Everything You Need to Know About the Top 21 Online Video Platforms in 2022

Suppose you’re fond of aimlessly scrolling through your phone and finding new and engaging content to keep your spirits high throughout the day. In that case, chances are you spend most of your time-consuming content from online video platforms.

However, if you’re an entrepreneur or a remote employee, you’ll require digital video platforms to keep your daily operations running smoothly. Henceforth, the demand for top video delivery platforms has skyrocketed in the last five years.

The Covid-19 pandemic has further exacerbated the need for businesses to carry out their scheduled tasks online and remotely, which is why, during these uncertain times, professionals need to invest in and utilize live streaming software.

Broadcasters are hosting virtual gatherings and live streaming in-person events to generate revenue. Businesses are using video platforms for marketing, sales, and internal training. Television and radio stations are opting to build a strong online audience via video hosting.

Due to this rapid increase in remote working, professional broadcasters rely on the support of online video platforms to host their content and deliver it to their audiences. In order to achieve a level of quality in their content, they must use the best video streaming solutions for their global and online audience.

In this post, we’re going to discuss what online video platforms (OVPs) do before we dive into an in-depth comparison of key players in the professional broadcasting space. Moreover, we will wrap things up by comparing a few social video platforms that businesses and professional broadcasters may find useful, as well.

Our aim here is to help you narrow in on the ideal online video platform for your business. Let’s get started.

Table of Contents

• Stats and Trends for Online Video Platforms
• What is an Online Video Platform?
• The Rise of Live Streaming via Consumer-Grade Platforms
• Professional-Grade OVPs and Their Role in Business Settings
• What to Look for in an Online Video Platform
• A Comprehensive Comparison of the 21 Best Online Video
• Top 6 Social Video Platforms
• Conclusion

Stats and Trends for Online Video Platforms

Video delivery platforms have seen a significant increase in demand and priority over the last few years. This increase is visible not only in multiple sectors of businesses but also in individuals’ day-to-day lives. We can establish this by looking at statistics and video trends that highlight the growth of online video streaming.

• The value of the global online video platform industry was $6.13 billion in 2020
• The value of the global online video platform industry is expected to grow 8.4% from 2021 to 2028
• Over three-fourths of internet users watch online video content every week
• Viewers are more likely to retain a message from video content than from articles
• Video content marketing helps to increase revenue 49% faster than other types of content
• Live streams capture viewers’ attention for 10-20x longer than pre-recorded content
• Multistreaming will be big in 2022, with many multistream platforms already available to stream to multiple sources

Online video platforms have become the optimum pathway to catch consumers’ attention and dictate their purchasing decisions, which is why many entrepreneurs emphasize their marketing strategies toward video content.

Businesses and organizations that want to get into the professional broadcasting space need the support of an online video platform, which is necessary for getting your video content in front of your ideal audience. 

What is an Online Video Platform?

An online video platform (OVP) is a video hosting provider that allows users to upload and broadcast video content to their audience. These platforms are often combined with live streaming software that has built-in video players that allow adaptive streaming on virtually any device.

The most common video players run on Apple’s HTML5 technology, such as the THEOplayer.

Education, training, communication, and entertainment are some of the fields that require the backing of online video platforms. OVPs are suitable for almost every sector of work as they enable you to upload a video in various formats and cut down your work by optimizing your content to any device or network settings.

Professionally, there are multiple reasons for using OVPs to share videos, including lead generation, building brand awareness, advertising, and providing paid access to video streaming. The best online video platforms allow you to create a custom viewing experience for your audience that aligns with your business objectives. 

The Rise of Live Streaming via Consumer-Grade Platforms

Consumer-focused platforms (B2C) are currently the most popular platforms for video self-hosting and sharing. YouTube Live and Facebook Live are considered heavy-hitters in this market. However, Tiktok Live and Instagram Live are a close second in this particular industry.

Billions of people around the world use these services. As a result, they make suitable platforms for B2C marketing and outreach.

Here are a few advantages of using B2C video platforms:

• Exposure to large-scale, varied, and diverse audiences
• Allows users to make ad revenue and generate profits off of their original content
• Free to use for everyone (except for certain premium features)
• Consumer feedback-based model, which ensures it’s up-to-date with new features

YouTube and Facebook both offer live streaming services, but they didn’t always. These video platforms have evolved to meet the needs of their B2C users. 

As convenient as these services are for beginners, these free platforms don’t offer many key features that most businesses and serious broadcasters require. They also have significant limitations. 

For example, many schools, businesses, and other settings block Youtube and Facebook because they are seen as social media platforms (which can serve as a distraction from productivity) and not just video platforms. If you want to reach your target audiences or expand your viewership, streaming over the most blocked sites in the world is inadequate.

That’s where professional live streaming solutions come into play. Professional video delivery platforms allow you to provide videos to viewers in a more controlled and professional setting that is accessible to everyone. 

Professional-Grade OVPs and Their Role in Business Settings

There is great value in investing in a professional video platform since consumer-grade platforms like YouTube and Facebook are not usually capable of satisfying all of the needs of larger businesses. 

Business video hosting platforms are cloud-based and offer advanced security features, enable complex monetization schemes via integrated paywalls, and include tools to ease integration with existing workflows. Free OVPs do not offer these luxuries. Furthermore, here’s a comprehensive list of other added benefits that professional video platforms provide:

• Allows access to analytics to understand how well your audience perceives your content
• Effective marketing is done via visual content made by employees for your customers
• A dedicated video platform allows you to have more control over your content in comparison to free video delivery platforms (control over ads, monetization rights, et cetera)

These features, among many others, are equipped to meet the needs of B2B live streaming more effectively than consumer-grade social video platforms. That’s why knowing about the best video platforms for B2B live streaming is important.

Many professional cloud-based video platforms, including Dacast, also offer on-the-spot tech support. Consumer-grade platforms like YouTube don’t offer such support; you have to figure everything out on your own. 

On-the-spot tech support is a key feature for 24/7 live streaming. It’s a crucial feature for live-streaming events that require real-time troubleshooting and a guaranteed positive experience for paying viewers. 24/7 tech support is necessary for 24/7 live streaming.

What to Look for in an Online Video Platform 

With an increased demand for live-streaming comes a massive influx in online video platforms. Since there are so many online video platforms on the market, it can be overwhelming and confusing to decipher which ones meet your business’ personalized needs best. Some key features to look for as you do your research on the top video platforms include:

• Security features
• White-label streaming
• Monetization capabilities
• Available integrations
• Video editing tools
• Reliable content delivery 
• Access to video analytics
• Control over ad-hosting

As you compare digital video platforms, please remember that OVPs are not a one-size-fits-all. Determine which features are required to reach your goals and use that to determine which OVP to choose for your business. The best video platform for you depends on your unique business objectives. 

