If you’re looking for the best video streaming sites and best sites like YouTube, you’re in the right place.
We’ll cover a list of free streaming sites that are like Dailymotion and YouTube alternatives.
On these sites, you can watch videos and potentially make money if you’re a content creator (and if it fits the mold of something you can upload to).
First, we’ll go through some background info and our list of YouTube alternatives.
What is the most popular free video streaming site in 2024?
YouTube is far and away the most popular video streaming site. It’s the number two ranked website in the world behind Google, and is a Google-owned property.
If you’re looking for sites like YouTube that are 100% free (without needing to pay for anything), then continue reading!
We’ll showcase some of our favorite video streaming sites.
What kind of videos can I watch on these sites?
On sites like YouTube, you can watch pretty much anything.
This includes comedy skits, art tutorials, reviews of new products, music videos, music, finance tutorials, sports – these are just some examples!
With sites like Dailymotion (a direct competitor to YouTube), you will find a good deal more professional video content (TV shows and movies).
While these sites aren’t as popular as sites like YouTube, they also offer the ability to upload your own content using their respective video hosting services.
On most of these sites, users can make money off of views (similar to YouTube).
How do I upload my own content?
Typically different video streaming sites will request that you sign up with an account/sign in before uploading any videos.
Most of them use third-party video hosting services that let you upload, encode and share your video from one place.
If you’re looking for sites like YouTube where users can make money off of video views, we’ll go through our top video streaming sites that are similar to YouTube.
How can I stream videos for free?
Many of the sites on this list are 100% free to watch streaming videos.
However, uploading your own video content may require you to have an account or sign in with a certain service.
Are there any other sites like YouTube?
There are certainly a few sites like YouTube out there, and there may be more in the future.
YouTube is an amazing video streaming site that allows anyone with access to the Internet to upload their own videos. However, some users have been met with controversy regarding how they utilize YouTube’s features.
If you’re having trouble uploading your content on sites like YouTube because of various issues, we have plenty of alternatives to YouTube for you to consider where anyone can make money off of uploading videos.
How do video streaming sites make money?
One of the reasons why it can be so hard for up-and-coming video hosting companies to compete against a larger company such as Google is because of advertisement revenue.
Video streaming sites rely on advertising revenue to support themselves.
Most of the sites on this list will allow you to upload your own videos, but some may require an account or sign in first.
Do video streaming sites charge a fee?
Since these video hosting services are typically free, they rely on advertisements as the main source of income.
You won’t have to pay any fees or sign up for anything before using the most popular video streaming sites including most YouTube alternatives.
How much do I need to know about coding?
Typically none.
Most of these sites don’t require you to upload any kind of video file.
Why aren’t there more sites like YouTube?
As popular as video streaming is – video now takes up more than 80% of online traffic – many video streaming sites simply can’t compete against YouTube in terms of number of visitors.
There are literally billions of people around the globe who use YouTube every day, so it can be hard for competing services to gain enough traffic to stay afloat.
However, some user groups would argue that the only reason why sites like Dailymotion (a competitor to YouTube) can be successful is that they’ve copied everything from its biggest competitor.
If that’s not the case and there just isn’t a large enough market for companies trying to start new video hosting services, then maybe there will be more sites like YouTube in the future.
Do most video streaming sites have a comment section?
Some do and some don’t.
YouTube also allows content creators to turn off comments, which can help avoid spam and other issues.
Most of these sites do allow users to watch videos without having to sign up or create an account.
Why would I use one of these instead of YouTube?
YouTube is great if you want to upload your own content, but some users have had issues with the service, been demonetized, and so on.
This means they’ll have to take their content to other platforms.
Can I create and publish my own videos?
Yes, you’ll need to create an account before you can submit your own videos on most of these sites.
What should I expect from the comment section?
Keep in mind that these services focus on user-generated content, which means there may be some swearing or offensive language.
Most comments are not censored unless they’re spam, but if you find any inappropriate comments make sure to report them immediately so administrators can take care of them.
