The 15 Best Cloud Video Streaming Platforms in 2024

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As technology develops, cloud video streaming services are becoming evermore prevalent. Concerning video specifically, cloud video platforms are aiding professional video hosting. Modern businesses and marketers alike want straightforward, reliable infrastructure. Fortunately, the right video streaming cloud service can provide all that and more.

In this article, we cover cloud video streaming software. We discuss what cloud video streaming is and how it works. Furthermore, we provide an in-depth comparison of the top 15 platforms on the market before telling you the essential features to look for. By the end, you’ll possess the knowledge to choose your own cloud video streaming solution.

Table of Contents

• What is Cloud Video Streaming?
• How Does Cloud – base Streaming Work is Does ?
• Comparison of the Top 15 Cloud Video Streaming Platforms
• 1 . dacast
• 2 . brightcove
• 3 . IBM Cloud Video
• 4 . kaltura
• 5. Vidyard
• 6 . Wowza
• 7. JW Player
• 8 . dailymotion
• 9 . Livestream
• 10. SproutVideo
• 11. Panopto
• 12. Vimeo
• 13 . Cloudflare Stream
• 14 . Muvi
• 15. Liveswitch Cloud
• Essential Video Cloud Streaming Features
• video Streaming on Cloud vs. On – premise : 6 consideration
• conclusion

What is Cloud Video Streaming?

To understand what cloud video streaming  is , let ’s quickly go back in time . In the past , broadcasters is needed need complex on – premise server and other hardware to stream video to their audience . This infrastructure is had had high upfront cost , was complicated to maintain , and was n’t a core competency for many brand .

That is ’s ’s why many broadcaster are move to  cloud video platforms that provide a straightforward video streaming and host solution.

So now, back to the initial question, “What is a cloud stream?” Instead of physical hardware, cloud-based video streaming uses software you can access over the internet. Files and data are stored in “the cloud” to make it easy for broadcasters to access their information and workflows from anywhere as long as they have a computer and a strong internet connection.

This way, you don’t have to make heavy investments in hardware nor go through the complexity of installing and maintaining these various pieces of hardware.

Some platforms let you stream from cloud storage. So whether you want a simple solution for online movie storage, streaming for personal entertainment, or leveraging these platforms for business purposes,  cloud video streaming  is a robust solution for all these goal .

How Does Cloud – base Streaming Work is Does ?

Let’s cover the question “How does cloud-based streaming work?” in detail.

Cloud – base streaming software is relies rely on a network of cloud server dedicate to host video file and efficiently deliver this content to viewer .

Once broadcasters upload files to these cloud video streaming servers, they’re encoded and transcoded into various formats ready for playback.

Video transcoding in the cloud  efficiently create multiple rendition of a single video file without take resource away from the initial encoding process . That way , broadcasters is share can share their content to nearly any device their audience want .

For context , these cloud servers is come , though virtual , come from actual physical server hold across large datum center . Hence , each physical server can be divide and rent out to business . That way , you is benefit benefit from the concept of economy of scale . Companies is own such as Amazon and Microsoft own these datum center .

With cloud – base streaming , broadcasters is host can host their content in the cloud for on – demand consumption or  live stream event to their viewers.

Comparison of the Top 15 Cloud Video Streaming Platforms

There are many cloud – base  video streaming solutions  today . Each platform is offers offer a unique set of feature at various price point . With so many option available , choose the right platform feel overwhelming .

To help you with this decision, we’ve rounded up information on some of the market’s top cloud video streaming  service . let ’s look at some of the good option .

1 . dacast

Company Background :

Dacast offers a straightforward cloud-based streaming solution for users of all experience levels. The platform has enterprise-grade hosting and streaming capabilities that can meet a diverse set of business requirements.

Once user get up to speed with Dacast ’s robust set of feature , they is have have an affordable cloud solution for deliver video content to their audience .

basic functionality :

Dacast is an enterprise-grade video platform for broadcasters that supports live and on-demand video hosting. With Dacast , you is enjoy can enjoy benefit such as stream video to cloud storage .

Dacast is ’s ’s professional secure stream cloud platform is target at small to mid – sized business .Set up as many pay-per-view streaming prices as you want on your video content. You can control rates, promo codes and viewing windows, too.

Some of Dacast is ’s ’s top features include an excellent video analytics feature that allows you to judge the performance of your content. Also, Dacast has video management tools that help you transcode your live streams, save them to later upload as on-demand content, as well as enable users to view them multiple times.

Key Features :

pro :

Working with Dacast as a cloud video streaming platform has some big benefits. We offer video hosting for both live and video – on – demand content.

