Free YouTube Endings That Stand Out - Ranked

Top 6 YouTube Outro Makers - Lots of FREE options

Richard Bennett

Oct 26, 2023• Proven solutions

0

YouTube outro makers can help your channel grow. Your outro, or end screen, on YouTube is your last chance to keep viewers on your channel. This can help you increase your channel’s watch time and get your videos ranked higher in search results.

Here are 6 outro maker sites where you can get outros and end cards. Check the bottom for our #1 pick!

• Outro Maker
• Biteable
• Tube Arsenal
• Renderforest
• Panzoid
• Intro Cave
• The #1 Pick!
• Wondershare Filmora

6 YouTube Outro Makers With Templates

For even more End Screen Templates, click here .

1. Outro Maker

Overview: Outro Maker provides interactive, animated, end screens for YouTube videos at a low monthly cost.

On Outro Maker’s home page there’s a testimonials section featuring well-known YouTubers like Kandee Johnson. They’ve definitely got the social proof to back up their claims about ease and quality.

Outro Maker is a paid service ($3 per month for the basic package) and the biggest issue facing it is that a lot of the features it charges for have become free features of YouTube’s own end screen tool. You get access to templates and a template maker with Outro Maker, though, and that may be the important thing for you.

2. Biteable

Overview: Biteable skews more towards intros than outros, but makes up for it by being free.

Biteable has free video templates for YouTube intros and outros. You can use one of their pre-built options, or you can customize one of their video styles with your own logo, colors, and music.

This site definitely skews more towards intros than outros and they don’t really provide end screen cards. It would be up to you to choose a video style and customize it to make it work for your purpose, which shouldn’t be too much of a burden since the site is free.

3. Tube Arsenal

Overview: Tube Arsenal allows you to customize your intro on the site and download it for about $10.

Tube Arsenal has animated outro templates/end screen cards as well as an on-site clip editor you can use to customize them with your channel’s colors/logo/images. They have template cards with slots for videos/playlists as well as logos and subscribe buttons.

Tube Arsenal’s outros tend to cost $9 for 720p and $11 for 1080p. Some of their options include stylized ‘reveals’ of the ‘next video’ slots (i.e. they appear bit-by-bit from left to right) which will not be smoothly compatible with YouTube’s end screen tool (where the video previews will simply pop up).

4. Renderforest

Overview: Render Forest lets you download intros with 3D text for $20, and you can also use them as outros.

Render Forest is an intro maker that can also work as an outro maker (their templates aren’t set up like end screens). They have a lot of 3D options, which is something only a few other outro makers can offer, and they have been used by a lot of major brands.

One drawback of Renderforest is that it is significantly more expensive than other services on this list. It will cost you $20 for a 720p clip.

5. Panzoid

Overview: Panzoid is a completely free service where you can get high-quality outros with 3D text.

Panzoid is a community-driven site where creators make templates for intros and outros and post them for other creators to customize and download for free. There are a lot of high-quality clips on Panzoid, and most of what you find is 3D (a major perk).

6. Intro Cave

Overview: It costs $5 for a customized clip at Intro Cave.

As the name suggests, Intro Cave has a focus on intro videos. However, you can still use their customization system as an outro maker.

Although things do go on sale, they tend to charge $5 for a 720p clip.

YouTube Outro Maker Alternative-Wondershare Filmora

Wondershare Filmora is a great video editor for all creators. It has a large collection of video transitions, filters, overlays and text templates which can also help you customize your own templates. And its intuitive interface and easy-to-use editing tools will make your editing more efficient and quick! Let’s achieve a refined look with endless effects with Wondershare Filmora!

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Oct 26, 2023• Proven solutions

0

YouTube outro makers can help your channel grow. Your outro, or end screen, on YouTube is your last chance to keep viewers on your channel. This can help you increase your channel’s watch time and get your videos ranked higher in search results.

Here are 6 outro maker sites where you can get outros and end cards. Check the bottom for our #1 pick!

• Outro Maker
• Biteable
• Tube Arsenal
• Renderforest
• Panzoid
• Intro Cave
• The #1 Pick!
• Wondershare Filmora

6 YouTube Outro Makers With Templates

For even more End Screen Templates, click here .