Also, keep in mind that many users will rate your video with an upvote or downvote. This is not the same as comments; downvotes are meant to show that people don’t like your video while upvotes are intended to show that they do.
Do I have to pay to watch and upload videos on these sites?
Some of these sites require an account or a subscription to upload video content, but all of our top favorite sites that are similar to YouTube will let you watch and upload videos for free.
What else would I find on the site?
Most streaming sites have their own unique features such as additional tools or settings, so we recommend trying out each site below to see what you like best!
This is the most basic version of a video player as it includes almost nothing except the ability to play videos.
Even though there aren’t any customization options here, you’ll still be able to watch and upload videos on this site – plus, it’s completely free!
Typically video players come with better customization options, but one downside is that not all of these sites will let you watch and upload videos for free.
If you want to explore more options, there’s a paid version where you’ll be able to access the extended features.
This is a video player with the ability to add subtitles to your videos in over 100 languages.
One downside is that not all of these sites will let you watch and upload videos for free unless you upgrade.
There are additional settings available such as auto-play or looping so users can choose how they enjoy their videos! This site also has subscriptions available, but we recommend trying out each service below before deciding whether or not it’s worth subscribing.
Best Video Streaming Sites – Watch and Host Videos
Let’s take a look at the best video streaming sites to watch and upload videos.
#1 YouTube
YouTube doesn’t need any introduction. It’s the largest video platform by far and easily one of the most popular sites globally.
YouTube is great if you want to upload your own content, but some users have been met with restrictions regarding how they’re allowed to use YouTube’s video streaming service.
Since YouTube wants to condense all of its content on one website, it has become stricter about which videos are available.
For example, uploading music or TV episodes may not be allowed unless you own the copyright or permission from the owner to share it online.
YouTube Statistics
YouTube had more than 2 billion logged-in monthly users who watch hundreds of millions of hours a day on the site – that’s almost one hour for every person on Earth!
But it doesn’t stop there – YouTube is also the second-largest search engine after Google.
It has over one million uploaded videos and 100 hours of video content are being added to YouTube every minute.
Altogether, YouTube has over 5 billion different videos.
The average number of mobile YouTube video views per day is 1 billion.
About 1 out of 5 who click on a video will leave after the first 10 seconds. Intros are important.
How to Earn Money From YouTube
In order to upload video content on YouTube you’ll need a Google account.
You can also join the YouTube Partner Program to monetize your videos through ads and make money from your channel – but this comes with a couple of requirements.
You must have at least 1,000 subscribers, have more than 4,000 hours of watch time during the past year, and have a completely original video that isn’t copyrighted or stolen from someone else.
YouTube alternatives
Looking for sites like YouTube to watch or upload videos?
The video streaming sites below are fantastic alternatives, all of which allow you to upload your own content and potentially make money watching ads (which is the main way most YouTubers make a living from their channels).
While these sites aren’t as popular as their competitor (YouTube), they still provide users with the ability to upload their own content and potentially make money if they choose to monetize them (similarly to YouTube).
#2 DailyMotion
DailyMotion is one of the sites just like YouTube and is largely considered the top YouTube alternative to upload videos.
Dailymotion was created in France back in 2005 by two entrepreneurs who wanted it to be like YouTube, but more focused on entertainment instead of education.
It’s user-friendly, they have a mobile app, and the community is very engaged in creating content – they even have a reality TV show filmed in Paris called “Zapping Zone” that features popular YouTubers. Expect more big things from this platform in
It’s also another YouTube alternative where you can make money.
On Dailymotion, many videos are served with in-stream advertisements, These are ads that appear before, during, or after videos, and is how Dailymotion pays its creators.
You can watch, upload and share videos on this site. You have to create an account in order to submit your own videos via the video hosting platform provided by Dailymotion.
The site has been around since 2005 but still hasn’t reached the popularity of sites like YouTube (but they’re trying really hard!).
With only “a few extra steps” you can monetize your account on this site with ads that will appear before or during your video plays (similarly to how it works on YouTube).