A Comperhensive Comparison of the 21 Best Online Video Platforms

To start our reviews, first, we’ll take a look at 21 of the top online video platforms for professional broadcasting in 2022. We will compare them based on features, streaming pricing, video upload specs, and more. Further below, we will cover the top six social media platforms.

1. Dacast

Overview and Company History

Dacast is a unified streaming solution that hosts both live and on-demand video content. Our platform offers cloud-based live streaming solutions and OTT video streaming across all devices, including mobile. 

With Dacast, users can access top-tier live streaming CDNs to reach viewers around the globe. In addition, our online platform is available for small to medium-sized businesses, which means you’ll have a reliable platform to fall back on regardless of your company’s size.

Dacast broadcasters include enterprise businesses, media companies, TV stations, religious community networks, sports leagues, e-learning, government, and municipal organizations.

Key Features

• Secure, global content delivery, including industry-best video hosting
• 24/7 tech support with all plans, including email and live chat
• Video security features, including password protection and AES encryption
• RTMP (real-time messaging protocol) ingest, playback, and streaming support
• VOD platform to monetize on-demand content, and to scale your VOD business
• Low latency HTML5 channels for video streaming
• Player API access for 3rd party player integration
• Video API access on premium plans
• Multi-bitrate streaming for live video and VOD
• Cloud video transcoding with true adaptive bitrate streaming (ABR)
• Live encoding support for the top video encoders
• Real-time video streaming analytics
• Ad-free streaming

New!

• Multi-user access on Scale and Custom plans
• Zoom live streaming integration for meetings and live events in real-time
• Expo 2.0 galleries video portal for immersive video experiences

Detailed Features

• Live streaming and Video on Demand are included in all plans
• Unlimited viewers and live channels
• White label and branding control
• Embeddable HTML5 video player
• Multi-CDN
• SVOD, AVOD, and TVOD pay-per-view monetization options
• M3U8 media links to stream to mobile and smart TV apps such as Roku, Apple TV, etc.
• SDK for player integration on iOS and Android platforms
• Live stream recording
• China Video Hosting and live streaming 
• Pricing plans for every budget

Pros

• Mobile streaming support
• Wide range of video monetization tools
• Top-notch dynamic token security
• Low latency video streaming
• Unlimited viewers and live channels

Cons

• Having so many features requires a slight learning curve for beginners

Upload Guidelines and Specs

• Minimum dimension: None (but 240p is the recommended minimum)
• Maximum dimension: 1080p or 4K (depends on the user’s hardware and internet)
• Video aspect ratio: No restrictions (but 16:9 is the default)
• Max file size: None
• Max video length: None
• Total file storage: 10-1000GB (depends on plan)
• Compatible video formats: MP4 (preferred), MOV, M4V, M2V, AVI, MPG, FLV, WMV, MKV, WEBM, OGV, MXF, ASF, VOB, MTS

Pricing

For your business needs, Dacast has many live streaming pricing options. The plan packages are as follows:

• Starter: $39/month (billed annually); ideal for newcomers with 1.2 TB of bandwidth and 50 GB of storage per year
• Event: $63/month (or $750/year); for organizations that would rather not sign a contract, and want to purchase bandwidth separately to live stream an event, offers 6 TB of bandwidth upfront, 50 GB of storage; additional data and storage can be added as needed
• Scale: $188/month (billed annually); includes 24 TB of bandwidth per year, with 1 TB of storage; add phone support, monetization paywall, an M3U8 online player for live channels, ad insertion, white-label video player, and video API access; additional bandwidth is available upon request for monthly plans
• Custom plan: if your enterprise business has high-volume streaming needs, you can contact Dacast for a custom plan tailored to your needs.

Broadcasters can contact Dacast directly to learn more about custom-priced high-volume plans. Dacast is a video media platform that allows professionals access to all the tools they need to customize their video content.

2. IBM Cloud Video

Overview and Company History

Next up in our online video platform comparison is IBM Cloud Video. This platform is primarily geared towards the enterprise streaming market with a variety of cloud video hosting and streaming services (such as storage and GPU computing). Within the IBM Cloud video umbrella, Streaming Manager is its core product.

Like Dacast, IBM Cloud video includes file upload, management, and delivery for live and on-demand content.

Key Features

IBM Cloud Video offers a wide range of key features that help enhance its product. One of the key features they offer is HD live broadcasting, with no caps on bitrate resolution, allowing you to always provide your viewers with HD content. 

They provide full support for mobile streaming with videos available on all devices, screen sizes, or bandwidth. 

Another standout feature is their live chat and Q&A modules, which includes user management, moderation, and user upvoting. This allows you to create an interactive experience for your viewers. 

IBM Cloud Video offers a wide range of custom channel page features, such as: 

• Highlight past broadcasts
• Highlight upcoming shows
• Add important information for viewers
• Scheduled playbacks at specific times

Pros

Here’s an easy-to-view and comprehensive list of pros regarding IBM cloud video:

• HD live to broadcast
• Recording of broadcasting
• Mobile compatible player
• Convenient easy distribution and workflow
• Live Chat and Q&A
• Multi-CDNs
• Quality of service player
• Live playlists with looping
• Customizable channel page

You can also provide viewers with a great viewing experience via an internal global CDN and adaptive bitrate, which improves your global reach and scalability in the long-run. They also offer some monetization capabilities and Hong Kong (China) video hosting.

Cons

You need a high-end, custom enterprise channel with access to third-party integration and single sign-on (SSO) ability. For a white-label video player, you also need a higher-end plan.

Upload Guidelines and Specs

• Minimum dimension: 480p (480 x 270)
• Maximum dimension:  4K (3840 x 2160)
• Video aspect ratio: No published aspect ratio
• Max file size: 4 GB
• Max video length: No published limits
• Total file storage: 1TB – 5TB (depends on plan)
• Compatible video formats: MKV, MP4, MOV, FLV, AVI, WMV, MPEG2, H264, H263, MPEG4, VP6, VP8, THEORA, WMV, MP3, AAC-LC, NELLYMOSER, PCM, SPEEX, VORBIS, WMA

Pricing

IBM pricing plans range from $99 to $999 per month and include the following:

• Silver: $99/month
• Gold: $499/month
• Platinum: $999/month
• Custom: Please contact IBM Cloud video for custom plan pricing.

IBM Cloud Video is one of the oldest streaming platforms, which puts it at the top of the video platform list to consider for your business needs.

3. Wistia

Overview and Company History

Wistia was founded in 2008. The Massachusetts-based online video platform focuses primarily on marketing. Wistia’s core business is providing a television-quality experience for their viewers that helps users grow their audiences. They are known for being the online video platform that puts users in control of their content. 