1. Outro Maker

Overview: Outro Maker provides interactive, animated, end screens for YouTube videos at a low monthly cost.

On Outro Maker’s home page there’s a testimonials section featuring well-known YouTubers like Kandee Johnson. They’ve definitely got the social proof to back up their claims about ease and quality.

Outro Maker is a paid service ($3 per month for the basic package) and the biggest issue facing it is that a lot of the features it charges for have become free features of YouTube’s own end screen tool. You get access to templates and a template maker with Outro Maker, though, and that may be the important thing for you.

2. Biteable

Overview: Biteable skews more towards intros than outros, but makes up for it by being free.

Biteable has free video templates for YouTube intros and outros. You can use one of their pre-built options, or you can customize one of their video styles with your own logo, colors, and music.

This site definitely skews more towards intros than outros and they don’t really provide end screen cards. It would be up to you to choose a video style and customize it to make it work for your purpose, which shouldn’t be too much of a burden since the site is free.

3. Tube Arsenal

Overview: Tube Arsenal allows you to customize your intro on the site and download it for about $10.

Tube Arsenal has animated outro templates/end screen cards as well as an on-site clip editor you can use to customize them with your channel’s colors/logo/images. They have template cards with slots for videos/playlists as well as logos and subscribe buttons.

Tube Arsenal’s outros tend to cost $9 for 720p and $11 for 1080p. Some of their options include stylized ‘reveals’ of the ‘next video’ slots (i.e. they appear bit-by-bit from left to right) which will not be smoothly compatible with YouTube’s end screen tool (where the video previews will simply pop up).

4. Renderforest

Overview: Render Forest lets you download intros with 3D text for $20, and you can also use them as outros.

Render Forest is an intro maker that can also work as an outro maker (their templates aren’t set up like end screens). They have a lot of 3D options, which is something only a few other outro makers can offer, and they have been used by a lot of major brands.

One drawback of Renderforest is that it is significantly more expensive than other services on this list. It will cost you $20 for a 720p clip.

5. Panzoid

Overview: Panzoid is a completely free service where you can get high-quality outros with 3D text.

Panzoid is a community-driven site where creators make templates for intros and outros and post them for other creators to customize and download for free. There are a lot of high-quality clips on Panzoid, and most of what you find is 3D (a major perk).

6. Intro Cave

Overview: It costs $5 for a customized clip at Intro Cave.

As the name suggests, Intro Cave has a focus on intro videos. However, you can still use their customization system as an outro maker.

Although things do go on sale, they tend to charge $5 for a 720p clip.

YouTube Outro Maker Alternative-Wondershare Filmora

Wondershare Filmora is a great video editor for all creators. It has a large collection of video transitions, filters, overlays and text templates which can also help you customize your own templates. And its intuitive interface and easy-to-use editing tools will make your editing more efficient and quick! Let’s achieve a refined look with endless effects with Wondershare Filmora!

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Oct 26, 2023• Proven solutions

0

YouTube outro makers can help your channel grow. Your outro, or end screen, on YouTube is your last chance to keep viewers on your channel. This can help you increase your channel’s watch time and get your videos ranked higher in search results.

Here are 6 outro maker sites where you can get outros and end cards. Check the bottom for our #1 pick!

• Outro Maker
• Biteable
• Tube Arsenal
• Renderforest
• Panzoid
• Intro Cave
• The #1 Pick!
• Wondershare Filmora

6 YouTube Outro Makers With Templates

For even more End Screen Templates, click here .

1. Outro Maker

Overview: Outro Maker provides interactive, animated, end screens for YouTube videos at a low monthly cost.

On Outro Maker’s home page there’s a testimonials section featuring well-known YouTubers like Kandee Johnson. They’ve definitely got the social proof to back up their claims about ease and quality.

Outro Maker is a paid service ($3 per month for the basic package) and the biggest issue facing it is that a lot of the features it charges for have become free features of YouTube’s own end screen tool. You get access to templates and a template maker with Outro Maker, though, and that may be the important thing for you.

2. Biteable

Overview: Biteable skews more towards intros than outros, but makes up for it by being free.

Biteable has free video templates for YouTube intros and outros. You can use one of their pre-built options, or you can customize one of their video styles with your own logo, colors, and music.

