10 Best YouTube Alternatives

Matthew_Anderson

In a move reminiscent of Netflix’s decision to crack down on account sharing, YouTube has recently started its own crusade against ad blockers. Users who attempt to watch YouTube videos with an ad blocker now receive a message instructing them to either disable their ad blocker or pay for a YouTube Premium subscription to continue watching. The promotion of this message began as a “small experiment” in June but has since evolved to become an everyday feature of the platform for many users.

In light of this decision, as well as privacy concerns around YouTube’s use of users’ personal information, people are increasingly looking for YouTube alternatives. Though it is hard to match YouTube’s interface and breadth of content, there are several alternatives out there that may be better suited for your viewing needs.

Depending on what type of content you tend to consume, you might be able to migrate completely to one or more of these platforms! Let’s take a look at ten of the best YouTube alternatives. 

10 Best YouTube Alternatives

1. Vimeo 

Vimeo is a video-sharing platform that was founded by filmmakers in 2004. Given its origins, Vimeo’s content still leans toward arthouse pieces, short films, documentaries and the like. If you browse the main page, you’ll find categories like Vimeo Staff Picks and Locarno Film Festival’s Open Doors that bring indie filmmaking to the forefront. For those looking for a site like YouTube with top-notch indie cinema and 4K video quality to boot, Vimeo is a great choice.

2. Twitch

Twitch is a video streaming platform particularly well known in the gaming community. It is most renowned for its livestream feature that allows content creators to interact with their audiences in real time. Gaming is a huge part of Twitch’s content, but you can also find videos in categories such as music, Esports, and the broadly named “creative”. 

Because Twitch places an emphasis on live streams and real-time viewer experiences, it may not be suitable for all users. But for those who are looking for a more personal relationship between viewers and content creators, Twitch is a great YouTube alternative.

3. Dailymotion

Dailymotion is one of the most robust YouTube competitors in terms of interface and content. Navigating its site, you’ll find that it’s quite like YouTube, if a bit more minimal: it has the same dedicated search bar, options to like and share videos, and more features that YouTube users are accustomed to. Additionally, it is one of the platforms on this list with the highest amount of content, making it a good choice for a wide range of tastes.

Another definite advantage of Dailymotion is that it allows users to upload content up to 4GB and with a resolution of 1080p. Some possible drawbacks are that video length is limited to 20 minutes, and ads are still quite numerous.

4. DTube

DTube is a video sharing site like YouTube that chooses to place an emphasis on privacy. It’s fully decentralized, meaning that videos are not uploaded and streamed from one central server as they are on YouTube.

Plus, all content is stored on blockchain, making it harder for people with ill intent to access your personal data. With no ads and no recommendation algorithm, DTube is an excellent YouTube alternative for those who want privacy protections beyond what YouTube can offer.

5. Gleev

Gleev is an open source YouTube alternative with content focused on web3 and cryptocurrencies. It offers a diverse range of content based on cryptocurrencies, investment and other topics, all in a variety of languages. For creators, it offers the advantage of blockchain storage technology that provides protection against data theft. If you’re primarily interested in the topics that Gleev specializes in, this website is definitely one to keep in mind.

6. Storyfire

Storyfire, in addition to being a video sharing platform, also allows users to share written stories. You can share videos as a video creator or you can share stories, which are separated into solo stories and group stories. All interactions on the platform take place through the in-app currency called “Blaze.”

Using this currency, you can tip creators, receive payment for your own content, promote your content and more. You can of course purchase Blaze using real money, or you can earn it through completing certain actions like watching ads, sharing content etc.

7. Rumble

Rumble, like Twitch, is a video sharing platform that is centered on live streams. It’s described by some as an “alt-tech” platform, meaning that it functions with less stringent content moderation standards. For those whose primary issue with YouTube lies in their content moderation policies, Rumble might be the best YouTube alternative.

8. Odysee

Odysee is similar to Rumble. Like Rumble, its content moderation standards are less strict than YouTube, allowing videos that YouTube would perhaps limit or block from its platform. It shares its emphasis on privacy with DTube, being an open-source website that stores all of its content on blockchain. If you are unsatisfied with how YouTube moderates videos on its platform, Odysee might be a good choice for you.

9. Piped

Piped is somewhat different from other sites on this list. Piped allows users to watch any YouTube video without making connections to Google’s servers. Users can even subscribe to certain YouTube creators without having a Google account.

Uniquely, Piped gives users the freedom to say no to YouTube’s ad blocker crackdown and privacy interference without compromising on variety of content. If this appeals to you, be sure to check Piped out.

10. Internet Archive - Video Section

The Internet Archive is a non-profit collection of digital media. Their aim is to collect and preserve cultural artifacts in digital form for all to access free of charge. On their main page, you can find all of their items separated by categories that include anime, television, feature films and more.

This resource may not be suitable as a complete replacement for YouTube, but if you can find what you’re looking for on there, it’s a great cause to support and encourage.

Conclusion

Though it may be frustrating that it’s getting tougher and tougher to block pesky ads on YouTube, YouTube alternatives open the door to new solutions. Though all of the websites listed in this article are directed towards different types of audiences, they share their vision of creating a more diverse content sharing forum.