Type in "best video hosting services for business" on Google and you will get about 50 million results, as well as several paid advertisements. How do you choose the best video hosting platform for your needs?
There is no single answer. The best video hosting platform varies from company to company, depending on factors such as:
- How often do you upload.
- How do you plan to use the video.
- The viewing experience you want to offer your audience.
- The analytics you need.
- The funds you can spend.
Did you know that 53% of companies use live streaming for internal purposes each week?
More than that, businesses are using video content as part of their marketing campaigns as over 80% of consumers say they are more interested in watching a live video from a brand than reading an article or social media post.
If you're looking to integrate video into your marketing and sales strategies or day-to-day business operations, you'll need to choose a professional video hosting platform to store and manage your content.
But the problem for your server is that video content is much heavier than textual content and puts a heavy load on your website servers.
This is why video hosting platforms are part of a modern content marketing strategy. You need to be able to upload and share high-quality videos with your audience without server lag or website downtime.
In this article, we'll outline the best video hosting services for business and help you find the right solution for your needs.
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What Are Video Hosting Services For Business?
Video hosting services for business or professional video hosting platforms allow businesses to store their video files in the cloud, easily organize that content, and share the videos seamlessly across the Internet. Many enterprise video platforms are capable of hosting both live streams and video on demand (VOD) content. That said, many online video platforms go well beyond basic streaming capabilities.
In general, you can expect private video hosting solutions to include content management tools, in addition to specialized tools for sales, marketing, lead generation, and internal training. Some video hosting platforms have special features designed to offer streaming as a service, which is handy if your goal is to create a platform like Netflix or Hulu.
Key Features of Business Video Hosting
When it comes to choosing streaming video hosting for businesses, there is no one-size-fits-all solution. Every broadcaster has unique streaming needs. With that in mind, here are some of the top features that are useful for business video hosting.
Video security and privacy features
It's very important that your video content doesn't fall into the wrong hands, especially when sharing internal meetings or training videos. The security of your company's video content is even more important as it will house your viewers' sensitive information if you monetize your video content.
There are several video security tools available from professional video hosting companies. Here are some of them:
- Secure video upload tools
- Password protected live streaming
- IP and geographic restrictions
- Domain and referrer restrictions
- AES encryption
- Token-based security
Depending on your company's broadcast goals, you'll want to stay close to the fine line between privacy and security.
Monetization tools
Creating an OTT streaming service? Monetization tools are a must. There are three types of video monetization: subscription (SVOD), pay-per-view (TVOD), and advertising (AVOD).
If you are using the subscription or pay-per-view model, you need to make sure that the platform you have chosen includes a secure paywall or can be integrated with one.
Sales and marketing tools
Many businesses use video for sales and marketing. Fortunately, some video hosting platforms have special solutions for these functions, and they have built-in video marketing tools. This can include lead generation, CTA placement, etc.
Advanced video analytics tools are also valuable for maximizing ROI because they help you identify what is and isn't working for your audience. This information allows you to modify your marketing strategy if necessary.
Encoding and transcoding tools
Transcoding and encoding are two major processes that make video streaming possible. Video encoding is usually handled by an external device or encoding software, but transcoding can be done within your chosen platform.
We recommend looking for an enterprise video management platform that has cloud-based video streaming and transcoding for VOD content.
Automatic recording and archiving of live streams
If you are broadcasting live training sessions, internal events, webinars, or conferences, the ability to automatically record your stream using professional live streaming software and download it as a VOD file is invaluable.
It doesn't matter if your viewers are paying customers or members of your team, it is important that they have access to the stream even after it is over.
HTML5 video player
Make sure the video hosting platform you choose uses an HTML5 video player, as it is virtually universal in terms of compatibility.
The HTML5 video player is preferred by broadcasters for several reasons. First of all, it is the most accessible player since it works on any type of device. That means it can be accessed from smartphones, tablets, laptops, computers, smart TVs, and more. With no device restrictions, your audience has no limits.
HTML5 video players are also very easy to customize, so you can always configure them to reflect your company's brand. This only amplifies the professionalism of your video's appearance.
Many business video hosting platforms come with integration tools, so you can easily integrate your HTML5 video player into your website with just a few clicks.
Access to APIs
Video and player APIs are invaluable because they give you the ability to customize your enterprise video hosting experience. A video streaming API lets you integrate tools and customizations into the video hosting platform itself, while a player API helps you make stylistic and functional changes to your video player.
Is It Better To Host My Own Videos or To Use Video Hosting Sites?