This site definitely skews more towards intros than outros and they don’t really provide end screen cards. It would be up to you to choose a video style and customize it to make it work for your purpose, which shouldn’t be too much of a burden since the site is free.

3. Tube Arsenal

Overview: Tube Arsenal allows you to customize your intro on the site and download it for about $10.

Tube Arsenal has animated outro templates/end screen cards as well as an on-site clip editor you can use to customize them with your channel’s colors/logo/images. They have template cards with slots for videos/playlists as well as logos and subscribe buttons.

Tube Arsenal’s outros tend to cost $9 for 720p and $11 for 1080p. Some of their options include stylized ‘reveals’ of the ‘next video’ slots (i.e. they appear bit-by-bit from left to right) which will not be smoothly compatible with YouTube’s end screen tool (where the video previews will simply pop up).

4. Renderforest

Overview: Render Forest lets you download intros with 3D text for $20, and you can also use them as outros.

Render Forest is an intro maker that can also work as an outro maker (their templates aren’t set up like end screens). They have a lot of 3D options, which is something only a few other outro makers can offer, and they have been used by a lot of major brands.

One drawback of Renderforest is that it is significantly more expensive than other services on this list. It will cost you $20 for a 720p clip.

5. Panzoid

Overview: Panzoid is a completely free service where you can get high-quality outros with 3D text.

Panzoid is a community-driven site where creators make templates for intros and outros and post them for other creators to customize and download for free. There are a lot of high-quality clips on Panzoid, and most of what you find is 3D (a major perk).

6. Intro Cave

Overview: It costs $5 for a customized clip at Intro Cave.

As the name suggests, Intro Cave has a focus on intro videos. However, you can still use their customization system as an outro maker.

Although things do go on sale, they tend to charge $5 for a 720p clip.

YouTube Outro Maker Alternative-Wondershare Filmora

Wondershare Filmora is a great video editor for all creators. It has a large collection of video transitions, filters, overlays and text templates which can also help you customize your own templates. And its intuitive interface and easy-to-use editing tools will make your editing more efficient and quick! Let’s achieve a refined look with endless effects with Wondershare Filmora!

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Oct 26, 2023• Proven solutions

0

YouTube outro makers can help your channel grow. Your outro, or end screen, on YouTube is your last chance to keep viewers on your channel. This can help you increase your channel’s watch time and get your videos ranked higher in search results.

Here are 6 outro maker sites where you can get outros and end cards. Check the bottom for our #1 pick!

• Outro Maker
• Biteable
• Tube Arsenal
• Renderforest
• Panzoid
• Intro Cave
• The #1 Pick!
• Wondershare Filmora

6 YouTube Outro Makers With Templates

For even more End Screen Templates, click here .

1. Outro Maker

Overview: Outro Maker provides interactive, animated, end screens for YouTube videos at a low monthly cost.

On Outro Maker’s home page there’s a testimonials section featuring well-known YouTubers like Kandee Johnson. They’ve definitely got the social proof to back up their claims about ease and quality.

Outro Maker is a paid service ($3 per month for the basic package) and the biggest issue facing it is that a lot of the features it charges for have become free features of YouTube’s own end screen tool. You get access to templates and a template maker with Outro Maker, though, and that may be the important thing for you.

2. Biteable

Overview: Biteable skews more towards intros than outros, but makes up for it by being free.

Biteable has free video templates for YouTube intros and outros. You can use one of their pre-built options, or you can customize one of their video styles with your own logo, colors, and music.

This site definitely skews more towards intros than outros and they don’t really provide end screen cards. It would be up to you to choose a video style and customize it to make it work for your purpose, which shouldn’t be too much of a burden since the site is free.

3. Tube Arsenal

Overview: Tube Arsenal allows you to customize your intro on the site and download it for about $10.

Tube Arsenal has animated outro templates/end screen cards as well as an on-site clip editor you can use to customize them with your channel’s colors/logo/images. They have template cards with slots for videos/playlists as well as logos and subscribe buttons.

Tube Arsenal’s outros tend to cost $9 for 720p and $11 for 1080p. Some of their options include stylized ‘reveals’ of the ‘next video’ slots (i.e. they appear bit-by-bit from left to right) which will not be smoothly compatible with YouTube’s end screen tool (where the video previews will simply pop up).