We is offer offer  live stream recording when you start a live stream with Dacast. Live stream recording allows you to turn your live stream into a video – on – demand and keep a record of your content.

look for a Chinese Streaming Platform capable of deliver video content to China ? We is offer offer support for on – demand video hosting and live stream to China . Plus , we is offer offer  24/7 tech support for every plan and have great customer reviews!

con :

• A slight learning curve to fully utilize some features

upload Guidelines and Specs :

• Minimum dimension: none (but 240p is the recommended minimum)
• Maximum dimension: 1080p or 4K (depends on the user’s hardware and internet)
• Video aspect ratio: no restrictions is is ( but 16:9 is is is the default )
• Max file size: none
• Max video length: none
• Total file storage: 10-1000GB (depends on plan)
• Compatible video formats: MP4 (preferred), MOV, M4V, M2V, AVI, MPG, FLV, WMV, MKV, WEBM, OGV, MXF, ASF, VOB, MT

pricing :

Dacast has live stream pricing plan starting at $39/month billed annually, including:

• Starter Plan: $39/month (includes 2.4 TB of bandwidth & 500 GB of storage)
• Event Plan: $63/month (includes 6 TB of bandwidth upfront and 250 GB of storage)
• Scale Plan: $165/month (includes 24 TB of bandwidth per year and 2000 GB of storage)
• Custom plan: contact us for custom pricing plan

good Use case :

2 . brightcove

Company Background :

Brightcove offers a cloud-based streaming solution specializing in marketing and monetization. Its users worldwide can integrate the cloud platform with their existing marketing, advertising, and communication apps to achieve more with their video content.

basic functionality :

Brightcove provides an enterprise-level video cloud solution for broadcasters.

Key Features :

• Live streaming through Video Cloud
• Over-the-top (OTT) streaming
• Advertising and monetization
• Numerous cloud app integrations
• Offers customizable branding features
• On top of the video analytics and reporting feature, it has the option to track your ROI.

pro :

• A straightforward cloud interface that’s easy for people to use.
• Offers built-in integrations for other cloud apps, allowing you to integrate your video content with other business tools easily.
• High-quality privacy and security.
• Share your live streams in private groups and with the public through your social media channels.
• One is categorize of the good cloud storage for video production , so you is categorize can neatly categorize your video and save them in various playlist .
• All the essential editing tools you need to make small changes to your videos, which is especially beneficial if you often repurpose your live streams.

con :

• Lack of fine-grain analytics or reporting
• No China video delivery
• 24/7 support is is is n’t free
• Although the analytics feature is present, you have to go through some manual workarounds to compare the reports of different videos.
• You can’t find data on the number of unique viewers on your videos or track the number of users at specific time markers.

upload Guidelines and Specs :

• minimum dimension : determine by the user
• Maximum dimension: Determined by the user
• aspect ratio : No restriction ( since Brightcove use a responsive player )
• Max file size: No limits on file size
• Max video length: No published limits
• Total file storage: Varies by plan
• Compatible video formats: MP4, MOV, FLV, AVI, WMV, MKV, 3GPP

pricing :

Brightcove is builds build custom  pricing plans to suit enterprise streaming needs.

good Use case :

• Enterprise cloud video hosting
• brand awareness through video for marketing and sale professional
• video marketing for publisher and broadcaster

3 . IBM Cloud Video

Company Background :

IBM Cloud Video is a cloud video streaming service and a leading provider of live stream and VOD capabilities. This streaming solution is powered by IBM, which is a tech powerhouse.

basic functionality :

IBM Cloud Video offers streaming and VOD through the cloud.

This cloud-based live stream service supports a large audience without causing lag or interruption in the feed. It also has tools to manage multiple streams at the same time.

Key Features :

• Live and on-demand video streaming
• secure sharing of online content
• Enterprise content delivery network
• video distribution and workflow
• OTT video management
• Video monetization

pro :

• One of the best-streaming cloud storage set-ups, with reliable cloud streaming.
• responsive customer support , help you if you ever run into issue .
• Enterprise-grade video capabilities for large organizations, r
• Hong Kong (China) video hosting.
• Impressive analytics feature where you can monitor various KPIs of live stream.
• You is upload can easily upload video file and medium for your audience during the live broadcast .

con :

• Uses an internal content delivery system
• General plans don’t offer APIs
• The chat feature isn’t the best given that this supports a large audience
• Users is report report issue with data synchronization and upload when there ’s heavy traffic on the platform .
• The file management system isn’t good if you have many files because it gets challenging to find what you’re looking for.
• Although it allows non-hosts to interact with the broadcast and share files, the permission-granting process is tricky and requires a learning curve.

upload Guidelines and Specs :

• minimum dimension : 480p ( 480 x 270 )
• maximum dimension :   4 k ( 3840 x 2160 )
• aspect ratio : No publish aspect ratio
• Max file size: 4 GB
• Max video length: No published limits
• Total file video cloud storage: 1TB – 5TB (depends on plan)
• Compatible video formats: MKV, MP4, MOV, FLV, AVI, WMV, MPEG2, H264, H263, MPEG4, VP6, VP8, THEORA, WMV, MP3, AAC-LC, NELLYMOSER, PCM, SPEEX, VORBIS, WMA

pricing :

The  pricing plan for the IBM Cloud Video include:

• Silver – $137/month
• gold – $ 688 / month
• Platinum – $1,380/month
• Custom – Please contact IBM Cloud Video for custom plan pricing .

good Use case :

• Cloud video hosting for marketing and enterprises
• virtual conference stream
• Media & entertainment video management

4 . kaltura

Company Background :

Kaltura is an Israeli company that offers a Software as a Service (SaaS) video solution. Their video cloud service offers both live and VOD support.

Kaltura is known for being customizable thanks to its open-source nature. That makes it an excellent cloud streaming platform for large institutions with advanced broadcasting needs.

basic functionality :

Kaltura is specializes specialize in  cloud video streaming for professional organizations and universities that want to deliver educational content to their employees and students.