Dailymotion also provides a photo uploader and a place to create your blog.
Dailymotion vs. YouTube earnings?
Most creators who’ve had a presence on YouTube and Dailymotion say that YouTube pays more.
This is understandable given that Google owns YouTube and is the world’s top ad platform.
Moreover, because YouTube has such a huge audience, it attracts lots of companies that are willing to advertise with them.
How much does Dailymotion pay per 1000 views?
This depends on what niche your channel is centered around.
If you talk about something like finance or insurance, your CPMs (or RPMs, depending on which metric you use) are going to be much higher than if your channel is about kids’ cartoons.
This is because advertisers in the financial niche are willing to pay a lot more for audiences that will buy financial products versus content that is catered to audiences that don’t have much commercial potential (e.g., kids, audiences in countries with lower per-capita incomes, etc.).
Finance channels might take home as much as $0.01 per view, which is $10 per 1,000 views.
For channels that deliver content less attractive for advertisers, they could even pay less than $1 per 1,000 views.
It also depends on the length of your content. If you can put in-content ads (on YouTube, commonly called mid-roll ads), then the earning potential of any given video can be much higher.
There are lots of different variables.
The main thing to think about is who is your audience and how valuable are they to your audience?
Reviewing Literally All YouTube Alternatives
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fR92opItb1Q&ab_channel=Exeref
#3 Vimeo
Vimeo is one of many online video streaming sites like YouTube. Vimeo is a video sharing platform that was created in 2004 and is based in New York City.
Vimeo allows users to upload their own videos onto the site and share them with others. It also provides a platform for video makers to attach links back to their sites, monetize channels through monthly memberships or get funds via Kickstarter campaigns that Vimeo has generated.
Vimeo gets over 75 million unique viewers each month.
According to information on this site, you can’t just simply upload any kind of video content that you want on this platform; it’s moderated (but not like YouTube which is very strict).
Vimeo is another great video streaming site as it focuses mainly on high-quality videos from original artists and filmmakers instead of user-generated material like other sites do.
Even though its popularity isn’t as widespread as other sites like YouTube, users who visit Vimeo regularly really enjoy having this option because their community strongly supports creative work and many indie filmmakers use the site.
Because Vimeo focuses on creative artwork, nothing gets censored here except for pornographic or violent content that violates copyright laws or any illegal content.
That means not everyone will be allowed to upload their own content or videos they created themselves, but if you want to showcase your individuality through your film, music video or short film, then you can go onto this platform and be able to do that.
There’s a great chance that Vimeo also provides revenue-sharing opportunities for creators too. In other words, if their videos have advertisements in it, the platform will often split the ad revenue with them 50/50.
But once again, this is going to all depend on who’s hosting the ads and how much they’re willing to pay each advertiser for exposure.
Can you make money on Vimeo?
Yes!
This YouTube tutorial gives a good rundown of how to earn money on Vimeo and how to monetize on Vimeo:
#4 Niconico
Niconico is a video sharing website that was launched in 2007 and displays Japanese anime, manga, and other visual media along with music.
This site has a very different feel from other streaming sites like YouTube or Vimeo because of its focus on anime culture and fandom; you can even read manga here!
You might be wondering how this website generates revenue. Well, users who watch the anime videos made available on this platform (and there are quite a few of them) will see advertisements before playing the video.
These ads contain banners and pop-ups too.
If you’re an animator or creator on this site and want to make some revenue off your own content, then Niconico does work with its own “Partner Program” where a percentage of the total video ad revenue will go directly to you.
But it varies depending on how many views your content gets.
There’s also a chance that Niconico might have revenue-sharing options for animators, artists or other creators who upload their own videos onto this platform too.
However, because this site is mainly focused on Japanese users and anime culture in general, if you don’t produce animated work based around these themes, then you’re probably not going to be making any money from advertisements here since only a small number of international users visit Niconico’s website from any given country.
#5 TED
What better way to watch video content than through lectures and speeches from inspiring, intelligent people who want to share their knowledge with the world.