Wistia is designed exclusively to simplify companies’ daily operations by providing marketing, support, and sales services. However, please note that this OVP does not offer live streaming functionality.

Key Features

Wistia is a video marketing platform. It is designed to help you host, analyze, create, and market using video content. 

They provide you with access to advanced video analytics that you can use to drive your business. Wistia allows you to see who’s watching your videos and how they are engaging with your content and thus how it is impacting your marketing funnel. 

You can run A/B tests to determine the best thumbnail for your content. You can integrate Wistia with your other marketing tools. 

They provide Soapbox, a browser-based screen recorder, so you can easily record your screen or face. Furthermore, Wistia also offers an easy-to-use video trimmer, supporting simple video edits.

They offer a wide range of security features, such as: 

• Password-protected hosting
• Email gating
• Domain restrictions 

Plus, they offer tech support for all plans, a fully customizable player, and Video API access. They offer a strong global content delivery network, mostly unlimited bandwidth, as easy embedding and sharing.

Cons

Wistia does not support live streaming, only videos-on-demand. They only offer basic integrations with other video software programs. 

If you want premium tech support, you have to update to a custom-priced plan. There is no China video delivery option.

Upload Guidelines and Specs

• Minimum dimensions: None
• Maximum dimensions: Maximum of 4K (3840 x 2160)
• Supported video aspect ratios: Any, though 16:9 is the standard image aspect ratio for HDTV and traditional web video
• Maximum file size: 8 GB
• Maximum video length: 2 hours
• Total file storage: Up to 10 videos with the pro plan ($99 per month), $0.25 per month for every extra video
• Accepted video formats: MP4 (recommended format), .MOV, .AVI, .WMV, .FLV, .MKV, 3GPP

Pricing

Wistia pricing plans have 3 tiers, and include:

• Free – $0/month
• Pro – $99/month
• Advanced – Please contact Wistia directly for pricing information.

Wistia is one of the best video platforms if you need a video media platform that focuses on marketing tools, and you don’t need live streaming capabilities.

4. Vimeo Livestream

Overview and Company History

Next up in our best live streaming platforms review is Vimeo, an online video platform that was originally launched in 2004.

In 2017, the company acquired the Livestream OVP.

In recent years, Vimeo has pivoted toward the B2B sector. One element of this shift is the Vimeo OTT solution, which markets itself as an all-in-one streaming solution for live broadcasting and video hosting. 

As a streaming service alternative, Vimeo OTT offers uploading from any device, player customization, and video analytics. Overall, Vimeo OTT targets larger-scale businesses with substantial budgets.

Key Features

Vimeo provides you with access to full-HD streaming. They have an all-device video player so that everyone can watch your content. This high-quality streaming player allows businesses to use polls, Q&As, and audience chat for viewer engagement. Additionally, they support adaptive bitrate streaming helping to ensure a quality end-user experience. 

They allow you to embed your videos on any website, offer a full suite of privacy tools, and they provide white-label services. These tools include a branded private portal centralizing an organization’s live and on-demand videos with Showcase. Furthermore, security tools allow you to view who sees which videos with a single sign-on. 

Vimeo offers Vimeo Create, a template-based video builder, allowing you to create quality VOD without high-tech skills. You can also use a free screen and webcam recorder to easily and quickly create VOD. 

Plus, they offer monetization tools. They are a comprehensive online video platform.

Cons

Vimeo doesn’t support China video delivery. 

Upload Guidelines and Specs

• Recommended dimension: 720p (1280 x 720)
• Video aspect ratio: 16:9, 4:3
• Max file size: 3GB
• Max video length: Information not available 
• Total file storage: Information not available
• Compatible video formats: MP4 (recommended)

Pricing

Vimeo Livestream offers three main pricing plans, including:

1) Vimeo Premium:

• Premium pricing: $75/month
• Their Premium plan includes both live streaming and VOD support. This plan is the best option for professional broadcasting on this platform.

2) Vimeo Enterprise:

• Enterprise Pricing: Please contact Vimeo for custom pricing information
• The Enterprise plan includes white-label service, monetization, and video API access. It also includes branding control and added security features.

3) Vimeo OTT:

• Starter Pricing: $1/subscriber per month
• Growth Pricing: starting at $500/month
• This OTT-specific pricing package comes with the Vimeo.com relationship. These plans include all the basics for starting your web-based OTT channel and growing your OTT business online.

If you are a big business with a big budget for your video platform, Vimeo may be one of the best video platforms for you.

5. Kaltura

With a video management foundation in its open-source software, Kaltura offers a unique focus in the OVP market. Historically, this company has worked most extensively with educational institutions, carving out a niche as the best video platform for the educational sector. As a result, Kaltura Classform forms some of the world’s most rich virtual classrooms and interactive educational experiences.

It offers cloud-based video platform distribution services and hosting solutions for VOD and live streams.

Kaltura’s specialty lies in customization. The open-source nature of their software means that a community of users create and share countless add-ons and integrations.

However, the downside of Kaltura’s extensibility is that the platform can be confusing to use. With so many different features, it can be overwhelming for beginner users.

Key Features

Kaltura offers both live streaming and VOD hosting. They offer secure content delivery through quality CDNs such as: 

• Akamai
• Limelight
• eCDN

If you want, you can also bring along your own CDN. They further ensure a quality end-user experience with multi-bitrate and adaptive streaming. 

What really makes Kaltura stand out is that they offer a highly customizable experience. They offer an open-source online video platform through the Kaltura Community Edition. 

Their regular software offers video APIs, SDKs, developer tools, and code recipes. All of this adds to an experience you can customize and adapt to fit your unique video needs. They offer special tools for education providers, including virtual classrooms, LMS video, lecture capture, and campus portal tools. 

Kaltura also has monetization tools, including SVOD, AVOD, and TVOD (PPV streaming).

Cons

The biggest drawback of Kaltura is they have a highly complex streaming platform that can be challenging for beginners to develop. They don’t have China video delivery.

Kaltura also has unresponsive tech support. Audio support features are few and limited. In addition, chat functionality and back-end analytics integration are somewhat outdated.

Upload Guidelines and Specs

• Minimum dimension: 180p (320 x 180)
• Maximum dimension: 1080p (1920x 1080)
• Video aspect ratio: 16:9, 4:3
• Max file size: 2GB
• Max video length: Not available
• Total file storage: 10GB to Unlimited (depends on the plan)
• Compatible video formats: MOV, MP4

Pricing

Kaltura does not publish its pricing on its website since each plan is flexible. Please contact them directly for a custom quote.

If you are looking for an educational online video platform, Kaltura should be at the top of your video platforms list. On top of video hosting, they offer unique tools to customize the online learning experience.

