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5 video sites you’ll like more than YouTube
YouTube is the undisputed king of video-sharing platforms, but not everyone is on board with its brand of hosting and data collection. As part of the Google ecosystem, YouTube integrates perfectly with its overall strategy of scanning content you browse and adjusting advertisements accordingly. But with growing scandals and moderation issues on YouTube’s part, many video-lovers are scrambling for alternative platforms to enjoy content they crave.
Thankfully, YouTube isn’t the only streaming video site on the web. A range of viable competitors exist — each with its own pros and cons — that can easily satisfy YouTube expats hungry for fun, new material.
We’ve compiled a list of our favorite YouTube competitors on the internet, along with reasons you should consider making one of these platforms your new entertainment destination. They may not have all the same features as YouTube proper, but they each bring something unique to the table for curious visitors.
See classic movies and historical footage on Archive.org’s Moving Image Archive
If you’ve ever used the popular “Wayback Machine” to look at defunct websites, you’re already familiar with Archive.org’s “Internet Archive.” What you may not know, however, is the digital library hosts an expansive catalog of streaming video ranging from archival news footage to full length movies.
The content on Archive.org tends to lean towards historical or cultural significance rather than pure entertainment value — so you’re not likely to find streaming personalities, memes, or funny short videos here. If classic movies from the golden age of Hollywood, newsreels from the 20th Century, and educational videos are more your speed, you can’t go wrong with the Archive.
Catch feature-length films on Sony Crackle
Sony Pictures is a major player in Hollywood. Believe it or not, it’s one of the first studios to break into the streaming game for itself. All the content on Sony Crackle comes from the company’s extensive library of movies and shows — but it does offer newer, original content like hit comedy series “Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee.”
On the flip side, many of Crackle’s movies are older — which may bother streaming fans who are used to fresher libraries offered by Netflix and Hulu. That said, YouTube itself doesn’t offer nearly as many free movies, and the ones that are there may disappear the moment a license-holder files a report. The videos on Crackle, for the time being, are there to stay.
Enjoy crystal clear picture with Vimeo
Easily one of the biggest competitors to YouTube, Vimeo, set itself apart when it debuted high-definition videos before any other platform on the web. Even today, Vimeo is the preferred video sharing site for creators who want to make a splash with gorgeous quality videos.
A good deal of content on Vimeo is free, but many creators hide their best works behind a paywall. While inexpensive, this can be a dealbreaker for people who enjoy watching clips online for free.
However, many of these Vimeo creators are honest-to-goodness independent filmmakers with impressive resumes. Plus, recommended videos are handpicked by real people instead of an algorithm like YouTube — which tends to make them higher quality.
Get the best of short videos on Metacafe
If you loved watching Vines, TikToks, and memeable clips on YouTube, Metacafe is the place to visit! Unlike other platforms we mentioned, Metacafe primarily focuses on short clips for maximum sharing-potential.
Because of this focus on clips over movies, folks looking for a more in-depth experience might end up disappointed. Still, it’s worth checking out Metacafe. With how short the videos are, it won’t take much time at all.
Get the YouTube experience — without YouTube — on Dailymotion
If you’re looking for a true YouTube replacement for your video cravings, your best bet is to go with Dailymotion. Currently one of YouTube’s biggest rivals in the video space, Dailymotion offers an experience that’s going to be a lot more familiar to YouTube and Google expats. Plus, it has more active users than most of the competition, making it an active and thriving community.
The numbers still aren’t anywhere near YouTube’s viewership — which ranks comparably to some of the biggest countries on Earth in total population. That said, you can enjoy numerous videos on a range of topics — as well as official music videos and song streams from famous artists like Drake and Ariana Grande.
See the best of the web on Komando.com’s video library
This isn’t officially part of our “Top 5” selection, but we can’t talk about quality content without mentioning our very own video archive. Because Kim Komando is your hub for all things digital, we personally curate our own selection of the web’s best videos –so you don’t have to go looking!
Komando.com is also the home of Kim’s show, as well as our own in-house videos for digital life hacks, tips and tricks, and do-it-yourself technology features. Check out www.komando.com, or sign up for our Must-see Videos newsletter for our top picks from across the web.
Tags: Archive.org Wayback Machine, competitors, data collection, Google, home, internet, Internet Archive, Sony, Sony Crackle, speed, streaming video, YouTube
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