Up to 300 hours’ worth of video is uploaded to YouTube every minute, and almost 5 billion videos get watched each day. It’s easy to get started on YouTube, but it can be hard to stand out.
Despite its popularity, many are moving away from YouTube due to claims of censorship and unfair promotional practices. This article will show you the 6 best alternatives to YouTube for uploading and watching videos.
Vimeo
Vimeo is the video host of choice for creatives, professionals, and those looking for a high-quality, free service for hosting videos. Much like YouTube, the Vimeo player can embed into websites, and its sleek, easy to use interface is preferred by many.
You’ll find a wealth of free content to watch, including featured short films from around the world. The Vimeo on-demand service allows you to directly buy films, documentaries, and comedy specials from the creators.
Alongside following the creators you love, you can mark videos for later, which automatically creates a showcase, the Vimeo equivalent of a YouTube playlist.
Dailymotion
French hosting site Dailymotion is one of the oldest video hosting services on the internet and a clear alternative to YouTube. In the early days of YouTube, it was the main competitor. While the years haven’t been favorable to Dailymotion, it’s still a popular choice for videos of all kinds.
Those looking to keep up with the news will find it a great resource, with front-page links to major news stories from your region, and tabs for entertainment and music news. There are also some familiar faces, like popular fantasy blacksmithing channel Men At Arms, creating everything from the Hammer of Thor to diamond swords from Minecraft.
Twitch
Live-streaming on Twitch has exploded in popularity in recent years, and the site is among the most popular places for young people to watch online. While Twitch is set up primarily for broadcasting live, they also feature videos on demand. These vary from recordings of past streams to completely fresh content uploaded by Twitch users as an alternative to YouTube.
Twitch gives viewers the ability to interact with streamers in real-time via text chat or directly support the stream via subscriptions and donations. These features aren’t unique to Twitch, and there are many alternatives for streaming online.
Veoh
Since 2007, Veoh has been hosting content uploaded by creators and a variety of films and television shows. If you are a fan of older movies and cartoons, Veoh has a huge selection and an intuitive search system for those hard-to-find classics.
Veoh differs from other hosting platforms by using legal peer-to-peer video streaming along with traditional online media servers. However, to use the service to its full potential, you’ll need to install the Veoh browser extension, which may be off putting to some.
Metacafe
Metacafe is one of the oldest video sites online. Long before YouTube was gaining popularity, Metacafe is where you would go for funny, interesting, or downright bizarre short clips. Popular how-to channel KipKay began his career on Metacafe, becoming the largest creator on the site.
At its peak, Metacafe was one of the best places to earn money from videos, a policy which they’ve unfortunately changed in recent years. Those still loyal to Metacafe point out that a lack of financial incentive means a much wider style of content is uploaded to the site, reminiscent of the early days of online video creation.
DTube
If you are looking for something completely different, DTube might interest you. Rather than using their own servers, DTube is a decentralized blockchain-based video site. Using the Steemit social network as a backbone, DTube aims to directly reward content creators using STEEM – a decentralized currency similar to bitcoin.
DTube is a relatively new site, but its user base is growing. To many, a decentralized and censorship-free video service is exactly the alternative to YouTube they need. To those already fully invested in blockchain currencies, DTube would seem like an obvious way to share content about cryptocurrency while earning it.
The Future Of Video
There are many factors to consider when choosing an online platform as an alternative to YouTube. While YouTube is the biggest hosting site, you need to find a service that works best for you.
With so many options available for dropping cable television, people’s viewing habits are changing. More content by small creators is being watched than ever, and whether you are a creator or a viewer, YouTube and its alternatives are the future of video.