6 YouTube Alternatives for Streaming & Hosting

YouTube is the industry giant of internet videos. Ever since its inception back in 2005, YouTube has been constantly on the rise. With over two billion active users, it seems like everything you could ever want is on YouTube.

But in recent months, more and more people have been shifting away from YouTube and looking for alternatives. Just because something is the status quo doesn’t mean it has to be the main place you go live and host videos, especially if you’re a gamer.

Today, we’re going to talk about the best alternatives out there when it comes to streaming and hosting broadcasts. You might be surprised at how many platforms are out there and what kind of features they have to offer — so keep reading and find out more.

Why Shift Away From YouTube?

You might be reading this article and thinking to yourself, “Why would I ever want to walk away from YouTube?” Well, it’s not a perfect platform, and other platforms might have certain features that YouTube doesn’t have. Let’s take a look at some reasons.

Too Many Ads

On the internet today, it seems like ads make the world go round. Most sites you visit will have some form of advertisement, and these days, YouTube is about as bad as it gets when it comes to ads.

Not only are there videos at the start and end of every video, but you’ll sometimes even find multiple ad breaks throughout one short video. And then, of course, there are the dreaded non-skippable ads.

Some people have had enough of being force-fed advertisements alongside their video content, so people are looking for alternatives where they can watch and upload videos.

Privacy

YouTube is one of the biggest companies on the planet because they have one of the most effective algorithms out there. It’s incredible at discovering what content you watch and showing you new trending content that you’ll like. It’s what makes YouTube so great.

But that incredible data is not just valuable to us — it’s also valuable to advertisers. YouTube gathers a ton of data about you and the type of ads you watch so that it can send you targeted advertisements as often as possible, potentially putting your privacy at risk.  

Many of the people leaving YouTube are doing so because they don’t want their data out there in the ether, and they don’t want their thoughts to be influenced by an algorithm.

More Focused Audience

It’s not just users shifting away from YouTube — it’s creators, too. YouTube is an incredible place because it’s somewhat of a sandbox for any type of content imaginable. But in some ways, this can be a big weakness for YouTube, as well.

If you have a specific type of content, such as video game content, it can be very helpful to move your content to platforms that are mainly composed of your niche audience. If you’re a gamer, creating content on a platform with dedicated gamers around every corner could be a great move. Go where your audience is!

More Control Over Content

Finally, some creators ditch their YouTube channels when they’re looking for a bit more control over the content they produce. As a video host, YouTube doesn’t offer that many features when it comes to managing your content and controlling your audience.

For example, say you’re a company that wants to share some training videos with specific members of your team. Or maybe you’re a creator who wants to share exclusive content with a select few of your followers. YouTube makes it difficult to do that.

The only way to share on YouTube is with a general link that either anybody or nobody can access. It’s very restricting. Being able to control your audience can have some incredibly practical applications for lots of creators.

What Are Some YouTube Alternatives?

Now that we know a bit more about why you might want to start creating on another platform, let’s take a look at some of the best YouTube alternatives out there. Pick a few, try them out, and see if they meet your video creator needs

1. Twitch

When you think of live-streaming videos, you may think of Twitch — after all, it’s one of the most popular live-streaming platforms out there. It makes it super easy to create streams and videos to share with your following. It has high-quality video and audio for streaming and also has plenty of features that encourage user engagement and help you grow your audience.

Twitch even allows people to subscribe to your channel and directly support you financially, not just with streaming royalties. With Twitch, you pocket 50 percent of all the revenue from ads and subscriptions. The earning potential is high.

The only downside is that Twitch is not a video hosting platform. It’s top-tier with live streams, but it just doesn’t keep the content around for long periods or have a way to share videos you create.

2. Vimeo

Next up, we have Vimeo. It’s one of the best apps out there for hosting videos for your followers to check out. Not only does it support 4K video footage, but you can even live stream from this platform. Vimeo is fantastic for creators that fall within specific niches like sports, nature videos, and music videos.

There are some downsides to this platform, though. First, it costs money to broadcast on Vimeo, unlike Twitch. And the base subscription only allows for 500 MB videos. But most significantly, there is no potential for content creators to rake in any ad revenue on Vimeo, making this platform better for exclusive content.

