, by application
- Non-exclusive video
- Paid on the 15th; $10 minimum on Payoneer
- Payout fees $0 to $25 by method
- Generative AI revenue share paid in June and December
- Storyblocks ContributorSolicited WorkPer contractWork-for-hire under a contract arranged with a Storyblocks representative; payment amounts and dates are listed in the contract terms
- Content is exclusive to Storyblocks
- Also earns in the Partner Program
Prices as listed, USD, excluding tax; observed 2026-10-15.
Source: contribute-faq.storyblocks.com pricing page. Prices change; the observed date above is when our agent read them.