Video hosting is a service that allows anyone to upload, store, and share videos online. These services provide the necessary infrastructure to ensure your videos are accessible and playable on various devices and platforms.
There are 4 types of video hosting.
- Public video hosting such as YouTube is publically available to everybody.
- Private Video hosting such as Wistia where access can be restricted
- Live Streaming which offers real-time video hosting such as Twitch, Youtube Live, etc.
- Self-Hosted Video: Hosting videos on your own server instead of any platform is known as Self Hosted Video.
Best Video Hosting Platforms
These are the most famous video hosting platforms.
YouTube
YouTube is an online video-sharing platform. It is also considered a social media platform. It is free and offers public, private, and Live streaming.
YouTube is a free video hosting platform. YouTube supports Mpeg4, mp4, mov, avi, flv, WMV, and Webm files.
YouTube supports 16:9 and 9:16 short content (less than one minute). It automatically adds black space if you aren’t in this specific ratio.
YouTube Max supports 128 GB files and 12 hours of video length. YouTube allows the upload of unlimited videos.
YouTube lets you monetize content by running ads. It lets you add video thumbnails and Subtitles.
It can auto-generate subtitles or let users upload subtitles
Price
YouTube has no paid plans for creators. It has paid plans for users who want to consume content.
However, it does not affect creators uploading videos.
Pros
- Free
- Monetize videos
- Free Traffic
- Comment Section for Feedback
Cons
- Ads can’t be turned off
- Video Recommendation can be a Distraction
Vimeo
Vimeo is a Video cloud hosting provider. Vimeo is famous for ad-free, restrictions, and editing features.
Vimeo offers free and paid plans. Free plan watermark videos along with other restrictions such as Space (1 GB), Bandwidth (2 TB/month)
Vimeo allows users to record their screen and share it. Video player options such as auto-captions, upload/download transcripts, player customization, etc are mostly available in their paid plans.
Vimeo also lets users edit videos. Users can trim, cut, and add stock media (Free stock library), custom intro and outro, text-based editing, etc.
Pricing
| Free | Starter $20/month or $144/year | Standard $33/month or $240/year | Advanced $108/month or $780/year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 User | 1 Seat (pay extra for additional sheet) | 2 Seats | 2 Seats |
| 1 GB Space | 100GB storage | 1TB storage | 5TB storage |
| Everything in Free, Plus | Everything in Starter, Plus | Everything in Standard, Plus | |
| Creation and editing | Privacy controls | Brand kit | AI-generated chapters and text summaries |
| Screen recording | Custom video player | Teleprompter | Host live broadcasts and webinars |
| Sharing and embedding | Custom URLs | Text-based video editing | Live chat, polls, and Q&A |
| Auto closed captioning | Engagement and social analytics | Enable creators to ask questions on videos |
Pros
- Ad-free Experience
- High-Quality Video
- Customizable Player
- Collaboration Tools
Cons
- Limited Free account
- Cost
Wistia
Wistia is another video hosting platform similar to Vimeo. Wista free plan can host 10 videos each video can be a maximum of 15 minutes long. Free plan videos would have a watermark.
Wistia lets you create interactive videos, and add sign-up forms, and other CTA inside your video.
Wistia offers better analytics than Vimeo. It lets you see each visitor’s engagement.
Wistia lets you do A/B Video testing basically showing different videos to each user. This helps decide the best-performing video.
Pricing
| Free | Plus – $24/month or $228/year | Pro – $99/month or $948/year | Advanced – $399/month or $3,828/year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Host 10 Videos | Host 20 Videos | Host 50 Videos | Host 250 Videos |
| Customizable player | Customizable player | Customizable player | Customizable player |
| Recording and Editing | Recording and Editing | Recording and Editing | Recording and Editing |
| Basic Analytics | Basic Analytics | Basic Analytics | |
| A/B Testing | A/B Testing | ||
| Remove Wistia branding | Remove Wistia branding | Remove Wistia branding | |
| Basic CTAs | Basic CTAs, Create Lead Forms | Basic CTAs, Create Lead Forms | |
| 3 user Seats | 5 user Seats | 20 user Seats |
Pros
- Video Marketing Tools
- Advance Player Customization
- No Ads
- Integration with Other Tools
Cons
- Limited Free plan
- Cost
Dailymotion
Dailymotion is another video hosting platform similar to YouTube. You can host your videos for free.
Dailymotion can offer live-streaming and public and private video hosting. Dailymotion also helps creators monetize their content by running ads.
Users can max upload 60 minutes of videos Max 2 GB Size. 720p is the highest quality video that users can upload.
