Top 10 Video Hosting Sites in 2023
Online video content has a whopping 92% audience reach around the globe. That includes everything from music videos to tutorials to marketing content.
Part of the reason we’re so attracted to video content is because of its story-telling element. Historically, storytelling has been our preferred means of communication. It’s always been a binding force for us, whether we’re gathered around the campfire or digitally through video content.
Today, the ability to share your narrative is the main driving force behind the growing momentum behind videos or all genres. Live streaming, music videos, or even reviews are just stories at the end of the day. And you can leverage that in your favor by creating video content that inspires and moves audiences from around the world. That inspiration can lead people to join your cause or purchase your products.
As a video content creator, your potential distribution channels as your content. Understanding the available options can be overwhelming.
This blog will compare running your own video streaming site versus using a video hosting website, and show you how to select video hosting sites that best deliver your narrative and vision to your audience.
Table of Contents:
- Why Do You Need Video Hosting Sites?
- What Features to Look For in Video Hosting Sites?
- Top 10 Video Hosting Sites In 2022
- Conclusion
Why Do You Need Video Hosting Sites?
As a video content creator or marketer, you’re a brand. It might make more sense on paper to build your own website and host videos on it. Why pay third-party video hosting sites when you already have your own domain name?
In most cases, it’s better to use video hosting sites specifically designed for this purpose. Let’s break down the logic behind enlisting the help of video host sites for all your video content:
Video content is one of the most storage-heavy forms of data you can keep on your website’s server. It can be around 3GB for just a couple hours of 1080p video if you upload good or even ok-ish video quality content.
Just a few viewers watching videos simultaneously can bring your servers crashing down. If you choose to store videos on your servers exclusively, you’ll constantly be putting out digital fires. Using a video hosting website can leverage these advantages for you:
- Facilitates scalability; larger audiences can watch your videos or live streams simultaneously.
- Ensures minimal buffering and smoother continuity of your content
- Makes your content accessible from websites other than your own
- Frees you up to focus on the creative side of video and live streaming.
- Handles the technical side of things; no need to worry about glitches or server speed
- Search engines prefer faster-loading content. By using video hosting sites, you rank better on Google
What Features to Look For in Video Hosting Sites?
The international video-hosting industry is projected to be worth around $ 216 billion by 2015. Competition is tough, and so is the selection of the best live-streaming and video-hosting websites for you. Private video hosting sites allow you to share your uploaded media with your viewers. Each one has different features, price ranges, and specific niches they cater to.
The perfect video host site for you will depend on the type of audience you’re looking to magnetize, what features you prefer in your digital toolbox, and your budget. Take monetization options, for example.
If you’re creating marketing videos, a free platform gives you the most exposure, making it easier for your client base to find your content. On the other hand, if your aim is monetization, you would require a paid video hosting website where each viewer can buy a membership or pay-per-view.
Top 10 Video Hosting Sites in 2022
On average, each of us spends about 100 minutes daily watching video content. You can use video hosting sites to support your content without server lag or dropping quality.
Below, we’ve tallied the features of the ten best live streaming and video hosting sites to make it easier to select the right one. Check out our list of video hosting sites, both free and paid, that can stream high-quality content all around the globe.
1. Mslive
Need a video hosting site that is equally efficient in live-streaming and video on demand? Mslive offers smooth streaming across a wide multitude of devices and systems.
Boasting almost all of the advanced features that modern-day broadcasters require, Mslive offers many plans at multiple price points for its users. These features are also included in the starter pack if your budget is tight. This video hosting site ranks first in delivering value for money, actively supporting video creators, and top-notch security features, including CDN video security.
Mslive’s robust video hosting website prioritizes the ease of its broadcasters and viewers. It has a user-friendly interface and a custom white-label streaming solution.
Unlike other video hosting sites, Mslive’s network isn’t limited to just one part of the world. Its top-notch China delivery system means greater exposure your video content. It offers 24/7 live support via chat and email to further help broadcasters. No matter where you and your audience are in the world, you can rest assured that your content can be viewed around the globe in real-time.
Furthermore, Mslive’s in-depth analytics offer useful insight regarding the content you work so hard on. That helps guide broadcasters on what’s trending and what’s not. The platform offers easy scalability options, so there’s no stopping your content from reaching its full potential.
Let’s take a quick look at Mslive’s top features and the advantages it offers over other video hosting sites.
Top Features:
- Secure, global content delivery, including industry-best video hosting
- 24/7 tech support with all plans, including email and live chat
- RTMP Encoder for ingesting HLS streaming
- Player API access for 3rd party player integration
- Video API access on premium plans (scale and event)
- Secure video upload features, including content management, library migration, and video replace
- Best-in-class private RTMP server
- Adaptive multi-bitrate streaming
- Zoom live streaming integration for meetings and live events in real-time
- Expo 2.0 galleries video portal for immersive video experiences
- AES video encryption for advanced streaming security
- Cloud-based video transcoding
- Real-time analytics
- Ad-free streaming
- Multi-user access on Scale and Custom plans
2. YouTube
For most content creators using video as their preferred medium in 2022, the first name that comes to mind when video hosting sites are discussed is YouTube. The platform deserves its reputation as the largest mainstream video host site, second only to Google.
