Sell Your Videos to News Outlets for $50 to $1000: Top 4 Sites

You’ve probably got a video on your phone right now that somebody would actually pay for.

Maybe it’s dashcam footage of a semi-truck swerving inches from your bumper. Or your Ring camera caught a porch pirate bold enough to steal packages in broad daylight, or a bear casually strolling through your driveway like he owns the place.

Whatever it is, news stations, TV producers, and major brands buy clips like these every single day from regular people.

I spent time digging into how this works, which sites are legit, and what a clip is really worth in 2026.

Below I’ll walk you through four sites that license your video to buyers and split the money with you, plus the exact steps to do it without giving away more than you should.

Can You Really Get Paid for the Videos on Your Phone?

Yes. And the market is larger than most people realize.

TV networks, websites, and ad agencies constantly need real-world footage they cannot stage or shoot themselves. So they buy clips from everyday people who happen to be in the right place with a phone, dashcam, or security camera.

This is called video licensing.

Basically you grant a buyer permission to use your clip for a specific purpose, but you keep full ownership. You earn a share every time that clip sells.

Jukin Licensing alone reports paying over $41 million to everyday creators. The money is real.

Best Sites That Pay You for Videos and Footage

Not every platform is worth your time. Some take too big a cut. Others pay slowly or set cash-out thresholds you may never reach.

I reviewed each site’s current contributor terms in 2026 to verify the pay splits, minimum payouts, and actual payment timelines.

The table below gives you a quick comparison. Full details on each platform follow after it.

1. ViralHog: Sell Viral Videos and Earn 50% of Revenue

ViralHog is a US-based licensing company headquartered in Bozeman, Montana.

It specializes in viral clips and has built strong relationships with media partners who buy user-generated content.

You upload your video, and their team pitches it to buyers on your behalf.

Here is what you get:

• You earn 50% of the net revenue your clip generates.
• You can cash out once your balance exceeds $75, with payments processed monthly.
• Payment options include direct deposit, wire transfer, PayPal, eCheck, or paper check.
• You pay no upfront fees, and ViralHog does not deduct its operating costs from your share.

Remember: ViralHog requires an exclusive license. That means you agree to let them be the only platform that licenses that particular clip. Only submit footage here if you are comfortable with that arrangement.

2. Jukin Licensing: Best for Long-Term Video Licensing Income

Jukin Licensing is owned by Trusted Media Brands. It is one of the biggest distributors of user-generated video in the world.

Their team pitches your clip to TV shows, ad agencies, news desks, and publishers.

They also handle all contracts and billing for you.

The numbers I confirmed:

• You earn 50% of the revenue your video makes.
• You keep full ownership. You can leave your video posted wherever it already is.
• You can cash out at $100. Payments go out monthly via PayPal, check, or bank transfer.
• Videos earn about $250 in lifetime revenue on average. 46% earn some money in the first year.

Jukin says it can take 6 to 12 months to get your first payment, so keep that in mind.

And make sure to read the submission agreement before you sign. The fine print gives Jukin broad rights to manage and license your clip.

3. Stringr: Sell Videos to TV News Stations

Stringr is a US marketplace that connects everyday filmer s with local TV news stations.

Think of it as citizen journalism you actually get paid for.

The pay setup is simple:

• You earn a flat fee each time a station downloads your clip. One video can sell many times.
• You get paid the next business day through PayPal.
• You keep your rights. Stringr does not lock you into an exclusive deal.
• You can upload from the website or use the free app on iPhone and Android.

The main downside is that a clip only earns money when a media outlet actually downloads it. Not every upload will sell.

Pro tip: Tag your videos with the right location and keywords. Shoot horizontally and keep the camera steady to make your clips broadcast-ready.

4. Newsflare: Sell Eyewitness Videos and Earn Royalties

Newsflare is a UK-based global marketplace focused on eyewitness and user-generated video.

Some of the biggest news outlets, broadcasters, and brands buy homemade video clips from them.

What you can expect:

• You earn 50% of the license fee each time your video sells.
• You retain full ownership of your video at all times.
• You can cash out at £25 via PayPal or Wise.
• For direct sales, payment often arrives within 24 hours.

Newsflare says a typical clip earns around £25 to £100, but a popular one can pass £1,000, and a single direct sale can reach £1,500. It pays out on any clip that sells for more than £10.

Make money from YouTube through Newsflare

Newsflare gives you a second way to earn from the same clip: YouTube ad revenue.

And you don’t need a big channel of your own to use it.

On your own, YouTube only pays you after you reach 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 watch hours and join its Partner Program.

Newsflare lets you skip that wait. When you upload a video, you pick the “Add to YouTube” option, and Newsflare places a copy on its own channel, which has more than 3 million subscribers.

From there, Newsflare handles the rest:

• It makes an ownership claim so YouTube can run ads on the video.
• Your clip stays on your channel, and you keep the copyright.
• Newsflare tracks the ad money and pays you a share.
• It also claims ad revenue from copies other people upload without permission.

Already earning on your own channel?

Email your channel link to rights.legal@newsflare.com and ask them to whitelist it, so Newsflare leaves your existing videos alone.

How Much Is Your Phone, Dashcam or Ring Video Actually Worth?

How much you can sell a video for comes down to a few things.

A good video usually sells for $50 to a few hundred dollars per license.