3. DTube

DTube is among the more interesting video-sharing platforms on this list. DTube is primarily focused on privacy and internet safety, so if that’s a big concern for you, then DTube is your solution.

What makes DTube so safe is the fact that it is decentralized. There is no primary server that all the data goes through. Instead, DTube operates on the blockchain, meaning it’s incredibly difficult to hack, and it’s highly unlikely that your data will get leaked or stolen.

DTube is also an ad-free platform, and it doesn’t have a recommendation algorithm (another great thing for your privacy). On top of that, you can earn cryptocurrency revenue as a content creator, all while being on a platform that supports free speech and is moderated by the community.

Finally, the interface looks and feels a lot like YouTube, so it won’t feel like much of an adjustment for you. With DTube and a VPN, you can enjoy video streaming stress-free.

4. Odysee

Another fantastic video website to check out is Odysee. This is another platform that strongly prioritizes protection and has utilized the blockchain to help achieve its privacy goals.

But Odysee pushes the blockchain to its limit. It uses a blockchain protocol called LBRY, which allows anybody out there to build apps that interact with digital content on the LBRY network.

This not only makes for awesome open-source material, but it also allows you to do some pretty powerful things if you’re savvy with building apps. While this platform is still in its infancy, getting in on the ground floor of this new technology could be huge in the long run.

5. TikTok

TikTok has taken over the social media world by storm. Billions of users watch videos on the platform every day, so there’s a massive audience.  This popular video-sharing app is even more popular than streaming services like Netflix, making it a great platform for video marketing and content creators.

In terms of hosting videos, TikTok might not have the most functionality. For example, it’s a short-form video platform, so you can’t upload videos over three minutes long. But there is no platform out there that’s better at getting your content in front of new people.

TikTok also has a great live-streaming platform, with live streams integrated into every user’s video feed. So if you’re trying to grow your following by posting clips, making savage memes, and live streaming, you could theoretically do that all on TikTok.

TikTok might not have any monetization for ad revenue, but with the TikTok Creator Fund and stickers on live streams, you can still make a bit of money.

6. Dailymotion

Dailymotion is one of the bigger YouTube competitors. It’s a great place to watch high-quality videos on a fantastic website. The user interface has a stylish, easy-to-use format, and the video quality is much higher than with YouTube videos.

Dailymotion lets you upload 4GB of content at 1080p, so you can be sure that your viewers are getting the best viewing experience. So if it's video quality you’re after, this is another great option.

7. Kick

Kick is like a gamer's paradise with tons of fantastic features. First off, it's super user-friendly, so you'll be up and streaming in no time. Plus, it's packed with cool tools like overlays, chatbots, and easy donation integration to keep your audience engaged and hyped!

What's great is how Kick really benefits gaming streamers. It's built with gamers in mind, offering lower latency and smoother streams for epic gameplay moments. The community on Kick is so supportive, and you'll quickly make new gaming buddies.

Now, when it comes to comparing Kick to YouTube, there's a clear winner for gaming content. Kick's live interaction and gaming-focused features blow YouTube out of the water. Plus, on Kick, you're part of a passionate gaming community, not just lost in a sea of cat videos.

8. Discord

This epic streaming platform is not just for chatting with your gaming pals — it's got some killer features for streamers, too! Discord offers crystal-clear voice and video, so your viewers won't miss a single "OMG" moment in your gameplay. Plus, you can create private channels to connect with your hardcore fans.

Now, let's talk about how it benefits gaming streamers. With Discord's seamless integration of bots and overlays, you can keep the chat buzzing with fun commands and notifications.

A New Home for Videos and Streams

There are so many alternatives out there that we didn’t even get to discuss: Facebook Watch, IGTV, Metacafe, and more. If you’re looking for a new place to enjoy online video, now is a great time to try out some new platforms. So whether you’re after tutorials, live streams, or a good laugh, check out these alternatives and get watching!

Simplifying the Video-Making Process

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Powder will automatically extract highlights from your long streaming or gaming video, allow you to transform the video from horizontal to vertical, and even automatically stitch them together into montages showcasing your best moments. Highlights and gaming montages have never been easier to make!

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