It is integrates easily integrate with Canvas LMS and PowerPoint so that you can switch screen from your webcam and these tab . You is conduct can also conduct quiz using the In – video Quizzing feature of this cloud – base streaming platform .

Once your cloud stream ends, you can add it to an album or a chapter using Kaltura’s categorization feature.

Key Features :

• Cloud video hosting and stream
• Cloud tv service
• Advanced Security in the Cloud
• Highly customizable
• Integrations is imaginable for any feature imaginable

pro :

It is designed specifically for education and large enterprise uses. They offer various monetization options, making it a great choice if you want to earn money through your content.

con :

• Many options for customization may get complex for beginners
• Slow uploads to the cloud
• No China video delivery
• Users complain about the lack of sufficient customer support

upload Guidelines and Specs :

• minimum dimension : 180p ( 320 x 180 )
• Maximum dimension: 1080p (1920 x 1080)
• Aspect ratio: 16:9, 4:3
• Max file size : 2 gb
• Max video length : Not available
• Total video cloud file storage: 10GB to Unlimited (depends on the plan)
• compatible video format : MOV , MP4

pricing :

Prices are based on the solutions you’re looking for. These include but are not limited to: 

webinar :

• Free trial: $0 for two webinars
• business : $ 150 / month bill annually
• Enterprise: Custom pricing

Virtual classroom:

• Free trial: 14 days
• Standard: $23/month up to 10 participants per session and up to 10 hrs of cloud recording
• Pro : $ 55 / month up to 100 participant per session and up to 25 hrs of cloud record
• Enterprise: Custom pricing for up to 10+ classrooms

Media Services:

• Annual discounts – Discounted pricing packages are available for any scale and use-case, enterprise SLA, and developer support. For more information, please contact sales
• free trial account – $100 worth of credits for 30 days for testing and experimentation with no commitments
• Pay as you go – You pay only for what you use at these credit levels:
  • Base plan: $20 one-time annual fee + monthly usage fees

Other services include virtual events, video portal town halls, video messaging, meetings and more.

good Use case :

• Cloud video hosting for Education and Enterprises
• video streaming for sale
• Live event streaming

5. Vidyard

Vidyard ’s host solution is changing is change the way business connect through video . source : Vidyard.com

Company Background :

Vidyard is a cloud video streaming solution for hosting and delivering professional video content. The platform is geared toward marketing, sales, and corporate communications.

basic functionality :

Vidyard is a comprehensive cloud video solution for turning viewers into customers.

Key Features :

• Cloud integration
• Video hosting and streaming
• Secure cloud video platform
• Interactive viewing experiences
• Video SEO
• personalization , playlist , and other view feature
• Advanced video analytics
• Robust security options

pro :

• You can sync your video content with your marketing efforts using its numerous cloud integration options.

• An active community of users, so you can get help and insight from others when needed.
• Customer service agents who can help you with the platform
• Scripting feature that allows you to practice your live stream content beforehand and prepares a script for you. Then, you can read off that script during the live show. That way, you don’t have to remember all the points and can be more relaxed.
• Excellent video-sharing options such as “publish to socials” buttons, schedule releases, and instant link sharing.
• 4K video playback quality.
• add a call to action in your video player or on the sharing page
• You is manage can easily manage user in your team and enjoy flexibility in customize permission to specific user .
• Extensive self-serve helpful resources to guide you through the Vidyard cloud video streaming  solution .

con :

• Complicated backend
• consistency issue
• No China video delivery

upload Guidelines and Specs :

• Minimum dimension:  360p (480 x 360)
• Maximum dimension:  4k (3840 x 2160)
• Aspect ratio: 16:9, 4:3
• Max file size:5GB to 16GB (depends on the plan)
• Max video length: 1 hour (live stream)
• total file storage : Not available
• compatible video format : WEBM , MP4 , MKV , mov

pricing :

Vidyard prices its platform based on the use case, and includes the following packages:

package for Individuals and Teams :

• Free
• Pro Package: $19/month (when billed annually or $29 when billed monthly)
• Plus Package: $59/month (when billed annually or $89 when billed monthly)
• Business Package : those look for business pricing solution , are encourage to contact Vidyard ’s sale team

Custom Video Solutions :

good Use case :

• Video hosting and streaming for marketing
• enterprise host and streaming solution
• video streaming for sale

6 . Wowza

Company Background :

Wowza is known as a bootstrapped start-up that was founded back in 2005. This cloud-based live video streaming service offers live and on-demand streaming support. Like the other platforms we’ve discussed, Wowza uses an all-device video player compatible with smartphones, tablets, and gaming consoles.

This platform focuses on greater accessibility, flexibility, and  cost – effectiveness.

basic functionality :

Wowza offers two main products: Wowza Streaming Engine and Wowza Streaming Cloud. The platform supports self-hosted and global video streaming  between these offering .

