# 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.

- Section: Guides (https://videokr.com/guides)
- Page: https://videokr.com/guides/best-video-hosting
- Last updated: 2026-08-18

## 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](/docs/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](/compare/wistia-alternative), [vs Vimeo](/compare/vimeo-alternative), [vs Vidyard](/compare/vidyard-alternative), [vs YouTube](/compare/youtube-alternative).

## FAQ

### 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.

## Related

- [Videokr as a Wistia alternative](https://videokr.com/compare/wistia-alternative)
- [Video hosting glossary: the terms vendors use differently](https://videokr.com/blog/video-hosting-glossary)
- [Videokr as a Vimeo alternative](https://videokr.com/compare/vimeo-alternative)
- [Self-hosted video vs a hosted platform](https://videokr.com/guides/self-hosted-vs-hosted-video)

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Videokr — Videokr is hosted video for marketing sites: upload or link a video, brand the player, capture emails inside it, embed it anywhere and read second-by-second retention. Free tier forever, $69 lifetime, or metered plans.
Plans: https://videokr.com/#pricing · Full reference: https://videokr.com/llms-full.txt