Even if you have a dedicated server or virtual machine, video can put a significant load on your server, even with low traffic.
A regular web page with images should not be more than a few megabytes, while a single 720p video is typically more than 100 megabytes.
So ten visitors watching one minute of HD video requires one gigabyte of bandwidth. You could get a thousand or more visitors to a page with text and images for the same bandwidth.
Since web hosting plans often impose a bandwidth restriction, a single video can be enough to exceed your limits in a few days. That's why it's usually best to use a third-party video platform.
That's why it can be difficult to choose a business video streaming and hosting platform. So we've compiled a list of the best business video hosting platforms on the market for your streaming needs:
Free Video Hosting Platforms
Many of you are probably looking for the answer to the following question:
Where can I host my videos for free?
Below, we take a detailed look at the pros and cons of YouTube and other free video hosting solutions.
1. YouTube
YouTube is by far the largest video sharing site on the Internet. With 1.9 billion active logged-in users on the site each month, nothing comes close.
But that doesn't mean it's the best option for hosting your videos online.
For a content creator, it's hard to go wrong taking advantage of the opportunity to tap into YouTube's vast inherent audience through recommendations and searches (here's how to create a YouTube channel and how to improve your SEO on YouTube).
There are no limits on data storage or bandwidth, and you can upload single videos up to 128 gigabytes. You can also earn a percentage of the advertising revenue generated by your videos.
But if you're a business, the situation is different, with a tired, branded iframe player as your only choice for embedding a video on your website.
YouTube videos can be an essential part of your content marketing strategy, but it's not the best choice for hosting course videos or testimonials.
Let's dive into the details of their video guidelines and other pros and cons.
Guidelines for uploading videos and YouTube specifications
Minimum size: 240p (426 x 240).
Maximum size: 4K (3840 x 2160).
Aspect ratio: 16:9 (automatically adds a black frame for 4:3 videos).
Maximum file size: 128 GB.
Maximum video length: 12 hours.
Total file storage: Unlimited.
Video formats supported: .MOV, .MPEG4, MP4, .AVI, .WMV, .MPEGPS, .FLV, 3GPP and WebM.
Pros
- Free, unlimited cloud storage for your video files
- Audience expansion opportunities with 1.9 billion users through YouTube search, recommendations, and subscriptions.
- Private and Unlisted options allow videos to be removed from the public.
- Ability to easily embed videos using custom generated iframe codes.
- The most important advantage of YouTube is that it is the most proven place to build an online audience with examples of over 100,000,000 subscribers.
Unlimited cloud storage and the ability to upload single 128GB video files up to 12 hours in length are other great benefits. All for free.
Cons
- Basic integration options.
- Ads are played automatically, even on commercial content built-in on your website.
- Recommended videos appear at the end of each video (in the past, you could add ?rel=0 at the end of the video URL to prevent this from happening, but things have changed, and that no longer works).
- No option to download without a third-party service.
- Potential copyright issues if fair use rules are followed.
When it comes to using YouTube as a video hosting platform, the most obvious drawback for a business looking to host professional videos for integration is advertising.
In the past, you could disable ads entirely, but now the only option is to disable ads on individual videos only. And that can be time-consuming if you already have a lot of videos posted on the site.
And while this may not be an obstacle for some businesses, the ability to display competitors' videos as recommendations at the end is still there.
Suitable for:
- Content creators who want to build an audience on a social platform.
- Businesses that want to use video to drive traffic to their website and reach new audiences through video.
2. Dailymotion
Dailymotion is perhaps the most apparent competitor to YouTube in this list, as it claims to be another video sharing platform. It claims more than 300 million unique users, and Dailymotion's top user, T-Series, has nearly 100,000 followers.
To put things in perspective, the T-Series channel has over 120 million subscribers on YouTube.
Dailymotion video upload guidelines and specifications
- Minimum size: 240p (426 x 240).
- Maximum size: 4K (3840 x 2160).
- Aspect ratio: 16:9 (automatically adds a black frame for 4:3 videos).
- Maximum file size: 2 GB.
- Maximum video length: 1 hour.
- Total file storage: Unlimited.
- Supported video formats: .MOV, .MPEG4, MP4, .AVI, .WMV, .FLV, .MKV, 3GPP, etc.
Pros
- Free and unlimited video hosting.
- Ability to make videos private and even password protected.
- Some audience building possibilities with less competition.
Compared to YouTube, the potential benefit of using Dailymotion to host videos is quite small.
