Video on Demand: 10 of the best VOD platforms for 2022

Feb 2, 2024

Video on demand (VOD) is a trend that has a lot of staying power.

With a rising number of people trade cable agreements to access streaming online Experts predict that the market will experience billion-dollar growth.

In this article we'll go over the basics of what VOD platforms are as well as their functions before looking at the top 10 VOD platforms for 2022.

Get your popcorn ready and comfortable.

What's a VOD Platform?

OTT services such as Netflix, Amazon Prime, and Hulu are the best examples of the video on demand platform at work. In exchange for the cost of a monthly subscription, people who pay for the services have access to thousands (maybe thousands) of TV shows.

Unlike YouTube which is solely based on an advertising-based video-on-demand (AVOD) model VOD platforms typically offer creators of content with multiple choices for monetization:

Subscriber video on Demand (SVOD): Subscribers are charged a monthly cost to access your growing collection of video content.
Video on Demand Transactional (TVOD): Customers purchase individual videos, such as new releases or exclusive videos or exclusive content.
advertising-based video on demand (AVOD): Viewers enjoy your content for free as a reward for seeing ads (which earns you money).

What exactly is a video on demand platform operate?

For the modern consumer, it's no longer enough to watch whatever's being shown on television. The modern consumer wants to stream whatever they want whenever they'd like -- and VOD platforms allow that freedom.

When someone is looking to stream a given title All they need to do is access the VOD application on their smartphone or TV and select the show they would like to watch then wait for a couple of seconds for the video to start loading.

For your viewers, it's almost like magic, but there's an entire world of sophistication that lies behind these seemingly straightforward acts.

If someone decides to watch a show, a VOD broadcaster is required to:

encode the video file in a format that is suitable to stream
Secure the video files so only people who've made a payment can open and download the file.
embed advertisements within the video file (typically in the event that the software is free)
Stream the video file over the Internet to hundreds (potentially many thousands) of individuals

Additionally, you'll need plenty of bandwidth to power high-quality video streaming at the scale it requires, and this is difficult to achieve without assistance.

That's the point at which VOD platforms can help. The most effective ones handle every aspect that provide a smooth viewing (and purchasing) experience while freeing broadcasters to produce more exciting video content.

Building your VOD empire using the right platform is essential and if viewers can't easily or reliably watch your content, they'll stop watching it altogether.

And that's bad for your OTT company.

The top VOD platforms

The best VOD option will boil down to weighing your needs in relation to obvious aspects like price. That's how you'll receive the greatest price.

Here are ten VOD streaming sites worth checking out.

1. OTT

It could be offering subscription-based video streaming services or other transactional products that customers can rent or purchase, OTT is an end-to-end VOD solution that's as customizable as it is accessible to users.

OTT highlights:

Video upload /migration batch uploads 30MB or more of video at a time. Migrate your video content from the platform you are currently using for no cost on the Enterprise plan.
Video hosting and organizing Management and control of the entire library of videos from a central hub. Adjust video settings, organize video collections into collections, include metadata, restrict access and much more.
Video monetization with's sophisticated selling capabilities, you are able to establish subscriptions (SVOD) as well as ads (AVOD) or one-time purchases (TVOD) for your content on-demand.
Video analytics A pioneer in the video-on-demand space, OTT delivers comprehensive real-time video analytics. From watching time per subscriber up to the most watched videos on your channel, OTT customers gain insights that turn information into money.

"Since changing to YouTube and to my personal subscription, I've been better able to concentrate on what my users want and need, and also earn more money." Millionaire Hoy, Founder, HoyPro.com

Branding and accessibility: OTT places your content in the right place for customers to watch them - on the Apple and Android devices they already use. In addition to branded apps and content owners, they also get their own branded OTT website using pre-designed templates. If you require something a bit more customized then you could use their API as well as SDK when you sign up for the Enterprise plan.
Setup and maintenance: You don't need to be a professional developer or tech wizard to navigate the platform and maintain OTT apps with proficiency. handles app development creation, submission, and maintenance while providing 24/7 support for your customers. Take your time focusing on your technology, and instead spend time focusing on what matters -- your content.
Live streaming using auto-archive:Turn those live streams into on-demand video titles without skipping a beat.
Customer service:Get reliableemail support with the Growth plan. Receive dedicated account management as well as your customer support team with an Enterprise plan.

