How to choose a video hosting platform
Compare video hosting on what actually bites later: whether pricing is metered on bandwidth, plays or seats; whether the player can be fully unbranded; whether embeds work outside one CMS; whether analytics include a per-video retention curve; how access control works; what integrations exist; and how you get your videos, leads and analytics out.
1. What is metered
The single biggest source of surprise invoices. Three models exist:
- Bandwidth / egress — cost scales with success, and a viral page is a bill.
- Plays or views — cost tracks audience, usually with a de-duplication rule worth reading closely.
- Seats — priced on your team, unrelated to your traffic. Fine for large teams, brutal for a one-person marketing function.
Videokr meters de-duplicated plays (once per video per month) and never bills bandwidth: 500 plays free, 10,000 a month for a one-off $69, $1 per extra 10,000 on paid plans. See plans and limits.
2. Branding
Can every trace of the vendor be removed — badge, end-screen suggestions, share menu? Check this on the tier you intend to buy, not the top one.
3. Embeds
Does the embed work on any site, or only inside one CMS? A plugin-only solution ties your video to that platform forever. Ask for both an iframe and a script embed.
4. Analytics depth
Play counts are table stakes. What changes decisions is a per-video retention curve, plus referrer and device splits, and CTA/lead attribution. Ask whether the curve is per video or an account average.
5. Access control
Unlisted, password, domain-locked embeds, expiring links. And ask the honest version of the question: is this access control, or DRM? Almost always the former — plan accordingly.
6. Integrations
Webhooks with a verifiable signature beat a fixed list of native integrations, because they cover the tool you will use next year. Check for an API key model with revocation, and a CMS plugin if you live in WordPress.
7. Exit
Can you export videos, leads and analytics? Do embed URLs survive a plan change? A platform that makes leaving hard is telling you something about its confidence.
A short scoring exercise
Write down your worst realistic month — plays and number of sites — and price every candidate against that, not against today. Then check the one feature you would miss most if the free tier hid it: for most people that is either unbranding or the retention curve.
Comparisons: vs Wistia, vs Vimeo, vs Vidyard, vs YouTube.
Frequently asked questions
What is the cheapest way to host marketing video?
A per-play or one-time plan on a platform that does not meter bandwidth, or self-hosting if you already run a CDN and can absorb the engineering time.
Does free video hosting exist?
Yes, with limits worth reading: play or bandwidth caps, and usually the vendor’s badge on the player. Videokr’s free plan allows 500 plays a month and 5 videos, with one small badge.