Dissolve review
A focused stock video library for commercial, editorial, and creative production.
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
Dissolve is a stock media website for commercials, television, documentaries, feature films, design, and other creative work. Its video catalog combines curated footage with HD and 4K downloads, plus royalty-free and rights-managed licensing. Buyers can search and browse individual clips, choose footage marked for editorial use, and select commercial license levels or add-ons. The platform also includes photography, collections such as Dissolve Filmmaker and Dissolve Elements, store credits, and research services.
Pricing is organized around individual HD and 4K clips rather than a subscription plan. An HD clip includes 1920 x 1080 resolution, ProRes and H.264 options, and a standard royalty-free license. A 4K clip includes 3840 x 2160 resolution, H.264 or other listed codec options, and a standard royalty-free license. Commercial license tiers and add-ons provide another licensing path, while rights-managed clips follow different terms. This structure suits buyers who want to select footage clip by clip, but teams planning repeated purchases should review the available licensing options for each project.
Dissolve’s main strength is breadth within a curated stock-footage workflow: buyers can compare HD and 4K material, royalty-free and rights-managed clips, and commercial or editorial usage. The trade-off is that licensing is not uniform across the catalog, so each clip’s terms matter before use. Its web-only coverage also keeps the service focused on browser-based discovery and purchasing. Choose Dissolve when curated footage, higher-resolution downloads, and varied licensing options fit the production. Look elsewhere if a subscription model, broader platform access, or consistently identical licensing terms across every clip is the priority.
Dissolve pros and cons
- Where it wins
- HD and 4K downloads with ProRes and H.264 options
- Royalty-free, rights-managed, and editorial footage
- Curated collections, commercial add-ons, and store credits
- Where it doesn't
- Web-only platform coverage
- Individual clip licensing rather than a subscription plan
- Licensing terms vary between clips and commercial tiers
Dissolve fact sheet, pricing and score →
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