Vimeo OTT Review: Pros and Cons, Pricing and Alternatives [2020 Update]

Max Wilbert

Max Wilbert is a passionate writer, live streaming practitioner, and has strong expertise in the video streaming industry.

The Vimeo online video platform was originally launched in 2004, and for most of its existence, Vimeo has catered to the creative market. However, in recent years Vimeo has begun to pivot towards the B2B sector. In this article, we’ll review and discuss one major element of this shift: the Vimeo OTT solution. We’ll cover what you need to know about Vimeo, the pros and cons of using the platform, pricing, and Vimeo OTT alternatives. Before we dive into Vimeo OTT, we’re going to break down what “OTT” means and why it’s important for broadcasters.

Table of Contents

• What is OTT?
• What to Know About the New Vimeo OTT Solution
• Vimeo OTT Pricing
• Pros & Cons of the Vimeo OTT Solution
• Vimeo OTT Alternatives
• Conclusion

What is OTT?

Before we get into the Vimeo OTT solution, it is important that you understand what exactly OTT is.

OTT is short for “Over-The-Top.” This new media phenomenon refers to the profusion of internet-based broadcasting. Essentially, refers to video content that is streamed over the internet rather than by satellite or cable.

Netflix is a prime example of a service that uses OTT technology. By 2024, experts predict that 310 million households will subscribe to at least one OTT service.

Overall, global OTT revenue is expected to reach $83.4 billion within a few years. Countless businesses are investing in online video. Likewise, power players are making moves and niche markets are developing.

The rate of growth has been spectacular. In the U.S. alone, subscribers to OTT services more than doubled between Q2 2017 and Q2 2018.

We can expect this trend to grow even further with 5G. The coming 5G cell networks will provide speeds roughly 100 times faster than the best available 4G LTE networks.

Overall, the video streaming market is predicted to be worth $70.5 billion within two years. OTT is already one of the most dominant media markets. Within the coming years, OTT can expect to claim the undisputed heavyweight title for mass media.

What to Know About the New Vimeo OTT Solution

Vimeo, a B2C video-sharing website, purchased the live streaming video provider Livestream in 2017. Although Vimeo has offered a plan aimed at commercial use since 2011, this acquisition marked the next major move in Vimeo’s B2B pivot.

Today, Vimeo offers VOD and live stream hosting on both the original Vimeo platform and the Livestream platform. 

The regular Vimeo plans are mainly suited for broadcasters with minimal needs in terms of features, storage, and bandwidth. The Livestream plans are much more inclusive.

Vimeo’s regular plans may be sufficient for some small businesses, but for OTT video, on the other hand, broadcasters need something substantially more robust. 

Vimeo OTT is a solution for broadcasters who want to offer an OTT video subscription service.

This version of Vimeo offers many professional-grade features, including:

• Video subscription and OTT monetization
• App building
• Video API access
• Large-scale live streaming
• Premium support and account management
• Vimeo integrations
• High-volume storage

Please note that some of these features are limited to custom priced Enterprise Vimeo OTT plans.

Vimeo OTT Pricing

As we mentioned, Vimeo’s OTT solution is priced separately from the regular Vimeo packages. There are three plans: Starter, Growth, and Enterprise.

The Starter plan costs $1/subscriber per month and the Growth plan costs $500/month. Enterprise pricing plans are from Livestream and are determined on a case-by-case basis.

We recommend checking out the Vimeo OTT pricing page for a complete list of features available with each plan.

Pros of the Vimeo’s OTT Solution

Vimeo OTT can be a great choice in a few different scenarios. For example, if you’re a high-end TV station with a large budget or if you need extensive custom development.

Here are a few features worth mentioning as the pros of the Vimeo platform:

• Easy uploading from any device, as well as Google Drive, Dropbox, and FYP
• Monetization (integrated paywall for subscription payments)
• Users can customize the video player with colors and logos
• Video analytics: users can access stats on the amount of data related to their plan level
• Includes bandwidth with plans (so you don’t have to buy it separately)
• Branded app building tools

Cons of Vimeo’s OTT Solution

The Vimeo OTT solution also has a few downsides. Some potential issues include limited access to features, in the sense that some essential features are only available with custom plans.