6. Brightcove

Overview and Company History

Brightcove is an online video platform that targets large businesses. Brightcove divides its product offerings into several discrete categories. These include Video Player, OTT Flow, Video Marketing Suite, and a number of others. They have recently acquired Ooyala and announced the end of life of the Ooyala platform.

Among other offerings, Brightcove’s streaming and hosting platform is called Video Cloud. This platform includes an all-screen player and supports monetization. Additionally, it offers a functional analytics feature.

Key Features

Brightcove has a lot of key features one needs from an online video platform, providing both live streaming and VOD hosting. They offer an HTML5 video player that you can customer, which supports all-device streaming.  

For the end-user experience, they offer cloud transcoding and adaptive bitrate streaming, which help ensure your end users have a quality video experience. They offer easy sharing with social media publishing tools, so you can easily share your content with your audience. 

Want to customize your video experience? Brightcove supports token-based REST APIs as well as custom video portals.  

They support serve-side ad insertion, allowing you to monetize your content. You can also monetize with AVOD, SVOD, and VOD. Viewers can pay with their local currency to access your content. 

They have an attentive customer support team, which can help you with any video issues you experience. They offer CRM integration, helping you to have a smoother experience with your customers.

Pros

• Convenient and efficient sharing options
• Can customize cloud storage
• Easy to organize and save videos categorically.
• The basic editor provides all the tools you need to edit a short video
• It’s perfect for beginners who need something a little simpler.

Cons

• Brightcove doesn’t support China video delivery
  
• Their monetization tools are only available for high-end customers who sign-up for their custom-priced plans. 

Upload Guidelines and Specs

• Minimum dimension: Determined by user
• Maximum dimension: Determined by user 
• Video aspect ratio: No restrictions (since Brightcove uses a responsive player)
• Max file size: No limits on files size
• Max video length: No published limits
• Total file storage: Varies by plan
• Compatible video formats: MP4, MOV, FLV, AVI, WMV, MKV, 3GPP

Pricing

Brightcove offers several pricing plan levels. These include the following:

• Starter: includes 50 to 200 videos, up to 100,000 plays, and 2-5 users
• Professional: unlimited videos, 100,000+ plays, and no overage plays, with +10 users
• Enterprise: unlimited videos, 100,000+ plays, and no overage plays, with 10+ users, unlimited upload, and analytics-only users

Brightcove doesn’t publish its pricing plans for Video Cloud live streaming services online. You need to contact them directly for a customized quote to discuss your specific business needs.

For more details, you can also check out this third-party review of the platform. Note that this might change following the absorption of the former Ooyala video platform.

Brightcove is one of the top online video platforms for professionals and has the staying power to back up that claim.

7. JW Player

Overview and Company History

JW Player was originally founded as a video player. However, the platform has since expanded to include video hosting and delivery services. It is a good example of a robust online video platform. 

Recently, the company added live streaming to its offerings as well. JW Player is a highly capable player that is based on open-source coding. The live streaming platform includes the player itself, among other useful features.

Key Features

JW player supports both live streaming and video-on-demand, making them a comprehensive online video hosting platform. They support up to 1080p HD streaming. Furthermore, they offer multi-bitrate and adaptive streaming for a quality experience for your viewers and global content delivery. 

They offer monetization via advertising. Need to protect your VOD content? They offer digital rights management for custom-priced Enterprise plans, allowing you to protect your contact further.

For customizing the video experience, they offer custom video galleries. They even have a video recommendation engine that creates “watch next” recommendations and keeps viewers engaged with your content. All plans can access video API. 

Once you pay for the $100/month plan, you can access email support.

JW player also provides advanced analytics support for your live streams. It’s a particularly helpful feature for those trying to monetize their audience. JW player allows you to collect data on countries joined, average video completion rate, devices watched on, and total plays.

Cons

They don’t support China video delivery and only offer basic security features. For monetization, they only support ad-based monetization and not subscriptions or pay-per-view monetization methods. 

JW player also gets pricier if you host a large number of devices.

Upload Guidelines and Specs

• Minimum dimension: 360p (640 x 360)
• Maximum dimension: 1080p (1920 x 1080)
• Video aspect ratio: 16:9, 4:3, 2.39:1
• Max file size: 25GB
• Max video length: Not available
• Total file storage: 25GB to 500GB (depends on the plan)
• Compatible video formats: MP4, WMV, AVI, MOV, 3GP, FLV

Pricing

With JW Player, live streaming support begins at a free trial level. There are three pricing plan tiers:

• 30-day free trial subscription which includes full API and SDK access, and a non-commercial license, with 25 GB hosting bandwidth and 75 GB streaming.
• Starter pricing plan for $10 per month, which includes an HTML5 Video Player and video gallery, with 150 GB hosting bandwidth and 500 GB streaming (50,000 plays) per month billed annually.
• Enterprise plans are available with custom pricing for high-volume storage and streaming. Enterprise plans support live streaming, while lower-tier plans only support VOD.

Publishers and broadcasters should contact JW Player directly for pricing and features.

JW Player offers quality live streaming through multi-bitrate and adaptive streaming support; making it a quality video platform for live streaming.

8. Flowplayer

Overview and Company History

Flowplayer is an online video platform that serves large media houses and small businesses. They are primarily known for its white-label streaming services and top-of-the-line monetization solutions.

Flowplayer has offices in the United States, Finland, and Sweden. Flowplayer was launched in 2013, but the site provides very little background information on the company’s history.

If you are looking for an online video platform that is simple and straightforward, Flowplayer could be an option for you.

Key Features

• High-quality video player
• Live streaming capabilities
• Award-winning monetization solutions
• Live streaming and VOD hosting
• Real-time video analytics
• Android and iOS SDK for mobile app development

Pros

• Mobile streaming
• Tools for marketing
• Multiple options for video monetization
• Dedicated customer support
• Analytics available to track promotion efforts
• Beginner-friendly / ease of use
• Integration with the website is seamless
• Customisable player
• Support team is very responsive

Cons

• No China Video Delivery
• Very basic platform 
• Pricing plans particularly pricy
• Bug reporting is slow and inefficient
• Ads only go away on their mid-level plan

Pricing

Flowplayer has two pricing plan plans, including: 

• Starter: $49/month; 500 GB of bandwidth; includes 50,000 monthly plays, custom player, video management, playlists, and analytics
• Enterprise: custom-pricing; custom-built to cater to advanced streaming needs

If your business needs a simple and easy-to-use online video platform, Flowplayer fits the bill. It is a basic white-label platform that allows for both live streaming and VOD hosting. 

9. Vidyard

Overview and Company History

Vidyard is an online video platform that provides features for marketing and lead generation. That’s why its packages are built for marketing, sales, and corporate communications.