The biggest money comes from exclusive footage of a major breaking news event. If you capture something like that, one clip could earn you thousands.

Jukin says videos in its library make about $250 on average over their lifetime.

A clip that goes viral and gets licensed many times can bring in $10,000 or more. A very small number of people have made over $100,000 from a single video.

Obviously most clips earn far less, and some earn nothing at all.

A few things that could increase the value of your clips:

• Exclusivity: Footage that nobody else has is worth the most.
• Newsworthiness: Buyers pay more for clips tied to real events or strong emotions.
• Quality: Steady, high-resolution video sells better than shaky, dark footage.
• Timing: For breaking news, value drops fast as the story gets older.
• Clean rights: No copyrighted music in the background. No legal problems.

How to License Your Footage and Get Paid

Once you have a clip worth selling, the process moves fast.

Here is the order I recommend:

Pick the right site and create an account.

Match your footage to the right buyer.

For viral or funny clips, start with ViralHog or Jukin.

For news or eyewitness video, go with Newsflare. For US local news footage, try Stringr.

Save the original file

Keep the full-resolution version straight from your phone or camera.

Buyers want the cleanest file, not a compressed copy.

Hold off on posting it everywhere

A clip that is already all over social media is worth less.

The exclusive value disappears. Submit first. Post later.

Upload and add details

Fill in the date, location, and a short description of what happened.

Accurate tags help buyers find your video.

Read the license terms before you agree

Check if the deal is exclusive or non-exclusive.

Know what cut you keep. Then submit.

Set up your payment method

Add your PayPal or bank details.

Your money needs a place to go once a sale clears.

Which Videos Make the Most Money?

You now know where to license your video.

Now the next question is whether your clip is the kind buyers actually want, because not every video on your camera roll will sell.

Buyers look for footage that is dramatic, funny, rare, or newsworthy.

These types of videos tend to sell well:

• Dashcam footage of crashes, near-misses, and wild driving.
• Doorbell and security camera catches like porch pirates, wildlife, and surprise visitors.
• Extreme weather such as tornadoes, floods, lightning, and storm damage.
• Funny or heartwarming animal moments.
• Breaking news and unusual events you happened to capture.
• Stunts, fails, and once-in-a-lifetime reactions.

Most people overlook dashcam and doorbell footage.

But that saved Ring clip or dashcam file you almost deleted could be exactly what a news desk wants right now.

And the still photos sitting on that same camera roll can pay too. You can sell those to stock photo sites for buyers who want real, authentic images.

Mistakes That Can Cost You Money

A few simple slip-ups can shrink your payout or kill a sale.

If you want to make the most money from each video clip, avoid these mistakes:

• Posting the clip on TikTok or YouTube before you license it, which drops its value.
• Submitting shaky, vertical, or low-light video that’s hard for broadcasters to use.
• Letting copyrighted music play in the background, which creates rights problems.
• Sending the same exclusive clip to two sites that both want exclusive rights.
• Filming in an unsafe spot just to get a shot, which is never worth it.

FAQ: Selling Videos and Footage for Money

Who owns the video I filmed?

You do. Under US law, you own the copyright the moment you record original footage, with no registration needed. The U.S. Copyright Office confirms that once you create and fix an original work, you are the author and the owner. That’s why you have the right to license it.

Do I have to pay taxes on the money?

Yes. Money you earn from licensing your video is taxable income. If you only do it once in a while, the IRS generally treats it as hobby income you report on Schedule 1. Keep records of what you’re paid so filing is easy.

Can I sell the same clip to more than one site?

It depends on the license. Sites like ViralHog and Jukin take exclusive rights, so the clip lives with them. Stringr is non-exclusive, so the same video can sell to many stations. Never hand the same exclusive clip to two exclusive platforms.

How fast will I get paid?

It varies by site. Newsflare can pay within 24 hours on a direct sale, and Stringr pays the next business day. ViralHog and Jukin pay monthly once you pass their cash-out minimums.

What if my video already went viral?

You can still try, but the payout is usually smaller. Once a clip is everywhere for free, buyers have less reason to pay for exclusive use. Your best money comes from licensing before the clip spreads. If your clip already blew up, you may do better earning ad money by uploading it to video sites instead.

Can I sell funny clips to TV shows like America’s Funniest Home Videos?

No! America’s Funniest Home Videos is a contest, not a licensing marketplace. You submit a video for a chance to win cash prizes of up to $100,000.

How I Researched This Guide

To put this together, I went straight to each site’s official pages and current contributor terms to confirm the pay splits, cash-out minimums, and payment methods. I cross-checked earnings claims against company-reported numbers and creator reviews, and I left out any site I couldn’t confirm is still paying people in 2026. The copyright and tax points come directly from the U.S. Copyright Office and the IRS.

Is Selling Videos Worth It?

As you can see, the footage sitting on your phone, dashcam, or doorbell camera could be worth $50 to thousands of dollars.

And turning that video to cash is easier than ever thanks to these companies.

Imagine making a couple hundred extra dollars just from something you shot from your cell phone.

It would be awesome, right?

By the way, video isn’t the only way your phone pays. There are plenty of other ways to make money with your smartphone if you want to stack a few small income streams.

So the next time you catch something wild on camera, remember that you might be holding footage worth real money, and now you know exactly how to license and sell your video and get paid for it.