The first thing that pops into our minds when talking about top Video Content Streaming websites is Youtube. And, there’s no denying the fact that it is, in fact, the go-to video website for all. But it is not the only good option for streaming videos you’re interested in.
Many other websites and apps out there can provide as good or probably better video content. All of these sites have their own unique features and qualities just waiting to be discovered. This guide from Clixpert, a multi-award-winning Digital Marketing Agency in Sydney, will give you a wide range of options apart from YouTube when it comes to uploading and sharing videos.
20 Alternative Platforms to YouTube
Here’s a comprehensive list of some great alternative video platforms that you can explore.
IGTV
The biggest competitor of YouTube is this video hosting platform by Instagram. The auto-play feature of the app is what makes it different and user-friendly.
The popularity of IGTV has confirmed that the future of video is mobile. Recently, they have started presenting full-screen videos, i.e., in a 16:9 ratio. An utterly intuitive interface is designed to simplify the mobile experience for videos!
TikTok
Stating the obvious: This app isn’t anything like YouTube. But it has taken the world by storm, and now, TikTok is pegged as one of the fastest-growing video hosting, streaming and social media platforms.
Creating short lip-sync, comedy, and talent videos attracts the younger demographics quite a lot. TikTok serves its purpose skillfully as they are looking for snippet-based entertainment!
In 2019, TikTok became the 7th most downloaded mobile app of the decade, from 2010 to 2019. Talk about growth, eh?
Wistia
This website is a direct competition to YouTube when it comes to hosting informational videos. Wistia is often used for video marketing campaigns due to its wide array of embedding, autoplay, and customization options.
Vimeo
Who hasn’t heard of Vimeo, right? One of the best alternatives to YouTube out there, which artists and filmmakers use widely.
Vimeo is here to stay for its high-quality content and fully engaged community. This video hosting website attracts people who are truly interested in film quality. This can be your go-to spot if you want to present your high-definition work.
Metacafe
Metacafe is a quite old video entertainment site that has been there since 2003, a couple of years before YouTube finally arrived.
Unlike Vimeo, there isn’t any professional or artsy video content present. Instead, you’ll find snippet videos made by everyday users. But, much like YT, from how-to videos to reviews, to everything else in between, major short-video content goes here too!
Sprout Video
A video site strictly meant for businesses undertaking video marketing campaigns is here to stay.
Similar to sites like Wistia or even YT, Sprout Video offers diversified analytic tools that cater to any serious video marketing campaign. The coolest part about this website is that the videos are optimized for both desktop and mobile screens. It also allows users to capture new leads’ contact data by customizing their video players and email-gate their content.
Dailymotion
The structure and interface of this website are very similar to that of YouTube. This video website has a more flexible copyright policy than YouTube. That could be the reason why it lands up getting 112 million visitors per month! Another unique feature of Dailymotion is that the users can monetize their videos through ads or a paywall.
Netflix
Yes we know that Netflix is not anything like YouTube or other free- video streaming platforms, but is one of the fastest-growing motion picture hosting website and app; hence this one deserves a spot here.
Netflix’s subscribers have a streaming service that they can enjoy from the comfort of their homes. It also offers personalized recommendations based on their past watchlist.
Behance
Owned by Adobe Inc., Behance is not like any other video entertainment site. It is meant strictly for creative professionals.
Like architects or game designers, anyone from the creative field can use this platform as a portfolio. It’s a great way of putting your work out there and gaining visibility along with feedbacks.
Twitch
If you’re into gaming, then Twitch is the site for you. This particular video hosting platform mainly features live streaming videos of individual gamers. Emerging DJs also use it to broadcast live sets in real-time. For Twitch users, it is easy for them to interact with each other and their favorite content creators.
Amazon Prime Video
Just like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video is another emerging competitor of YouTube. Again, this platform is not anything like YouTube but has still gained many subscribers in the past few years. It is a superb option for viewers looking for quality entertainment.
Brightcove
Another one of oldest video hosting websites, Brightcove contains a wide variety of video management tools. With the help of its tools, you can edit a video, upload it to different social platforms simultaneously, and analyze its overall performance.
Brightcove’s most amazing feature is its HTML5 video player. The site claims to be 70% faster than any other player and can be used on every type of screen.
Vevo
This video entertainment site is dedicated to music clips exclusively. Not exactly a competitor to YT, Vevo has a deal with the website, so its videos can also be found on YouTube.
Hulu
This video website produces and distributes on-demand movies and series. It also offers a special service called Hulu + Live TV, where users can also enjoy television content. You may find Hulu similar to other OTT sites like YouTube Premium, Netflix, and Prime Video.
Dtube
Is a decentralized platform which contains a social blockchain system where every user interaction is end-to-end encrypted. There’s no control over the content that users are posting, so they have more independence and control. As a result, Dtube is censorship-free, and every video remains there, always.
PeerTube
This is another decentralized video site, but it is pretty different than Dtube. The makers of Peertube believe that the network of interconnected small video hosters you find on this platform can get a lot of freedom over their content. This is not possible in other video platforms like YouTube.
Veoh
A very similar platform to YouTube, Veoh hosts user-generated videos and offers TV shows (only in the U.S.) and movies.
Disney+
Disney + is one of the latest OTT video streaming websites but has already gained popularity equivalent to the long-established platforms. Did you know that about ten million people subscribed to the service on day one?
Curiosity Streams
This one is also a subscription-based video streaming site, but not quite similar to YouTube or other OTT platforms. Also, Curiosity Streams’ content has a significant difference from the ones on other platforms. This site usually produces original and third-party documentary films, series, and short videos.
TED
An award-winning video website owned by the non-profit TED foundation. The interface is very similar to YouTube, but its content is quite information-based. You can find thousands of recorded talks by well-known thought leaders on every topic like technology, design, science, politics, and more. TED talks on this platform are free for everyone, but some videos are exclusive for members only.
In conclusion, there are many excellent online video websites like YouTube. Even though YouTube is the best of them all ( with 2.7 billion monthly users), it’s not your only option to stream or host a video.
You can upload and enjoy content on these video sites, as it will only help you to reach different kinds of audiences or connect with users that match your interests.