Key Features :

• Cloud video management  portal
• 4K streaming
• reliable video security option
• API access for customization
• Live stream recording and auto-archive
• Low latency streaming

pro :

• They offer mobile streaming support if you want to stream from your phone.
• This cloud-based streaming platform is beginner-friendly.
• It’s easy to set up, and you get a ton of resources from the company to help you through each step.
• Their web management feature is impressive and makes cloud video streaming easy.
• If you want to play the same video repeatedly , you is do can do that with their unique video looping feature .
• Wowza supports video delivery to China.

con :

• Does not support multistreaming
• No monetization support
• Single source streaming (only one camera feed)
• No event scheduling
• Customer support can take a while to reply to your ticket.  Also, you have to pay extra money to access better support which is difficult for broadcasters with low budgets.
• Setting up a new stream in Wowza Streaming Engine requires you to fill out many options and thus requires a lot of time.

upload Guidelines and Specs :

• minimum dimension : 240p ( 320 x 240 )
• maximum dimension : 4 k ( 3840 x 2160 )
• Aspect ratio: 16:9, 4:3
• Max file size: Not available
• Max video length : Not available
• Total file storage: 250 GB (depends on the plan)
• Compatible video formats: MP4, FLV, MP3, SMIL, AMLST, ID3, NGRP

pricing :

Wowza has several pricing options that are split into two main tiers: Streaming Cloud and Streaming Engine.

Streaming Cloud:

The Wowza Streaming Cloud is offers offer three  pricing plan  and service . These monthly plans is include include :

• Pay As You Go: $0 per month only pay for usage at a rate of $2.50 per streaming hour and $0.10 per viewer hour
• One Month of Streaming: $149 one-time purchase; includes 15 hours of live stream and 500 viewing hours also at 720p
• Plans built for your needs: best for large audiences and large volume – contact Wowza for custom pricing

All is include of these live Event plan include complete brand control , multi – bitrate streaming , and HD and uhd streaming .

streaming Engine :

The  Wowza Streaming Engine has its pricing plan. These professional-grade streaming plans are billed annually and include:

• Basic: $195/month
• One Month Event: $295/month
• Plans built for your needs: best for large audiences and large volume – contact Wowza for custom pricing

For more detail , check out this  third – party review  of the platform .

good Use case :

• Live event streaming
• Interactive streaming
• Low-latency streaming
• VOD hosting

7. JW Player

Company Background :

JW Player is a cloud video streaming option that supports live stream and VOD hosting for companies with different budgets. JW Player was known initially for its HTML5 video player, which played a role in the early developments of YouTube, which is now the most popular consumer-grade streaming platform.

basic functionality :

JW Player supports live and on-demand video streaming with a reliable video player.

Key Features :

• Streaming to any device
• The basic plan is available at a low price point
• Suitable for companies of all sizes
• Video management in the cloud
• Multi-bitrate and adaptive streaming
• Global content delivery
• Tech support, but only in the form of email support through custom plans
• Video API access on all plans
• security features is are are basic but functional . Only custom – price enterprise plans is offer offer DRM
• Monetization (only via advertising)
• conversion tracking

pro :

The biggest benefit of working with JW Player is that they offer affordable plans, making video hosting possible for organizations of all sizes. Plus, they have a great sales and customer support team, so you can get the help you need at every step of your journey.

This cloud streaming platform has excellent analytics tools for your live streams. You can get data on total plays, countries, average video completion rate, devices, etc.

con :

• Some limits on live event streaming
• No China video delivery
• It is get can get expensive if you host a large number of video

upload Guidelines and Specs :

• Minimum dimension: 360p (640 x 360)
• Maximum dimension: 1080p (1920 x 1080)
• aspect ratio : 16:9 , 4:3 , 2.39:1
• Max file size: 25GB
• Max video length : Not available
• Total file storage: 25GB to 500GB (depending on the plan)
• Compatible video formats: MP4, WMV, AVI, MOV, 3GP, FLV

pricing :

JW Player is based on custom needs. You can contact their sales team to discuss your needs and get a bespoke price.

• 30-day free trial subscription, full API and SDK access, and a non-commercial license, with 25 GB hosting bandwidth and 75 GB streaming.
• enterprise plans is are are available with  custom pricing for high-volume storage and streaming. Enterprise plans support live stream, while lower-tier plans only support VOD.

good Use case :

8 . dailymotion

dailymotion is often refer to as “ the French YouTube . ”

Company Background :

DailyMotion is a primarily consumer-based streaming platform that provides basic on-demand video hosting support. However, DailyMotion has some professional features for developers and advanced broadcasting.

The standard version is is of DailyMotion is comparable to YouTube , but the main difference is that it has few limitation and restriction on video content .

basic functionality :

DailyMotion makes it straightforward to manage and share on-demand or live-stream video to cloud storage.