Vidyard is built thoughtfully for marketers, which is why it provides all the tools you need to maximize your audience engagement and measure your real impact. The Vidyard platform includes tools to improve audience reach and viewer engagement so that its users can generate qualified leads. This is a comprehensive video streaming platform that is geared toward turning viewers into customers.

Key Features

• Specialized marketing tools 
• Advanced video analytics
• Interactive viewing and lead capture tools
• Video organization and content management 
• Gold-standard security
• Can manage videos from a single dashboard
• Create branded players and customized playlists
• Split-testing for splash screens to increase click-through rates
• Tie revenue directly to video views

Pros

• Comprehensive professional broadcasting capabilities
• Insightful analytics
• Reliable technical support
• Access to a large user community for additional help

Cons

• Inconsistent user reviews 
• Complicated editing tools
• Editing tools are limited, and few
• Slow in tech support chat
• Homepage confusing and overwhelming for beginners
• No China video delivery

Upload Guidelines and Specs

• Minimum dimension:  360p (480 x 360)
• Maximum dimension:  4k (3840 x 2160)
• Video aspect ratio:16:9, 4:3
• Max file size: 5GB to 16GB (depends on the plan)
• Max video length: 1 hour (live stream)
• Total file storage: Not available
• Compatible video formats: WEBM, MP4, MKV, MOV

Pricing

Vidyard pricing plans come in four tiers that are split into two categories: Individual and Teams. All plans are billed annually, and are priced as follows:

• Individual: 
  • Free – $0/month
  • Pro – $15/month (or $19/month when billed monthly)

• Teams:
  • Teams – $300/month
  • Business – $1250/month

Vidyard is an online video hosting provider with a focus on marketing and lead generation. If that is the focus of your video content, Vidyard may be right for you.

10. Hippo Video

Overview and Company History

Hippo Video is a streaming solution and online video platform that is dedicated to video for sales. It is designed to help businesses boost their sales processes with engaging video content. The platform offers special solutions for real estate, tech, healthcare, insurance, tourism, and a few other industries.

This platform is a great choice for streaming-based businesses that are only looking to use video for sales, marketing, customer support, and corporate communications.

Key Features

• Live streaming through integrations
• VOD hosting support
• Video monetization support through a Muvi integration
• Hippo Video is a SOC 2 Type II service provider
• A white-label video player that can be customized through API
• Users can record video and audio with a single click
• Send out guest recording links to allow non-users to create content
• Videos can be effortlessly exported to YouTube
• Videos can be protected with passwords and security links
• Real-time engagement analytics

Pros

• Editing and creation tools
• Customization options
• Marketing tools (CTAs, analytics, etc.)
• Screen recording
• Hosting tools (transcoding, closed captioning, organization)
• Collaboration tools

Cons

• Some complaints about the reliability of tech support
• The platform can be a bit buggy (such as the Chrome extension crashing)
• Does not interface with some desktop interfaces (such as Outlook 360)
• The platform can be a bit buggy
• Some issues with the built-in editor
• The free trial does not represent the platform well

Upload Guidelines and Specs

• Minimum dimension: 480p
• Maximum dimension: 1080p
• Aspect ratio: not available
• Max file size: 3 GB
• Max video length: 5 minutes on Free plans, 2 hours on Premium plans
• Total file storage: n/a
• Compatible video formats: not available

Pricing

Hippo Video has recently rolled out new pricing packages for their online video platform and the most popular ones are geared specifically towards users that are streaming for business, sales/marketing, and conversions via video. Hippo Video has a complex pricing structure since it offers a variety of solutions for different use cases.

Here’s a breakdown of pricing for the most popular categories:

Sales

• Starter: $15/month; 500 MB file size limit; 15 minute video length limit; streaming with a watermark and end card; 100GB of bandwidth
• Pro: $30/month; 2 GB file size limit; 60 minute video length limit; white-label streaming; 200GB of bandwidth
• Growth: $48/month; 3 GB file size limit; 120 minute video length limit; white-label streaming; 200GB of bandwidth
• Enterprise: $79/month; contact Hippo Video to learn more

Marketing

• Starter: $23/month; 1 GB file size limit; 30 minute video length limit; white-label streaming; 200GB of bandwidth
• Pro: $49/month; 2 GB file size limit; 60 minute video length limit; white-label streaming; 200GB of bandwidth
• Growth: $99/month; 3 GB file size limit; 120 minute video length limit; white-label streaming; 200GB of bandwidth

Support

• Starter: $10/month; 1 GB file size limit; 30 minute video length limit; white-label streaming; 200GB of bandwidth
• Pro: $29/month; 2 GB file size limit; 60 minute video length limit; white-label streaming; 200GB of bandwidth
• Growth: $49/month; 3 GB file size limit; 120 minute video length limit; white-label streaming; 200GB of bandwidth

Team Communications

• Starter: $7/month; 1 GB file size limit; 30 minute video length limit; white-label streaming; 200GB of bandwidth
• Pro: $15/month; 2 GB file size limit; 60 minute video length limit; white-label streaming; 200GB of bandwidth
• Growth: $23/month; 3 GB file size limit; 120 minute video length limit; white-label streaming; 200GB of bandwidth

Other Solutions

• Education: Free to $9/month OR $1/user
• Personalization: Starting at $109/month + fees
• Recorder API: Contact Hippo Video for a custom quote

Hippo Video also has special pricing plans for Personalization and Education. Users can contact Hippo Video directly for recorder API pricing.

Hippo Video is a great online video platform example that focuses on marketing, sales, and customer support. It is made for businesses that want to connect with their customers.

11. Wowza

Overview and Company History

Wowza were founded in 2005 as a solution to simplify video delivery, as it supports both live and on-demand streaming. This online video platform puts a great focus on all-device streaming.

Wowza offers its Wowza Streaming Engine for self-hosted video workflows in addition to the Wowza Streaming Cloud, a comprehensive streaming solution.

Wowza allows broadcasters to build highly customized streaming workflows using third-party integrations, APIs, and other advanced features.

Key Features

• Cloud transcoding
• Live streaming and VOD hosting
• White-label video player for advanced customization 
• HTML5 video player for all-device video streaming 
• API access
• Top-notch customer support

Pros

• APIs are available
• Live stream recording
• Cloud management portal
• 4K streaming
• Wide range of security options
• WSE is easy to set up
• Supported by commercial webcasting products
• Tolerant of venue origin streams

Cons

• No simulcasting tools
• Lack of video monetization and audience analytics tools
• Julien resources are hard to filter through
• Pricing is complex to understand
• Configuration of servers is not beginner-friendly

Upload Guidelines and Specs

• Minimum dimension: 240p (320 x 240)
• Maximum dimension: 4K (3840 x 2160) 
• Video aspect ratio: 16:9, 4:3
• Max file size: Not available
• Max video length: Not available
• Total file storage: 250 GB (depends on the plan)
• Compatible video formats: MP4, FLV, MP3, SMIL, AMLST, ID3, NGRP

Pricing

Wowza recently overhauled its pricing plans and added several options. These are split into 2 main tiers: Streaming Cloud and Streaming Engine.

