Top Online Video Platforms in 2023: Which One to Choose?

Ever since people have realized the power and appeal of online video platforms during the pandemic, more and more businesses are entering the market, thus making it a competitive space. 

It is not surprising that there are many video-sharing platforms available in the market, offering a mix of features & functionality for video hosting, streaming, & sharing capabilities. But, the question is, what are you looking for? Well, here is the answer!

In this blog post, we’re diving into the exciting realm of video platforms and comparing the top contenders that are set to make waves in 2023. From streaming giants to up-and-coming platforms, we’ll explore the features, functionalities, and unique selling points of each player in the game. 

Let’s explore!

While YouTube still remains one of the most popular video-sharing websites, you will see a few limitations as it was designed with a specific purpose in mind. But you can now choose what’s right for you. Whether you’re a content creator, marketer, or simply an avid viewer, here you will get valuable insights to help you navigate the ever-expanding landscape of online video platforms.

Let’s get started with an introduction to online video platforms-

What is an Online Video Platform?

A platform which essentially helps content creators, publishers and organizations to deliver content to an intended specific audience. It refers to the technology needed to ingest, manage and distribute content via streaming services.

An online platform for sharing videos allows you to upload a video in any format and automatically encode it to enable an optimised streaming experience across all digital devices.

As per the latest estimations, the Online Video Platforms Market size is expected to grow from USD 0.97 billion in 2023 to USD 1.80 billion by 2028, at a CAGR of 13.23% during the forecast period (2023-2028).

In the present time, video platforms have been playing a vital role in multiple use cases such as education, entertainment, training, and in enterprises as well. You can easily upload a video in various formats and reduce your work by optimizing your content on any device. High-quality online video platforms allow you to create a custom viewing experience for your audience that aligns with your business objectives.

Factors to Consider While Choosing an Online Video Platform

Choosing the right online video platform can make a significant impact on your success. To help you make an informed decision, here are some key features to look for in an online video platform:

Video Quality and Playback

High-quality video playback is essential for retaining viewers. Look for platforms that support various video resolutions, including HD and 4K, and ensure smooth playback across different devices and internet speeds.

Customizable Player

A customizable video player allows you to match the player’s appearance with your branding and website design. Look for options to adjust colors, controls, and features to create a seamless viewing experience for your audience.

Ad Monetization

If you plan to generate revenue from your videos, check if the platform offers ad monetization options. Look for support for various ad formats, such as pre-roll, mid-roll, and post-roll ads, as well as features for controlling ad frequency and targeting.

Monetization Models

In addition to ads, consider platforms that offer other monetization models, such as subscriptions, pay-per-view, or donation-based support. Having multiple revenue streams can help you diversify your business growth.

Analytics and Insights

Detailed view of analytics provide valuable insights into viewer behavior, engagement, and demographics. Look for platforms that offer detailed metrics, such as view counts, watch time, click-through rates, and geographic data, to help you optimize your content strategy.

Ease of Use

A user-friendly interface and intuitive content management system make it easier to upload, organize, and manage your video library. Look for platforms that offer simple and efficient workflows.

Customization and Branding

The ability to customize your channel or page with your logo, colors, and banners can enhance your brand identity and provide a cohesive look across your videos.

Integration and Embedding

Ensure that the platform allows you to embed videos on your website, blog, or social media platforms. Integration with third-party tools, such as email marketing software or CRM systems, can also streamline your workflow.

Security and Privacy

Protecting your content is essential. Choose a platform that offers security features like password protection, domain restrictions, and DRM (Digital Rights Management) options to prevent unauthorized access and distribution of your videos.

Live Streaming

If you plan to host live events, workshops, or webinars, look for platforms that support live streaming. Check for features such as real-time chat, audience interaction, and the ability to schedule and promote live broadcasts.

List of 2023’s Top Online Video Platforms

Whether you prioritize high-quality content, global reach, business-focused features, or privacy and control, there’s a platform that aligns with your goals. Let’s deep dive into the top online video platforms available in the marketplace here:

1. Enveu: Experience Cloud

Enveu offers a premium SaaS based platform Experience Cloud that allows managing content manage their content in one central location, create intuitive apps across multiple devices, engage with users on a personal level and monetise content in different models. This, as a result, saves a lot of time. With their premium solutions like Experience manager, content manager, subscription manager and analytics, the platform helps content broadcasters and publishers to create their own VOD, Live, Catch Up, Audio/Podcasts platform within weeks. The prime highlight is that Enveu offers a unique less code environment with minimal CAPEX.

Enveu caters to brands across multiple industries, such as Broadcasters & Publishers, Sports & E-Sports, Gaming, Digital Influencers & Content Creators and enterprises willing to launch their own streaming services to increase engagement and grow their subscriber base. Also, with Experience Cloud, you can easily create paywalls and subscription models to generate recurring revenue from each viewer. 

