Pond5
What it is
Pond5 is a media marketplace for video creators, filmmakers, media organizations, and marketers. Its catalog includes royalty-free video, music, sound effects, After Effects templates, photos, illustrations, and Photoshop PSD assets. Buyers can purchase individual assets or use subscriptions, and the Free Collection includes more than 3,000 complimentary HD and 4K clips, images, and music tracks. Listed one-time starting prices are $1, paid once for photos and illustrations, $2, paid once for sound effects, $3, paid once for music, $5, paid once for After Effects templates and Photoshop PSDs, and $39, paid once for video. Monthly plans listed include Music at $10 a month, Music & SFX at $15 a month, and Footage Plus at $199 a month. Subscriptions have download limits, including 10 monthly downloads for Footage Plus. Purchases include an Individual License for worldwide personal or business use, with licensed media available forever across unlimited projects. Enterprise options include visual search, team controls, and listed integrations. The API provides partner platforms with access to media and custom licensing, pricing, and content selection.
For and against
For
- Free Collection includes more than 3,000 media items.
- Catalog spans video, music, sound effects, and images.
- Individual License covers worldwide personal or business use.
- Licensed media can be used forever across unlimited projects.
- API supports custom licensing, pricing, and content selection.
Against
- Footage Plus lists 10 downloads per month.
- Music and Music & SFX subscriptions list 50 downloads per month.
- Credit packs are valid for one year.
The verdict
Pond5 offers both individual purchases and subscription access across several media types, with a complimentary collection and enterprise tools also listed. Review the download limits and license terms when choosing a purchase option.
Who it suits
Pond5 suits video creators, filmmakers, media organizations, and marketers looking for royalty-free media. Its API and enterprise options may also suit partner platforms and teams that need custom content selection or search controls.
Plans and prices
Pay per asset — illustrations
No commitment · pay as you go
Read 3 Oct 2026 · pond5.com
Pay per asset — photos
No commitment · pay as you go
Read 3 Oct 2026 · pond5.com
Pay per asset — sound effects
No commitment · pay as you go
Read 3 Oct 2026 · pond5.com
Pay per asset — music
No commitment · pay as you go
Read 3 Oct 2026 · pond5.com
Pay per asset — After Effects
No commitment · pay as you go
Read 3 Oct 2026 · pond5.com
Pay per asset — Photoshop PSD
No commitment · pay as you go
Read 3 Oct 2026 · pond5.com
Music
50 downloads/month · all 2.5M music tracks · offer for new users
Read 3 Oct 2026 · pond5.com
Music & SFX
50 downloads/month · all 2.5M music tracks · all 2.8M sound effects · offer for new users
Read 3 Oct 2026 · pond5.com
Pay per asset — video
No commitment · pay as you go
Read 3 Oct 2026 · pond5.com
On the record
- API
- The Pond5 API provides partner platforms access to royalty-free video and music and other media, with custom licensing, pricing, and content selection.pond5.com · read 3 Oct 2026
- Asset search
- Pond5 says its enterprise offering includes patented visual search.pond5.com · read 3 Oct 2026
- Credit limits
- Credit packs are one-time purchases usable on any asset or license tier and are valid for one year.pond5.com · read 3 Oct 2026
- Enterprise licensing
- Enterprise license options include unlimited seats and up to $1 million indemnification, with customization options.pond5.com · read 3 Oct 2026
- Enterprise team controls
- Enterprise administrative features let teams limit searches to custom terms and review team activity, including contractors.pond5.com · read 3 Oct 2026
- Free media
- Pond5 says its Free Collection includes more than 3,000 complimentary HD and 4K video clips, images, and music tracks.pond5.com · read 3 Oct 2026
- Integrations
- Pond5 lists custom integrations with Frame.io, Premiere Pro, and Final Cut Pro X for enterprise customers.pond5.com · read 3 Oct 2026
- Licensing
- The pricing page says purchases include an Individual License for worldwide personal or business use, and licensed media can be used forever across unlimited projects.pond5.com · read 3 Oct 2026
- Marketplace
- Pond5 describes itself as a marketplace of media assets for video creators, filmmakers, media organizations, and marketers.pond5.com · read 3 Oct 2026
- Media catalog
- The site offers royalty-free video, music, sound effects, After Effects templates, photos, illustrations, and Photoshop PSD assets.pond5.com · read 3 Oct 2026
- Security and privacy
- Pond5 says it uses generally accepted industry standards to protect personal information during transmission and after receipt, while noting it cannot guarantee absolute security.pond5.com · read 3 Oct 2026
- Subscription limits
- Subscriptions provide ten downloads per month from included media; the pricing FAQ states rollover caps of 20 downloads for Music or Music & SFX and 120 for Footage Plus.pond5.com · read 3 Oct 2026
- Support
- The enterprise page says a dedicated Creative Partner is available for questions and research requests; general customer support is reachable at [email protected].pond5.com · read 3 Oct 2026
- VideoAI
- The homepage promotes VideoAI for creating, editing, and extending videos with Google's Gemini Omni.pond5.com · read 3 Oct 2026