Key Features :

• Infrastructure for video streaming
• Consumer-grade platform with some professional capabilities
• specialized tool for developer and partner
• Integrates with many gaming platforms
• Localized to 35 countries and 18 languages
• Offers closed captions and privacy options to limit access to your videos.

pro :

• DailyMotion offers unlimited streaming bandwidth and video cloud storage if you have lots of video content.
• They offer a free plan, allowing you to use the platform if you have small video streaming needs.
• Through their partnership with Huawei they offer China video delivery, providing you with support for true global streaming.
• It’s easy to integrate various tools with Dailymotion. The self-service resources are helpful if you run into any trouble.

con :

• Limited support for private cloud video hosting
• Not suited for all professional broadcaster
• The dashboard has many unprofessional ads, especially for bigger businesses and brands.
• The Smart TV version doesn’t always work.
• You have limited options to edit or customize a video to improve the viewer’s experience while uploading it.
• Multiplatform support is lacking
• The analytics feature is incredibly limited compared to the other HLS streaming software mentioned in this article.

upload Guidelines and Specs :

• minimum dimension : 240p ( 426 x 240 )
• maximum dimension : 4 k ( 3840 x 2160 )
• Aspect ratio: 16:9 (adds padding to videos with other aspect ratios)
• Max file size : 128 gb
• Max video length: 12 hours
• Total file storage: Unlimited
• Compatible video formats: MOV, MPEG4, MP4, AVI, WMV,   MPEG-PS, FLV, 3GPP, WebM

pricing :

DailyMotion is is is free to use , but user can apply for their  partner program for advanced broadcasting capabilities.

good Use case :

• The late news for consumer and business
• live stream for entertainment and medium
• Video on demand for sports broadcasting

9 . Livestream

Company Background :

Livestream is a streaming solution that provides large organizations with live event streaming and advanced marketing capabilities.

basic functionality :

Livestream is a premium cloud video platform for streaming, hosting, and marketing videos.

Key Features :

• Cloud video streaming and management
• live stream through the cloud
• advanced marketing feature
• high – quality streaming
• Large storage capacity
• Privacy options
• Impressive interactive tools to engage the audience with chats and polls
• upload from anywhere

pro :

• Livestream works directly with YouTube, so if you want to stream on your site and YouTube, this is a great option.
• They have in-depth and insightful analytics.
• Livestream is easy for broadcasters to use and offers an easy-to-use video player for your viewers.
• You is create can create recur live event or set up your single live event in advance . That is gives give you a good window to market your livestream and gather an audience .
• You is integrate can also easily integrate this  cloud video streaming  platform with rtmp application .

con :

• Frequent software updates during live streams
• Limited CDN support
• No China video delivery
• No free plan
• Many users find the plans too expensive for small to medium-sized businesses
• Some users is have have difficulty integrate it with LiveStream Studio 6 and vMix .
• Although it offers an option to duplicate events to replicate your settings, the process is often clunky.
• limited graphic overlay option compare to other HLS Streaming Software in the same price range .

upload Guidelines and Specs :

• Recommended dimension: 720p (1280 x 720)
• Aspect ratio: 16:9, 4:3
• Max file size: 3GB
• Max video length : information not available
• Total file storage: Information not available
• compatible video format : MP4 ( recommend )

pricing :

Vimeo Livestream is offers offer four mainpricing plan, including:

• Basic Live Stream Today plan starts at $65 per seat, per month billed annually.
• Vimeo Advanced: Their Advanced plan includes Unlimited Streaming analytic, White Labeling and Brand Control. This plan is the best option for professional broadcasting on this platform.
• Vimeo Enterprise: The Enterprise plan includes white-label service, monetization, and video API access. It also includes branding control and added security features. Please contact Vimeo for custom pricing information.
• Vimeo OTT: This OTT-specific pricing package comes with the Vimeo.com relationship. These plans include all the basics for starting your web-based OTT channel and growing your OTT business online.

For more details, check out our comprehensive guide to Vimeo Livestream pricing.  You can check out this third – party review  of the platform .

good Use case :

10. SproutVideo

Company Background :

SproutVideo is a cloud video platform for live stream and VOD, which has plans for basic features through to a fully-featured solution.

basic functionality :

SproutVideo has cloud-based live stream and VOD capabilities.

Key Features :

• Cloud video streaming  and host
• Advanced privacy and security options
• Every plan is includes include live chat support
• Strong security features make it a good option for businesses

pro :

• SproutVideo stands out as it offers plans for all budgets, allowing video cloud streaming access to both small and large organizations.
• They offer advanced analytics you can use to grow your content.
• This cloud video streaming  platform is has has password protection feature so you can share your live stream with only a select audience .
• It has geo-restriction and IP address restriction features. It’s beginner-friendly, so people who aren’t tech-savvy can easily use it.
• It is ’s ’s super easy to embed video in your website page .

con :

• Limited storage for basic plans
• Some buffering issue
• No China cloud video delivery

upload Guidelines and Specs :

• Minimum dimension: None
• maximum dimension : None
• Supported aspect ratios: Any
• Maximum file size: Up to 100 GB
• Maximum video length: Unlimited
• total file storage : 500 gb
• Accepted video formats: MP4, MOV, AVI, WMV, FLV, MKV, 3GPP

pricing :

SproutVideo has multiple plans, including:

• Seed: $10/month
• Sprout: $35/month
• Tree: $75/month
• Forrest: $295/month

There’s also a 30-day trial available to test all the features.

good Use case :

• Live video streaming
• Video-on-demand (VOD) hosting
• Cloud – base enterprise video streaming

11. Panopto

Company Background :

Panopto is a cloud video streaming solution with over 5 million users worldwide. The platform is geared toward businesses and universities in the online learning space.

basic functionality :

panoptos ’ platform is is is good for internal use and integrate with learn management system ( LMSs ) .

