How to Cancel Pond5 Subscription in 2026

Pond5 membership plans range from $83/month (5 downloads) to $252/month (25 downloads). That's serious money for stock footage. Here's how to cancel and where to find free alternatives.

How to Cancel

Go to pond5.com and log in
Click your account icon (top right)
Select Billing
Click Cancel Subscription
Confirm — you keep access until period ends

⚠️ Use your credits first: Unused download credits are forfeited when your subscription ends. Download everything you're entitled to before canceling.

Why Stock Footage Subscriptions Are Overpriced in 2026

The stock media industry is being disrupted from two directions:

AI-generated footage: Tools like Sora, Pika, and Runway generate custom clips in seconds for a fraction of the cost
Free libraries: Pexels, Pixabay, and Coverr now have huge collections of high-quality free footage
Phone cameras: Modern phones shoot 4K video that looks professional with minimal effort

Paying $83-252/month for 5-25 clips makes less sense every month as alternatives improve.

Free Stock Footage Alternatives

Pexels Videos: Large free library, no attribution required, commercial use allowed
Pixabay Videos: Similar to Pexels, slightly different catalog
Coverr: Curated free stock footage specifically for websites and marketing
Videvo: Mix of free and premium, good quality
Mixkit: Free HD and 4K footage, run by Envato

If You Need Premium Stock Occasionally

Instead of a monthly subscription, consider pay-per-clip:

Pond5 single purchases: Buy individual clips without a subscription ($15-100 per clip)
Shutterstock on-demand packs: Buy a 5-pack when you need it, no recurring charge
Adobe Stock single image: $9.99/credit, use only when needed

If you need fewer than 5 clips per month, individual purchases cost less than the cheapest subscription.

Check Your License Terms

Content you downloaded while subscribed is licensed permanently — you can keep using it in projects even after canceling. But double-check your license type. Standard licenses typically cover web, social media, and presentations. Extended licenses (for merchandise, large print runs) may have different terms.

💡 Bottom line: Between free stock libraries and AI-generated footage, paying $83+/month for stock clips is increasingly hard to justify. Use your remaining credits, cancel, and use free alternatives unless you have very specific professional needs.

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Quick Cancel Guide: Pond5

Direct cancel link + step-by-step instructions