Dailymotion videos can embedded into any website similar to YouTube, Wistia, and Vimeo. It also offers video analytics similar to other platforms.
Price
Dailymotion has a paid plan service however you have to contact them to know the price.
Dailymotion paid hosting plans are best for high-traffic platforms such as OTT.
| Trial | Business | Enterprise |
|---|---|---|
| 25K Play | 1M Plays | Customize Your Plan Limits |
| 100GB Bandwidth | 2 TB Bandwidth | Customize Your Plan Limits |
| 50GB Storage | 1 TB Storage | Customize Your Plan Limits |
| 40Hrs Encoding | 200 Hrs Encoding | Customize Your Plan Limits |
| Ad-Free Embeds | Ad-Free Embeds | Optional in-stream ads |
| Unlimited Custom Players | Branded Player | Geo and domain protections |
Pros
- Free hosting
- Monetize Videos with Ads
Cons
- 720 Max Quality
- Smaller audience compared with Youtube
SproutVideo
SproutVideo is a Simple Video hosting platform. SproutVideo does not have any free plan, its paid plans are starting $10/month.
SproutVideo does not offer advanced analytics, Video editing tools, A/B, etc features like Wista and Vimeo. However, it offers more Hosting space.
It offers features like Video security (Password protection, Private Videos), Analytics, (Unique viewers, impressions, device type), Lead capture, closed captions, custom video player, etc.
SproutVideo even lets you create landing pages using their platform. Overall, SoriutVideo is a great fit if you have a lot of videos and limited traffic such as course content, etc.
Price
| Seed – $10/month | Sprout – $35/month | Tree – $75/month | Forest – $295/month |
|---|---|---|---|
| UltraHD Video Playback | UltraHD Video Playback | UltraHD Video Playback | UltraHD Video Playback |
| 100 GB Storage | 350 GB Storage | 1 TB Storage | 2 TB Storage |
| 100 GB GB Bandwidth | 350 GB Bandwidth | 1 TB Bandwidth | 2 TB Bandwidth |
| Standalone Landing Pages | Standalone Landing Pages | Standalone Landing Pages | Standalone Landing Pages |
Pros
- Affordable Hosting
- Ad-free
Cons
- Max 1080p Quality
- Limited Bandwidth
Uscreen
Uscreen TV is a video monetization platform that allows creators, businesses, and organizations to launch their own branded video streaming service.
It provides a comprehensive suite of tools and features to help users create, distribute, and monetize video content directly to their audience.
It helps creators to create customizable Video streaming websites without any coding.
It can even help you to monetize by subscription, pay-per-view, and one-time purchases.
Uscreen even lets you transform your streaming website into a mobile app similar to Netflix.
Unscreen even lets you embed videos on your site
Price
| Growth – $199/month ($1.99 per paid member/mo) | Plus – $499/month ($1.49 per paid member/mo) |
|---|---|
| Android & iPhone Mobile app $299/mo | Android & iPhone Mobile app $299/mo |
| Netflix-style video catalog | Netflix-style video catalog |
| Live streaming up to 1 hour | Live streaming up to 10 hours |
| 100 hours of video storage | 150 hours of video storage |
| 1 admin user | 3 admin user |
Pros
- Create your Own OTT platform
- Create Mobile App
Cons
- Cost
Final Words
Final Words
Choosing the right video hosting platform is crucial for ensuring that your content reaches your audience effectively and efficiently. While there are many platforms available, the following are some of the best options:
YouTube is an excellent choice for those looking to reach a wide audience with free hosting and monetization options, although it includes ads and distractions from video recommendations.
Vimeo offers a high-quality, ad-free experience with advanced customization and collaboration tools, making it ideal for professionals willing to invest in a premium service.
Wistia excels in video marketing with interactive features, detailed analytics, and A/B testing capabilities, suitable for businesses focusing on lead generation and engagement.
Dailymotion provides a free hosting option with monetization through ads, supporting public and private video hosting, though it limits video quality and file size.
SproutVideo is a straightforward platform that offers robust security and analytics, best suited for those needing a reliable hosting service without advanced editing or marketing tools.
Uscreen stands out for its ability to help creators and businesses launch their own branded OTT platforms and mobile apps, offering extensive monetization options and customization, though it comes at a higher cost.
Each platform has its own set of pros and cons, so it’s essential to consider your specific needs, budget, and goals when selecting a video hosting service. By understanding the strengths and limitations of each option, you can make an informed decision that best supports your content strategy and audience engagement.