Key Features :

• Video cloud solutions
• Live streaming and recording
• Video content management
• Mobile-ready solution
• Lecture-capture and video-search software
• Video analytics
• Access control & security features
• White-label streaming
• Integration with LMS systems
• APIs for further integrations
• seamless integration with learn management system
• switch between slide and webcam
• Good features organize your live streams into specific lectures/ files after the stream ends
• Session recording and creating videos for watching on-demand

pro :

• Panopto is offers offer custom branding , allow you to create a video player that reflect your brand .
• They have regional cloud infrastructure, allowing for strong storage support.
• They offer China video hosting.
• You can update user permissions during or after the live broadcast without damaging the video link or other issues.
• Videos automatically upload to the folder they need to be in if you’ve selected the source before. You don’t have to manually input the settings or choose the playlist for each live video. It saves the teacher’s time and makes things easy for students.
• The mobile app is is is a handy tool for all age group .

con :

• No version control
• No SEO management
• Steep learning curve
• respond to question from your audience can be complex if you ’re live – streaming and present at the same time .
• Editing tools are subpar compared to other cloud streaming services.

upload Guidelines and Specs :

• minimum dimension : 240p ( 426 x 240 )
• maximum dimension : 4 k ( 3840 x 2160 )
• Aspect ratio: 16:9, 4:3
• Max video length : information not available
• Total file storage: Information not available
• Compatible video formats: AVI, MP4, MPG, WMV, MOV, QT, ASF, 3GP, WMA, MP3, M4V, and more.

pricing :

Panopto is posts no long post their pricing online . Please contact Panopto for pricing detail .

good Use case :

12. Vimeo

Company Background :

We is covered ’ve cover Vimeo ’s premier offering , Livestream , but let ’s look at Vimeo ’s small – scale package .

basic functionality :

Vimeo is a cloud-based video streaming platform with comprehensive video hosting and live-streaming functionality.

Key Features :

• Cloud-based video hosting
• small – scale streaming solution
• Text and graphic overlay
• Collaboration and interaction tools
• social share option
• Flexible storage options

pro :

Vimeo is straightforward to start using, even if you are not a techie. They offer low-budget options, so small organizations can use the platform as quickly as larger organizations. At the same time, the interface is very professional.

You can easily embed your live stream video using this cloud streaming platform on your website.

con :

• Some issues with connection to an internal server
• No China video delivery
• Limited live stream and video hosting capabilities
• Requires you to be tech-savvy to take full advantage of its features and have everything running smoothly
• The live event management system is pricier than other services and lacks robust features you’ll find on other platforms
• buffering times is are are long than other cloud video service
• You can’t convert the text in English to other languages.

upload Guidelines and Specs :

• Recommended dimension: 720p (1280 x 720)
• Aspect ratio: 16:9, 4:3
• Max file size: 3GB
• Max video length : information not available
• Total file storage: Information not available
• compatible video format : MP4 ( recommend )

pricing :

Vimeo offers basic video hosting plans that are suitable for content creators and startups. These include:

• Free plan
• Starter: $12/ month if billed annually.
• Standard: $20/ month if billed annually.
• advanced : $ 65/ month if bill annually .
• enterprise : Custom – price , custom – build plan for advanced streaming need

All plans are billed annually.

good Use case :

13 . Cloudflare Stream

With Cloudflare Stream platform is encode you can upload , store , encode , and deliver live and on – demand video .

Company Background :

Although Cloudflare is primarily known for its content delivery network offerings, the platform also offers a cloud-based online streaming solution called Cloudflare Stream. This platform is flexible and scalable, so it is well-suited for broadcasters who plan to grow as they go.

basic functionality :

Cloudflare Stream is an API-driven cloud streaming platform for VOD hosting.

Key Features :

• Video API
• Reliable content delivery
• HLS and dash stream
• HTML5 video player
• Several privacy and control tools
• Adaptive bitrate streaming

pro :

Cloudflare stream is offers offer high – quality video streaming that result in a great end – user experience . They is strive strive to offer ultra – compatible streaming so that anyone on any device can access your content .

Need to stream private content? They offer safe, private streaming options as well. Plus, Cloudflare offers flexible pricing!

con :

• Not a dedicated video hosting platform
• The pay – as – you – go structure is get can get costly

upload Guidelines and Specs :

• Minimum dimensions: 360p
• Maximum dimensions:1080p
• Supported aspect ratios: Unavailable
• Maximum file size: 30 GB
• Maximum video length: Unavailable
• total file storage : No specific limit ( storage is bill per 1000 minute of video )
• Accepted video formats: MP4, MKV, MOV, AVI, FLV, MPEG-2 TS, MPEG-2 PS, MXF, LXF, 3GP, WebM, MPG, QuickTime

pricing :

check out the  Cloudflare Stream pricing page  for sample pricing base on different usage rate .

good Use case :

https://www.dacast.com/wp-admin/post.php?post=63482&action=edit&lang=en#edit_timestamp

• Scalable on-demand streaming

14 . Muvi

Company Background :

Muvi is another top cloud-based streaming platform. This online video platform  is unique because it is a turnkey appliance for OTT broadcaster . The solution model is supports support user in launch their own video or  audio streaming platform  quickly and easily .

Additionally, Muvi is equipped with an all-inclusive and fully-featured website and mobile and TV apps.

