In 2021, 71% of people picked YouTube as their favorite platform for watching videos, making it the undisputed champ for consuming free videos online. But there are other platforms similar to it.
In this post you’ll learn about 20 alternatives to YouTube so you can have a better understanding of what’s out there.
Top 20 YouTube alternatives
1. TED Talks
In 2006, TED released six of its recorded conference talks on the internet.
The online videos soon became popular as the TED website turned into the home of TED Talks, which is a carefully curated and developing educational archive.
Scientists, researchers, technologists, business leaders, artists, designers, and other world experts take the TED stage to present “Ideas Worth Spreading”: valuable new knowledge and innovative research in their fields.
These talks are now viewed or listened to more than 3 billion times annually.
Usability: 8/10
Customer Support: 8/10
Time to load: 8/10
Content quality: 9/10
Overall rating: 8.25/10
2. Facebook Watch
Facebook Watch can be accessed from the Facebook website or app and can be located on the Watch tab. It includes content produced by the users along with professionally created; paid content brought to viewers by Facebook.
It is free and accessible to all who have Facebook profiles, making it a great alternative to YouTube.
Usability: 9/10
Customer Support: 8/10
Time to load: 8/10
Content quality: 8/10
Overall rating: 8.25/10
3. Twitch
Twitch is a platform for live video streaming and offers content related to music, cooking, Q&As, and more. But it drives most of its traffic from gaming streams.
On average, Twitch gets more than 15 million daily active users, with over 3.8 million unique broadcasters in February 2020 alone.
Twitch saw massive growth during the pandemic. The live streaming sector in general saw viewership surge.
Even though Twitch is a live streaming platform, it still stands as a decent YouTube alternative.
Read more: Best Cameras for Live Streaming on Facebook, YouTube, and Twitch
Usability: 8/10
Customer Support: 8/10
Time to load: 8/10
Content quality: 9/10
Overall rating: 8.25/10
4. Netflix
Netflix is a subscription-based streaming service that allows members to watch TV shows and movies without commercials on an internet-connected device.
As of the first quarter of 2021, Netflix had 207.64 million paid subscribers worldwide, with most subscribers based in the United States and Canada.
Its app also offers the option to download TV shows and movies to your iOS, Android, or Windows 10 device and watch without an internet connection.
Usability: 9/10
Customer Support: 8/10
Time to load: 8/10
Content quality: 8/10
Overall rating: 8.25/10
5. BuzzFeed
BuzzFeed is a digital media company that uses data and innovation to reach people globally.
It has a massive cross-platform network, including BuzzFeed Originals, BuzzFeed Media brands, BuzzFeed Studios, BuzzFeed News, HuffPost, and BuzzFeed Commerce.
Usability: 8/10
Customer Support: 7/10
Time to load: 8/10
Content quality: 9/10
Overall rating: 8/10
6. Crackle
Crackle TV is an ad-supported streaming service. With a wide selection of movies and TV shows to choose from, users can watch diverse content and never run out of it.
The Crackle library includes popular movies, TV shows, and even some original programming.
With over 170 television shows to choose from, Crackle is a great platform to binge-watch, thus proving to be a great alternative to YouTube.
Usability: 8/10
Customer Support: 8/10
Time to load: 8/10
Content quality: 8/10
Overall rating: 8/10
7. Internet Archives Video Section
The Internet Archive is an American digital library with the stated mission of “universal access to all knowledge.”
It provides free public access to collections of digitized materials, including websites, software applications, games, music, movies, videos, moving images, and books as well.
Usability: 7/10
Customer Support: 8/10
Time to load: 7/10
Content quality: 9/10
Overall rating: 7.75/10
8. IGTV
Instagram TV or IGTV is a mobile-optimized platform for viewing video content that’s up to 60 minutes long. There’s plenty of great original content on the platform and though the viewing experience may not be the same, we still think it could somewhat work as a YouTube alternative.
When publishing a new video, users can share a 15-second preview to their Instagram feed. Once you’ve shared it, a new tab will be available on your Instagram profile—where visitors can discover all your IGTV series and videos in one place.
Read more: How to Get More Instagram Video Views
Usability: 8/10
Customer Support: 7/10
Time to load: 8/10
Content quality: 8/10
Overall rating: 7.75/10
9. Cheddar
Cheddar is a live video news network where viewers can stay on top of what’s happening in the world of business and finance. Wired said that Cheddar is CNBC minus the bank and oil stocks.
The platform uses modern cloud-based infrastructure to shoot, live switch, and stream.
Although the network is ad-free, it utilizes innovative product placements in fashion, food, and technology and creates branded content for leading companies.
Usability: 7/10
Customer Support: 8/10
Time to load: 7/10
Content quality: 8/10
Overall rating: 7.5/10
10. PeerTube
PeerTube is an open-source video-sharing platform that is decentralized, and individuals are allowed to host their own videos.
The interface of PeerTube is ad-free, neat, and straightforward. It contains a Trending and Recently Added section where you can explore new videos.
It also does not place limitations on the users of getting blocked or censored, allowing the creators to get creative without the fear of getting banned, making it a strong competitor and alternative to YouTube.
Usability: 8/10
Customer Support: 7/10
Time to load: 8/10
Content quality: 6/10
Overall rating: 7.25/10
11. 9GAG TV
9GAG is an online platform and social media website, which allows users to upload and share user-generated content or other external content from social media websites.
