If you’re getting frustrated with YouTube, here are some alternative sites that are each better than YouTube in one way or another.
1. TikTok
How it’s better: More suitable for quick entertainment or taking your mind off your work or studies. If you’re just looking for a quick distraction and don’t want to be sucked into “the YouTube hole” for hours, TikTok might be a better video site compared to YouTube for you. You’ll find comedy shorts, lip-sync videos, talent displays, as well as some pretty weird dancing clips on TikTok. The best part about these videos is that they’re all short – 60 seconds max. TikTok is still at its peak popularity, so you’ll never run out of entertainment while you’re on the app. It’s incredibly diverse too. Being the 7th most downloaded mobile app of the decade, you’re bound to come across all sorts of international trends and might even learn something while you’re scrolling through the clips.
2. IGTV
How it’s better: Better than YouTube for watching videos on mobile. If you prefer watching your videos on a smartphone rather than your computer, IGTV (or Instagram TV) is more convenient since it’s integrated into Instagram that you probably already use. The future of video is mobile, and all videos on IGTV are vertical and full screen. You can browse them through the Instagram app, on the accounts you follow and using your Instagram feed, where the suggested IGTV videos play automatically. The videos are mostly made by Instagram content creators and vary in length – up to 15 mins for unverified accounts and up to 60 mins for those uploaded by verified IG users.
3. Facebook Watch
How it’s better: It comes with Facebook Originals with several series and shows that Facebook funds. Facebook Watch is normally overlooked when it comes to YouTube alternatives, but this streaming service deserves your attention. Facebook Watch is free and has a ton of exciting video content. Like YouTube, you’ll get a list of videos based on your interests and your Facebook profile. While it’s more difficult to sort through the content, since there’s no option to subscribe to channels, there’s one thing that makes Facebook Watch stand out as better than YouTube – Facebook Originals. They’re shows and series produced and funded by Facebook. The quality of Facebook Originals will surprise you. Some of these series feature well-known actors and have budgets for full-length TV shows. The genres are also diverse: you can find anything from comedy to reality shows to documentaries on Facebook Watch.
4. Vimeo
How it’s better: Supports 360-degree videos. Even if you’re a sworn YouTube user, you’ve probably heard of Vimeo before. In fact, most of the YouTube content creators started their careers on Vimeo. This site was among the first video sites to support high-definition content and still caters to professionals over amateur users. On top of that, Vimeo supports a 360-degree video format. So whether you want to watch 360-degree videos or upload your own, the Vimeo video player allows you to do both.
5. Twitch
How it’s better: Better for gaming videos. Twitch is a video hosting site that specializes in live streaming videos of gamers and cybersport competitions. Creators use Twitch for streaming, so you can find DJ sets, live broadcasts from artists, cooking streams, and more on the platform. One thing that makes Twitch stand out among other streaming sites is that as a chat participant, you can ask questions and interact with the content creators in real-time.
6. Dailymotion
How it’s better: More monetization options for content creators. Dailymotion is probably the closest to YouTube’s rival structure and content-wise on our list. It was created around the same time as YouTube was, has a similar interface, and offers you a list of suggested videos based on what you’ve already watched on the site. However, as a content creator just getting started, you might find Dailymotion a more favorable option. The site has a more flexible copyright policy and allows you to monetize your videos through ads or a paywall.
7. Crackle
How it’s better: A blend of YouTube and Netflix. Crackle is an online streaming platform to watch movies and TV series from various networks that you won’t find on Netflix. Crackle also has its original shows of professional quality, starring famous actors and Hollywood stars. While you can’t use Crackle as a content maker, you can still enjoy a decent selection of movies and TV shows that the site offers.
8. Vevo
How it’s better: A YouTube-like site exclusively for music videos. The only content you’ll find on Vevo is music videos. Vevo has a deal with YouTube, and you can often find Vevo videos on the platform. However, if you want to completely isolate your music from YouTube’s ads and other types of content, tune into Vevo and enjoy your favorite music clips one after another.
9. Internet Archive
How it’s better: Great for studying & finding old videos for research. While YouTube has millions of videos on any topic imaginable, the Internet Archive is better than YouTube for historical and educational content. Aside from videos and movies, it also has music, books, and even software available for free. If you’re looking for an old news report or a documentary for your research paper and can’t seem to find it on YouTube, look for it on the Internet Archive before giving up.
10. TED
How it’s better: Better for broadening your horizons, one TED Talk at a time. YouTube is great for learning, but it’s easy to drown in entertainment content that doesn’t provide any educational value. On TED, the only type of content you’ll find are thousands of recorded TED talks by professionals and amateurs on a diverse number of topics. If you’re determined to learn from other experts in various fields like politics, science, design, technology, and more, TED is a better platform to educate yourself.
11. D.Tube
How it’s better: Gives you the ability to earn some crypto for your videos. D.Tube stands for Decentralized Tube. It’s a version of YouTube, where instead of being hosted on one server, the videos are decentralized thanks to the STEEM blockchain that the site is using. The content creators on D.Tube earn STEEM cryptocurrency for their popular videos. When you browse on D.Tube, you can even see how much crypto each video has earned instead of the number of views like on YouTube.
12. PeerTube
How it’s better: Gives you more freedom over the content you host and upload. PeerTube is another decentralized version of YouTube. It’s a video hosting site that you can use for uploading your singular videos online. You can also take advantage of their peer-to-peer system and create a server that will host your content. This server is referred to as an instance. On PeerTube, you can find different themed instances that will lead you to separate sites with the videos all centered around a single theme or genre, like documentaries or ecology. Every instance is moderated by different admins, making PeerTube a network of small independent video hosters with freedom over their content.
Is It Time to Ditch YouTube?
There are many other options aside from YouTube when it comes to streaming or video platforms. We rounded up the best of them that are better than YouTube in one way or another. If you know of any other better sites than YouTube we left out, share them in the comments section below.
