Cool Dude Explains - 10 Hidden Websites That Are Actually Better Than Paid

Short Summary

Main recommendation: Use these ten free, legal websites for music, video, books, software, and sound effects instead of paying for subscriptions or risking copyright problems. The list covers Pexels, Standard Ebooks, Jamendo, Musopen, Mixkit, the Open Textbook Library, Pixabay Music, PortableApps, Freesound, and Loyal Books. Each site offers content under licenses that allow free use, usually without attribution or fees.

Key Points

• The 10 hidden websites, in the video's order from number 10 to number 1:
  1. Pexels: free stock photos and videos under the Pexels license.
  2. Standard Ebooks: professionally formatted free ebooks of public domain classics.
  3. Jamendo: free legal music under Creative Commons licenses.
  4. Musopen: free public domain classical music recordings, sheet music, and textbooks.
  5. Mixkit: free stock video clips, music, sound effects, and templates.
  6. Open Textbook Library: free, peer-reviewed college textbooks.
  7. Pixabay Music: free music and sound effects under the Pixabay license.
  8. PortableApps: over 400 free portable apps that run from a USB drive.
  9. Freesound: a collaborative library of free sound effects under Creative Commons licenses.
  10. Loyal Books: free public domain audiobooks and ebooks read by volunteers.
• The video's main concern is avoiding copyright strikes, demonetization, and subscription costs by using content that is legally free to use.
• Several sites rely on volunteers, donations, or creator contributions, which the video presents as the reason the content is free.

Details Worth Noting

• Concrete instructions: Before using a stock image or clip, search Pexels or Mixkit instead of a general web search, and download the file from the site. For music, check Jamendo or Pixabay Music first. For sound effects, use Freesound and search by keyword, tag, or license type. For books, use Standard Ebooks, Musopen, the Open Textbook Library, or Loyal Books, and download the file to read or listen. To carry software, download PortableApps apps to a USB drive and run them from there without installing.
• Pexels and Mixkit content can be used for personal and commercial work with no attribution required, according to the video.
• Freesound and Jamendo use Creative Commons licenses, and Freesound has been around since 2005.
• Standard Ebooks includes books by Jane Austen, Charles Dickens, H.G. Wells, and Edgar Allan Poe, and requires no account or credit card.
• Musopen has been running since 2005 and is supported by donations.
• The Open Textbook Library covers subjects including business, computer science, medicine, and law, and the video says it is peer-reviewed and updated regularly.
• PortableApps has over 400 apps, has existed since 2004, and is described as free of shovelware, bundleware, and registration requirements.
• Loyal Books uses volunteer readers and offers MP3 downloads.

Bottom Line

Free, legally licensed alternatives exist for stock media, music, books, textbooks, and software, so checking these sites before paying or searching generally is the safer and cheaper route.