In 2020, more than half of the entire web traffic is captured by videos. Videos are the most used means of marketing and audience building. The only issue is that not all web servers are capable of handling the heavy load of videos. This is because video content is much heavier than text-based content.
It is because of this reason, video hosting sites have become an integral part of content marketing strategy in present times. There are a number of free video hosting as well as paid hosting offering such a service. They let you upload high-quality videos which can be viewed without any lag or the website going down. Further, they increase the traffic on your website while saving a lot of space on your PC.
Video Hosting Sites have players that are customizable. In addition to that, you can add logos, change color, and also the speed of the videos. You also get a lot of security options like passwords for videos, setting permissions, and sending private links.
But you may be confused about which video hosting to choose. Don’t worry anymore. We have checked over a dozen of video hosting providers and created a list of the best video hosting sites. Our list includes both free video hosting sites as well as paid or premium video hosting.
In this article, along with the list of hosting sites, we have also mentioned each of their features and pros and cons. We will also answer some of the frequently asked questions about video hosting sites towards the end. So, do make sure to give it a thorough read till the end.
List of 10 Best Video Hosting Site
- YouTube
- Dailymotion
- Vimeo
- Panopto
- Jetpack
- WIstia
- vooPlayer
- Brightcove
- Sproutvideo
Hosting own videos or Using Video Hosting Sites. Which is better?
A video having small traffic can also put a high load on your server even if you have a dedicated server. The images on a webpage are usually only 1 or 2 megabytes in size. on the other hand, a single video of 720p can be over 100 megabytes. We hope you understand the difference.
This means if only a few people watch an HD video, around 1 gigabyte of server bandwidth will be needed. For this amount of bandwidth, you can have over a thousand visitors on a text or image on a page.
Most web hosting put restrictions on bandwidth. Just one video can get your limit exceeded within a few days. Hence, it is better to opt for a third-party video hosting provider.
Best Free Video Hosting Sites
YouTube
Well, YouTube doesn’t require a lot of introduction. Unless you are living under a rock, you must have seen video content on YouTube.
YouTube is rightfully at the top of our list of the best free video hosting sites on the internet. No other site even comes close to YouTube in terms of the number of monthly logged-in users. If you are a good content creator you will get the opportunity to tap into a huge audience with the help of the recommendations and searches on YouTube.
There is an unlimited option for bandwidth or data storage on YouTube. Further, videos of up to 128 gigabytes in size can be uploaded on YouTube. In addition to this, you will also get a portion of the revenue generated through ads on your videos.
YouTube is an effective tool of content marketing. But it is not recommended for hosting videos like testimonials or course videos. However, there are many other options better than YouTube for hosting your videos on the web.
YouTube Features:
- Several customizing options are available.
- There is no limit on bandwidth or the size of files.
- You can live stream on YouTube.
- Basic analytics and editing features are available.
- Option to make your videos private.
Guidelines for uploading videos and Specification:
- Minimum dimension: 240p
- Maximum dimension: 4K
- Maximum resolution: 4K.
- Aspect ratio: 16:9
- Maximum file size: 128 GB.
- Maximum video length: 12 hours.
- Total file storage: Unlimited.
- Accepted video formats: .MPEG4, .MOV, .AVI, .WMV .MP4, .MP4, .FLV, and WebM.
Pros
- Unlimited storage in the cloud for your videos.
- Incredible opportunity to build an audience due to the massive number of monthly users on YouTube.
- Option to make videos private and hide from the public.
- Embedding videos from YouTube is very easy.
Cons
- Embedding options are pretty basic.
- Ads play on videos embedded on a website.
- After every video, you get an option of recommended videos.
- You will need a third-party application to download videos.
- Even when following fair rules there are chances of copyright infringement.
Who should use it?
Good for creating an audience on social media platforms by any content creator.
Business owners can also use YouTube for increasing the traffic on their website or reaching out to new audiences.
Dailymotion
After YouTube, the next popular free video hosting site is Dailymotion. It has over 300 million users. T-Series is the top user on Dailymotion with over 90k followers. Whereas on YouTube, T-Series has over 120k followers. This is just to understand where Dailymotion stands in comparison to YouTube.