4. Renderforest

Overview: Render Forest lets you download intros with 3D text for $20, and you can also use them as outros.

Render Forest is an intro maker that can also work as an outro maker (their templates aren’t set up like end screens). They have a lot of 3D options, which is something only a few other outro makers can offer, and they have been used by a lot of major brands.

One drawback of Renderforest is that it is significantly more expensive than other services on this list. It will cost you $20 for a 720p clip.

5. Panzoid

Overview: Panzoid is a completely free service where you can get high-quality outros with 3D text.

Panzoid is a community-driven site where creators make templates for intros and outros and post them for other creators to customize and download for free. There are a lot of high-quality clips on Panzoid, and most of what you find is 3D (a major perk).

6. Intro Cave

Overview: It costs $5 for a customized clip at Intro Cave.

As the name suggests, Intro Cave has a focus on intro videos. However, you can still use their customization system as an outro maker.

Although things do go on sale, they tend to charge $5 for a 720p clip.

YouTube Outro Maker Alternative-Wondershare Filmora

Wondershare Filmora is a great video editor for all creators. It has a large collection of video transitions, filters, overlays and text templates which can also help you customize your own templates. And its intuitive interface and easy-to-use editing tools will make your editing more efficient and quick! Let’s achieve a refined look with endless effects with Wondershare Filmora!

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

Best Approach for Managing CC Rights & Usage

How to Use Creative Commons Copyright Licenses [Complete Guide]

Richard Bennett

Oct 26, 2023• Proven solutions

0

You might have noticed that, when you post a video, you get to choose how you want to copyright it: standard license, or creative commons. You’ve also probably noticed that when you looking for royalty-free music or stock footage a lot of it is licensed through creative commons.

So, what exactly are creative commons ?

To hold the copyright to a creative work means that you own it, and anybody who wants to use your work for anything (i.e. uses a song you composed in their YouTube video) has to do so on your terms. When you license your work through creative commons you do not give up your rights to your creative work (a common misconception).

When you use a creative commons license you are outlining the terms under which other creators are allowed to use your creations in their projects for free if they credit you for your work.

If you do not want anyone using your work for free in any context, you stick to traditional copyrighting.

But if you’ve created a piece of music, a photograph, or a clip that you wouldn’t mind other people using, potentially as a way to get your name out there, you might want to consider creative commons.

There are 6 different creative commons licenses. Which is right for you will depend on your answers to these two questions:

Are you okay with a creator making money off of something they create using your work?

Are you okay with a creator producing a derivative of your work?

To say ‘no derivatives’ is to say ‘I’m okay with people using it, so long as they don’t change it’. One example of a derivative is a techno remix of a song. If you are alright with other creators making derivatives of your work, you may also want to require them to ‘ShareAlike’. ShareAlike means that the creator of that techno remix of your song has to use the same creative commons license you used for your original to distribute the remix.

An example of a derivative someone might make of a YouTube video would be auto-tuning it to make a song or cutting up your video to make one that’s just ‘the funny parts’.

Here are the 6 creative commons licenses, and a chart you can use as a quick reference tool.

Attribution – CC BY

If you’re using music or other media with this license, all you need to do is credit the artist.

If you license your video this way, people can do whatever they like with any element of it (video or sound) so long as they credit you. I.e. if someone wanted to mute your clips and use you as stock footage in a bigger project, they could.

Attribution-ShareAlike – CC BY-SA

If you use music, photos, or any other media licensed this way, then you must both credit the artist and license your video this same way. Meaning, you can’t use YouTube’s standard license and must instead allow for others to use your work the way you are using the licensed media.

If you apply this license to your video, you’re saying you don’t mind people using all or portions of your video for their project so long as they allow others to use their work in the same way.

Attribution-NoDerivs – CC BY-ND

This one can get tricky.

Essentially, you can use media licensed this way so long as you don’t alter it or create a different version. For example, you can’t take a song licensed this way and use it in a mashup with another song. That part is clear. Where it gets tricky is when you want to use a song in your video.

Under normal copyright rules, using a royalty-free song in the background of your video would not count as creating a derivative. The definition of derivative according to creative commons is a bit broader and includes ‘syncing’. This means you can’t take an ‘Attribution-NoDerivs’ song and create any kind of music video for it.