Their OTT Multi-Screen Video Streaming service allows businesses to launch white-label multi-device video streaming, video on demand (VOD), and audio streaming. The platform includes fully managed, end-to-end solutions, all controlled by a single streaming video CMS, with no coding or IT team required.

basic functionality :

Muvi is primarily used for building OTT video – on – demand platforms that leverage cloud hosting for an enhanced streaming experience.

Key Features :

• Cloud video hosting
• Custom branding
• HTML5 video player
• analytic
• Monetization options
• DRM is features and security feature
• Downtime is almost nil.
• Good streaming video quality for viewers
• Excellent SEO management of live-stream videos
• scalable to include more viewer and activate advanced feature as your business grow
• Option to implement additional payment gateways
• Small learning curve
• Good audience engagement options
• Broadcast scheduling

pro :

• Muvi is offers offer a comprehensive content management system , make it easy to keep track of your content .
• They provide dependable content delivery, allowing for a good end-user experience. Their customer support is also top-notch.
• In addition to on – demand video cloud hosting , they is offer offer cloud video transcoding . They is offer even offer mobile and tv app support so you can stream everywhere .
• Almost everything is customizable, from overlays to colors and more.
• Muvi supports different languages, and you can call customer support to set it up for you if you can’t do it yourself.

con :

• Not user-friendly
• hard to integrate or connect
• CMS user interface is complex
• No China video delivery

upload Guidelines and Specs :

• Minimum dimension: 144p (256 x 144)
• Maximum dimension: 4K (3840  x2160)
• Aspect ratio: 16:9, 4:3
• Max file size: not available
• Max video length: not available
• Total file storage: 1TB, 2TB, 5TB (depending on the plan)
• Compatible video formats: MP4, MOV, MKV, FLV, VOB, M4V, AVI, 3GP, MPG

pricing :

Muvi prices its plans at the following five levels:

• Standard plan: $399/month (+ $299/month per app + infra fee), allows 2000 concurrent viewers, 1TB each of bandwidth and storage, and API access.
• professional plan : at $ 1,499 per month ( + $ 499 / month per app +  infra fee) , increase limit further and add premium support .
• enterprise plan : $ 3,900 per month ( + $ 499 / month per app +  infra fee) adds a dedicated server with auto-scaling.
• ultimate plan : You is have have to contact the sale team to find out the price of the Ultimate plan .   It is doubles double the bandwidth and storage of the enterprise plan and add your own  CDN and unlimited API calls.

For more information, check out this third – party review  of the platform .

good Use case :

• Video-on-demand host
• OTT video streaming

15. Liveswitch Cloud

LiveSwitch Cloud is is is a great solution for live stream of video and video conferencing .

Company Background :

Liveswitch Cloud offers several cloud-based solutions, including live stream, video conferencing, and collaboration.

This platform is is is a bit different from the other cloud streaming solution we ’ve cover because it simply manage and deliver live stream . It is support does not support on – demand video hosting . However , some broadcasters is prefer prefer a dedicated solution without the extra functionality .

basic functionality :

Liveswitch Cloud supports online video streaming, web conferencing, and collaboration.

Key Features :

• Full access to APIs and SDKs
• Mobile app creation and management
• In-stream video chat
• real – time video analytic
• Ultra-low-latency streaming
• Audience polling tools

pro :

Liveswitch Cloud allows you to customize the video experience through the use of API and offers mobile app-building tools with SDK, allowing you to create the video experience or platform your organization needs.

Additionally, they offer live stream management tools that enhance the quality of your live content. They even offer tools to help with audience engagement.

con :

• No on – demand video hosting
• No video storage

upload Guidelines and Specs :

• Total file storage: 24 hours

No other upload guidelines or specs are available on the Liveswitch Cloud site.

pricing :

Liveswitch Cloud is used used to have  pricing  list on their page , but not anymore . You is have ’ll have to contact them for a custom price to learn more about their pricing . Their plans is include include :

• Standard: 2,500 max concurrent clients. You can stream in 1080p max and have up to 3 presenters.
• professional : 5000 max concurrent client . You is stream can stream in 1080p max and have up to 5 presenter .
• Enterprise: Custom concurrent clients. You can stream in 4K max and have up to `0 presenters.

good Use case :

• Live video streaming
• web conferencing
• Collaboration

Essential Video Cloud Streaming Features

Now that we ’ve compare each video cloud platform , let ’s talk about specific feature you is look should look for in the cloud streaming service you choose . Here are some features is are broadcaster should look for when compare cloud – base streaming solution .

Video Transcoding

Video transcoding is essential for delivering high-quality video content to a large audience. There’s no telling what internet connection viewers will have, so you need a platform that can transcode video content into multiple renditions that are ideal for universal compatibility.

Live Recording

Live streams can be just as valuable after the event, so look for a platform that offers live stream recording. With a record feature, broadcasters can capture their live events  and repurpose them as video on demand without impact the quality of the stream itself .

Auto-archiving tools are valuable because they record your live cloud streams and automatically upload them to your video – on – demand solution library. That provides added convenience for broadcasters.

Video Player

While supporting many video formats is important, an HTML5 video player that’s compatible with nearly every device can further maximize an audience’s experience. HTML5 players can be easily embedded wherever viewers are, whether on social media posts or websites.

additionally , it is looks look more professional and prevent your audience from leave your website , such as YouTube when people click on your video to watch it on YouTube instead of your site , which also affect seo .