There is less competition, so you may have an easier time building an audience from scratch, but the growth potential is much lower.
Cons
- The total audience is smaller than on YouTube.
- Smaller maximum file size.
- Impossible to upload your videos without a third-party service.
- Advertisements are played automatically before, during, and after videos.
Like YouTube, Dailymotion relies on ads. The main difference is that ads are played regardless of the size of the file the user is watching.
And you won't be able to change these settings unless you have a partner account. Download limits are also lower and there are similar issues with embedding videos on your website.
Suitable for:
-Content creators looking for a secondary distribution channel.
3. Vimeo
Unlike Dailymotion and YouTube, which are social video sharing platforms, Vimeo is a video hosting/collaboration suite aimed at professionals.
Although Vimeo has a section for watching videos, selected by humans and not by algorithms, there is a specific audience. Vimeo is the platform of choice for creative professionals, so only certain types of videos tend to do well:
- Original short films.
- Original animations.
- Independent music videos.
- Outdoor or nature extreme sports videos.
If your videos don't fall into these categories, you'll probably have a hard time attracting an audience on Vimeo.
Guidelines and specifications for uploading videos
- Minimum size: 240p (426 x 240).
- Maximum size: 8K (8192 × 4320).
- Aspect ratio: 16:9 (automatically adds a black frame for 4:3 videos).
- Maximum file size: 500 MB for free users (up to 256 GB for professional users).
- Maximum video length: limited by file size.
- Total file storage: 500 MB/week for free users (20 GB/week for business users).
- Supported video formats: .MOV, .MPEG4, MP4, .AVI, .WMV, .FLV, .MKV, 3GPP, etc.
Pros
- No advertising.
- Discreet, customizable video overlays.
- Create professional videos for social media with Vimeo Create.
- Advertise your creative services on the platform.
- Video upload capabilities.
- Pro plans start at only $7 per month.
Vimeo is designed for professional use. No ads and the ability to customize built-in videos make it the perfect choice for website owners who want to include a video on their landing page.
The built-in video player is sleek, fast and does not include ads or forced recommendations. You can choose a response or fixed size, and enable automatic or looped playback.
Paid users can even further customize their integration settings.
Vimeo is the best free option for webmasters who want to embed professional videos on their sites.
Cons
- Low upload limits with free accounts.
- Limited audience.
The main drawback of Vimeo is the low upload limit on its free account and its relatively small audience.
Unless you're a creative making cinematic masterpieces, you'll have a hard time getting noticed on this platform.
Suitable for:
Creative professionals who want to share their work with an engaged audience and market their services.
4. Facebook
Facebook is the only platform that can compare to YouTube in terms of audience. In fact, with 2.45 billion monthly active users, its audience is larger.
But Facebook is primarily a social media and messaging platform, not a video sharing platform.
Guidelines and specifications for uploading videos
- 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)
- Maximum file size: 4GB.
- Maximum video length: 2 hours.
- Total file storage: Unlimited.
- Supported video formats: .MOV, .MPEG4, MP4, .AVI, .WMV, .FLV, .MKV, 3GPP, etc.
Pros
- Free and unlimited video hosting.
- Share your videos directly on Facebook.
- Build an audience on the largest social media platform.
The addition of videos to the timeline and Facebook Watch has made Facebook one of the largest video distributors on the Internet.
Billions of videos are watched every week and successful creators have their videos shared directly on Facebook.
Smaller Facebook video creators seem to have a better chance of making videos go viral and building an audience from scratch in 2019.
Cons
- Ads are automatically served on all videos.
- Very basic built-in player options.
- Lower video quality cap than other options.
Built-in player options for Facebook are minimal. It is only available in static, with no auto-play or looping.
Its video quality is also lower than other solutions and it can automatically play ads before, during, and after videos.
Suitable for:
- Content creators looking to build an audience from scratch.
- Marketers looking to build brand awareness and initial audiences for lookalike campaigns.
Premium Video Hosting Platforms
Below we present the best premium video hosting services for business. From no-frills, unbranded premium video hosting platforms to data-driven marketing-oriented solutions for businesses.
1. WordPress Video Hosting: Jetpack
Even if you have a WordPress website with the Jetpack plugin installed, you may not know that it offers video hosting as part of its Premium and Professional packages.
Unlimited video hosting is included in the Jetpack premium plan for $19.95/month (with a flexible limit of 2 TB of storage).
Video upload guidelines and specifications
- Maximum file size: 2GB (we recommend 1GB or less).
- Maximum video length: limited by size.
- Total file storage: Unlimited.
