Where to Get B-Roll Footage (Free + AI)

The best free sources for b-roll footage are Pexels, Pixabay, Mixkit, and Coverr — all offer commercial licenses with no attribution required. For custom shots that stock libraries cannot match, AI video models like Veo 3 and Kling generate production-ready clips from a text prompt.

This guide covers every tier: completely free libraries, paid subscriptions worth the money, and AI generation for when stock footage simply does not fit what you need. Understanding what b-roll is and how editors use it helps you know how much you actually need before you start sourcing.

What B-Roll Actually Is (and Why It Matters)

The term comes from the physical film era: editors had two reels, the A-roll (primary footage — interviews, main action, dialogue) and the B-roll (cutaways and supplementary shots). The B-roll "covered" the seams between A-roll edits.

That function has not changed. B-roll hides jump cuts, illustrates concepts being discussed, establishes location, and controls pacing. A talking-head interview cut without any B-roll feels raw and unfinished. The same interview intercut with relevant visual evidence feels authoritative.

In vertical formats — micro-dramas, Reels, TikTok series — B-roll carries even more weight because the frame is narrow and viewer attention is short. Every second of footage has to work. If you are building for vertical, vertical storytelling examples shows how top creators use establishing shots and cutaways within the narrow frame.

Free B-Roll Libraries Worth Knowing

These sources are genuinely free for commercial use. Read the per-clip license on each platform before publishing commercially, but for the sites below, the defaults are permissive.

Pexels (pexels.com/videos) is the most practical starting point. The library is large, covers almost every category, all clips are CC0, and no attribution is required. It handles the majority of stock b-roll needs without any cost.

Pixabay (pixabay.com/videos) runs on the same CC0 model and is strong for nature, urban, and lifestyle content. The search is slightly weaker than Pexels but the quality ceiling is comparable.

Mixkit (mixkit.co) is owned by Envato and offers a free commercial license with no attribution requirement. The library is smaller than Pexels but the curation is tighter — particularly good for lifestyle and tech-adjacent content.

Coverr (coverr.co) is the quality pick when you want something that does not look like stock footage. Fewer clips, but each one is selected for visual distinctiveness. CC0, commercial use included.

Dareful (dareful.com) fills a specific gap: 4K and 8K nature and urban footage under a CC0 license. If you need aerial or high-resolution environmental shots without paying for drone footage, this is where to look.

Videvo (videvo.net) has a free tier, but read each clip's individual license — some require attribution, others are CC0. The extra step is worth it for the variety.

Paid Options That Earn Their Cost

Storyblocks offers unlimited downloads from a large library and is the standard choice for agency workflows where volume matters. The library quality is uneven but the pricing model makes sense at scale.

Artgrid targets filmmakers specifically, with a subscription focused on cinematic footage. The quality floor is higher than most stock sites, which shows on larger screens.

Pond5 works as a marketplace for individual clip purchases when you need something specific and subscriptions do not make financial sense for your volume.

Generating B-Roll with AI

This is where the approach to b-roll has shifted most significantly. AI-generated b-roll is now a production-grade option — not a workaround — and it solves problems stock footage cannot: custom branding, specific scenarios, matching the exact visual language of your project.

Veo 3 (Google) generates high-fidelity clips from text prompts and includes native audio generation. Motion coherence is strong, which matters for b-roll that needs to cut cleanly. It is available via Vertex AI and AI Studio.

Kling (Kuaishou) is cost-effective and produces strong motion quality, making it practical for high-volume b-roll generation on a budget.

Seedance (ByteDance) handles both text-to-video and image-to-video generation, which is useful when you want to extend a keyframe image into a short atmospheric shot.

For practical AI b-roll generation, the prompting workflow matters as much as the model choice:

1. Pull the key concepts from your script or transcript
2. Write a specific prompt: name the shot type (wide establishing, close-up, aerial), the subject, the lighting condition, and the mood
3. Generate three to five variants per scene
4. Select the best clip; optionally upscale with a dedicated video enhancement tool
5. Color-match to your primary footage in post

Specificity in prompts produces usable clips. "City street" generates generic results. "Wide establishing shot of a rain-slicked urban street at dusk, warm sodium lamp glow, minimal pedestrians, 24fps" gives you something you can cut with.

Avoid generating faces in b-roll when possible — it simplifies commercial clearance and avoids the consistency challenges that come with AI-generated human likenesses.

When to Use Which Source

| Situation | Best Option | |---|---| | Fast turnaround, zero cost, no attribution needed | Pexels, Pixabay, Mixkit, Coverr | | Cinematic quality on a tight budget | Dareful (CC0 4K) or Artgrid subscription | | Custom visuals that match your project's look | Generate with Veo 3, Kling, or Seedance | | Agency producing multiple projects per month | Storyblocks subscription | | Specific one-off clip | Pond5 marketplace |

For most independent creators, Pexels and Pixabay cover the majority of stock needs. Mixkit handles polished lifestyle and tech content without attribution. When neither fits, generating with an AI video model produces footage that actually matches your project rather than looking borrowed.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I get b-roll footage for free without attribution?

Pexels, Pixabay, Mixkit, and Coverr all offer CC0 or equivalent licenses for commercial use with no attribution requirement. These four sources cover the majority of common b-roll categories — nature, urban, lifestyle, tech — at zero cost.

Can AI-generated b-roll be used commercially?

Generally yes, but check the terms of service for the specific model you use. Veo 3 and Kling allow commercial use of generated content. AI-generated b-roll has the added advantage of being original — there is no risk of another production using the same clip because it did not exist before you generated it.

What makes a good b-roll prompt for AI video models?

Specify the shot type, subject, lighting, mood, and frame rate. "Close-up of coffee steam rising from a ceramic mug, soft morning window light, shallow depth of field, 24fps" outperforms "coffee cup" every time. One subject, one action, positive framing — the same principles that apply to narrative prompts apply here.

How much b-roll does a typical short video need?

It depends on format. Talking-head interviews often use b-roll for a significant portion of screen time to cover edits and illustrate points. Vertical micro-dramas use b-roll more selectively — primarily for establishing shots and scene transitions — because the narrative scenes carry the visual load. There is no fixed ratio; the right amount is whatever keeps the edit moving without visual monotony.

Keep Learning

If you are generating b-roll rather than sourcing it from stock libraries, the guide to generating b-roll with AI covers prompting workflows and model selection in more depth. For a side-by-side look at which AI video model produces the best output for your use case, the AI video model comparison breaks down Veo 3, Kling, and Seedance by quality, cost, and speed. For context on how b-roll integrates into a full AI production pipeline, the AI filmmaking workflow overview shows how each step connects from script through export.