Things to think about when deciding on OTT:

If you're in search of details on technical aspects of security protocol and video encoding, you'll have to dig into the documentation for support.

2. Wowza

Wowza is an extensive video streaming platform that has two primary video streaming services that include the Wowza Streaming Cloud and the Wowza Streaming Engine.

Whether a content owner opts to stream from the cloud or through the on-premises server Wowza offers a suite of tools designed to help broadcasters stream their content to viewers regardless of the technology, size, or network conditions.

Wowza highlights:

streaming cloud or streaming engine: Beam video content to any destination with minimal set-up using Wowza's managed stream services or handle and personalize the transcoding within your own organization using Wowza's download Media Server software.
Video encoder Alongside built-in transcoding Wowza offers adaptive bitrate streaming for a seamless video viewing.
Branding and accessibility: Wowza's Streaming Engine supports APIs and SDKs to allow you to personalize the experience and make workflows automated as necessary. White-labelling is also possible.
Multi-level security: Automated code review, regular third-party penetration tests as well as regular "security days" mean your data is protected by Wowza.
Support for customers: Get the expert support you require to make sure that the success of your streaming service by contacting the professional team at Wowza.
Pricing: Streaming Cloud plans range from $85/month to $425/month and pricing is based on a mix of video hours and watch hours. Streaming Engine pricing begins at $175/month, with customized pricing offered for the Enterprise plan.

Things to think about when looking at Wowza:

The monetization options of Wowza aren't clear. According to some sources, they do not offer monetization services, while others indicate they do.

3. VPlayed

Being An OTT platform, VPlayed enables content creators to stream video on the internet games consoles, mobile devices and set-top box devices like Apple TV and Roku. What's unique with Vplayed is how they do it.

Focused on monetization and accessibility, VPlayed is a feature-rich VOD platform that has the infrastructure for seamless streaming of video in addition to growing your business -- on any device.

Highlights from VPlay:

Video uploading/management: Upload an unlimited number of videos at a time and manage them all from VPlayed's video CMS.
Video encoder:Deliver high-quality videos in low-bandwidth situations by using specific encoding and optimizations according to the particular video.
End-to-end customization:Build the VOD platform of your dreams with VPlayed's designers and developers. White-label the content of your videos to re-package and sell it to different types of audiences.
MonetizationWith six revenue models VPlayed's monetization choices have everything for any content owner. In addition, from AVOD and SVOD to "catchup TV," there are many ways to make money from your content with VPlayed.
Connect to other apps VPlayed is able to support a variety of third-party integrations (including Google Analytics) that means you are able to understand the monetization process and content goals.
Video marketing: With social media integrations as well as a machine learning-based recommendation engine, VPlayed has several features to draw viewers in and keep them entertained.
Security : In addition to standard features like video encryption and SSL certificates, VPlayed supports screen capture restriction and geoblocking.
Pricing: VPlayed doesn't provide pricing details on their website.

Things to consider when considering VPlayed:

VPlayed treats OTT apps as custom development (i.e. it's not part of the package) and could get costly. It's not included, and it could be costly. VPlayed provides a help desk, it's not available to non-customers.

4. Brightcove

Brightcove is a reliable and user-friendly VOD service with an extensive history of online video space.

Broadcasters who use Brightcove may go far beyond Netflix's typical VOD solution to create virtual experiences through the platform's interactivity features as well as audience tracking capabilities.

This is why Brightcove an ideal choice for businesses that want to provide a premium streaming experience at all times, from college and universities to conferences and festivals.

Brightcove highlights:

Interactivity and engagement: Brightcove customers can embed interactive features and enhanced audience behavior tracking in all their videos, including in-video purchases, quizzes, and choose-your-own-adventure paths.
Monetization: Brightcove supports several ads-based VOD models for monetization, including meta-data driven ads, companion ads, and ad cue points. You can further refine your target audience with integration partners like Google Ad Manager and FreeWheel.
Accessibility and branding:Create branded content on OTT apps, websites or social networks, as well as every other tool that you require using Brightcove's API.
Complete analyticsWith the ability to provide real-time information and user-level profile analytics, Brightcove's robust reporting suite helps broadcasters maximize revenues and improve their video marketing strategy.
Connect with other applications Brightcove's expanding library of integrations means you can connect your VOD platform with the apps you already use.
Security: Digital rights management (DRM) tools ensure that your content only reaches its intended audience.
Prices: Brightcove doesn't provide pricing information on their website.