Dailymotion Features:
- It supports mobile screens.
- Private video options are available.
- Analytica report is available.
- Shareable on social media.
- You can loop or stream videos.
Guidelines for uploading videos and Specification:
- Minimum dimension: 240p (426 x 240).
- Maximum dimension: 4K (3840 x 2160).
- Aspect ratio: 16:9
- Max file size: 2 GB.
- Max video length: 1 hour.
- Total file storage: Unlimited.
- Accepted video formats: .MOV, .MPEG4, MP4, .AVI, .WMV, .FLV, .MKV, 3GPP, etc.
Pros
- No limit on hosting videos.
- Password-protected videos can also be made private.
- Opportunity to build an audience with less competition.
Cons
- Lesser audience than YouTube.
- Limited file size.
- Requires third-party applications to download videos.
- Ads play at the beginning, middle, and end of videos.
Who should use it?
The best option for people looking for a secondary source for content distribution.
Vimeo
Vimeo is more of a free unlimited video hosting or collaborative site targeted mainly towards professionals. It is not a social sharing platform like YouTube or Dailymotion.
The videos available on Vimeo are curated by real humans and not by any type of algorithm. It has a certain type of audience. Most professionals make use of this platform. So, this means only certain types of videos will only do well on this site. Videos that are original like short films, animations, music videos and outdoor or nature videos tend to do well on Vimeo. Videos that are not of this kind don’t do well or will have a tough time building an audience on this platform.
Features:
- Use passwords to lock videos and set permissions to send private links.
- Option to replace videos without altering the URL.
- You can upload your videos from Dropbox, Adobe Premiere, Google Drive, Final Cut Pro Max and many more.
- Play videos without ads.
- HD clips are also supported in this free unlimited video hosting.
- Videos can be embedded to any website without any ads.
Guidelines for uploading videos and Specification:
- Maximum resolution: 240p.
- Maximum dimension: 8K.
- Aspect ratio: 16:9
- Maximum file size: restricted by file size.
- Maximum video length: 5GB/week,
- Total file storage: 250GB every year at $7/mo.
- Accepted video formats: 3GPP, .MP4, .AVI, .MOV, .MKV, .FLV, .MPEG4, .WMV, etc.
Pros
- Ad-free videos.
- Embedded videos are discreet and customizable.
- Great platform for advertising your services.
- Vimeo Create lets you make videos for social media.
- There is an option to download videos.
- It has its pro plans that start at $7/month
Cons
- Free accounts have a limited number of uploads.
- Not a very large audience.
Who should use it?
Best place for business owners to market their services or connect with their target audience.
In terms of audience size, Facebook is better compared to YouTube. In fact, it has a larger audience than YouTube However it is not primarily a free video hosting site as it is mainly a social media and messaging platform.
Features:
- The recommended video format is MP4. But it supports all types of video files.
- Supports resolution of up to 1080p.
- Files of up to 10GB are supported. Bigger files take longer to upload if the network connection is slow.
- Videos can be 240 minutes long. Again for longer videos the size of the file will also increase. As a result, the quality of the video may get affected and it will take longer to upload.
- It is recommended to compress the stereo AAC audio with 128kbps or more.
Guidelines for uploading videos and Specification:
- Recommended dimensions: 720p (1280×720) px to 1080p (1920×1080 px).
- Supported aspect ratios: landscape (16:9), portrait (9:16), vertical (2:3, 4:5), square (1:1).
- Max file size: 4 GB.
- Max video length: 2 hours.
- Total file storage: Unlimited.
- Accepted video formats: .MOV, .MPEG4, MP4, .AVI, .WMV, .FLV, .MKV, 3GPP, etc.
Pros
- Host videos without any limit.
- Videos can be directly shared on Facebook
- Largest social media site in the world.
Cons
- Videos are not ad-free.
- The embedding option is basic.
- The video quality may not always be great.
Who should use it?
It is the best place for brand new content creators to build an audience right from the scratch.
Panopto
Panopto is another free unlimited video hosting site. It is very easy to share and manage video content on this site. Panopto lets you broadcast secure videos and also live streams.
Features:
- A search option lets you find any video you want.
- Videos can be hosted by just creating a free account.
- Seamless video content management.