The Wowza Streaming Cloud offers three distinct pricing plans and services. Live Event Pricing, monthly plans include:

• Basic: $99/month; includes 20 hours of live streaming and 1000 viewing hours based on video resolution of 720p
• One Month Event: $149 one-time purchase; includes 20 hours of live streaming and 1000 viewing hours also at 720p
• Plus: $499/month; includes 150 hours of live streaming and 7000 viewing hours based on video resolution of 720p
• Pay as you go: $29/month; three month minimum with additional usage fees

All of these Live Event plans include full brand control, multi-bitrate streaming, and HD and UHD streaming.

The Wowza Streaming Engine has its own pricing plans. These professional-grade streaming plans are billed annually and include:

• Basic: $175/month + $195/month for each additional instance
• One Month Event: $295/month + $295/month for each additional instance and $95/month for each additional prepaid instance
• Enterprise: Please contact Wowza directly for access to their custom-tailored high volume enterprise solutions

Wowza is a good video platform if you are not looking to monetize your video content. 

12. Muvi

Overview and Company History

If you are looking for a SaaS-based and OTT-focused online video platform, Muvi could be an option for you. This video platform is designed to help broadcasters set up a white-label OTT streaming platform with ease.

This fully-featured platform is equipped with many powerful broadcasting tools, including white-label streaming, a powerful video CMS, all device-streaming, and more.

The great part about Muvi is that it’s a straightforward platform. It doesn’t require any coding and development to produce TV-quality streams. This also makes it a relatively easy-to-navigate online video platform for new entrepreneurs or beginners to the world of streaming.

Key Features

• Customizable video player
• HTML5 video player
• Powerful video analytics
• Video monetization tools
• Secure streaming

Pros

• Professional video hostin
• Powerful CDN
• Well-equipped video CMS
• Cloud transcoding tools
• DRM and other security features
• All-device streaming
• Well-built app for streaming ease
• Opportunities for indie content production houses

Cons

• Hard to integrate with some external tools
• Does not support China delivery
• Additional fees can get expensive
• Less design and customization choices
• Communication errors occur frequently

Upload Guidelines and Specs

• Minimum dimension: 144p (256 x 144)
• Maximum dimension: 4K (3840  x2160)
• Aspect ratio: 16:9, 4:3
• Max file size: not available
• Max video length: not available
• Total file storage: 1TB, 2TB, 5TB (depending on the plan)
• Compatible video formats: MP4, MOV, MKV, FLV, VOB, M4V, AVI, 3GP, MPG

Pricing

Muvi prices its plans at the following five levels:

• Standard plan: $399/month (+ $299/month per app + infra fees), allows 2000 concurrent viewers, 1TB each of bandwidth and storage, and API access.
• Professional plan: at $1,499 per month (+ $499/month per app + infra fees) increases limits further and adds premium support.
• Enterprise plan: $3,900 per month (+ $499/month per app + infra fees) adds a dedicated server with auto-scaling.
• Ultimate plan: $8,900/month (+ $499/month per app + infra fees) doubles the bandwidth and storage of the enterprise plan and adds your own CDN and unlimited API calls.
• Black plan: This custom solution includes everything in the Ultimate plan plus premium services and project management.

When you need a high-level video platform that doesn’t require high-tech skills, Muvi is a video platform website you should check out.

13. Cincopa

Overview and Company History

Looking for a comprehensive SaaS online video platform that provides support for hosting other types of media? Cincopa could be an option for you as it allows you to add annotations, make closed captions, create CTAs and chapters, and brand your videos.

This video platform is geared towards large organizations that need to store and manage videos, photos, audio, and other types of files. In addition to media hosting, Cincopa offers support for live video streaming.

One major advantage of Cincopa is that this video platform offers plans for a wide range of budgets. These plans are equipped with powerful broadcasting features, including video monetization, live stream recording, reliable content delivery, and more.

Key Features

• Multimedia video hosting
• Live and on-demand video hosting 
• Customizable video player
• Video monetization
• Integrations 
• Video security
• OTT video streaming
• Powerful CDN partnerships

Pros

• High-quality media sharing
• Powerful streaming tools
• Professional streaming experience
• Reliable customer support 
• Choice for media/sliders input for your website
• Sliders are automatically updated
• Images and videos superbly responsive

Cons

• Not a dedicated video platform 
• Some complaints of media storage limits
• Must pay for features not used (such as image hosting)

Upload Guidelines and Specs

• Minimum dimension: 144p
• Maximum dimension: 4K
• Aspect ratio: 4:3, 16:9
• Max file size: 1, 2, 20GB (depending on the plan)
• Max video length: not available
• Total file storage: 5 videos, 40 videos, unlimited videos (depending on the plan)
• Compatible video formats: AVI, MOV, WMV, MP4, M4A, F4A,  F4B, F4V, F4P, M2TS, MTS, VOB, MKV, RMVB, M1V, QT, DIV, DIVX, DV, 3GP, 3GPP, 3G2, MPG, MPEG, MPE, FLV

Pricing

Cincopa offers three different pricing plans, including:

• Plus: $25/month; includes marketing tools (CTAs, email integrations, etc.)
• Corporate: $99/month; advanced broadcasting tools
• Agency/Enterprise: $350/month; advanced broadcasting tools with more flexibility

Please check out Cincopa’s pricing page for a further breakdown of storage and capabilities that come with each plan.

If you need something that is more than just an online video platform, and you need something to host photos, audio, and other files, Cincopa may be the right hosting platform for your business.

14. Panopto

Overview and Company History

Panopto is a video company that focusing on internal video streaming for businesses and universities. This platform is geared toward education and training, and it integrates smoothly with Learning Management Systems (LMS). Panopto is a unified streaming solution that supports live and on-demand video streaming.

In addition to LMS integration, Panopto supports a variety of education-centric streaming tools. These include mobile streaming, live stream recording, video search, quizzing, playlist organization, and more.

Key Features

• Education-focused streaming tools
• Video analytics
• Privacy features for secure streaming
• White-label video player
• LMS integrations
• API access for further customization

Pros

• Audio and video hosting
• Video organization tools
• Asset categorization
• Customizable video player
• Video delivery to China
• Easy to record and edit videos
• Support protocols are constantly being improved
• Responsive tech team
• Runs smoothly as a web recording tool and software application

Cons

• Minimal SEO management
• No version control
• End users may experience some glitches in software application
• Navigation for the video platform is initially difficult
• No option to video call and record at the same time

Upload Guidelines and Specs

• Compatible video formats: AVI, MP4, MPG, WMV, MOV, QT, ASF, 3GP, WMA, MP3, M4V
• All other upload guidelines and specs are only available to paying customers. 

