The Best YouTube Alternatives for Content Creators in 2024: Find Your New Favorite Platform

Looking to launch a brand? Or simply build out your online presence? Well, if you are, there’s one social video platform that we all know reigns supreme. YouTube has grown from a small niche video site into a global powerhouse for brands and content creators.

While YouTube is the biggest and most popular, it’s not the end-all-be-all. And it’s also not guaranteed to be the best forever. If you’d like to diversify your content across multiple platforms we have some recommendations to share with you.

Let’s explore some of the best YouTube alternatives to launch your brand and build your online presence.

Why YouTube is the biggest online video platform

As mentioned above, when YouTube was first launched in 2005, it was a smaller website that took a while to get going. However, since being acquired by Google in 2006, YouTube has become the juggernaut we know today.

As of 2024, YouTube is visited by more than 2.7 billion users a month and is the second most visited website in the world. It’s also a great place to launch . And, if you’re interested in exploring more about getting started with YouTube, here are some guides to help you launch your channel.

Vimeo

MOVE from Rick Mereki on Vimeo.

Vimeo is perhaps the world's second most popular video platform like Youtube, as a hosting, sharing, and service provider. For content creators focused less on monetization and more on showcasing impactful content, Vimeo may be the platform of choice.

For filmmakers and creative content creators, Vimeo, in particular, has a long and storied history supporting independent artists and spotlighting creative talent with its Vimeo Staff Picks team, which is a great resource for creative inspiration.

Vimeo also offers many unique features and services for creators and brands, as well as broadcast live options, and ways for creators to monetize their content on Vimeo. Vimeo offers premium and business plans that provide different levels of hosting and streaming services.

TikTok

While not as much of a one-to-one comparison as Vimeo or other apps similar to YouTube are, it's important to acknowledge the impact that Tiktok has as a video-centric social media platform, especially for those looking to launch a brand and/or grow their online presence.

While Tiktok may face some legal hurdles in the United States, it remains one of the fastest growing social media apps in the world.

TikTok’s format is great for endless scrolling and offers some of the best opportunities for your content to go viral—a great way to instantly boost your brand. However, beyond its viral possibilities, Tiktok is not suitable for long-form video, and acts more as a supplemental platform that encourages viewers to engage with your brand's content across channels.

If you’d like to read more about launching a TikTok channel and growing your audience there, here are some additional blog articles to check out:

Instagram

Similar to TikTok, Instagram is one of the most popular social media apps in the world. It’s just as great as TikTok for creating content that can go viral, and it’s perhaps even better at building a community and further developing your brand.

Again, Instagram is strictly a social media app instead of YouTube and Vimeo, or other platforms like YouTube, which are video hosting services, so it's limited in what you can do for more diverse video needs. But, like Tiktok, Instagram is a great avenue to promote your shorter-form video content through easily shareable reels.

If you’re curious to learn more about how Instagram works and explore some tips to launch a successful account, here are some more resources to check out:

Facebook

When Facebook acquired Instagram the two apps became integrated in a way that has proven beneficial to both platforms (and their users). Its classic newsfeed format isn’t quite as video-focused as it once was, and Facebook has fallen behind in the viral-sensation possibilities of Instagram and TikTok.

If you’re looking for live streaming or old-school social media brand growth opportunities, Facebook is still worth considering—but it’s not quite the video hosting option that you might want for many brands’ needs.

If you’re still interested in learning more about working with Facebook for your content and brand? Here are some more articles to explore:

Twitch

If you’re looking to launch a live vlog or stream video game content, Twitch is by far the best home for your brand’s content.

While niche, Twitch is a great alternative to YouTube. Live streaming and gaming videos are Twitch’s bread and butter, and they are the go-to for creators looking to promote this type of content. Otherwise, Twitch may not be a suitable option for brands aiming to build a more varied audience outside of the gaming community.

Twitch is very much its own animal, so if you’d like to get started with live streaming, here are several articles to review:

Kick

Similar to Twitch, Kick is a newer video streaming service like YouTube that is a bit looser and open for creators looking for more control of their content. Kick bills itself as a more creator-friendly app than its competition, and offers an encouraging revenue split plan for users looking to monetize their content.

It’s a bit newer and undeveloped, though, so it may prove more difficult when it comes to audience growth. Still, it’s worth checking out as a streaming alternative to YouTube.

DTube

Taking a more privacy-focused angle to its platform, DTube is another newer option for those looking for YouTube alternatives. DTube is a completely decentralized platform, which means that your videos won’t be uploaded to any central server as other platforms (like YouTube) do.

DTube is also worth mentioning simply because it promises to not serve ads or use any familiar recommendation algorithms. It’s still similar to YouTube, but perhaps a bit safer for those looking to try a new model for content creation and sharing.

Dailymotion

Finally, one of YouTube's oldest competitors is Dailymotion. While not the behemoth that YouTube has become, Dailymotion is still quite popular, boasting over 100 million monthly viewers. Its audience isn’t quite as strong and diverse as YouTube’s, but Dailymotion has proven to be a solid YouTube alternative over the years, and it remains a platform worth exploring.