For example, you can’t edit clips of yourself snowboarding so that they’re in sync with a song that has this license.

Whether or not you can play the song in the background of your vlog while you are speaking can be a bit of a grey area. In theory, it shouldn’t be a problem, but if you’re accessing the music through a social site like SoundCloud then it might be best to ask the artist first.

There’s no reason to license your YouTube videos this way. If people cannot alter your video, all that’s left is for them to repost it. Even though they’d also be crediting you, they’d still essentially be stealing views and ad revenue from your original video.

Attribution-NonCommercial – CC BY-NC

If you’re using stock footage, music, or stock photos licensed this way then you should still be able to monetize your video. YouTube monetization and commercial use are different things. However, there is a lot of confusion about this issue, and chances are the rights holder intends for this license to mean ‘no monetization’.

What you definitely could not do with a NonCommercial license is to use the song/other media in an actual commercial for a product, including product placement that a brand is paying you for.

If you license your video this way, people can use it in whatever way they like so long as they credit you and don’t try to make money off of it. Once again, that doesn’t mean they can’t use it in a YouTube video which they monetize because, technically, they’d be making money off of the ad that ran ahead of the video and not the video itself.

The thing to be careful of with this license is that it’s not ‘ShareAlike’. So, if you license your video this way somebody could use your clips as stock footage and then provide them - as part of their project – for free to a third person to use in a project they were making money off of.

Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike – CC BY-NC-SA

Music and other media with an ‘Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike’ license can be used in and altered for your videos, so long as you aren’t making money off those videos. You must also use this same license for the video you create using elements licensed this way.

If you license your video this way, people can use it or a portion of it in their project if they credit you. They must also use this same license for their video if they do. This protects you from the situation where a third person who never licensed your original content is making money off of it.

Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs – CC BY-NC-ND

There aren’t many situations where you would be using media licensed this way in your YouTube videos. You can’t alter it, sync videos to it, or make money from any video that uses it.

You also probably shouldn’t use this license for your videos. ‘NoDerivs’ means there are not many ways people could use your content, except to repost full videos and steal your views.

Edit Video with the Most Excellent Video Editor

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Oct 26, 2023• Proven solutions

0

You might have noticed that, when you post a video, you get to choose how you want to copyright it: standard license, or creative commons. You’ve also probably noticed that when you looking for royalty-free music or stock footage a lot of it is licensed through creative commons.

So, what exactly are creative commons ?

To hold the copyright to a creative work means that you own it, and anybody who wants to use your work for anything (i.e. uses a song you composed in their YouTube video) has to do so on your terms. When you license your work through creative commons you do not give up your rights to your creative work (a common misconception).

When you use a creative commons license you are outlining the terms under which other creators are allowed to use your creations in their projects for free if they credit you for your work.

If you do not want anyone using your work for free in any context, you stick to traditional copyrighting.

But if you’ve created a piece of music, a photograph, or a clip that you wouldn’t mind other people using, potentially as a way to get your name out there, you might want to consider creative commons.

There are 6 different creative commons licenses. Which is right for you will depend on your answers to these two questions:

Are you okay with a creator making money off of something they create using your work?

Are you okay with a creator producing a derivative of your work?

To say ‘no derivatives’ is to say ‘I’m okay with people using it, so long as they don’t change it’. One example of a derivative is a techno remix of a song. If you are alright with other creators making derivatives of your work, you may also want to require them to ‘ShareAlike’. ShareAlike means that the creator of that techno remix of your song has to use the same creative commons license you used for your original to distribute the remix.

An example of a derivative someone might make of a YouTube video would be auto-tuning it to make a song or cutting up your video to make one that’s just ‘the funny parts’.

Here are the 6 creative commons licenses, and a chart you can use as a quick reference tool.

Attribution – CC BY

If you’re using music or other media with this license, all you need to do is credit the artist.

If you license your video this way, people can do whatever they like with any element of it (video or sound) so long as they credit you. I.e. if someone wanted to mute your clips and use you as stock footage in a bigger project, they could.

Attribution-ShareAlike – CC BY-SA

If you use music, photos, or any other media licensed this way, then you must both credit the artist and license your video this same way. Meaning, you can’t use YouTube’s standard license and must instead allow for others to use your work the way you are using the licensed media.

