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About StockFinder AI

StockFinder AI is a free, open-source desktop assistant built for creators who love editing videos but hate the exhausting mechanical routine of stock footage hunting.

Version 1.3.2 · Last updated September 20, 2026

The Problem: The B-Roll Search Bottleneck

Ask any video editor or YouTube creator what takes the longest time when assembling an explainer, documentary, or short-form video, and the answer is rarely the edit itself.

The real time-sink is the b-roll hunt:

  • You finish writing a compelling 1,200-word script.
  • You open a stock media website in your browser.
  • You spend the next 2 to 4 hours opening dozens of tabs, guessing literal search queries for metaphoric sentences, downloading 30 separate video files into an unorganized ~/Downloads folder, and losing track of which clip belongs to which paragraph.
  • By the time you open Premiere Pro or DaVinci Resolve, your creative energy is drained.

StockFinder AI was built to eliminate that friction entirely.

What StockFinder AI Is (and What It Isn't)

StockFinder AI is a lightweight desktop application (Windows, macOS, Linux) that acts as an autonomous stock footage research assistant:

  • You provide: A script or outline, an aspect ratio (16:9 widescreen or 9:16 vertical), and a visual mood.
  • The agent does: Breaks down your script into visual beats, translates story metaphors into concrete stock queries, queries Pexels, selects the best matching 4K/HD assets, and downloads them in parallel to a structured project folder.
  • You receive: An organized asset folder on your computer with videos/, photos/, thumbnails/, a manifest.json, and a ready-to-paste attribution block for your YouTube description.

What it is NOT: StockFinder AI is not a video editor, not an AI video synthesizer (like Sora or Runway), and not a cloud video renderer. It does not touch your video cuts or audio tracks. It simply hands you the raw, authentic stock footage you need before you start cutting.

Step-by-Step Guide: From Script to Asset Pack

Here is the step-by-step workflow for using StockFinder AI in your everyday production pipeline:

1

Enter API Keys in Settings

One-Time Setup

Before your first run, grab a free API key from Pexels (free, 20,000 monthly requests) and an API key from your preferred LLM provider (Google Gemini, OpenAI, or OpenRouter). Open Settings in StockFinder AI, paste your keys, and click Test Connection to confirm.

2

Paste Your Script & Set Preferences

Project Setup

Navigate to Create Asset Pack. Give your project a title, paste your narration script, and pick your target layout:

  • 16:9 Landscape: For standard YouTube videos, documentaries, and landscape monitors.
  • 9:16 Portrait: For YouTube Shorts, TikTok, and Instagram Reels.
  • Visual Mood: Cinematic, Tech & AI, Documentary, Lifestyle, or Abstract.
  • Mix: Videos only, Photos only, or Videos + Photos.
3

Let the AI Agent Scout Media

Autonomous Run

Click "Analyze & Fetch Visual Assets". The agent will parse your narration, formulate scene searches, query Pexels, and display live progress. If you enabled human review mode, inspect candidate thumbnails and click "Approve & Download".

4

Import Into Video Editor & Export Credits

Timeline Ready

Your footage is organized inside your download folder. Drag the folder directly into Premiere Pro, DaVinci Resolve, Final Cut Pro, or CapCut. Go to the Media Library in StockFinder AI and click "Copy Attribution" to paste photographer credits directly into your video description.

Looking for technical documentation? Read the full StockFinder AI Documentation for parameter schemas, IPC contracts, and troubleshooting guides.

Core Principles: Open Source, Local-First, Zero Lock-in

We designed StockFinder AI around four core philosophical principles:

code 100% MIT Open Source

Free forever. No paid tiers, no "pro" subscription locks, no artificial watermarks, and no usage throttling. Fork it and modify it freely on GitHub.

lock 100% Local-First

Runs entirely on your machine. Your scripts and API credentials never pass through any middleman servers operated by StockFinder AI.

key Bring Your Own Keys (BYOK)

Connect your free Pexels API key and your choice of LLM provider (OpenAI, Google Gemini, or OpenRouter). You pay only fractions of a cent per run directly to the provider.

thumb_up Human Taste in Control

AI does the repetitive searching, but you maintain creative control. Built-in approval locks allow you to review and filter clips before anything downloads.

