10 Best Video Hosting Sites in 2024 (Free And Paid Options)

Video is one of the most powerful mediums you can use for marketing, and is forecasted to make up over 82% of internet traffic by 2022. However, putting up a lot of videos on your site can create quite a heavy load on your server, potentially causing lags and even website crashes – especially if your web host provider isn’t cut out for it.

This is where video hosting platforms come in, which not only provide an easy solution to bandwidth restrictions, but can also come with tools to help boost your digital marketing strategy.

You get the opportunity to tap into a large audience by choosing to host on a social platform. Though if your goal is to gather analytics, generate leads, or streamline your content, there are also video hosting platforms that will allow you to do just that. Below, all the best platforms depending on your needs.

We’re starting off our list with YouTube for kinda obvious reasons. For one, it’s the most popular video hosting site out there, which means you’ll be able to tap into its massive user base with just a few clicks. Second, it’s also owned by Google (a.k.a. the largest search engine in the world), making it super beneficial for your SEO rankings as well.

We recommend YouTube for content creators looking to reach a large audience, perhaps gain a substantial following, and even earn from the content you post. For brands, well, it would depend on the nature of your business as well as the type of content you have.

For example, if you plan to do short, engaging videos on your channel, then by all means, go for it! But, if you’re posting lengthy informative videos (e.g. courses, testimonials), then YouTube may not be optimal for you (especially with their in-your-face ads popping up before or in the middle of your video). Embedding options are pretty limited too, so do keep this in mind if you’re particular with how you want your website to look like.

Video uploading specifications

Pros and cons of YouTube

Facebook isn’t just the largest social media platform out there (who doesn’t have an account these days?), but they also conveniently let you host videos natively on its site. Plus, it’s also really easy for consumers to share videos on the platform, giving brands a good shot of getting their content viral.

Like YouTube, you also can also embed videos uploaded on Facebook to other channels such as your website, which will be good for engagement in the long run. And as your views from multiple platforms get stacked up, so does your ability to attract more customers.

You can even target a specific audience by running an ad, which will help you reach the right demographics for your business. Only downside is that you do get random ads thrown in your videos too, and that the video quality isn’t as crisp as other platforms.

Video uploading specifications

Pros and cons of Facebook

While not quite as big as YouTube, DailyMotion does have 300 million unique users on its platform, making it the second most established video hosting platform in the world. The number may not be as mind-blowing as YouTube’s (which is in the billions as we speak), but there are a couple of reasons why brands and creators would prefer DailyMotion over the former.

Firstly, a smaller size implies less competition, which means you can get your videos trending with as little as a thousand views in 24 hours. These numbers unfortunately won’t do much for YouTube’s algorithm, but with DailyMotion, you have a better chance of becoming a big fish in a smaller sized pond.

What’s more, they also have a sleeker embedded player, which doesn’t include branding and extended playback options. Only cons are the lower upload limit and smaller max file sizes, but if your content meets these requirements you should be good to go.

Video uploading specifications

Pros and cons of DailyMotion

Unlike the previous platforms on this list, Vimeo isn’t a social platform and is catered more towards creative professionals, specifically in the following niches:

Whether you’re a seasoned videographer or an aspiring filmmaker, Vimeo’s small but tight-knit community would gladly share your work if your content speaks to them (and meets their standards, of course).

Another plus? No ads! You also have more embedding options and can upload videos up to 8k resolution too. Their sophisticated embedded player allows you to adjust the size, toggle autoplay or loops, and a lot more without the need for third-party apps.

But unless you have a paid account, you unfortunately have limited uploads. Then again, the Starter plan starts as low as $9/month, so you might want to look into it if you’ll be consistently uploading content.

Video uploading specifications

Pros and cons of Vimeo

Wistia positions itself a digital marketing solution, which is great for businesses that rely heavily on data. They’ve got detailed analytics, in-video lead capture forms, advanced marketing automation tools, and more! We also like how their embedded player is fully customizable, which allows you to seamlessly integrate videos across multiple pages on your website.

Signing up for Wistia does require increasing your marketing budget by a bit (their Plus plan starts at $19/month), but for experienced marketers who’d like to optimize their video content, all the features that Wistia offers are well worth the investment.