If you apply this license to your video, you’re saying you don’t mind people using all or portions of your video for their project so long as they allow others to use their work in the same way.

Attribution-NoDerivs – CC BY-ND

This one can get tricky.

Essentially, you can use media licensed this way so long as you don’t alter it or create a different version. For example, you can’t take a song licensed this way and use it in a mashup with another song. That part is clear. Where it gets tricky is when you want to use a song in your video.

Under normal copyright rules, using a royalty-free song in the background of your video would not count as creating a derivative. The definition of derivative according to creative commons is a bit broader and includes ‘syncing’. This means you can’t take an ‘Attribution-NoDerivs’ song and create any kind of music video for it.

For example, you can’t edit clips of yourself snowboarding so that they’re in sync with a song that has this license.

Whether or not you can play the song in the background of your vlog while you are speaking can be a bit of a grey area. In theory, it shouldn’t be a problem, but if you’re accessing the music through a social site like SoundCloud then it might be best to ask the artist first.

There’s no reason to license your YouTube videos this way. If people cannot alter your video, all that’s left is for them to repost it. Even though they’d also be crediting you, they’d still essentially be stealing views and ad revenue from your original video.

Attribution-NonCommercial – CC BY-NC

If you’re using stock footage, music, or stock photos licensed this way then you should still be able to monetize your video. YouTube monetization and commercial use are different things. However, there is a lot of confusion about this issue, and chances are the rights holder intends for this license to mean ‘no monetization’.

What you definitely could not do with a NonCommercial license is to use the song/other media in an actual commercial for a product, including product placement that a brand is paying you for.

If you license your video this way, people can use it in whatever way they like so long as they credit you and don’t try to make money off of it. Once again, that doesn’t mean they can’t use it in a YouTube video which they monetize because, technically, they’d be making money off of the ad that ran ahead of the video and not the video itself.

The thing to be careful of with this license is that it’s not ‘ShareAlike’. So, if you license your video this way somebody could use your clips as stock footage and then provide them - as part of their project – for free to a third person to use in a project they were making money off of.

Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike – CC BY-NC-SA

Music and other media with an ‘Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike’ license can be used in and altered for your videos, so long as you aren’t making money off those videos. You must also use this same license for the video you create using elements licensed this way.

If you license your video this way, people can use it or a portion of it in their project if they credit you. They must also use this same license for their video if they do. This protects you from the situation where a third person who never licensed your original content is making money off of it.

Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs – CC BY-NC-ND

There aren’t many situations where you would be using media licensed this way in your YouTube videos. You can’t alter it, sync videos to it, or make money from any video that uses it.

You also probably shouldn’t use this license for your videos. ‘NoDerivs’ means there are not many ways people could use your content, except to repost full videos and steal your views.

Edit Video with the Most Excellent Video Editor

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Oct 26, 2023• Proven solutions

0

You might have noticed that, when you post a video, you get to choose how you want to copyright it: standard license, or creative commons. You’ve also probably noticed that when you looking for royalty-free music or stock footage a lot of it is licensed through creative commons.

So, what exactly are creative commons ?

To hold the copyright to a creative work means that you own it, and anybody who wants to use your work for anything (i.e. uses a song you composed in their YouTube video) has to do so on your terms. When you license your work through creative commons you do not give up your rights to your creative work (a common misconception).

When you use a creative commons license you are outlining the terms under which other creators are allowed to use your creations in their projects for free if they credit you for your work.

If you do not want anyone using your work for free in any context, you stick to traditional copyrighting.

But if you’ve created a piece of music, a photograph, or a clip that you wouldn’t mind other people using, potentially as a way to get your name out there, you might want to consider creative commons.

There are 6 different creative commons licenses. Which is right for you will depend on your answers to these two questions:

Are you okay with a creator making money off of something they create using your work?

Are you okay with a creator producing a derivative of your work?

To say ‘no derivatives’ is to say ‘I’m okay with people using it, so long as they don’t change it’. One example of a derivative is a techno remix of a song. If you are alright with other creators making derivatives of your work, you may also want to require them to ‘ShareAlike’. ShareAlike means that the creator of that techno remix of your song has to use the same creative commons license you used for your original to distribute the remix.

