Video content is one of the most engaging and popular types of content on the internet today. Video has grown into one of the last few years leading marketing and education tools. Still, the pandemic has become even more essential for businesses shifting to remote work.
If you’re looking to get started with video hosting or are simply looking for a better platform for your video content, this guide will help you choose the best video hosting site for your needs.
We’ll cover the nine best video hosting sites, their key features, and what makes them stand out from the rest.
Whether you’re looking for a simple host or something with more bells and whistles, this guide will help you find the perfect fit.
What is Video Hosting, and Why Do You Need it?
Video hosting is a platform where you can upload, store and share your videos. A video hosting company will provide you with the necessary tools and infrastructure to ensure that your videos are always available and can be easily accessed by your audience.
Using a video hosting service has many benefits, including reaching a wider audience, improved search engine optimization (SEO), and increased engagement with your audience.
Video hosting also allows you to embed your videos on your website or blog, making it easy for people to watch them without leaving your site.
In addition, video hosting services typically offer analytics that can help you understand how your videos perform and how people interact with them.
This information can be instrumental to helping you improve your video marketing strategy.
To help you make the best decision, we’ve put together this comprehensive guide to the ten best video hosting sites available today.
9 Best Video Hosting Sites Compared.
YouTube
YouTube is the world’s second-largest search engine and the most visited website. It is the world’s largest video hosting site with over 2 billion monthly active users. YouTube allows users to upload, view, and share videos, becoming a popular platform for online celebrities and content creators.
Features
- YouTube is free to use and has a massive audience of over two billion monthly users. You can create a channel and start uploading videos without spending a single penny.
- It offers opportunities to earn money from your videos through paid ads using Adsense.
- You can add annotations, captions, and keywords to your videos to help them rank higher in search results.
- You can also create playlists to organize your videos and link to other websites and social media platforms from your YouTube channel.
- YouTube allows users to embed their videos on their website or blog. This makes it easy for others to view and share your videos.
- Videos can also be password protected, ensuring that only authorized viewers can access them.
- You also don’t need to worry about storage space, as YouTube provides unlimited hosting for your videos.
- It provides detailed analytics that allows you to track the performance of your videos. This information can improve your marketing strategy and ensure your videos reach your target audience.
Pricing
YouTube is entirely free to use.
Dailymotion
Dailymotion is one of the internet’s most popular video hosting sites, attracting millions of daily users. Like YouTube, Dailymotion is a video search engine and entertainment site where viewers can watch video after recommended video.
Features
- Dailymotion is a site that provides videos instead of articles. The platform displays the most famous content from today’s headlines, sports events, and other significant happenings to keep you updated on what’s going in your favorite topics.
- Though similar to YouTube, the site is less competitive, making it easier to build an audience.
- Dailymotion is a free site to get started without investing money.
- It has a live streaming feature that you can use to connect with your audience in real-time.
- It allows publishers to sell ad inventory through their monetization solution.
- Dailymotion allows you to monetize live streams and provides real-time analytics.
Pricing
Dailymotion is also free to use.
Vimeo
This is a popular paid video hosting site known for its high-quality videos and creative content. Vimeo also has a strong community of independent filmmakers and creators.
Features
- It allows users to upload, share, and view videos.
- With Vimeo, businesses can host virtual events and live stream presentations.
- It also provides several templates users can use to create their videos. These templates can be customized to fit the user’s needs and help create a more professional-looking video.
- It offers several helpful tutorials that can teach users how to edit and share their videos.
- Vimeo is known for its high-quality videos. All videos are shot in HD and can be played in up to 1080p resolution.
- It has a strict no-ads policy. You will never have to worry about your videos being interrupted by annoying ads.
- The site also offers plans for larger businesses that provide access to more storage and bandwidth and additional features such as password-protected video galleries.
Pricing
Vimeo is a popular video hosting site that offers several different subscription tiers, each with its storage limits and features.
- Plus Plan- 5GB of storage per week and 250GB of total storage space annually at $7 per month.
- Pro Plan- a weekly storage limit of 20GB and annual total storage space of 1TB at $20 per month.
- Business Plan- They have no weekly storage limit but are limited to 5TB of total storage space at $50 per month.
- Premium Plan- Unlimited live streaming and 7TB of total storage space at $75 per month.
Each plan offers a free trial and reduced prices when billed annually.
Wistia
Wistia is a powerful video hosting platform that provides users with everything they need to create, host, market, and analyze their videos.
Features
- Wistia provides users with several tools to help them create professional-looking videos. These tools include the ability to add captions, subtitles, and watermarks.
- With Wistia, users can access a wide range of video editing tools, meaning they can create videos that look exactly how they want them to.
