Hosting a video on your website is more complicated than it seems.
Most people would say "just link a YouTube video" or embed the common YT player. However, if you are seeking to create an elevated brand experience on your website, an ad-riddled YouTube presentation is hardly the look you're going for. You may want full control over the media on your site, or hosted in your app. You may not want to store your videos on uncontrolled servers, or you might need more control than is offered by your typical free-to-embed platforms.
While anyone with a blog can host personal videos of their cat for free, in business there is a cost and a benefit to every choice. What is the real cost of video hosting? The cost to host a video depends on the features, control, and experience you want to secure for your website or app. As video hosting experts, the JW Player team is here today to spotlight the true cost of video hosting and how to choose based on the needs and budget of your brand.
The Requirements of Commercial Video Hosting
- Embedded Player
- Fast Loading
- High-Quality Video
- Responsive Controls
- Ad-Free Experience
First, let's talk about casual vs commercial video hosting. A good commercial video is likely in an embedded video player, not just linked. It doesn't slow down your page load and the controls are responsive. You also want a player that is capable of conveying high-quality videos without lag or visual artifacts, with good user controls to give your leads and customers the best viewing experience possible.
You also want your video player to be ad-free. This means no noisy interruptions at the beginning, middle, or end of your content, and no pop-up ads every time the video is paused. This kind of performance goes above and beyond the casual, ad-riddled experience of casual video hosting. To escape the typical downfalls of the top free video hosting platforms, you're going to need to invest in a professional solution.
But invest how much? How much does video hosting cost for high-quality commercial content? If you choose the right player, it's less than you might think.
The True Cost of Free Video Players
Why not use the free options? Some of your friends or business partners may suggest using YouTube "like everyone else". While every gamer and travel blogger may delight in embedded YouTube videos on their WordPress blog sites, this is not the experience that every brand desires to create - or that every client desires to experience.
Free video players, including DailyMotion, and the many Fremium options typically come with downsides. Mainly: advertisements. These platforms are free because they are supported by ad revenue where viewers are the commodity being sold to advertisers. Every time you embed a YouTube player, you are also exposing your valuable leads and customers to the constant barrage of 30-120 second ads, interruptions, and video pop-ups.
There is a cost to free video players, one of experience and conversions. Viewers who get held up or annoyed by ads are less likely to stay, to enjoy your content, or to complete the conversion path. This will cost you in leads what it does not cost in monthly fees.
The Cost of Privately Hosting Videos
Hosting videos through a professional web player, however, is a great way to step around the downsides of free video hosting. When you choose a private video player to embed into your website or mobile app, you control which features area available, how your content is presented, and even the default volume that each video begins with.
You may have greater control over the freeze-frame thumbnail before the video begins, or find an easier time adding captions and transcripts to your videos for greater accessibility for your clients.
Private video hosting typically costs somewhere between $10 and $200 each month. Why the big range? It's because every video host has a unique approach to pricing along with unique access to features, storage, and embed options. It is also because each video hosting campaign has different demands, ranging from one video a month to three videos a day.
Video Hosting Price Comparisons
- YouTube
- Free with Ads
- DailyMotion
- Free with Ads
- Wistia
- $99/mo or Fremium
- Vimeo
- $7/mo Fremium plus Storage
- Vidyard
- $10/mo Fremium
- Brightcove
- $199/mo
- JW Player
- Free plus storage*
How Much Does Video Hosting Cost on JW Player?
JW Player has a free trial that makes it possible to explore all of our features before you decide how much video hosting you need and the features that will make this experience ideal for you. Explore our features and the process of embedding videos using the JW player before you commit. After 30 days, work with a JW Player representative to help build a custom video hosting subscription.
JW Player subscriptions typically start at about $10 a month, but you can change this amount by choosing more features, more storage, or less, depending on the unique needs of your brand and video campaign. Whether you are fleshing out your information center with how-to videos or hosting an exciting webcast series, JW Player is an adaptive and affordable answer to professional video hosting without the ad-riddled and Fremium experience of other platforms.
You can also access live streaming, mobile video, and even audience engagement and monetization. And if you want to advertise, that power is in your hands, and the advertisers will answer to you.
Video Hosting On Your Terms, and On Your Budget
With JW Player, we strive to provide a versatile and professional video hosting platform that scales with your needs. Whether you are a small indie studio or a large enterprise looking for the right video hosting solution, JW Player offers the clean, complete feature set and professional control you need at a price that is designed to fit any budget. Let us help you set the stage for beautiful, compelling, professional video hosting that is completely under your control. Contact us today to learn more or to begin building your custom video player account.