Things to consider when considering Brightcove:

Brightcove is mainly geared towards enterprises which means expect an enterprise price.

5. Cleeng

Cleeng might be described as a Subscription Retention Management platform for media and OTT businesses however, it's also a strong VOD platform.

With its robust array of APIs that operate, Cleeng enables tech-savvy media and OTT companies to provide customers with a better experience, which will drive revenue and reduce the rate of churn.

Cleeng highlights:

Experience for customers:Integrate processes for customer support in order to cut down on SVOD churn. Optimize the purchase flow for OTT through seamless payments via the TV and mobile platforms and provide subscribers with the opportunity to control their accounts.
Branding and accessibility Create Multi-channel video subscription services via web, native apps as well as all the important platforms (iOS, tvOS, Roku, Android, Amazon Fire). Manage offers, plans and pricing through APIs. Make your VOD services with custom templates.
Monetization Integration of your payment processor and implement full payment and billing options (domestic and international, as well as in-app) for increased the conversion rate and retain customers.
Analytics that are comprehensive: Through the collection of detailed service feedback data as well as reasons for unsubscription, Cleeng helps its customers determine what's doing (and what's not) to boost their own customer retention.
Management of offers: Set up promotional programs that increase your reach by offering a variety of options for management.
Price: Cleeng is free for the first 1500 subscribers ("managed customers") for the duration of one year. After that, pricing revolves around managed users. Cleeng Core is priced at .79 per managed user/month. Access to the API is required for full access. Scale-Ups plan, with pricing beginning at .39 per month, for managed users. the minimum of 5000 users.

Considerations to make when evaluating Cleeng:

Getting the most out of Cleeng will require adequate development resources.

6. Muvi

Muvi is an all-in-one OTT solution that positions itself as both feature-rich and user-friendly. It comes with a speedy deployment warranty, Muvi is a good alternative for broadcasters looking to use no-code audio streaming at scale.

Muvi emphasizes:

Branding and accessibility Start your personal VOD platform with a branded OTT websites and native apps for all the major platforms (iOS, Android, Apple TV, Chromecast, LG TV) without touching one line of code. Use APIs and SDKs for further customization.
Monetization: Make your own monetization model or select from the most popular (SVOD TVOD, PPV, AVOD, etc.) Pick the preferred payment processor.
In-app purchases Allow it to be easier for users to purchase online with purchases natively on set-top boxes such as Roku or Apple TV.
Customer service: Muvi offers 24/7 customer support via phone to every customer. The Ultimate package comes with the support of a dedicated team.
Price:Muvi pricing starts at $399/month to have a white-labeled app or website including hosting and CDN. The higher tier plans with more bandwidth and functionality range from $1499 to $8900/month.

Considerations to make when looking at Muvi:

Muvi has more options than you'll ever require, so be sure you test any pertinent "nice-to-haves" before you commit.

7. Uscreen.tv

Uscreen is an end-to-end VOD streaming service that has everything you need to monetize videos. It is renowned for its emphasis on eLearning, their clients range from health and fitness up to spiritual and entertainment.

Uscreen highlights:

Design and accessibility: Launch and manage applications for streaming video on smartphones and televisions. Make your apps unique to reflect your company's image. Make it more customizable using Uscreen's API.
Video hosting and library management: Upload and manage your media from one location. Video updates will reflect within your apps immediately.
Complete analytics: Understand viewer behavior by analyzing detailed metrics like the duration of a watch per device. Determine your best-performing videos to guide future content choices.
Customer experience: Build a bustling audience of active viewers using Uscreen's community tools. This includes avatars/profiles owned by users and live chat/comment features.
Live streaming to any device Live stream is available through mobile, the web and TV apps. Put live streams behind a paywall, if applicable and drive engagement with live chat functionality. Automatically record lives onto videos at any time.
Monetization:Uscreen offers several monetization choices, such as subscriptions, rentals, pay-per-view, bundles trial trials for free, as well as lifetime access.
Pricing:Pricing starts at $79/month + .50 per subscriber for an individual OTT website. Uscreen Plus pricing (which comprises API access and mobile/TV apps) isn't available.

