Best Video Hosting Sites for 2024

After you’ve put in the work to film and edit your videos, one question remains: Where, oh where, are you going to store them all??

Enter video hosting sites. These platforms will help keep your videos safe, secure, accessible, and make it easy to share your content in the ways you need to. 

We know — there are hundreds of options out there to choose from. That’s why we wrote this handy guide to help you. Check out our list of the best video hosting sites, so you can make an informed decision and pick the right one for your needs.  

Why do I need a video hosting site? 

Still not sure why you need a video hosting site? Simply put — videos can slow down your website, and video hosting sites are the solution to this problem. 

Unlike photos, videos take up a lot of space and bandwidth if you upload them directly to your website. Even with a dedicated server, it can add a huge load with a small amount of traffic. The results you’ll be left with? Playback errors, compatibility problems, and quality issues. If that wasn’t enough, hosting videos on your website can decrease the page speed, which can lead to higher bounce rates and lower search engine ranking. 

When you spend a lot of time, effort, and money on videos for your website, you want them to be watched in their full glory. This is where video hosting sites enter the picture and save the day.

Not only do these platforms allow you to embed a link to a video hosted on their server, making sure your website isn’t bogged down by videos, they also help you manage your videos. They help create an optimal viewing experience for your viewers, and can even offer some additional tools like monetization options and analytics solutions. 

What to consider when choosing a video hosting platform 

Sure, you can just look at our list of hosting sites and choose from there. Our picks (like the title says) are the best, but keep in mind: they all offer something a little different. Based on your needs, one will likely be better for you than the others. So, here are some things you might want to consider before taking your pick. 

Cost 

Be mindful of your budget. There are options out there for everyone, from free to paid plans. Just be aware that with free plans, you might need to sacrifice some control over your content. 

Upload limits 

You’ll want to know if there are any upload restrictions before signing up for a hosting site. It’s not going to be fun if you hit a limit you didn’t know existed. Some video hosting platforms limit both the number and the length of the videos you can upload and share. 

Video storage 

Video cloud storage can offer great peace of mind. But make sure you double-check if there are limitations to storage. Some platforms will provide unlimited video storage but with a caveat like caps on video length.  

Platform reach 

If you live stream to grow an audience, you want to ensure your videos are reaching your audience where they are. In this case, confirm that you’ll be able to easily share videos to the social media channels of your choice. 

Customization 

Free video hosting is great because … well, free. But free also means you might miss out on features paid sites offer, like customization. Having access to a customizable video player means you can modify the colors, overlay, and even player logo to reflect your own. This can be a big plus in making it easier for your viewers to identify and relate to your brand. 

Monetization 

Who doesn’t like making more money? If you want to monetize your content, consider choosing a platform that allows you to do so. Whether you’re looking to set up subscriptions, gated content, or advertisements, these can help you achieve your goal of earning from your passion for video. 

The best video hosting sites 

On to what you’ve been waiting for — our picks for the best video hosting sites. Without further ado, here are platforms we think should be your top contenders for video hosting (in no particular order). 

Switcher 

Yes, surprise, we offer video hosting! And not to toot our own horn, but toot toot we’re pretty great. 

At Switcher, we offer solutions for every step of your video workflow. So, yes, we help you host videos, but we also help you share, create, and monetize content, too. But since we’re just focusing on hosting right now, here’s what you can expect from us. 

With our customizable HTML5 video player, you can brand it, place it on any webpage, and stream or upload content. Want more than one video on a webpage? Display a curated collection in a social media style grid, scrollable gallery, or whole embeddable video catalog (think a mini Netflix you embed once, but can update or customize as many times as you want) — all without ads or competition. 

We also allow you to upload, share, and store up to 100 videos in your video library with no limits on length, so they can be as long or short as you want. And analytics are built right into your video library, making it easy to improve your content. 

We know, we sound so great, but we do have a potential downside. We only have paid plans, and our business plan is $99 a month for everything. We come with a ton of features, but if you are only looking to host videos and that’s it, we likely aren’t for you (no hard feelings). 

YouTube 

Source: YouTube

There’s really no need to introduce YouTube — after all, it’s the biggest video-sharing website in the world. And if you’re looking for a free video host option, it’s a great pick. 

You can upload an unlimited number of videos to your channel, which you can then generate links to share or embed on your website. All accounts can upload videos up to 15 minutes long, but once you verify your channel, you upload videos up to 12 hours long or 256 GB in size (whichever is less). 

If you’re looking for a platform with a built-in user base, you’re in the right place. YouTube has millions of users already interested in video content, so growing your audience can be possible if you optimize your videos for search. Built-in analytics can help you track engagement and reach on the platform. And YouTube also offers creators the opportunity to earn money from their content through ads, channel memberships, and YouTube Premium views. 

Be aware, there are limits in terms of customization and control. You won’t have a say in which companies get associated with your brand, so a competitor could advertise on your video. YouTube videos embedded on your website can also still play ads and recommend videos that have nothing to do with your content. And the video player can’t be customized to fit your brand, so the look and feel of your viewers’ experience will be out of your hands. 

Vimeo 

Source: Vimeo

For artists, brands, and creative professionals, Vimeo is worth a look into. While similar to YouTube in the way you can post videos and follow your favorite creators, this platform caters to people a little more serious about video. 

Vimeo provides high-quality hosting services without forcing ads or recommendations — yep, even the free version is free from ads. You can also enjoy creating, editing, and managing tools on the site, though they will be pretty limited on the free plan. If you pay for a plan (which starts at $12 a month billed annually), you can access other benefits like player customization, video streaming, unlimited bandwidth, analytics, etc. 

Onto the drawbacks of this platform. First, you should know there are strict quality standards, which can limit the content being hosted on the site. Another drawback is fewer users. For creators who are looking to grow viewers and increase traffic to their websites, don’t expect results like you would from YouTube. 

Jetpack 

Source: Jetpack

Jetpack is ideal for WordPress users looking to host and embed videos right on their website. 

This is a WordPress plugin that does just about everything — it offers security, performance, and marketing tools. And, of course, hosting through Jetpack VideoPress. You can either get it by itself for $9.95 a month or get it with the Complete Plan which offers their full suite of tools for $49.95 a month. 

The Jetpack video player comes unbranded, customizable, and free from ads. You also get one terabyte of storage with a paid plan. What’s lacking is the advanced features that other paid sites offer. For example, you’ll miss out on CTAs, integrations, and detailed analytics. 

Wistia

Source: Wistia

If you want your video hosting platform to support your digital marketing efforts and sales process, this could be your perfect match. 

Wistia offers easy embedding, a customizable player, and a free-from-ads experience. But what sets it apart from other platforms is its impressive analytics tools. With viewer heatmaps, engagement graphs, and viewer-based tracking, you can turn your videos into a marketing machine. Another unique feature includes creating lookalike audiences for Facebook and Instagram ads with the viewer data collected from videos hosted on your site.

The cool features do come with a caveat — higher pricing. While you can get a free plan, you’ll run into limited tools and media limits. To access the tools mentioned above, you’ll need to start with the Pro Plan which costs $99 a month.

So … Which one is the best video hosting site? 

If you skipped all the way down here to see which video hosting site is the best of the best so you can choose it and be on your way — I respect that. But you should know there’s no “right”  answer. 

That’s because choosing the best video hosting site comes down to which platform meets all your needs while remaining within your budget. So consider all your options before taking your pick. And if your pick happens to be Switcher … we may know some people who’d love to help you get started. 

Try Switcher free for 14 days and see just how easy video hosting (and sharing, monetizing, creating…) can be.