- Wistia provides users with unlimited storage space for their videos; you can host as many videos as you need without worrying about running out of reach.
- Users can easily share their videos with the world through social media, email marketing, and more.
- Users can also analyze their video performance; you can track how many people are watching your videos, where they are watching them from, and how long they are watching them.
Pricing
Wistia is a video hosting site that offers four different pricing plans: Free, Plus, Pro, and Advanced.
- Free Plan- includes ten videos max, one user, Customizable player, Basic analytics, and is $0/month.
- Plus Plan includes everything in the Free plan, plus 20 videos included, three users, and Lead capture forms, and is $19/month.
- Pro Plan includes everything in the Plus plan, plus 50 videos, five users, and Video heatmaps, which is $79/month.
- Advanced Plan includes everything in the Pro plan, plus 250 videos, 20 users, and Marketing integrations, which is $319/month.
Swarmify
Swarmify is another reliable and feature-rich video hosting platform. With Swarmify, you can upload and host your videos without worry, knowing that your content will be delivered efficiently and without hitch.
Features
- SmartVideo fetches users’ videos from YouTube (or Vimeo), encodes, and stores them automatically. The videos are hosted on the global delivery network via accelerated playback technology.
- Unlike YouTube loading circle turns before playing videos, Swarmify plays as soon as you click the button.
- SmartVideo works hard to make your video streaming experience a smooth one. The app monitors playback and prevents errors before they happen, ensuring you get excellent quality every time.
- The distraction-free video player is not only fast but also clean and customizable.
- Users can serve high-quality content on their site without worrying about the cost. SmartVideo billing isn’t based on bandwidth, only video views.
- It reduces playback stalls by 8x, which leads to higher bounce rates for an engagement-worthy experience.
- Swarmify offers unlimited video storage and bandwidth, so you can host as many videos as you want without worrying about running out of space.
Pricing
Swarmify is a host with three different types of plans pricing plans
- Small Business Plan – Best for small businesses with moderately trafficked sites. This plan is only $29 per month.
- Video Pro Plan – for users whose bread and butter is video. This plan is $59 per month.
- Enterprise Plan – For enterprises that need a custom plan. It would help if you chatted with someone to get a custom quote for this service.
SproutVideo
SproutVideo is a video hosting site that offers several features to businesses and individuals. It is known for its easy-to-use interface and wide range of features.
Features
- Flexible theme options allow you to customize the look and feel of your site to match your brand, while video encoding ensures that your videos always look their best.
- The autoplay feature allows your embedded videos to play when the page loads.
- SproutVideo sends leads to users’ marketing platform of choice directly.
- Analytics features give you access to the number of times the video was loaded, viewers’ population and location, where the video was played, and your most-played videos.
- Engagement tracking lets you see each viewer analyzed individually; you can be sure that your videos are visited by those most likely to be interested in them.
- SproutVideo accepts many modern video formats and transcodes your videos for optimal online performance.
- It also keeps your viewers engaged with customized post-play links or images.
Pricing
SproutVideo has a straightforward and effective pricing structure for its video hosting service.
- SEED plan is only $24.99 per month, giving users access to the core platform and engagement features they need to host and stream their videos.
- SPROUT plan costs $59.99 per month and includes additional features such as password protection and themes integration.
- TREE plans for $199.99 per month. These plans include advanced features such as embed code signature and geo-restrictions.
- FOREST plans for $499.99 per month. These plans include more advanced features such as single sign-on and IP address restrictions.
Note that you can also sign up free for 30 days.
Brightcove
Brightcove is an enterprise video hosting solution that allows quick and easy integration with other marketing automation tools and server-side ad insertion.
Features
- Brightcove offers high-quality, reliable streams to users. It has been designed with customization and security in mind from start to finish.
- Brightcove platform allows marketers to seamlessly integrate videos into social media posts, websites, and emails.
- It has plugins that work with Facebook, WordPress, and other platforms, with which you can easily share video content on your favorite websites.
- Brightcove helps users to manage and sell their video ad inventory.
- For those looking to use video in their marketing efforts, Brightcove is an excellent solution.
Pricing
Brightcove’s pricing is subscription-based, starting at $199 per month. Higher-priced plans offer additional features such as password protection and themes integration. Contact sales for more pricing details.
Vidyard
Vidyard is a popular video hosting site that allows users to upload, share, and view videos. The site has a clean, uncluttered design that makes it easy to navigate.
Features
- Vidyard has a range of video integration tools; you can easily embed videos onto your website or blog, making it easy for your audience to access your video content.
- The video content is well organized and easy to work through.
- Vidyard provides professional support to help you get the most out of your video content.