- Accepted video formats: .MOV, .MPEG4, MP4, .AVI, .WMV, .FLV, .MKV, 3GPP, etc.
Pros
- Customizable, unbranded built-in video player.
- Unlimited video hosting.
- Video statistics in your WordPress dashboard.
You can seamlessly integrate videos into your WordPress posts and pages with Jetpack video blocks.
It offers advanced options like auto-play, mute, and loop. You can even hide all playback controls.
Cons
- Lacks the advanced features of other high-end video hosting services.
- No established audience to tap into.
The downside of Jetpack is that it doesn't offer the advanced features of other premium options. Analytics are relatively basic and you can't include CTAs, collect leads or edit the video.
Unlike YouTube or Facebook, this is not a free option, nor does it offer a built-in audience to make up for the drawbacks.
Suitable for:
WordPress site owners who already have a premium subscription to Jetpack.
2. Wistia
Wistia is more of a digital marketing solution than a video hosting site. Sure, you can use it to upload your videos and embed them on your website, but that's not its main selling point.
Wistia offers advanced features like integrating lead capture forms or other CTAs into the video player itself.
Guidelines and specifications for uploading videos
- Maximum resolution: 4K (3840×2160 px).
- Supported aspect ratios: All, responsive player.
- Maximum file size: 8 GB.
- Maximum video length: 2 hours.
- Total file storage: Up to 10 videos with the pro plan ($99/month), $0.25 per month for each additional video.
- Accepted video formats: .MP4 (recommended), .MOV, .AVI, .WMV, .FLV, .MKV, 3GPP, etc.
Pros
- No advertising.
- 100% customizable built-in player.
- Highlight other videos from your channel (no external video recommendations).
- Create custom audiences for Facebook/Instagram.
- Capture leads from the video.
- Custom branding.
- CRM integrations.
What makes Wistia unique is that it meets the needs of digital marketers and data-driven businesses.
You can use video on your website to generate custom audiences for remarketing campaigns. You can even capture leads and integrate the data into a CRM from your video player.
If you strive to provide a personalized experience for your customers, Wistia is a great option for video hosting.
Cons
- Expensive.
- No inherent audience.
At $99/month for just ten videos, Wistia is one of the more expensive options on this list. But for successful online businesses and enterprises, it's not even a hole in their marketing budget.
Suitable for:
- Data-driven businesses with personalized experiences.
- Businesses that rely on leads and long sales processes.
- Experienced digital marketers.
3. Spotlightr
Spotlightr is another advanced video hosting service aimed at marketers, not hobbyists or personal vlogs.
It offers advanced video insights, helps you build custom audiences, and collects leads. It's an all-in-one solution for integrating video marketing into your marketing and sales efforts.
Video Upload Guidelines and Specifications
- Supported sources: Facebook, YouTube, Vimeo, Amazon S3, Dropbox, etc.
- Maximum resolution: 4K (3840×2160 px).
- Supported aspect ratios: All, responsive player.
- Maximum file size: No maximum size specified.
- Total file storage: 25GB and 50GB of bandwidth with a $14/month startup plan.
- Supported video formats: MP4 (recommended), Ogg, WebM, MOV, FLV (not recommended), etc.
- Supports 360° video
Pros
- No advertising.
- Affordable.
- Customizable branding.
- Full control over the built-in video player.
- Advanced video analytics and heat maps.
- Capture leads with lead capture portals.
- Get paid for video viewing with pay-per-view portals.
- Run contests through video.
- Create an audience that integrates with Google, Facebook, and Instagram ads.
Spotlightr offers a complete toolkit for generating leads and revenue through video. You can fully customize the branding and video player and use it to grow audiences, capture leads, or even run contests for your viewers.
Access deeper insights with heat maps and advanced analytics on how your users interact with different videos.
If your main reason for making a video is marketing and branding, Spotlightr should be on your shortlist.
Cons
- Complexity.
Because of all the extra features, Spotlightr can seem a bit overwhelming for business owners with little digital marketing experience.
Suitable for:
- Data-driven businesses with personalized experiences.
- Businesses that rely on leads and lengthy sales processes.
- Experienced digital marketers.
4. Brightcove
Brightcove is an enterprise video management platform focused on integration with other marketing automation tools and server-side ad insertion.
It is a scalable solution used by leading publications and 50% of Fortune 500 companies.
Video Upload Guidelines and Specifications
- Maximum resolution: None.
- Supported aspect ratios: All, responsive player.
- Maximum file size: No maximum size, tested up to 100GB without issue.