YouTube has much to offer its broadcasters, with the biggest advantage being mostly free of cost. But as they say, you pay with your time when something is free. That’s certainly true in the case of YouTube’s viewers. Only 26 million are willing to invest in a premium account, small fish compared to its total user population. Constant and reparative ads might discourage many broadcasters from using the forum, as they can spoil the rhythm of your videos and live streams.
Nevertheless, YouTube offers a large audience and impressive monetization options for those willing to put in the work and effort.
Top Features:
- Editing tools
- Live streaming
- Social sharing options
- Simple to embed videos.
- Endless scalability capacity
- Comprehensive video analytics
- Bottomless bandwidth and file size
- Advertising-based monetization of content.
- A short learning curve, easy-to-manage content
- Unlimited, unrestricted, and free 4K video hosting.
- Boasts the largest number of registered video viewers in the world
3. Vimeo
One of the oldest video hosting sites, Vimeo is a good option among paid video hosting sites. This video hosting website mostly has professional content and maintains a certain standard and reputation. So even though the audience is smaller, it’s still an excellent option to consider for broadcasters in the creative genres.
Its free basic account might be too restricted for broadcasters looking to cater to larger audiences. Plans range from economical to high-end with an impressive load of features such as
Top Features:
- OTT support
- Free from ads
- Multi-device compatible
- Excellent privacy settings
- Video editing templates.
- Detailed content analytics.
- Video sharing to social media.
- Customizable HTML5 player
- Customizable video embed
- Custom calls to action (CTAs).
- Video hosting in up to 8K quality.
- Customer relationship management (CRM) integrations.
- Great for the advertisement of creative SAAS model businesses
4. Facebook
Although relatively newer to the video scene, this social media giant is gaining ground every day on its competitors. Facebook is free and, like YouTube, has a huge audience you can gain views from and advertise to.
Getting traction on Facebook organically has been getting increasingly difficult of late. Make sure you have the budget to spend on the platform’s targeting to get views. On the plus side, monetizing your media content is pretty straightforward on Facebook.
We highly recommend this platform to video marketers, re-sellers, and those looking to magnetize mainstream audiences. For professionals, the starter package of Mslive or any other paid video hosting website might offer better value.
Top Features:
5. Wistia
Wistia is one of the more high-end video hosting sites, especially if you exceed the bandwidth allowance. That’s a good option for companies looking for an ad-free hosting solution, as this platform mainly focuses on businesses. The platform doesn’t support live streaming.
Top Features:
- Top-notch security
- Offers a free basic plan
- Offers CTAs on videos
- Simplified social sharing possibilities
- Easy to embed videos on other websites
- Excellent analytic options such as heat mapping
- Videos don’t come with watermarking in the paid plan
- Most tools and integrations offered are aimed at businesses such as CRM and detailed analytics
6. Daily Motion
Think of Daily Motion as a slightly downsized vision of YouTube. Like other free video hosting sites, it runs ads on videos, and the genre is quite mainstream. Videos are easy to monetize, but the duration is limited to 60 mins.
Top Features:
- Unlimited file storage
- Brands can customize videos
- Fewer restrictions on content
- Monetization options are limited
- Passport protection available for videos
- Videos can be made private or limited to specific audiences
- The upload limit is ten videos a day not exceeding 160 minutes in total
- Supported video formats include MOV, MPEG4 MP4, AVI, WMV, MKV, FLV
7. Uscreen
Among private video hosting sites, Uscreen is a solid competitor. The platform offers multiple plans to suit all budgets. Boasting top-notch security features and easy integration with third-party websites. Our recommendation for this platform is for video marketers and those making video content for businesses.
Top Features:
8. Brightcove
Brightcove can be defined in two words: professional and exclusive. The video hosting website boats many impressive clients from the list of fortune 500 companies as well as many prestigious awards and nominations. Brightcove is a front-runner among top premium video hosting sites and is recommended for larger organizations looking for a high-end solution.
Top Features:
- Detailed analytics
- Best HTML5 in the industry
- Limited monetization options
- Offers OTT-focused features
- Fast and High-quality streaming
- An extensive array of marketing tools
- Supportive of e-commerce video content
- Excellent security integration for video content
- Supports both videos on demand as well as live-streaming
9. Vidyard
Vidyard offers both paid and free plans to its broadcasters. Depending on which features and digital tools you need, these plans can be further customized. Even though Vidyard is on the pricier side among similar video hosting sites in class, you only pay for the exact features you know you’ll use. Vidyard is another prominent name among paid video hosting sites with premium price tags. Let’s look at some of the features that justify the hefty price.
Top Features:
10. JW player
Last but certainly not least on the list is JW player. Offering great scalability options, some of the fastest video loading speeds among other video hosting sites, and smooth streaming across multiple devices. JW player offers plans starting from just $5 monthly.
Top Features:
- Highly customizable
- Email user support
- HTML5 video player
- Impressive engagement analytics
- Live streaming [only for premium plans]
- Broadcasters can choose to passport protect their video content
Conclusion
Hopefully, you’re now better equipped to select the right video hosting website. As you can see, the best live streaming and video hosting site is one that offers the features you can fully make use of to grow yourself as a video content creator. Sometimes, that means using more than just one video hosting website.
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