That’s what TED is all about.
TED stands for Technology, Entertainment, Design and was created in 1984 by Richard Saul Wurman.
The idea behind TED was that it would be a conference where speakers are invited to discuss things they’re passionate about or have an incredible story to tell.
In fact, some of these speakers get asked to speak at this conference more than once because they get so much positive feedback from viewers!
The majority of videos on this site can’t even last for more than 10 minutes each since the main focus is on short-form lectures from notable professors, CEOs, scientists, celebrities, or even authors.
Many of the videos are given away for free while others might have a price tag attached to them since some of these speakers want you to pay if you’re interested in watching the video’s content, while some don’t really care either way.
You can also upload your own videos onto this platform too if you have anything interesting to say or show viewers.
One of TED’s most popular TED Talks.
#6 Metacafe
If you’re into online video games and want to talk about them, then Metacafe is the right place for you.
With its slogan “Video for Gamers,” Metacafe’s main focus is on video game reviews, playthroughs and even lets gamers upload their own content too. This website was launched in 2003 and has over 1 million monthly users.
However, the site appears to be down recently.
#7 9GAG
9GAG is a site that mainly features memes, funny photos, and jokes.
It’s more of an image sharing platform than video sharing since the majority of content on here consists of GIFs and photographs.
But it still works like YouTube and contains videos too.
The aim of 9gag is to provide you with entertainment when you’re bored or just looking for a laugh.
You can upload your own images onto this website too if they fit into their community guidelines.
#8 Veoh
Do you want a video streaming site that lets you watch pretty much anything, including movies and TV shows? Then, Veoh is the right place for you.
Veoh was launched in 2006 and features videos from a wide range of genres.
In addition to having short films, documentaries, and even anime series on here, there are also famous Hollywood movies too such as Titanic, Gravity, and Robocop .
There’s a large number of foreign available on Veoh too since the site caters to all audiences.
Unlike other video streaming sites, you can even download videos too if you don’t want to stream them directly off the internet.
However, Veoh does need your email address in order to sign-up and create an account on this platform.
#9 DTube
DTube is a video streaming platform that looks and feels just like YouTube, but it’s run by blockchain technology and can’t be censored.
What this means is that all the videos on DTube are hosted on IPFS servers instead of YouTube’s servers, so even if it went down for some reason, you’d still be able to access them from other platforms such as Steemit or Resilio Sync.
In other words, it would be nearly impossible to remove these videos from the internet since they’re decentralized!
YouTube recently demonetized many smaller channels making earnings harder to achieve through ads, but with DTube you can earn Steem tokens (currently worth $2-$3 each for your content).
#10 Twitch
Established in 2011, Twitch is one of the best free video streaming sites like YouTube with a gaming focus.
If you’re uploading your own content here, then this site works with Streamlabs to integrate tools that promote tips and subscriptions which go directly into your PayPal account if you allow it.
And for gamers in general, there’s an option to subscribe (for subscription fees) and get notified when any and all uploads from specific channels take place; how much do the fees cost?
That depends on who’s hosting them and how much they can afford to charge their own subscribers in order to generate revenue without any advertisements being displayed within their videos.
As interesting as this might sound, this site is mostly focused on gamers and how they interact with one another; there are no revenue-sharing options for people who upload their own content (like YouTube) which means there’s not much opportunity here to make any money.
#11 UStream
Ustream is another video streaming site that focuses on creating an interactive community for creators and their audience; allowing both parties to communicate with each other directly during live events.
This is why the site was created by Brad Hunstable who also wanted it to be like a social network where users can watch broadcasts together without being able to comment.
In order to have a video streamed live on Ustream, you’ll need to pay for a monthly subscription which will allow you gained the ability to upload streaming videos in 720p resolution at 60fps.
In addition, there’s also an option where content creators can create scheduled broadcasts instead of going live whenever they want which is useful if your audience isn’t online at that specific time.
#12 IGTV
The only video streaming site on this list dedicated to Instagram, IGTV is now owned by Facebook.
