Attribution requirements are a workflow killer for video editors. Adding a credit to every stock clip you use — whether in the video itself or in the description — adds time and can look unprofessional in commercial work. The good news: several major platforms offer completely attribution-free footage.
What "No Attribution Required" Actually Means
It means the licence does not legally require you to credit the creator or platform when you use the media. You can credit them if you want to — and many creators do as a courtesy — but you are not obligated to. This is different from Creative Commons CC-BY licences, which require attribution.
The Best No-Attribution Sources
1. Pexels — No attribution required
The Pexels licence explicitly states: "You don't need to give credit to Pexels or the photographer." This applies to photos and videos, for both personal and commercial use. It is one of the most straightforward free licences in existence.
Best for: High-quality cinematic footage, lifestyle photos, 4K video.
2. Pixabay — No attribution required
Pixabay's Content Licence also removes the attribution requirement entirely. With over 4 million assets, it is the highest-volume no-attribution source available.
Best for: Volume, variety, illustrations, motion backgrounds, music.
3. Unsplash — No attribution required
The Unsplash licence does not require attribution, though the platform encourages it. Primarily a photography platform — limited video selection.
Best for: Editorial photography, architecture, travel.
4. Mixkit — No attribution required
Mixkit (by Envato) offers free stock video, music, and After Effects templates with no attribution requirement. The free library is smaller than Pexels or Pixabay, but quality is high.
Best for: Motion graphics, After Effects templates, background music.
5. Coverr — No attribution required
Coverr specialises in looping website background videos. Attribution-free, commercially usable, no registration needed.
Best for: Website hero videos and looping backgrounds.
What You Still Cannot Do
Even without attribution requirements, these licences share common restrictions:
- You cannot sell the raw files as stock media
- You cannot imply endorsement from people pictured
- You cannot register stock images as trademarks
The Fastest Way to Search No-Attribution Footage
All content on MediaFlow comes from Pexels and Pixabay — both no-attribution sources. Search once and get results from both platforms side by side, then download in one click. No account, no API key, no attribution required.
Related: Free stock photos for commercial use · Top free stock footage websites · Pexels vs Pixabay compared