Pricing

Panopto offers three different pricing packages, including:

• Basic: Free
• Pro: $14.99/month
• Enterprise: Please contact Panopto for custom pricing.

After establishing a contract, you have access to unlimited streaming and storage. 

If you are focused on finding an internal video platform, Panopto is a good option to consider.

15. StreamShark

Overview and Company History

StreamShark is an Australia-based online video platform that is a product of MetaCDN. This innovative streaming video platform offers reliable content delivery in addition to some unique streaming features.

One notable feature of StreamShark is that it is capable of hosting streams for large-scale, high-profile events. The platform is equipped for managing different aspects of live streaming events from one, cohesive interface. It provides an excellent experience for broadcasters and viewers, alike.  

Key Features

• Access to a multi-CDN network
• Mobile streaming
• Customizable video player
• Secure streaming
• Tech support
• 360 live streaming
• Peer-to-peer streaming
• Excellent live-support model
• Supports multistreaming
• Customisable channel

Pros

• Video encoding tools 
• Localized media ingestion
• Reliable content delivery
• Great storage capacity

Cons

• No playlists support
• Minimal video analytics
• Does not support China video delivery
• Accessibility lacking in in-house closed captions
• Little customisation in the front-end experience
• Confusing homepages for channels

Upload Guidelines and Specs

• Minimum dimension: 240p (426 x 240)
• Maximum dimension: 1080p (1920 x 1080)
• Aspect ratio: 16:9, 4:3
• Max file size: not available
• Max video length: not available
• Total file storage: 500GB, 1TB, 3TB
• Compatible video formats: HLS, WebM VP9, WebM VP8, WebM VP9 DASH, MP4

Pricing

Stream shark offers several different monthly streaming plans, including:

• Standard: $199/month; includes 1,000 GB of bandwidth; overage charges of $0.10/GB
• Team: $499/month; includes 4,000 GB of bandwidth; overage charges of $0.09/GB
• Business: $999/month; includes 9,000 GB of bandwidth; overage charges of $0.08/GB
• Enterprise: Please contact StreamShark for their custom enterprise solutions and plans

If your business focuses on large-scale, high-profile events with multiple camera inputs and audio inputs, then StreamShark may be one of the best video platforms for you.

Top 6 Social Video Platforms

Although professional OVPs are the best option for businesses using online video, there is value in using social online video platforms. The best social media video platforms grant easy-to-use beginner-friendly tools. Due to these video platforms being used by a large database of consumers, your content will reach a more diverse audience, and monetization is simpler.

Many businesses post snippets of their videos on their social media accounts with calls to action urging users to visit their website to see the full video, purchase their products, sign up for their email lists, or whatever their intended conversion may be.

Social video platforms can be a great way to direct viewers back to your more controlled video content that is on your own website via a video platform. 

Again, these platforms are not total substitutes for professional online video platforms, but they can definitely come in handy. Social video platforms work best when used to drive traffic to your own website and video content. 

Here are six social video platforms that could be useful for your business.

16. Twitch

Overview and Company History

Twitch.tv is a very popular application in the world of video gaming. Streamers set up channels where viewers and supporters can follow them. Twitch allows their streamers to have more direct media engagement with their audience.

This site is pretty niche, but it is a great streaming platform if you try to reach an audience in the gaming, fantasy, or tech industry.

Key Features

• Tools for tipping
• Primarily used to stream video games
• Live chat for viewer engagement

Pros

• Mobile broadcasting
• Compatible with both iOS and Android devices
• Allows easy generation of a healthy income

Cons

• Mostly geared towards consumers
• No advanced video streaming tools
• Moderation tools are severely lacking
• Twitch takes a considerable chunk of generated revenue

Upload Guidelines and Specs

• Minimum dimension: 720p (1280 x 720)
• Maximum dimension: 1080p (1920 x 1080)
• Video aspect ratio: 16:9, 4:3
• Max file size: Not available
• Max video length: 48 hours
• Total file storage: Not available

Pricing

Twitch does not charge content providers to use their video platform, but they allow them to make money off of their users. This program is called Twitch Subscriptions, and it includes three tiers:

• Tier 1 subscription – $4.99/month
• Tier 2 subscription – $9.99/month
• Tier 3 subscription – $24.99/month

Best Use Case

Twitch is an online video platform that is best suited for consumer use, which is primarily meant for Esport streaming. It allows you to connect with an Esports audience but doesn’t allow for extensive customization as a video platform. 

17. YouTube

Overview and Company History

YouTube is probably the most popular video streaming platform on the market. It was one of the first video platforms to make online video streaming popular.

This Google-owned website is one of the best options for consumer-grade broadcasting, but many businesses use it as a means to dip their toes in the world of video broadcasting. It’s also adequate for beginners as the interface is easy to learn and resources are available on YouTube to help understand YouTube as a streaming video platform.

As we mentioned, YouTube is not ideal for business hosting since the platform has limits on monetization and it does not give users full ownership of their content.

The biggest perk of using Youtube vs alternatives? It is completely free to use and is pretty easy to navigate.

Key Features

• Ad-based monetization is limited to users with large followings and watch times
• No notable security features
• Popular among consumers
• Powered by Google
• Easy to share videos
• Videos can be embedded in other websites
• No white-label capabilities

Pros

• Free to use
• Viewers are familiar with the site
• User-friendly 
• Easy to embed the player on your website
• Live and VOD hosting

Cons

• No white-labeling
• Only ad-based monetization (with limitations)
• Limitations on broadcasters’ ownership of content
• Off-brand third party ads and logos

Upload Guidelines and Specs

• Minimum dimension: 240p (426 x 240)
• Maximum dimension: 4K (3840 x 2160)
• Video aspect ratio: 16:9 (adds padding to videos with other aspect ratios)
• Max file size: 128 GB
• Max video length: 12 hours
• Total file storage: No storage limit
• Compatible video formats: MP4, MOV, MPEG4, FLV, AVI, Web M, WMV, MPEG-PS, 3GPP

Pricing

YouTube is free to use but has monthly subscription plans to avoid streaming ads.

Best Use Case

YouTube is ideal for small or new businesses that want to embed videos on their website but don’t have the resources to afford a professional streaming solution. However, monetization is limited, and revenue is lesser than a professional OVP, which means YouTube may disadvantage any income you’re trying to gain from ad revenue.

 

18. LinkedIn Live

Overview and Company History

LinkedIn is a well-known social media platform designed for networking among professionals. The platform recently rolled out LinkedIn Live, an exclusive offer designed to help brands connect with professionals through live-streamed content.