How the Technology Works Behind the Scenes

StockFinder AI combines modern desktop engineering with state-of-the-art LLM function calling:

  1. Semantic Segmentation: When you submit a script, the app invokes an LLM with structured schemas (via tools like submit_script_beats) to divide continuous narration into actionable visual units called VisualBeats.
  2. Intent-Driven Query Synthesis: If your script says "the company expanded across borders in 2024", a naive search for "borders" yields maps and fences. StockFinder AI's visual reasoning translates this beat into targeted visual concepts: "international cargo airplane landing" or "modern corporate skyscraper skyline".
  3. Pexels API Orchestration: The agent issues authenticated queries to the official Pexels v1 REST API, respecting rate limits, caching identical queries for 1 hour, and evaluating candidate media resolutions.
  4. High-Concurrency Downloader: Using streaming chunks with automatic exponential backoff retry logic, the downloader pulls full-resolution assets concurrently without freezing your UI.

StockFinder AI vs. Manual Search vs. SaaS Subscriptions

Here is how StockFinder AI compares to traditional stock retrieval workflows and expensive commercial SaaS platforms:

Feature / Aspect Manual Pexels Search Cloud SaaS Tools StockFinder AI
Monthly Cost $0 (Pexels is free) $30 – $120 / month $0 (Free & MIT Licensed)
Time Per Video 2 – 4 hours of tab-hopping 15 – 30 minutes ~10 minutes active review
Privacy & Data Public browsing Stored on vendor servers 100% Local on your desktop
Script Intelligence Manual keyword guessing Basic keyword matching Autonomous LLM Beat Mapping
Attribution Handling Manual copying per clip Often omitted Automated Manifest & Credits
Human In The Loop Full manual burden Often locked black-box Per-asset approval controls

Privacy, Security & Keychain Encryption

We take creator privacy and security seriously:

  • Encrypted Secret Vault: Your API keys are encrypted at rest using OS-level credential managers (Windows DPAPI and macOS Keychain) via Electron's safeStorage API. Plaintext keys are never stored on disk.
  • Zero Server Middleman: StockFinder AI has no analytics tracking, no user databases, and no login portals. All network requests travel straight from your computer to OpenAI, Google, OpenRouter, or Pexels.
  • Local Protocol Isolation: Local media playback is powered by a custom media:// protocol inside Electron's main process, completely isolating your local filesystem from external web security threats.

Open Source Community & MIT License

StockFinder AI is free software released under the permissive MIT License.

You are free to:

  • Use the software for commercial, educational, or personal video projects.
  • Inspect, audit, and modify the TypeScript and Electron source code.
  • Fork the repository and build custom plugins, custom LLM drivers, or internal agency pipelines.

Check out the official repository on GitHub:
github.com/birol-dev/Pexels

Frequently Asked Questions

Is StockFinder AI really free forever?

Yes. The desktop app is 100% free and open-source under the MIT license. You only cover your own LLM API usage directly with Google, OpenAI, or OpenRouter (usually $0.01 – $0.03 per script run). Pexels API access is free.

Which operating systems are supported?

Pre-compiled installers are available for Windows (x64), macOS (Apple Silicon & Intel), and Linux (AppImage & .deb) on our GitHub Releases page.

Can I use the downloaded b-roll in monetized YouTube videos?

Yes. All photos and videos retrieved via the Pexels API are free to use in commercial and monetized videos under the Pexels License.

Where can I find full technical documentation?

Read our in-depth StockFinder AI Documentation for parameter references, developer guides, and troubleshooting steps.

Ready to eliminate the stock footage hunt? Download StockFinder AI or read our full documentation.