Instagram now has Reels, which is a popular way for people to make videos and upload them.
#13 Funny or Die (FOD)
Funny or Die (FOD) is a video sharing site with an emphasis toward comedy.
Funny or Die (FOD) is a video sharing site that’s focused entirely on entertainment, making it one of the best free video streaming sites out there.
So yes, you can share your own videos here too if they’re comedic enough to meet their content standards.
We even found this quote from FOD’s YouTube channel page: “because not all original video content deserves its own platform.”
This means you get your videos seen more quickly by having them posted on one of the biggest online video channels today – YouTube. But if FOD is mainly focusing on comedy-related content, then how does it make money? Assuming you have copyrighted material in your video, Google AdSense ads will appear before playing your video.
In other words, the more views you get from those ads, the more revenue you’ll be able to generate as a creator or person who uploads their own videos onto this platform.
#14 Humble Bundle
Humble Bundle is a video-sharing site that focuses on games and gaming culture.
But once again, if you’re uploading copyrighted content onto here, then there’s going to be advertisements in your video too which means any revenue generated from them will go into your pocket.
And even if your content doesn’t have any copyright-infringing material within it (like gameplay footage of unreleased games), you can still make money off this by letting Google AdSense ads play before the video starts.
#15 Bitchute
Bitchute is similar in a way to DTube in the sense that it’s decentralized and lets people watch and upload their own videos in a peer-to-peer blockchain environment.
However, this site also has its own cryptocurrency called BitShares (BTS) which makes exchanging money between users easier than trying to transfer it to PayPal or bank accounts.
Nonetheless, BitShares will be the currency used by Bitchute users to buy digital products and services within the service.
Since Bitchute is much younger than most of the others on this list, there’s not much more information available right now to comment on about its potential success rate.
Currently, there are only a few video options for you to choose from which include music videos, live events, live TV shows/movies, and citizen journalism/reporting where you can upload your own content instead of watching someone else’s.
#16 TikTok
TikTok specializes in short-form video, but with attention spans getting lower over time, TikTok is the top platform for capitalizing on this trend. Similar to Vine, the video clips here are limited to 15 seconds max.
And similar to Vimeo and YouTube, you’re able to post videos from your computer or smartphone camera.
So even if you don’t have a ton of followers on TikTok yet, your content can still be viewed by other people who might end up subscribing to you in the future.
#17 Streamable
A straightforward site that allows users to upload their own videos onto a platform managed by a third-party company called Zype.
Zype has been established for quite some time now so there shouldn’t be a problem with this specific service provided by them.
There’s no limit on how long your video can be since it will conform to whatever file size restrictions the site has set for itself.
So if you’re uploading a video that’s too large in size, Zype will automatically encode it into a lower resolution to fit what the site requires for uploads.
And similar to YouTube, Streamable also supports nearly any device you might own – including smartphones, VR headsets, and even Smart TVs.
#18 Vidme
Vidme is another one of those sites that serve as an alternative to YouTube because it lets users upload their own videos from both their computer or from their smartphone camera within seconds of coming up with the idea/content they want to be posted there.
Because this website is relatively new (founded in 2014 by Warren Shaeffer and Alex Benzer in Los Angeles, California, and was originally called Viddme), the free speech-based policies have been criticized by groups such as The Guardian.
However, this site isn’t owned by any giant conglomerate corporation which means it’s more transparent about its activities and at the same time, provides a platform for YouTube users to express their creativity in a variety of different ways.
#19 Coub
Coub is a video streaming website that allows you to upload content from both your computer or smartphone camera.
Like other sites though, there are rules/restrictions you have to follow when uploading here such as making sure your content isn’t on anyone else’s copyright.
In addition to this, if you want to get more views on your videos, you can add filters on top of them just like how Instagram operates.
Top YouTube Alternatives 2024
Conclusion
In this article, we included 19 of the best free video streaming sites.
18 of them are video streaming sites other than YouTube.
On these sites, you can upload original content, music, songs, gaming footage, live streams, and even earn money.