- Vidyard’s video gateways can grant access to videos by email request.
- Vidyard offers unlimited uploading and no bandwidth cap. Users do not have to worry about exceeding data limits while recording content.
- It is an excellent choice for a reliable and user-friendly video hosting platform.
Pricing
Vidyard is a video hosting site offering tfree, pro, and business plans.
- The Free plan allows up to 25 videos in your library, video editing, and the ability to share by email, social media, and more.
- Pro gives unlimited videos, video insights, and a call-to-action for your videos, in addition to everything included in the Free plan. Plus, there’s a 14-day trial to test all the features before committing. After that, it’s just $29/month, or $228 billed annually.
- Business plan pricing is available upon request and includes everything from Pro plus full video analytics, fully customizable branded sharing pages, CRM/MAP integration, and more. Contact sales for more information.
Cincopa
Cincopa video hosting site is a great place to store and share your videos. It’s easy to use and has many features that make it a valuable tool for anyone who wants to share their videos with others.
Features
- Cincopa is a platform that allows you to upload, organize, track, and store your digital assets in one central location.
- To ensure files stay safe and protected, backups and syncing are done regularly.
- It is an easy-to-use tool that allows you to add meta tags, titles, and descriptive information for cataloging purposes.
- You can build your media gallery with Cincopa Account Site in just a few clicks. No embedding or coding is required.
- It guarantees the security and privacy of your media. You can choose whether you want users to download files or not.
- A team of certified professionals is always available to assist when you need it most.
- The automated wizard helps you to create and manage your project in no time while automatically performing all technical tasks.
Pricing
Cincopa’s video hosting plans are designed to meet the needs of a variety of businesses and organizations.
- Plus plan is only $25 per month, giving users access to manage videos, podcasts, and images on one platform.
- Corporate plan is only $59.99 per month, and it is suitable for marketers who need a complete suite of tools to grow their businesses and engage with customers in more creative ways.
- Enterprise plan for $199.99 per month. This is suitable for Enterprises that need advanced management solutions, security, and the ability to versatile videos or digital assets among teams.
Cincopa plan offers a 30-day free trial and a 20% discount when billed annually.
How to Choose the Right Video Hosting Site for Your Needs
Choosing the right video hosting site for your needs can seem daunting, but it doesn’t have to be. There are a few key factors you should consider when making your decision.
- Price. Video hosting can be a costly endeavor. Make sure to compare prices between different providers and choose the one that fits your budget.
- Bandwidth. Videos can use a lot of bandwidth, especially if they are high-definition or streamed live. Be sure to check the bandwidth limits of potential providers to make sure they can handle your traffic needs.
- Compatibility. Not all video hosting sites are compatible with all browsers and devices. If you want your videos to be accessible to as many people as possible, choose a consistent provider with popular browsers and devices.
- Ease of use. Consider the site’s interface and user experience. You’ll want to make sure it’s easy to use and navigate and that you have all the tools you need at your disposal.
- Customer service. If you have questions or encounter problems, you’ll want to be able to reach customer service easily. Make sure the provider you choose offers responsive customer service.
- Features. What features do you need? Some providers offer essential services, while others provide more robust platforms with advanced features such as analytics and branding tools. Choose the provider that provides the parts you need.
Finally, read reviews from other users to get an idea of their overall experience. By keeping these factors in mind, you can be sure to choose the right video hosting site for your needs.
Tips for Creating Successful Videos
Creating successful videos is all about understanding your audience and knowing how to capture their attention. Here are a few tips to help you get started:
- Plan your content. A well-planned video is more likely to be successful than one improvised. Take the time to map your script, storyboard, and shot list.
- Define your target audience. Who do you want to reach with your video? Consider age, gender, interests, and other factors that will help you determine the best way to get them.
- Keep it short and sweet. Viewers have short attention spans, so make sure your video is concise and to the point.
- Make it visually appealing. Well-designed video is more likely to capture viewers’ attention than a poorly designed one. Take the time to create visuals that are pleasing to the eye. This includes choosing an appropriate color scheme to use high-quality images and graphics.
- Include a solid call to action: Tell viewers what you want them to do after watching your video, whether visiting your website or sharing it with their friends. A solid call to action will increase the likelihood that viewers will take the desired action.
By following these tips, you can create videos more likely to engage and resonate with your target audience.
Conclusion
Now that you understand the basics of video hosting, it’s time to choose the platform that will work best for your needs. The 9 video hosting sites we’ve outlined are great platforms with unique strengths and weaknesses.
Consider your budget, audience, and goals when making your decision. Remember to follow the tips for creating successful videos so you can engage and reach your target audience more effectively.