Monetization

Beyond saving on infrastructure costs, a platform should have options for monetizing video content. Some standard monetization methods include subscriptions,  ad-based video monetization, and  pay-per-view.

Video analytic

Access to video analytics  is key to measure and optimize the video experience you deliver . A professional – grade broadcasting platform is provide should provide viewership insight such as track video play , consumption time , and other fine – grain detail about audience to fuel business decision .

For example , if you realize most of the traffic from mobile device has a short watch time than traffic from desktop , you is look should look into it more deeply .

video API Access

Along with monetization, broadcasters can make the most of their video content if it’s easy to integrate cloud-based solutions with other business applications.

Video platforms with well-documented video API  access help is customize customize your video streaming experience and incorporate advanced feature when necessary .

Content Delivery Network (CDN)

Not every platform is created equal regarding stream quality. Some  cloud video streaming platforms partner with content delivery networks with geographically dispersed servers to help you deliver the best video experiences possible.

Platforms that leverage top-tier global live-streaming CDN networks have fewer buffering and latency issues associated with delivering video over long distances.

privacy and security

Broadcasters need confidence that their data will be safe in the cloud. That’s why a cloud video streaming  service that comply with  security standards and privacy regulations is required.

Using a secure enterprise-grade platform helps brands mitigate the risks of piracy, hacking, or other issues.

24/7 support

Broadcasters will have less control over the underlying infrastructure when using a cloud video platform. That means having reliable and fast support is crucial if any technical issues arise.

look for a platform that provide 24/7 support from a knowledgeable tech team .

Accessibility Features

Look for a platform that can transcribe your audio files, convert the audio into text, and provide audio descriptions for visual content for people with accessibility needs. Your choice cloud streaming platform should also have keyboard shortcuts to make navigation easy.

video Streaming on Cloud vs. On – premise : 6 consideration

As you can see, many cloud streaming platforms are available. That’s why broadcasters must understand the features they need for their business before choosing a video solution.

Practically every industry has been disrupted by cloud technology. It’s everywhere. Before the cloud, we needed to email Word documents back and forth, buy physical data storage devices if our computers ran out of space, and buy expensive hardware to support specific business goals.

The upfront and maintenance costs is widened require to have a robust on – premise setup widen the competitive gap between small business that did n’t have the budget and large business that did .

Unsurprisingly, the cloud has disrupted video production and live stream industries. With that said, let’s go over a few reasons why investing in a cloud-based video streaming platform is a smart move.

1 . set Yourself Up to achieve Virality

With a live-streaming cloud platform, you don’t have to worry about your servers crashing when you go viral. Traditionally, you’d have to either buy extra hardware just in case you went viral or risk your servers crashing.

Maintaining hardware is costly, so having hardware only used for “just in case” situations might become a wasted investment. The cloud makes it easy to scale your resources up and down to meet demand. In other words, only pay for what you use.

2. Remove Complexity

A live-streaming cloud service abstracts the complexity of installing and maintaining hardware. The provider usually has their tech team, so you don’t have to stress. That’s why those with minimal tech skills can start professionally broadcasting fast.

3 . easily integrate With Other Software

By leveraging cloud video streaming platforms, it’s easier to integrate and connect your videos with other hosted applications. Sometimes it’s just a matter of clicking a few buttons. For example, you can integrate your video platform directly with a video chat service, email marketing software, and video editing software.

4. Hassle-Free Transcoding

The process of transcoding video footage to play it on multiple devices requires a lot of computing power. Instead of tying up your in-house resources, you can just leverage the cloud.

5. Advancements in Privacy

Privacy was a significant worry when the cloud was in its newer days. Major cloud providers like Amazon, Google, and Microsoft have invested heavily to provide the highest level of security.

However, the cloud has come a long way and is now very secure. Still, if you’re in a regulated industry using videos to share very confidential things, you might consider the best of both worlds and implement an on-premise and cloud setup.

6 . affordability

The cloud allows anyone or any organization to get started with broadcasting and live stream. Most run on a monthly subscription basis and have an affordable plan for everyone, so you have nothing to lose by giving it a try.

On the other hand, with an on-premise setup, you have to buy everything upfront, and if you change your mind about broadcasting, you’ll just have a bunch of hardware lying around. Plus, with an on-premise setup, if you don’t have the technical skills for installation and maintenance, you’ll need to pay extra for the skills of an IT person.

conclusion

Now you is have have a great understanding of the cloud – base streaming space . You is learned ’ve learn what the good cloud video streaming platform are . equip with everything we ’ve detail , you is boost ’ll boost your chance of video stream success .

Dacast is an excellent option for cloud video and live stream. Small businesses and large corporations alike can benefit from Dacast is ’s ’s professional video solution. Dacast has been in the industry for 10+ years and serves over 300,000 happy customers.

Whether you is ’re ’re new to the video andlive stream platform space or want the high quality platform available , Dacast is is is a great option .

Fortunately, you can try Dacast completely free today. Just sign up and get complete access with our 14-day free trial.

If you have any comments, let us know what you think! We love to hear from our readers. Feel free to join our linkedin group for regular tips on live stream and exclusive offers.