This platform was launched in July 2008 and consisted of an internet memes collection.
After this, its popularity shot across social media. In 2012, 9GAG launched an app for iOS and Android, where the mobile application serves as a streamlined version of the web-based content.
Usability: 8/10
Customer Support: 8/10
Time to load: 7/10
Content quality: 6/10
Overall rating: 7.25/10
12. DailyMotion
DailyMotion was launched a month after YouTube in 2005 and is a platform for watching and sharing videos online.
There are a few limitations to DailyMotion:
- You only get 10 uploads per day
- A video can’t be longer than 60 minutes
- It does not support live streaming
All of these factors have kept DailyMotion from becoming hugely popular. But it’s still a decent YouTube alternative in our opinion.
Users can search for videos by browsing through channels, tags, and user-created groups and upload content.
The maximum duration for a video is restricted to 60 minutes, and the maximum file size for any video is 4GB.
Usability: 7/10
Customer Support: 8/10
Time to load: 6/10
Content quality: 8/10
Overall rating: 7.25/10
13. Metacafe
Metacafe is a media and video-sharing platform where thousands of users upload a new video every day.
It also offers a desktop application as well with the option to download high-quality media.
It also features user-generated videos, flash games, viral videos, internet videos (memes), and sports content and news.
Usability: 6/10
Customer Support: 5/10
Time to load: 8/10
Content quality: 9/10
Overall rating: 7/10
14. Vimeo
Vimeo is a video-sharing network launched in 2004. It has grown to have over 80 million creators using the platform to share and promote film, animation, music, and other works of art.
It places high emphasis on high-quality content, offers some TV series, and supports 360-degree videos.
Out of all the YouTube alternatives, Vimeo is perhaps the best fit for businesses looking for a place to host their video content.
Usability: 8/10
Customer Support: 5/10
Time to load: 6/10
Content quality: 9/10
Overall rating: 7/10
15. Utreon
Utreon is a platform specifically designed for content creators and is therefore a great YouTube alternative. It content monetization without excessive ad optimization that may hinder video engagement.
This platform doesn’t copy the features of existing platforms but instead emphasizes more on the basics. The primary purpose is to create a reliable viewing experience for modern audiences more concerned with the content.
Usability: 8/10
Customer Support: 6/10
Time to load: 7/10
Content quality: 7/10
Overall rating: 7/10
16. DTube
DTube stands for decentralized tube and is a video platform built on top of the Steem blockchain and the IPFS service. It’s a decent YouTube alternative because its viewing experience isn’t vastly different in comparison.
However, the technology behind it is quite different as it features decentralized, crypto incentive, resistant to censorship, claimed fair platform, free of advertisement.
Usability: 7/10
Customer Support: 5/10
Time to load: 7/10
Content quality: 8/10
Overall rating: 6.75/10
17. Vevo
Vevo is the world’s leading all-premium music video and entertainment platform, with 26 billion views per month.
Users can explore and discover music videos, live performances, and exclusive original programming of their favorite artists on the mobile, web, and connected TV.
Usability: 6/10
Customer Support: 6/10
Time to load: 6/10
Content quality: 9/10
Overall rating: 6.75/10
18. The Open Video Project
The Open Video Project collects and makes available a repository of digitized video content for the digital video, multimedia retrieval, digital library, and other research communities.
It helps the researchers to solve a wide range of academic issues and beyond using video.
Usability: 6/10
Customer Support: 6/10
Time to load: 6/10
Content quality: 9/10
Overall rating: 6.75/10
19. Veoh
Veoh is a video streaming service that hosts millions of videos, movies, music, and channels. What is unique about this platform is that it organizes its video according to the time duration.
The user can filter out films according to language, length, recently added, popularity, alphabet, and subtitle.
However, the duration of around 99% of videos is less than 60 minutes, and only 290 videos are in the English language, which is definitely a letdown.
But at the same time, it has a vast collection of multi-language videos. There are popular language options available such as French, German, Urdu, Hindi, Japanese, Chinese, Swedish, Arabic, etc.
Usability: 7/10
Customer Support: 6/10
Time to load: 7/10
Content quality: 7/10
Overall rating: 6.75/10
20. Hulu
Hulu is an (OTT) streaming service that provides subscription-based video on demand. Viewers can stream popular shows from traditional networks such as AMC, BBC America, FX, HGTV, NBC, etc.
It also has an extensive collection of classic sitcoms and movies. The subscription package also gives you access to Hulu original documentaries, TV Series, and movies.
Usability: 6/10
Customer Support: 4/10
Time to load: 7/10
Content quality: 8/10
Overall rating: 6.25/10
Wrapping Up
When it comes to staying on top of the social media landscape, it’s good to know what options there so you can diversify your content strategy.
Even YouTube could go through a massive shift. In fact, if you remember the adpocalypse, you’ll know how important it is to explore other avenues.
Similarly, knowing about the best YouTube alternatives may help you as a creator or consumer to switch to the next best thing.
Now, regardless of the platform you decide to choose, you’re going to need some video ideas.
As a video production company, we offer businesses a full range of services, from animated explainer videos to live-action content, adding next-level creativity to grab your consumers’ attention and amplify ROI.
Get in touch if you’d like to kickstart your next project.