- Total file storage: Based on plan.
- Supported video formats: .MP4, .MOV, .AVI, .WMV, .FLV, .MKV, 3GPP, etc.
Pros
- Manage and sell your own video ad inventory.
- Live streaming directly to your website/app.
- Business-friendly content management system.
- Advanced marketing automation integrations.
Brightcove is a true enterprise solution that will help your organization integrate video into your marketing and communications activities on a massive scale. For publishers, it offers advanced server-side ad insertion that integrates with leading DSP solutions.
Cons
- Price.
- Complexity.
Brightcove plans start at $199/month and typically require annual contracts. Because the platform is designed for businesses, it can be complex and difficult to use for small businesses and solopreneurs.
Suitable for:
Businesses that want to include digital video in their marketing efforts.
5. SproutVideo
SproutVideo is another professional video hosting platform designed for businesses.
It offers sharing and collaboration tools in addition to lead capture forms, audience creation, and advanced video analytics.
Guidelines and specifications for uploading videos
- Maximum resolution: None.
- Supported aspect ratios: All, responsive player.
- Maximum file size: Up to 100GB.
- Maximum video length: Unlimited.
- Total file storage: 500 GB with 500 GB of bandwidth ($24.99/month Seed plan).
- Video formats supported: .MP4, .MOV, .AVI, .WMV, .FLV, .MKV, 3GPP, etc.
Pros
- Capture leads from video.
- Get deeper insights with advanced video analytics.
- Keep track of changes with audit logs.
- Role-based permissions.
- Design an unlimited number of unique video players.
- Custom playlists.
You can use their online creator to design an unlimited number of unique video players. This feature lets you associate each video player with specific pages on your website for seamless integration.
Create custom playlists to create an engaging journey for your customers. It also offers lead capture and audience building tools to help you with your digital marketing efforts.
Cons
- Complexity.
- No audience on the platform.
Since the seed plan offers the majority of essential marketing features at $25/month, SproutVideo is a viable option for small businesses and solopreneurs.
But, like Spotlightr and Wistia, it doesn't have a built-in audience, and the additional features can be difficult for inexperienced users to master.
Suitable for:
- Businesses that rely on leads and long sales processes.
- Experienced digital marketers.
6. Uscreen
Uscreen is a little different from the other options on this list. It is a digital video course (VOD) platform, designed to help educators make money with their online videos.
Some of you may be looking for a professional video hosting service for this reason.
Guidelines and specifications for uploading videos
- Maximum resolution: 1080p (1920×1080 px).
- Accepted video formats: MP4.
Pros:
- Create, organize and sell online video courses.
- Integrates with OTT applications on cell phones and smart TVs.
- Custom pricing models.
- Fast HD video hosting is included in the platform.
For some, Uscreen might be a better option than traditional WordPress membership plugins or LMSs to create a limited access video course because video hosting is part of the service.
Cons:
- Price.
While the solution makes it easy to plan, upload, manage and sell an online video course, it is a bit more expensive than other solutions.
The basic plan starts at $99/month, with a limit of 300 subscribers.
Suitable for:
Educators and business owners who plan to publish a video course.
Best Video Hosting Companies
The best video hosting provider depends on your video hosting needs and your business.
Do you want to integrate ad-free videos into your WordPress site seamlessly? Vimeo, with its customizable player and cheap monthly fee, is probably the way to go. If you're a paid subscriber to Jetpack, you can also use it for your video needs.
Want in-depth analytics, personalization, and lead capture options? Wistia and Spotlightr give you all of that.
Brightcove is the best option for businesses and Uscreen is the best option for hosting an online video course.
If you want to reach a new audience with next-level video content, YouTube and Facebook are your best options.
There is no one right answer to this question. As always, it depends on what you want to achieve with the video and your budget.
Conclusion
There are many options for hosting your videos on the Internet.
YouTube is the preferred option for most videographers, but for businesses, there are many drawbacks. The embedding option can be unprofessional and your competitors may copy your videos and post ads on them.
Vimeo is a great low-cost option with a sleek, customizable player and an engaged audience of creative professionals.
Other paid options, such as Wistia, Brightcove, and Spotlightr, give you analytics, insights, and the ability to capture tracks directly from the video player.
To find the right option for your business, you need to identify your priorities.
A smart approach would be to combine different platforms in your strategy. You could have a paid solution to host your videos, which would give you full control over them while taking advantage of free video sharing platforms - like YouTube or Facebook - as a way to increase your reach organically.