Features

The following are some of the features that Enveu offers- 

• Content Structure Modeling
• ABR, HEVC/AVC support
• Device Management
• 3rd party OVPs pre-integrated
• Tested UI / UX Templates
• Targeted & Dynamic UI / UX
• User-generated content
• A/B Testing
• Customizable Layouts & Navigation
• Screen Management
• App Publisher
• Telco branding
• SVOD/TVOD/AVOD/PPV Support
• DRM
• Encrypted HLS
• Deep analytics & insights

2. Uscreen

Uscreen is an all-in-one online video platform that offers a complete set of features for monetizing videos. Uscreen’s OVP provides live streaming and video-on-demand (VOD) functionalities. Using this video solution, you can completely control all your uploads and successfully monetize them.

The one significant aspect where Uscreen differs in comparison to YouTube is that it doesn’t depend on video ads for monetization. Instead, it lets you create your own VOD service that operates on a subscription model. You can even sell individual videos on a pay-per-view basis.

The platform also allows you to make customization by adjusting the playback speed, including autoplay options, and processing payments from a single dashboard.

Features

The following are some of the features that Uscreen offers-

• On-demand video streaming
• Subscription-based and pay-per-view monetization model
• Entirely web-based interface
• Available on mobile platforms
• 24/7 customer support
• Dedicated training resources
• Bulk uploading facility
• Direct social media sharing
• Detailed analytics and reports

3. Vimeo

Vimeo started operations in 2004 and has more than 90 million professionals using its services. From hosting videos, organization, and distribution, Vimeo has helped many content creators, mainly in the B2C sector, to upload and embed their content. Vimeo’s one advantage over other online video platforms is its flexibility.

The platform is entirely ad-free, which makes for a much better viewing experience. With unlimited bandwidth, the ability to download videos, and fully customizable settings; you’ve got a complete platform for hosting your videos.

Features

Here’s a list of the features that Vimeo offers-

• Live streaming and screen recording capabilities
• Predefined video templates
• Ads-free viewing experience
• Fully private video hosting
• Stock Footage
• Customizable HTML5 video player
• Advanced analytics
• Clutterless collaboration tools

4. Dacast

Dacast is another leading video streaming platform offering live hosting and on-demand options.

The platform is cloud-based and provides solutions for live streaming and has provisions for OTT streaming across mobile devices. This is suitable for small and medium businesses who are looking to leverage video and grow their customer base.

Dacast’s powerful HTML5-based video player works across multiple devices easily. You only need to embed the player on your website, and it’ll work on any device without the need to install any plugin.

Features

Here’s a list of the features that Dacast offers-

• ad-free experience
• API access for 3rd party player integration
• Advanced video encryption features
• Real-time video analytics
• Low-latency streaming
• Real-time messaging protocol support
• Compatible with popular mobile platforms
• Tools for monetizing videos

5. Brightcove

Brightcove helps large businesses and media companies provide HD, on-demand, and live videos to their audiences. This enterprise video platform supports over-the-top (OTT) video, dynamic ads, and advanced analytics.

One of the advantages about this popular enterprise video solution is that you will have the full ownership and rights for your video content unlike YouTube. Moreover, it is also important to note that Brightcove’s focus lies on large-scale external video distribution. The platform integrates with other tools such as Marketo and Google Ads Manager. By such integrations, you have the benefits for multiple forms of marketing and deliver higher returns.

Features

Here’s a list of the features that Brightcove offers-

• Cloud-based transcoding
• Comprehensive video analytics and REST APIs
• Customized video portals
• Dynamic ad insertion
• 24/7 support
• Adaptive bitrates
• Supports streaming on all devices
• Easy integration with marketing and social media tools
• No limits on file size and video length
• Compatible with multiple file formats

6. JW Player

JW Player is well-known when it comes to adaptive streaming capabilities based on open-source technologies. The online video platform offers a full-service live streaming provider in the form of JW Live. Initially, the platform started operations as a standalone video player. But further its popularity propelled it to expand into video hosting.

JW Player provides video hosting solutions for businesses as well as individuals. Its primary focus is advertising, monetizing, and streaming the best video content. It also includes support for OTT services and lets you access advanced analytics. It supports advanced features such as DRM, which means you don’t have to worry about copyright infringement on your content. Apart from live streaming, this platform supports multi-bitrate transcoding and simulcasting to Facebook Live. 

Features

Here’s a list of key features JW Player offers:

• Global video outreach
• VOD and Live streaming
• Entirely Cloud-based operations
• Allow users to watch videos in full HD
• Customized video galleries
• API integration with third-party platforms
• Effortless Workflow integration
• Advertising-based monetization
• Automation-based recommendation engine

7. IBM Watson Media

The platform now known as IBM Watson Media started as a peer-to-peer live streaming platform called Ustream. Today the Watson Media platform is geared towards streaming media such as news, sporting events, and other entertainment online, as well as streaming live corporate events. 

Acquired by IBM in 2016, the solution would eventually be renamed IBM Video Cloud before again being re-branded with its current name in 2020. Now, IBM Watson Media offers cloud video streaming and hosting solutions that include support for subscription and pay-per-view content, OTT, as well as secure, on-demand internal video hosting and streaming for enterprise businesses. 