Video uploading specifications

Pros and cons of Wistia

If you’re currently using WordPress for your website, then you can opt to install its Jetpack plugin, which will allow you to add videos on any page with ease. Their prices are pretty reasonable too, with their premium plan starting as low as $9/month. Jetpack also offers real-time analytics which you can view on your WordPress dashboard, as well as video options like autoplay, mute and loop. Though the features aren’t quite as robust as Wistia’s, you do get a good mix for what you’re paying for.

Video uploading specifications

Pros and cons of Jetpack VideoPress

This next one is our top recommendation for digital marketing savvy users who want to fully integrate videos to their marketing strategies. Not only is Spotlightr (previously vooPlayer) a solid video hosting platform, but they also go above and beyond with their built-in audience builder, advanced analytics, and even allow you to run contests and host live streams.

That being said, Spotlightr is a lot more complex compared to other platforms, so it may be a little overwhelming for those just starting out. But, if you’re a bonafide marketing expert, then definitely give Spotlightr a go. It’s pretty reasonably priced too, and only costs $7/month for their Spark plan.

Video uploading specifications

Pros and cons of Spotlightr

Trusted by over half of the companies on the Fortune 500 list, Brightcove is an enterprise’s best bet for centralizing videos across different platforms as well as personalizing customer experiences.

Their OTT technology allows you to do live videos on smartphones and smart TV apps, with real time video analytics to better understand how your audience interacts with your videos. Plus, you can also use their server-side ad insertion feature to seamlessly deliver your own ads into your video streams.

Since Brightcove is a more scaled up solution designed for enterprises, it can be a bit too complex for startups and smaller brands. There are also no pricing models on their site, so you’d have to fill up a form for any inquiries.

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Pros and cons of Brightcove

Now here’s a startup friendly option with tons of customizable features to take your marketing strategy to the next level. SproutVideo gives you full control of how you want your video players to look like, ensuring that it’ll seamlessly blend in with every page on your website. You’ll also be able to generate leads thanks to in-video lead capture forms, and you also get geotracking and advanced analytics to boot.

Plus, you can also create custom playlists to personalize your customers’ experiences too. Prices aren’t too bad either, with their Seed plan starting at $24.99/month.

Video uploading specifications

Pros and cons of SproutVideo

If you’re looking for a platform that lets you create and host videos in one place, then Biteable will be right up your alley. They’ve got a ton of editing tools and ready-to-use templates in their library (perfect for when you’re in a rush) which you can tailor fit to various platforms. What’s more, Biteable also comes with a social media calendar if you’d like to efficiently schedule your posts too.

Biteable also goes the extra mile with its Video Marketing Lab, which teaches you all the best practices to create captivating and valuable content. Overall, the platform is very user friendly, making it easy for beginners to understand. Their prices are pretty fair too, with their Pro plan starting at $49/month.

Video uploading specifications

Pros and cons of Biteable

What Is Video Hosting?

Video hosting is essentially uploading your video content on a platform in order to distribute it online.

Viewers can access your videos by watching on the host website directly (e.g. YouTube), but you can also add the video to your website by using an embed code.

Why Do You Need A Video Hosting Site?

One of the main reasons why people opt to use a third-party platform to host their videos is simply because it’s more efficient overall. You get to reduce storage and bandwidth costs from self hosting, and shouldn’t have to worry about your website slowing down from unexpected traffic (especially if multiple people are watching your video content at the same time).

What’s more, hosting videos on a third-party platform is a lot more straightforward. All you need to do is upload your video, and embed or copy the link to paste it directly to your website. No rocket science or programming degree required!

What Is The Best Video Hosting Site For You?

When it comes to selecting a video hosting site, it ultimately boils down to your main objectives and the direction you’d like to take your content. If your goal is to increase engagement, then turn to interactive platforms like YouTube, Facebook, DailyMotion or Vimeo. But if you’re more interested in generating leads or analyzing consumer behavior, then hosting platforms with advanced analytics like Wistia or Spotlightr may be your best bet.

SproutVideo, Jetpack VideoPress and Biteable provide startup friendly solutions at reasonable prices, while an enterprise focused platform like Brightcove is great for well-established businesses who’d like to scale up their digital marketing.

And that concludes our list of the top 10 video hosting sites.

For more guides and reviews on all things hosting, do check out Bitcatcha’s other articles! Why not start with our write-up on the best fast web hosts?