Like Livestream, Vimeo OTT takes a high-end premium approach to their live streaming service. This results in quality but expensive products. For example, full API access starts at $1,000+ per month with the custom-priced enterprise plan. 

Here are a few limits of the Vimeo OTT solution that you should keep in mind:

• Paywall transactions are subject to additional fees, and international transactions are charged an additional 2% for a conversion fee 
• Vimeo does not offer 24/7 customer support
• Playback is not available in China or Indonesia
• The platform uses an internal content delivery network, as opposed to a more powerful and reliable professional CDN like Akamai

What it boils down to is that you may not get the best value for the amount that you’re paying for Vimeo OTT. Other streaming solutions offer access to the essential features at a much more reasonable price point.

Vimeo OTT Alternatives

There are some professional alternatives to consider for those looking for live broadcasting software who are looking for a streaming solution to create an OTT platform.

The platforms we’re looking at are OTT streaming solutions by nature, so you can invest in their regular platform, as opposed to one solely dedicated to OTT streaming.

1. Dacast

Dacast is a unified live streaming platform that uses OTT technology to host both live and VOD content. 

In recent years, Dacast acquired streaming platform vzaar, for advanced VOD features and China playback accessibility. Additionally, the Dacast OVP works with powerful industry partners, including the Limelight and Akamai CDNs for highly scalable video delivery.

Here are some key features that set Dacast’s OTT streaming solutions apart from the Vimeo OTT solution:

• 24/7 live streaming comes 
• Unlimited number of live channels
• Uses a white-label HTML5 video player for enhanced accessibility
• Unlimited viewers
• API access with both Player and Video API
• Monetization options (pay-per-view, subscription and ads-insertion)
• 24/7 customer support at all plan levels

Pricing for Dacast video hosting and live streaming solutions start at $21/month, including a white-label HTML5 video player, real-time analytics, and live recording. 

Custom-priced plans for broadcasters with high-volume streaming needs.

2. Brightcove

Another alternative to the Vimeo OTT solution is Brightcove. Brightcove is a massive video hosting solution that focuses exclusively on the Enterprise market. They offer a wide range of services, but price-wise, this platform is likely out of reach for smaller and medium-sized businesses.

Since Brightcove operates based on a fully custom pricing model, it’s impossible to predict exactly how much it costs to access a given feature. Therefore, here’s a simplified look at Brightcove’s feature list.

• Live streaming capabilities are available
• API access 
• Monetization is supported
• Suited for Enterprises
• Video CMS (including analytics and transcoding tools)
• Uses an HTML5 video player for universal streaming

Customer support for Brightcove is available at three tiers: Silver, Gold, and Premium. Phone support starts at the Gold level. Customers can upgrade their support plan for an additional fee.

As we mentioned, all Brightcove packages are custom-built to suit your needs. 

3. IBM Cloud Video

IBM Cloud Video is another great option for broadcasters. This video platform was originally born after IBM purchased UStream back in 2016.

Today, IBM Cloud Video focuses on the Enterprise video hosting and live streaming market. Like Brightcove, their products are aimed at large businesses with large budgets. 

Here are some of IBM Cloud Video’s features:

• Live streaming capabilities included on all plans
• API access is available (only on custom-priced plans)
• Monetization is not supported natively
• Customer support includes phone support available from 6 am to 6 pm pacific time, 7 days a week

Pricing for IBM Cloud Video starts at $99/month for a basic video hosting service with 100 viewer-hours. Prices rise to $499/month for access to analytics and additional data. 

Watermarking and other security features begin at $999 per month. Custom-priced plans are necessary for many additional OTT features.

Conclusion

For the right user, Vimeo can be a great platform. At the same time, it’s not for everyone. The OTT solution is equipped with the tools you need for need to build an OTT streaming platform of your own.

We think alternatives to the Vimeo OTT solution, like Dacast’s streaming solutions, offer some very compelling advantages. 

Try Dacast risk-free with our 30-day free trial. Access all of the features to see how Dacast can serve your OTT video hosting needs. All you have to do is sign up today. No credit card required.

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