Things to take into consideration when looking at Uscreen:

Uscreen offers its own payment gateway however, it limits third-party payment processors to Stripe and PayPal.

8. Dacast

Dacast is a streaming video on demand service that supports professional-grade live streaming.

You may be looking to set an Hulu-style OTT platform or securely stream live events to people across locations, Dacast is a robust VOD platform to consider.

Highlights of Dacast:

Video uploading/migration: Dacast's S3 FTP upload feature means you can transfer multiple videos at once and efficiently.
Design and accessibility: Build your own CMS and customise your video player and mobile apps using Dacast's APIs.

Video library and organization: Keep things tidy by organizing your library into categories, playlists and subcategories. Upload live streamings to your on-demand library.
Comprehensive analytics:Track content performance and make use of the data to improve your content and monetization strategies.
Transcoding of video: transcoding of video:Dacast's video CMS is equipped with an integrated cloud transcoder. Transcode video content to allow an adaptive bitrate stream that works whatever wifi speed.
Monetization Select from TVOD, AVOD and SVOD to earn money for your content.
SecurityProtect your VOD content by using passwords Domain and IP limitations and delivery via HTTPS. Choose additional privacy and security capabilities with Dacast's API.
Price:Uscreen pricing ranges from $39-$188 per month, based on the amount of storage available and other features. If you want additional features, such as migrations and integrations, you'll need to sign up for customized pricing.

Things to think about when evaluating Dacast:

All plans offer API access.

9. Setplex

Setplex positions itself as an VOD platform that can futureproof the performance of your OTT content engine.

In order to meet that requirement, Setplex uses a microservices architecture that makes their software extremely adaptable. It is also a matter of working with a rich set of tools that are accessible through a single screen.

Highlights from Setplex:

Transcoding video: Using a cloud or self-hosted version of Sextrix you can transcode up 33 HD streams live or up to 55 SD streams simultaneously.
Design and accessibility Get your message out to the world on every platform with mobile, web, as well as TV set-top boxes. Customize the interface and apps to reflect your branding.
middleware for IPTV: Control all aspects of your OTT/IPTV platform at any time with Nora Middleware -- from user analytics to app customization to management of content.
MonetizationGenerate revenue through subscriptions (SVOD), rentals (TVOD), pay-per-view (PPV) as well as ad-supported (AVOD) types.
On-premises or cloud-based: With cloud-based and option to install on-premise, Setplex can work for many broadcasters -- whether you're a smaller business just getting started or an enterprise with rigorous compliance demands.
Price: Setplex doesn't provide pricing details on their website.

Things to take into consideration when looking at Setplex:

It's not known if Setplex uses its own API.

10. Resi.io

Resi is an exceptional choice in the field of VOD platforms. Built with enterprise-level broadcasting with an eye towards quality, this video on-demand solution provides customers with the reliability and high-quality that typically needs dedicated connections as well as expensive IT infrastructure.

Resi highlights

Technology that is patent-pending: With Resi's Resilient Streaming Protocol (RSP) it is possible to stream anywhere, without having to worry about audio or video loss. If the internet goes down completely, Resi can guarantee a uninterrupted stream.
Different streaming options:Resi has three different ways to stream: through highly reliable hardware encoders that are ideal for events that require a mission using Resi's ProPresenter Stream software, a cheaper way to leverage the same level of reliability, and with Resi Upload and Automate, an automated scheduling system that you can set and forget.
Live streaming across multiple sites: Stream video content anywhere in 1080p. Broadcast live streams to your website, social media channels, and OTT apps like Apple TV and Roku to get more people to watch your video using just one upload.
Customer service: Resi offers proactive monitoring and support on all its platforms. If you or the Resi support team notices anything that might cause a problem for your stream and they'll help you to resolve it via telephone or email -- even during weekends.
Award-winning:Resi has won several G2 awards (including the best customer support, a top performer, and easy to work with) and its list of clients includes companies in the events educational, sports, and sectors.

Things to consider when considering Resi

To provide ultra-reliable live streaming, Resi's patent-pending technology relies on a 90-second delay to two minutes when it's streaming live.

Get started with your VOD service

In the fight between VOD platform providers, the best choice is one that can meet most (if not all) of your specific demands for business. From hosting and encoding video to the development of apps as well as accessibility. There are numerous aspects to take into consideration in evaluating the platform you choose.

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