YouTube is a popular online digital platform that is a great source of entertainment as well as infotainment. It features a diverse range of all kinds of genres which includes music, drama, education, how-to hacks, and many more. It was founded on February 14, 2005, by Chad Hurley, Steve Chen, and David Karim. And currently, it has over billion monthly active users which are more than most of the popular search engines like Yahoo, DuckDuckGo, and Bing. The success of YouTube can be owed to its wonderful revenue model and its creators. Most of the content on YouTube is free of charge however, now they have introduced “YouTube premium” which is paid.
Why look for YouTube alternative?
But you’d be innocent if you thought your information is secure and watching innocent videos doesn’t give out much about you. Google uses a good amount of your data to understand your preferences. Many times, content creators complain about their videos being taken down for no specific reason. So, an absolute dependency on google is not a good idea…
It’s time to take your privacy back and look for alternatives that do not collect your data. Here are some platforms, that can be taken to advantage for the content creator in his particular genre as well as the viewers seeking privacy.
Vimeo
This platform caters to a specific type of audience which includes artists like filmmakers, advertisers, and creative people. It is an apt-platform for interest-based viewers. It was founded by filmmakers only. Creators use Vimeo to target the niche crown looking for classic videos. It has over 150 million members.
The best thing about Vimeo is it add-free. So, if you plan to embed your video in an add-free platform, then Vimeo comes to your rescue. It comes out to be a lot more professional and respects the content of the creator and who wouldn’t want to watch their videos without any ads.
You can upload 5GB of data for free or you can buy the plan of $7/month (if you pay annually).
DTube
It has been introduced recently and is very similar to YouTube. If you’re looking for privacy then Dtube is a good alternative to YouTube. It’s a decentralized platform which means that the videos aren’t uploaded and streamed from the same server. Instead, its content is stored in a blockchain. There is no censorship and blockchain makes it difficult for hackers to hamper the videos. For people posting on DTube, they are rewarded in the form of STEEM cryptocurrency. After logging in, you can either upload the video from your storage or transfer the video from YouTube or Vimeo. Another good thing about DTube is that it doesn’t show ads and supports free speech (i.e., The content is managed by the community).
Since it’s a new platform it doesn’t have a wide collection of data, but as time passes, you can expect it to be more popular with creators making it a creative place.
The Internet Archive
It is a non-profit public domain online organization aiming to preserve digital content. As the name suggests, it is an archive of documentaries and movies which you might not be able to find anywhere else. These videos are stirred onto the archives for long-term storage. The only disadvantage of this is that it would not contain fresh and viral content here. But you can find the old is gold stuff here.
You can search for videos by searching up the year, language, or subject. You can find movies dating back to the modern 21st century’s “silent era”. You can easily download the content with a single click and since it’s a public domain site you can even have access to movies without a digital right license. So, if you’re looking for the largest free motion picture library, you know where to go.
9GAG TV
It is a go-to platform if you want to check out short and funny videos. To make your way through 9GAG your content is supposed to be creative and most importantly funny. Gag TV is more for entertainment purposes. You will find unlimited gifs, memes, and funny photos that you can even share with your friends. Facebook and Twitter users love this platform. The content will tickle your ribs and will keep you hooked. To add on, the content is categorized making it easier for you to find what you’re looking for.
DailyMotion
Also known as “European YouTube”, It attracts over 112 million viewers making it the second-largest video traffic. It is very similar to YouTube keeping aside the fact that rules aren’t so stringent here. Its looks are similar to YouTube so it’s easier for new users to it’s adapt to it.
Daily motion offers you high-quality videos and unlike YouTube it allows you to upload 4GB of content at 1080p. but this comes with one disadvantage that the videos can’t be more than 20min long. The content creators can upload their content and monetize it. DailyMotion offers millions of videos with speed, quality control, and subtitles. With its huge user base, you can upload your data as a backup here as well.
Veoh
It is a new platform with a good number of videos to keep you occupied. You get all kinds of movies, TV shows for different genres. Moreover, you will find shows from HULU, ABC, etc. Veoh is famous for full-length TV shows which you do not find easily on unpaid platforms. As a creator, you are in luck because there is no upper limit to the length of the video you can upload. The content pool is high so you can find what you are looking for.
To add on to the advantages, Veoh also allows you to download the videos and watch them later and who doesn’t what that? The only downside is that you need to download the Veoh player to watch the videos. But other than that, it’s a good platform if you want to watch short movies and shows.
Twitch
If you’re a gamer, you are in the right place. Twitch is a perfect alternative for YouTube for gamers. This video hosting platform allows gamers to live stream their gameplays and also upload its recording. Though YouTube has the option of live streaming, Twitch offers a platform designed purely for gamers. So, if you want to show off your gaming skills, or watch some cool games then Twitch is heaven for you.
You can search for gaming titles and can also interact with other players to discuss gaming tips. It also offers live talk shows called “IN real life”. For making money, gamers get paid subscriptions, sponsorships, and advertisements. But you have to keep posting content to keep your viewers engrossed.
Metacafe
Fun fact! This platform was introduced before YouTube (in 2003). It hosts a large number of videos that go back to the ‘90s with slightly low quality. This platform is different from YouTube in the sense that it has 90 seconds limit on its videos which is its advantage because these short videos are creative and pretty addictive. They also ensure that there are no duplicate videos.
So, if you want to engage yourself in small videos and quick DIY’s then Metacafe offers you the right services. It has videos of all kinds of genres and just like YouTube it categorizes them into sports, entertainment, news, etc. viewers can also subscribe to different channels.