To stream on LinkedIn Live, broadcasters need the support of a self-hosted streaming setup or a third-party streaming platform (like Dacast and the other OVPs we’ve discussed).

LinkedIn Live is a great video platform for broadcasters trying to reach a very niche audience that includes professionals. 

Key Features

• Social media streaming app
• Highly exclusive features
• Only accessible on an application basis
• Integrates with LinkedIn Events 

Pros

• Free to use
• Designed to reach a niche audience (i.e. professionals)
• Builds brand awareness
• Encourages engagement 

Cons

• Access is limited on an application basis
• Requires support from additional streaming technology
• Highly regulated 
• Reach is limited to professionals

Upload Guidelines and Specs

Video guidelines and specs on LinkedIn Live depend on the third-party software that you choose.

Pricing

LinkedIn Live is free to use as long as LinkedIn accepts your application.

Best Use Case

LinkedIn live best suits brands that want to connect with their professional network. You need third-party software in order to use it. 

19. TikTok

Overview and Company History

Originally launched as a China-only video hosting platform in 2016, TikTok merged with Music.ly in 2018 and found great success worldwide. The app became particularly popular at the beginning of 2020 when users in their teens and early 20s created a variety of dances and other trendy videos that are meant for other users to replicate.

This app is still growing in popularity, so creators have remarked that the algorithm is still much more user-friendly than other social media video platforms. That means there’s room for new users to grow.

TikTok is primarily a social media platform that just happens to be based on video sharing. Still, when used strategically, businesses can use it to lead viewers to their websites for their intended conversion.

Key Features

• Highly controlled live streaming tools
• 15-60 second video sharing
• “Dueting” tool which allows users to use parts of existing videos for their own
• “For You Page” that generates content based on viewers’ interests
• Very young users

Pros

• Free to use
• User-friendly algorithm (suitable for quick growth)
• Easy to go viral
• Brings viewers content that matches their interests based on how they use the app

Cons

• No monetization options
• Time limits on live videos
• Cannot remove TikToks branding

Upload Guidelines and Specs

• Minimum dimension: 1080 x 1920
• Maximum dimension: 1080 x 1920
• Video aspect ratio: 9:16
• Max file size: 287.6 MB  on iOS and 72 MB on Android
• Max video length: 60 seconds
• Total file storage: No storage limit
• Compatible video formats: MP4, MOV

Pricing

TikTok is free to use.

Best Use Case

TikTok is best suited for businesses targeting a Generation Z audience. It is focused on short content that is under a minute in length. That makes it an adequate video platform for small businesses with products that appeal to a rather impressionable audience. However, TikTok won’t be very fruitful for professionals working in tech.

20. Instagram

Overview and Company History

Although Instagram started as a photo-only platform, the app now includes Story, IGTV, and Reel features suitable for sharing videos.

The Reel feature is particularly helpful as it emulates TikTok’s model for focusing on virality and quick growth via rapid shares. Another benefit of Instagram over TikTok is that its audience and user base comprises people of all ages.

Since this video platform includes tools to help businesses with marketing, many businesses upload small shareable clips with CTAs leading users to their websites with products or longer videos.

Key Features

• Photo and video posts on the feed
• Reels
  
• Stories (photos and videos that are available for 24 hours unless saved to a Highlight)
• Easy video sharing
• Serves as a search engine due to hashtags

Pros

• Free to use
• Very popular among users of all ages
• Sharing content is easy
• Posting takes only a couple of seconds
• Special tools designed for businesses

Cons

• No monetization features
• Limited privacy

Upload Guidelines and Specs

• Minimum dimension: 864 x 1080 (recommended)
• Maximum dimension: 864 x 1080 (recommended)
• Video aspect ratio: 9:16, 4:5
• Max file size: 15 MB
• Max video length: Depends on which feature you use
• Total file storage: Unlimited
• Compatible video formats: MP4

Pricing

Instagram is free to use.

Best Use Case

Instagram is particularly useful for B2C businesses, but there are B2B businesses that find success on this platform. It is a great way to drive traffic to your website’s video content. However, it’s important to remember that monetisation is little to none for bigger accounts and platforms.

21. Dailymotion

Overview and Company History

Dailymotion is a consumer-grade online video platform considered the French equivalent of YouTube. The main difference between Dailymotion and YouTube is that Dailymotion has minimal content restrictions whereas YouTube is quite strict on what users can and cannot post.

Dailymotion is also the main video platform in those territories where YouTube was or is banned. Since it’s widely available in areas that YouTube hasn’t yet monopolized, Dailymotion can actually reach a much more diverse audience.

The growing popularity of Dailymotion and the greater freedom of expression makes this OVP a great choice for many broadcasters.

Key Features

• Basic video sharing platform
• Based in France
• Small creator’s fund
• Copyright protection tools
• Minimal content limitations

Pros

• Security tools for avoiding piracy and copyright violations
• Minimal content restrictions
• Becoming more and more popular

Cons

• Less popular than YouTube
• Very minimal monetization options
• Limited analytics

Upload Guidelines and Specs

• Minimum dimension: 240p (426 x 240)
• Maximum dimension: 4K (3840 x 2160)
• Video aspect ratio: 16:9 (adds padding to videos with other aspect ratios)
• Max file size: 128GB
• Max video length: 12 hours
• Total file storage: Unlimited
• Compatible video formats: MOV, MPEG4, MP4, AVI, WMV,  MPEG-PS, FLV, 3GPP, WebM

Pricing

Dailymotion is free to use.

Best Use Case

Dailymotion is a viable option for businesses on a lower budget that cannot afford a professional video hosting solution.

Conclusion

The streaming service market is full of many great video platform options. Choosing the right platform can be overwhelming, but we encourage you to take a step back, analyze your goals and priorities, and choose an online video platform that meets your every need. The best online video platform for you is out there. 

We also encourage you to test platforms with their free trials to make sure you find the one that is your perfect fit. Our list emphasizes all those live streaming software that offer free trials so you can test out different software to find a good match for your business objectives.

Whether you want to stream live video occasionally, host regular business-related broadcasts, or anything in between, Dacast is here to help. We hope this post has helped you narrow down your OVP options. And when comparing OVPs, we highly recommend taking advantage of trial pricing when possible.

Meanwhile, if you haven’t already, you can try out the Dacast online video platform free for 14-days (no credit card required). Just click the button below to sign up and start streaming live today!

Get Started For Free

In addition, we invite you to join our LinkedIn group for regular live streaming tips and exclusive offers.

Thanks for reading this online video platform comparison. Let us know your feedback and questions in the chat section below about what you think of our online video platform examples list. We love to hear from our readers, and we will get back to you.