Guidelines for uploading videos and Specification:
Pros:
- Videos from different sources can be played.
- Pre-recorded videos can also be hosted.
Cons:
- Backend management is not so smooth.
Best Premium Video Hosting Sites
Jetpack
Jetpack is a WordPress plugin that offers video hosting. You can find the option in its premium or professional plans. You will get unlimited video hosting with its premium plan at $19.95/month.
Features:
- You can either show block ads on your videos.
- It has LaTeX Markup for writing mathematical equations or formulas.
- Upload videos directly from your computer to your website.
- Multiple video uploading options.
- There is the option of sharing the video by the users. Further, you can even turn off the sharing option.
- Options for viewing analytics.
- There is a troubleshooting option in case there is an issue in uploading videos.
Guidelines for uploading videos and Specification:
- Max file size: 2 GB (Recommends 1 GB or lower).
- Max video length: restricted by size.
- Total file storage: Unlimited.
- Accepted video formats: .MOV, .MPEG4, MP4, .AVI, .WMV, .FLV, .MKV, 3GPP, etc.
Pros
- It is customizable and unbranded.
- Host unlimited videos.
- You can view the stats in the dashboard of your WordPress.
Cons
- There are not many premium features like other hosting sites.
- No stable audience.
Who should use it?
Those who own a WordPress site can use this video hosting service.
Wistia
In this list of best video hosting sites, Wistia is the only one that also offers a complete digital marketing solution. Although there is the option of uploading videos or embedding them to your website, that’s not why they are famous.
You get options for embedding lead capture forms and other types of call to actions within Wistia.
Features:
- It has advanced analytics along with engagement and identity tracking.
- There are widgets and templates for customizing the video player.
- Settings for bulk management of batch uploads are available.
- You can even manage the metadata of the videos.
- Password protection and IP whitelisting feature.
Guidelines for uploading videos and Specification:
- Maximum resolution: 4K (3840×2160 px).
- Supported aspect ratios: Any responsive player.
- Max file size: 8 GB.
- Max video length: 2 hours.
- Total file storage: Up to 10 videos at $99/month, and $0.25 a month for each extra video.
- Accepted video formats: .MP4, .MOV, .AVI, .WMV, .FLV, .MKV, 3GPP, etc.
Pros
- No ads during videos.
- This video player is completely customizable.
- Other videos from the same channel can be highlighted.
- Audiences can be built specifically for Facebook and Instagram.
- Leads can be captured from within the video.
Cons
- It is an expensive video hosting site as it costs $99 per month just for 10 videos.
- There is no fixed audience.
Who should use it?
Those businesses who depend on data and offer a personalized experience. And obviously, it is best for digital marketers.
VooPlayer
VooPlayer has rebranded to Spotlight. This video hosting site is mainly used by business owners for the purpose of marketing their products and services. This site is not used for entertainment or personnel vlogs.
Features:
- The design is very easy to manage and use.
- Videos are compatible with various apps and devices.
- Analytics is available.
- Solid support system.
- The dashboard has superior performance with faster loading and adding layers.
Guidelines for uploading videos and Specification:
- Supported sources: Facebook, YouTube, Vimeo, Amazon S3, Dropbox, etc.
- Maximum resolution: 4K (3840×2160 px).
- Supported aspect ratios: Any responsive player.
- Max file size: No maximum size listed.
- Total file storage: 25GB and 50GB bandwidth with $14/month startup plan.
- Accepted video formats: MP4, Ogg, WebM, MOV, FLV, etc.
- Supports 360 video
Pros
- Add free videos.
- Inexpensive video hosting site.
- Customizable branding.
- Analytics is very advanced.
- Many options for capturing leads
Cons
- The added functions make it more complex.
Who should use it?
Best for experienced digital marketers. Businesses that have a long sale process and depend on leads also use this platform.
Brightcove
Brightcove is a cloud based video hosting platform. Big businesses and organizations use it to distribute their videos around the web. It is also used by integrating with other marketing tools and ad insertion services. Majority of the Fortune 500 companies use Brightcove to distribute their marketing videos.
Brightcove basically offers a range of tools. These tools help in increasing the engagement and conversion of your videos, and also getting better ROI from your video marketing campaigns.