An example of a derivative someone might make of a YouTube video would be auto-tuning it to make a song or cutting up your video to make one that’s just ‘the funny parts’.

Here are the 6 creative commons licenses, and a chart you can use as a quick reference tool.

Attribution – CC BY

If you’re using music or other media with this license, all you need to do is credit the artist.

If you license your video this way, people can do whatever they like with any element of it (video or sound) so long as they credit you. I.e. if someone wanted to mute your clips and use you as stock footage in a bigger project, they could.

Attribution-ShareAlike – CC BY-SA

If you use music, photos, or any other media licensed this way, then you must both credit the artist and license your video this same way. Meaning, you can’t use YouTube’s standard license and must instead allow for others to use your work the way you are using the licensed media.

If you apply this license to your video, you’re saying you don’t mind people using all or portions of your video for their project so long as they allow others to use their work in the same way.

Attribution-NoDerivs – CC BY-ND

This one can get tricky.

Essentially, you can use media licensed this way so long as you don’t alter it or create a different version. For example, you can’t take a song licensed this way and use it in a mashup with another song. That part is clear. Where it gets tricky is when you want to use a song in your video.

Under normal copyright rules, using a royalty-free song in the background of your video would not count as creating a derivative. The definition of derivative according to creative commons is a bit broader and includes ‘syncing’. This means you can’t take an ‘Attribution-NoDerivs’ song and create any kind of music video for it.

For example, you can’t edit clips of yourself snowboarding so that they’re in sync with a song that has this license.

Whether or not you can play the song in the background of your vlog while you are speaking can be a bit of a grey area. In theory, it shouldn’t be a problem, but if you’re accessing the music through a social site like SoundCloud then it might be best to ask the artist first.

There’s no reason to license your YouTube videos this way. If people cannot alter your video, all that’s left is for them to repost it. Even though they’d also be crediting you, they’d still essentially be stealing views and ad revenue from your original video.

Attribution-NonCommercial – CC BY-NC

If you’re using stock footage, music, or stock photos licensed this way then you should still be able to monetize your video. YouTube monetization and commercial use are different things. However, there is a lot of confusion about this issue, and chances are the rights holder intends for this license to mean ‘no monetization’.

What you definitely could not do with a NonCommercial license is to use the song/other media in an actual commercial for a product, including product placement that a brand is paying you for.

If you license your video this way, people can use it in whatever way they like so long as they credit you and don’t try to make money off of it. Once again, that doesn’t mean they can’t use it in a YouTube video which they monetize because, technically, they’d be making money off of the ad that ran ahead of the video and not the video itself.

The thing to be careful of with this license is that it’s not ‘ShareAlike’. So, if you license your video this way somebody could use your clips as stock footage and then provide them - as part of their project – for free to a third person to use in a project they were making money off of.

Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike – CC BY-NC-SA

Music and other media with an ‘Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike’ license can be used in and altered for your videos, so long as you aren’t making money off those videos. You must also use this same license for the video you create using elements licensed this way.

If you license your video this way, people can use it or a portion of it in their project if they credit you. They must also use this same license for their video if they do. This protects you from the situation where a third person who never licensed your original content is making money off of it.

Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs – CC BY-NC-ND

There aren’t many situations where you would be using media licensed this way in your YouTube videos. You can’t alter it, sync videos to it, or make money from any video that uses it.

You also probably shouldn’t use this license for your videos. ‘NoDerivs’ means there are not many ways people could use your content, except to repost full videos and steal your views.

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Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

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Richard Bennett

Oct 26, 2023• Proven solutions

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You might have noticed that, when you post a video, you get to choose how you want to copyright it: standard license, or creative commons. You’ve also probably noticed that when you looking for royalty-free music or stock footage a lot of it is licensed through creative commons.

So, what exactly are creative commons ?

To hold the copyright to a creative work means that you own it, and anybody who wants to use your work for anything (i.e. uses a song you composed in their YouTube video) has to do so on your terms. When you license your work through creative commons you do not give up your rights to your creative work (a common misconception).

When you use a creative commons license you are outlining the terms under which other creators are allowed to use your creations in their projects for free if they credit you for your work.

If you do not want anyone using your work for free in any context, you stick to traditional copyrighting.

