Choose stock when an existing expression or action fits. Choose custom when the person must handle your product, say your words or describe a real experience.
The deliverables are different
Stock UGC is footage that already exists. You choose from what has been filmed and adapt the edit around it. A custom shoot starts with a brief and produces footage for a particular task, subject to the creator’s agreement.
Neither label tells you whether editing is included. A custom order may deliver raw takes; a stock purchase may supply only individual files. Ask about the final deliverable before comparing the prices.
| Decision | Existing stock footage | Commissioned footage |
|---|---|---|
| Person holds your exact item | Only if it is already in the shot; do not assume | Can be specified in the brief |
| Expression or everyday action | Select from the catalog | Describe the required performance |
| Scripted spoken message | Use your own narration separately | Agree the script and delivery |
| Revisions | Re-edit or choose another available clip | Agree the number and scope in advance |
| Finished ad | Usually requires your editing work | Only if the order includes editing |
| Exclusive use | Do not assume exclusivity | Negotiate and document it |
Use stock when the demo is already yours
If your screen recording shows the product and you need a two-second human opening, a full shoot may solve a larger problem than you have. Look for a reaction with clean timing, enough crop room and an expression that fits the reveal.
Stock also helps when you want to compare several openings around the same middle section. You can change the person or expression while keeping the product explanation fixed. You are still responsible for captions, sound, export and final quality.
Use custom when the person is the demonstration
A tutorial showing a particular skincare item, an unboxing of your packaging or a spoken personal account needs product-specific filming and an appropriate agreement. A generic happy face cannot prove a use experience.
Write the exact action, what must be visible and what the audience should understand. Specify orientation, approximate duration, spoken lines, required takes and whether you need raw footage or a finished edit. This gives a creator something concrete to quote.
Compare the cost of a finished usable edit
The smallest purchase price is not always the smallest project cost. Include the footage, time spent finding a usable take, editing, revisions and any separately agreed rights. Stock can be inexpensive but still cost hours if the action does not fit.
Before paying, ask who supplies the product footage, whether extra takes are available and what happens if the supplied file has a technical problem. Keep these answers with the receipt so the person doing the edit has the same scope as the buyer.
Questions & answers
Is stock UGC less authentic?
It is real footage when it was filmed by a person. Whether the finished video is honest depends on how you frame it. Do not turn a stock reaction into a fabricated customer story.
Can I combine both?
Yes: a custom product demonstration can use existing cutaways where the usage permissions allow it. Keep the role of each shot clear.
Find the opening for your next edit.
See the public samples, then unlock the library when you’re ready to work with the originals.
Explore the library