It is highly recommended for OTT video streaming, video monetization, live and simulated-live streaming, and video intelligence

Features

The following are some of the features that Watson Media offers- 

• Multi-CDN video delivery
• 4K video streaming
• Simultaneous live streaming 
• Multilanguage audio tracks 
• Watson live captioning
• Video editing/trimming
• HTML5 video player
• Playback speed control
• SSO integration
• Chat module
• User-generated content

8. Kaltura

Kaltura is a video platform as a service ( VPaaS), usually designed for those who want a comprehensive video platform out of the box features, and more for those who would prefer a build-your-own and a highly customized solution. Designed majorly for media companies, Kaltura customers can also purchase add-on partner solutions, or use the Kaltura API and/or Kaltura’s open-source developer network for even more customization. Considering the growing demand, Kaltura enables media companies to monetize their own video content, multiple live broadcasting modules, several plug-ins for video recording, and a wide number of feature choices in Kaltura.

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. They offer secure content delivery through quality CDNs such as: 

• Akamai
• Limelight
• eCDN

It offers cloud-based video platform distribution services and hosting solutions for VOD and live streams. It is highly recommended for OTT video streaming, video monetization, and creating a customized video platform with components tailored to your business needs.

Features

The following are some of the features that Kaltura offers- 

• Quality end-user experience with multi-bitrate and adaptive streaming

• Highly customizable experience
• Open-source online video platform through the Kaltura Community Edition. 
• Access to video APIs, SDKs, developer tools, and code recipe
• Tools for education providers, including virtual classrooms, LMS video, lecture capture, and campus portal tools. 
• Monetization tools including SVOD, AVOD, and TVOD (PPV streaming).

9. Wistia

Wistia was founded in 2008. The Massachusetts-based online video platform focuses primarily on marketing, designed to help you host, analyze, create, and market using video content. Wistia’s core business is providing a television-quality experience for its viewers that helps users grow their audiences. They are known for being the online video platform that puts users in control of their content. 

In fact, Wistia is designed exclusively to simplify companies’ daily operations by providing marketing, support, and sales services. However, please note that this video platform does not offer live-streaming functionality. So, if you are looking for the same, switch to other options.

Features

The following are some of the features that Wistia offers- 

• Advanced video streaming analytics.
• Marketing tools for engagement.
• A/B tests to determine the content thumbnail for your content. 
• Integrate Wistia with other marketing tools. 
• Offer Soapbox, a browser-based screen recorder.
• Wistia also offers an easy-to-use video trimmer.

Top security features of the platform include-

• Password-protected hosting
• Email gating
• Domain restrictions 

10. Wowza

Founded in 2005, Wowza is used to simplify video delivery as it supports live and on-demand streaming. This online video platform puts a significant focus on all-device streaming. What’s more exciting is that it allows broadcasters to build highly customized streaming workflows using third-party integrations, APIs, and other advanced features.

Wowza offers their Wowza Streaming Engine for self-hosted video workflows and the Wowza Streaming Cloud, a comprehensive streaming solution.

Features

The following are some of the features that Wowza offers- 

• Cloud transcoding
• Live streaming and VOD hosting
• 4K streaming
• White-label video player for advanced customization 
• HTML5 video player for all-device video streaming 
• Tolerant of venue origin streams
• Supported by commercial webcasting products
• API access
• Cloud management portal
• Wide range of security options
• Top-notch customer support
• Live stream recording
• WSE is easy to set up

11. Muvi

Muvi video platform is designed to help broadcasters easily set up a white-label OTT. If you are looking for a SaaS-based and OTT-focused online video platform, Muvi could be an ideal option as well. This fully-featured platform has 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 an easy-to-use platform and It doesn’t require any coding and development to produce TV-quality streams. This is also one of the premium capabilities, making it a relatively easy-to-navigate platform for new entrepreneurs or beginners to the streaming world. So, it is safe to say that when you need a high-level video hosting service that doesn’t require high-tech skills, Muvi is a video platform website you can check.

Features

• Customizable video player
• HTML5 video player
• All-device streaming
• Powerful video analytics
• Cloud transcoding tools
• Video monetization tools
• Secure streaming
• Professional video hosting
• Powerful CDN
• Well-equipped video CMS
• DRM and other security features
• Well-built app for streaming ease

Conclusion

In 2023, the landscape of online video hosting platforms offers a range of options to suit various needs and objectives. The right platform can provide immense value to your business by helping you deliver engaging and targeted content and providing powerful analytics that guides further investment decisions. As technology advances and user preferences evolve, these platforms mentioned in the blog will continue to adapt, ensuring that creators and businesses can effectively share their videos with the world.

Want to discuss getting started with your video streaming platform? Do not wait, schedule a call with our experts here.

Shalabh Agarwal - Co-founder, Enveu

Shalabh Agarwal is the co-founder of Enveu, one of the fastest-growing App automation and OTT solutions providers. Shalabh oversees the global businesses for Enveu and has been working in the Technology and SaaS space for over 15 years.