But if you’ve created a piece of music, a photograph, or a clip that you wouldn’t mind other people using, potentially as a way to get your name out there, you might want to consider creative commons.

There are 6 different creative commons licenses. Which is right for you will depend on your answers to these two questions:

Are you okay with a creator making money off of something they create using your work?

Are you okay with a creator producing a derivative of your work?

To say ‘no derivatives’ is to say ‘I’m okay with people using it, so long as they don’t change it’. One example of a derivative is a techno remix of a song. If you are alright with other creators making derivatives of your work, you may also want to require them to ‘ShareAlike’. ShareAlike means that the creator of that techno remix of your song has to use the same creative commons license you used for your original to distribute the remix.

An example of a derivative someone might make of a YouTube video would be auto-tuning it to make a song or cutting up your video to make one that’s just ‘the funny parts’.

Here are the 6 creative commons licenses, and a chart you can use as a quick reference tool.

Attribution – CC BY

If you’re using music or other media with this license, all you need to do is credit the artist.

If you license your video this way, people can do whatever they like with any element of it (video or sound) so long as they credit you. I.e. if someone wanted to mute your clips and use you as stock footage in a bigger project, they could.

Attribution-ShareAlike – CC BY-SA

If you use music, photos, or any other media licensed this way, then you must both credit the artist and license your video this same way. Meaning, you can’t use YouTube’s standard license and must instead allow for others to use your work the way you are using the licensed media.

If you apply this license to your video, you’re saying you don’t mind people using all or portions of your video for their project so long as they allow others to use their work in the same way.

Attribution-NoDerivs – CC BY-ND

This one can get tricky.

Essentially, you can use media licensed this way so long as you don’t alter it or create a different version. For example, you can’t take a song licensed this way and use it in a mashup with another song. That part is clear. Where it gets tricky is when you want to use a song in your video.

Under normal copyright rules, using a royalty-free song in the background of your video would not count as creating a derivative. The definition of derivative according to creative commons is a bit broader and includes ‘syncing’. This means you can’t take an ‘Attribution-NoDerivs’ song and create any kind of music video for it.

For example, you can’t edit clips of yourself snowboarding so that they’re in sync with a song that has this license.

Whether or not you can play the song in the background of your vlog while you are speaking can be a bit of a grey area. In theory, it shouldn’t be a problem, but if you’re accessing the music through a social site like SoundCloud then it might be best to ask the artist first.

There’s no reason to license your YouTube videos this way. If people cannot alter your video, all that’s left is for them to repost it. Even though they’d also be crediting you, they’d still essentially be stealing views and ad revenue from your original video.

Attribution-NonCommercial – CC BY-NC

If you’re using stock footage, music, or stock photos licensed this way then you should still be able to monetize your video. YouTube monetization and commercial use are different things. However, there is a lot of confusion about this issue, and chances are the rights holder intends for this license to mean ‘no monetization’.

What you definitely could not do with a NonCommercial license is to use the song/other media in an actual commercial for a product, including product placement that a brand is paying you for.

If you license your video this way, people can use it in whatever way they like so long as they credit you and don’t try to make money off of it. Once again, that doesn’t mean they can’t use it in a YouTube video which they monetize because, technically, they’d be making money off of the ad that ran ahead of the video and not the video itself.

The thing to be careful of with this license is that it’s not ‘ShareAlike’. So, if you license your video this way somebody could use your clips as stock footage and then provide them - as part of their project – for free to a third person to use in a project they were making money off of.

Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike – CC BY-NC-SA

Music and other media with an ‘Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike’ license can be used in and altered for your videos, so long as you aren’t making money off those videos. You must also use this same license for the video you create using elements licensed this way.

If you license your video this way, people can use it or a portion of it in their project if they credit you. They must also use this same license for their video if they do. This protects you from the situation where a third person who never licensed your original content is making money off of it.

Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs – CC BY-NC-ND

There aren’t many situations where you would be using media licensed this way in your YouTube videos. You can’t alter it, sync videos to it, or make money from any video that uses it.

You also probably shouldn’t use this license for your videos. ‘NoDerivs’ means there are not many ways people could use your content, except to repost full videos and steal your views.

Edit Video with the Most Excellent Video Editor

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

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