Facebook Watch
This streaming platform is within Facebook only. Since Facebook brings in brand awareness, so it’s also working to monetize this platform to bring more content creators. Just like on YouTube, you need to search for your favorite video. But Facebook watch works along with Facebook, so it’s not a standalone service. These videos are taken from millions of FB pages and accounts which won’t disappoint you and will keep you entertained. Given its large user base, FB watch is also a competition for YouTube.
If you want to share your video with billions of users then go for FB watch. It might be at a dormant stage right now but with time and improvement, it will become the best video content sharing platform.
IGTV
It was developed by Instagram as a competition for YouTube. You can upload videos of up to an hour on IGTV. Generally, on Instagram, you can post any video of the max length of 1 minute but IGTV offers you to post videos of longer duration. Instagram itself is quite addictive with a huge fan following among the youth. IGTV is a full screen and vertical video and it offers both entertainment and inspiration.
You have to download the IGTV app for watching and uploading the videos. You can also follow your favorite Instagram users or even get a chance to interact with them. Just like FB watch, IGTV is also deciding on a plan to monetize the content to expand the creator pool.
Crackle
It was founded by Sony Pictures Entertainment. The Crackle lets you stream movies and TV serials online. Since it is offered by Sony so you can find many Sony Pictures movies. Since Sony Crackle has partnered with other big production houses like WB, Walt Disney Company, Paramount Pictures, etc. so its video library contains good content with the best quality just like you’d watch on the big screens.
You can stream films for free without any subscriptions. It has a simple interface that makes it easier for any new users. The trust that Sony gives and the collection of movies make this app worth trying.
Amazon Video Direct
Just like YouTube, Amazon also launched its video streaming platform where people can post videos and get paid for them. However, in this, the content creator first has to make an account with amazon. After which his content will be visible to the millions of Amazon Prime users. Presently it’s not very open and is available for a limited number of creators as well as customers.
The viewership might be less than that of YouTube, but you make more profit here as it uses premium subscription which is more than profitable than Google Ads. You will get your timely payment along with amazon support and quality content.
Flickr
It is similar to Pinterest used for sharing photos. Dozens of pictures are made online for the viewers. Unlike Pinterest, on Flickr, you cannot unpin on your interests. You can also upload videos on Flickr but the time limit is set to 90 seconds. So, if you feel like watching videos without wasting much of your time on them, then Flickr is the best alternative to YouTube. The interface is also simple and user friendly.
PhotoBucket
It is basically for hosting images and small videos. It hosts an amazing repository for the users to check out in their past time. It’s similar to Flickr and you get to see a good amount of video content here. PhotoBucket ensures privacy. So, if you are looking for a safe place to upload your videos, then PhotoBucket is the right place for you. You can upload high-quality content. The viewership of PB is slightly low as of now, but will surely increase in the coming times.
PeerTube
This free and decentralized video platform is owned by ActivityPub and WebTorrent. The interface is adding free making it a wonderful platform. Though it doesn’t have a large variety of videos as compared to YouTube, still it is a good alternative to YouTube given the fact that it doesn’t require any copyright or creative limitation to upload your work. PeerTube keeps the censorship aside welcoming all kinds of creativity and wonders. Since it is decentralized it gives more freedom to the creators as compared to YouTube. So, if you are looking for an alternative to YouTube, Vimeo, etc. then PeerTube has got your back.
TED
A well-known non-profit organization, TED has videos of conferences happening around the world. It is a nice and educational alternative to YouTube. It provides a great platform for learning and discovering fresh videos. There are over 3000 talks on TED. These lectures are recorded and are uploaded on TED. These topics cover technology, business, design as well as global issues.
Youku
It is also known as “YouTube of China” and is an online video platform used for streaming services. It was launched in 2006 in china. It is a Chinese streaming app that has tons of movies and TV serials. This app is suitable for areas where streaming YouTube is illegal. The only drawback is that most of the audio in this app is in Chinese audio. But it has over 160 million videos that are neatly stacked making it easy for you to search for your desired video. Youku is like having a TV in your pocket. From movie series to sports documentaries, you will find everything here.
Tubi
It was launched recently in 2014 in San Francisco, California, and is owned by Fox Corporation. It is an independently owned streaming service in the US. It provides its users with a diverse range of TV shows and movies which keeps you hooked to it. The company has its collaborations with big productions like WB, Universal pictures, etc. with over 20 million users, the company has announced a watch time of 132 million hours of content. It is announced that Tubi will be released in the UK by 2020 and further its expansion to even Mexico.
For its revenue, it is ad-based. So many ad companies are benefitted from the real-time ad bidding that delivers advertisements to various platforms.
Amazon prime video
Though it’s a paid application, still it offers to be a good alternative to YouTube given the wide variety of movies and TV shows coming for all kinds of age groups. Launched in 206, it is now operating worldwide. Video streaming quality is perfect and can be changed according to your preferences. In India, prime videos come at a minimal cost of Rs. 999 per year and for students, it has special discounts as well. Once you buy the amazon prime membership, you get access to not only the prime videos but also amazon shopping (early delivery benefits)
So, all in all, it is worth buying it if you are looking for an alternative to YouTube. Especially during the lockdown, many films were released on the prime platform. Amazon prime also has its own set of series and movies of all genres.
HBO Now
Founded by Warner Bros and launched in 2015, HBO Now gives you access to all HBO’s programs and movies without the need to buy its channel or subscribing to the cable. It also streams HBO original movies and documentaries. But HBO Now is available only to citizens staying in the US due to its regional restrictions. But HBO content is also available on other streaming platforms like prime and Netflix. This is a platform for all those who are keen to watch the latest seasons of your favorite shows. You won’t find all the HBO series on YouTube, so the best alternative is to check HBO Now (if you stay in any US territory) and get access to all that you wish to see.