Features:
- Manage videos.
- Video marketing.
- Customized Ad placement.
- Video Library.
- Sharing on social media.
- Analytics for videos.
- Lead capturing facility.
- Supports mobile and other OTT devices.
Guidelines for uploading videos and Specification:
- Maximum resolution: None.
- Supported aspect ratios: Any responsive player.
- Max file size: up to 100 GB.
- Total file storage: Based on plan.
- Accepted video formats: .MP4, .MOV, .AVI, .WMV, .FLV, .MKV, 3GPP, etc.
Pros
- Video ad inventory management.
- Live stream function directly to any website or app.
- The content management is enterprise friendly.
- Supports third party marketing integration.
Cons
- It is expensive with plans starting at $199 per month.
- Smaller businesses with less experience may find it hard to use
Who should use it?
Suitable for enterprises that use video content in their marketing campaigns.
Sproutvideo
Just like Brightcove, Sproutvideo is also a video hosting platform for business owners. It offers professional solutions for businesses. There are several features that will help you succeed in your video marketing campaigns.
Features:
- Colors can be changed to match the branding.
- Looping and auto-play videos.
- Default player and presets to save time.
- Automatic quality adjustment.
- Video playback speed and resolution can be changed.
- Easy to embed videos.
- Password protection, Login Protection, and Single Sign on.
Guidelines for uploading videos and Specification:
- Maximum resolution: None.
- Supported aspect ratios: Any responsive player.
- Max file size: Up to 100GB.
- Max video length: Unlimited.
- Total file storage: 500GB with 500GB of bandwidth
- Accepted video formats: .MP4, .MOV, .AVI, .WMV, .FLV, .MKV, 3GPP, etc.
Pros
- Lead capture options within the video.
- Advanced analytics.
- Audit logs to keep track of all the edits.
- Permissions are based on roles.
- No limit on the number of video players that can be designed.
- Customizable playlist.
- Suits small businesses as the seed plan star
Cons
- Inexperienced may find it hard to use.
- No in-built audience.
Who should use it?
It should be used by businesses that depend on lead generation and have a long sales process.
Frequently Asked Question about Video Hosting Sites
What is a video hosting site?
Ans. A video hosting site is basically a platform that lets you manage, upload, and edit videos. It lets you share your video on various social media platforms including your websites. They offer customization options for changing color, logo, speed of the video, and many more. Some of them even have advanced security options for locking your videos or sending private links.
What is the use of a video hosting website?
Ans. A video hosting site makes it easy for you to edit, manage and upload your videos. Further, you can share your videos on social media platforms or on any website. You also get a number of customizable features.
How much does a video hosting website cost?
Ans. Although there are a few free videos hosting sites, for professionals and business owners paid platforms are a better choice. Usually, the basic plans of the paid video hosting sites start from around $7 and may reach up to $299 on a per month basis.
What is the best video hosting site?
Ans. There is no one answer to this question. The best free video hosting site or paid hosting depends on your requirements.
If you don’t want to integrate ads into your videos on your WordPress site then Vimeo with its cheap monthly plan can opt. However, if you use Jetpack then you can get it done there too.
Voopalyer and Wistia will be our recommendations if you want in-depth analytics and customization features.
Brightcove is a better option for businesses and enterprises.
If you just want to build an audience for your content, Facebook and YouTube are the best videos hosting sites.
CONCLUSION
You can choose any hosting service from the above-mentioned best video hosting site depending upon your needs.
If you create for entertainment or provide information you can use the free hosting service of YouTube or Facebook. Whereas if you are a business owner, paid or premium video hosting sites like Wistia, Brightcove are better options.
You just need to know your priorities first. Then you can choose hosting that suits your needs and is under your budget.
A strategic approach would be to combine both paid and free hosting. You can use the paid hosting to have full control and management of your videos. The free video hosting sites can be used to grow your audience organically.
Now you can go ahead and try out the video hosting service that best suits you.
Author Bio
Over the last 5+ years of my journey of SEO, SEM, SMM, and Google Adwords. I have got great knowledge and experience in Digital marketing. My experience is amazing and I can help you to get great benefits from your business with my Digital Marketing Skills.
