The Top 10 Video and Photo Sharing Websites and Apps

Share your media privately, easily, and securely

By
Gretchen Siegchrist
Gretchen Siegchrist
Writer
  • New York University
  • Suffolk University
Gretchen Siegchrist is a professional videographer who enjoys helping amateurs master the basics of desktop video.
lifewire's editorial guidelines
Updated on December 2, 2020

Many people use social media sites like Facebook or Instagram to share their favorite photos and videos online, but others want more privacy options or aren't fans of social media. Dedicated photo and video sharing sites let you store and manage your media and then select who gets to see your images and movies.

We looked at the best photo and video sharing sites around and picked our 10 favorites based on ease of use, privacy features, storage, and more. Check them out and see which one is right for your needs.

All the sites and apps listed here allow you to share both photos and videos. Some are free, while others have paid tiers with additional features.

01
of 10

Best for Budding Photographers: Flickr

Flickr Photo and video sharing website
What We Like

  • Beautiful interface that's easy to use.

  • Tag options for photos and videos.

  • Organize albums with drag-and-drop functionality.

  • iOS and Android apps for uploading and sharing.

What We Don't Like

  • Free account stores only 1,000 photos and videos.

  • You'll need to upgrade to Pro for unlimited storage and no ads.

Flickr is well known as an image-hosting site, but you can also upload, manage, store, and share your videos. Pro and amateur photographers love Flickr's editing and social functions, but even everyday users who want a convenient place to store their photos and videos will love Flickr's interface and features.

Easily upload your media, organize it into albums, and then set your family or friends' lists to easily share your favorite photos and videos privately. Flickr's iOS and Android apps are just as easy to use as its website.

Flickr's free tier allows for up to 1,000 photos and videos. Upgrading to a Pro account ($49.99 yearly) gets you unlimited storage, the ability to stream videos, no ads, and more features.

Download For:

02
of 10

Best Free Photo and Video Storage: Google Photos

Google Photos photo and video hosting and sharing site
What We Like

  • Backs up photos and videos from your phone.

  • Unlimited free storage.

  • Editing and tagging tools.

  • AI features, such as recognizing faces.

What We Don't Like

  • Stores photos at a max resolution of 16MP.

  • Stores videos at a max resolution of 1080p.

Originally envisioned as an easy way to back up your photos and videos from your phone, Google Photos has evolved into an excellent media storage and sharing site. Upload, view, and edit photos and videos, and then easily create albums to share publicly or only with your family and friends. While there are some resolution limitations (16MP for photos and 1080p for videos), you can always upgrade your storage via the Google One subscription plan, starting at $1.99 per month.

Download For:

03
of 10

Best for the Amazon Ecosystem: Amazon Photos

Amazon Photos photo and video sharing website
What We Like

  • Unlimited photo storage for Prime members.

  • Automatically tags pictures and videos.

  • Easily order prints and photo books with Amazon Prints.

  • Display photos and videos on an Echo Show or Fire TV.

What We Don't Like

  • Only 5GB of video storage free for Prime members.

  • Only 5B total storage if you're not a Prime member.

Amazon Photos is yet another Prime perk, offering members unlimited high-resolution photo storage and 5GB of video storage. Create a Family Vault and then invite up to five friends or family members to view and share photos and videos, or create albums and share them with others individually. If you're working with a larger number of people, such as a club or classroom, Amazon Photos' Groups feature lets you share photos and videos with more users.

Download For:

04
of 10

Best for the Apple Ecosystem: iCloud Photos

Apple iCloud Photos for photo and video sharing
What We Like

  • Your photos and videos automatically upload to iCloud.

  • Create collaborative albums with friends.

  • Add photos from multiple users.

  • Easily tag and share photos and videos.

What We Don't Like

  • Android users are out of luck.

When you enable Apple's iCloud Photos on your iOS device or Mac, your photos and videos automatically upload to iCloud, where you have 5GB of space. Easily organize your media, create albums, and share photos and videos via a Photo Stream in the Photos app or on a web page. iCloud Photos is great for collaboration, allowing you to create an album that other iCloud users can add to and share. If you find you need more than 5GB of space, Apple offers several paid upgrades that start as low as 99 cents per month.

05
of 10

Best No-Frills Way to Share: Dropbox

iPad device with Dropbox app for photo and video sharing
funky-data / Getty Images
What We Like

  • It's easy to upload images and videos.

  • Mobile apps allow for automatic uploading.

  • Ample storage options.

  • Easy to share photo and video files.

What We Don't Like

  • No editing, tagging, or other advanced features.

Dropbox isn't what you'd normally think of as a photo and video sharing site, but it's an easy and handy way to store and share your media files with friends, family, or anyone you like. Upload your pictures and videos, and then create slideshows or share them directly with other Dropbox users. The Dropbox free tier gives you 2GB of storage, but if you need more, there are various pricing plans designed for storage-need levels.

Download For:

06
of 10

Best for Quick-and-Easy File Sharing: WeTransfer

WeTransfer easy photo and video sharing site
What We Like

  • Fast, easy photo and video file transfers.

  • Send files of all types.

  • Intuitive interface and no learning curve.

What We Don't Like

  • No editing or management features.

  • You'll need to upgrade to a paid plan to send files larger than 2GB.

WeTransfer is an exceptionally simple and easy way to share files, including photos and videos, in an email-like format. While it's not designed to be a media management site with editing features, it does what it does well. Send your photos and videos in a folder using your recipients' email addresses, and they'll receive the files quickly. WeTransfer's free plan allows for file sizes up to 2GB, while upgrading to WeTransfer Pro ($12 monthly) gets you password protection, the ability to send files of up to 20MB, 1TB of storage, and more.

07
of 10

Best for Editing Tools: Photobucket

Photobucket photo and video sharing site.
What We Like

  • Easy-to-use interface.

  • Many image-editing tools.

  • Organize images and videos into albums and "stories."

What We Don't Like

  • Free tier has a lot of ads.

Photobucket's free tier lets you store up to 250 images or offers 2.5GB of storage if you're uploading videos, along with many sharing options, including a slideshow. The service's paid plans (starting at $5.99 per month) offer additional features, including an ad-free experience, unlimited image hosting, social sharing, password-protected album sharing, and much more. The upload size for photos is 50MB, and the video upload size is 500MB.

Download For:

08
of 10

Most Stylish Site: SmugMug

SmugMug photo and video sharing website
What We Like

  • Many templates to help showcase your media.

  • Editing tools for budding photographers.

  • Two-week free trial offered.

  • Paid plans give you a website.

What We Don't Like

  • No free plan.

SmugMug is a sleek site for hosting your photos and videos, offering unlimited photo storage (150MB) and 1080p video storage. While there's no free plan, its $7-per-month Basic plan and $11-per-month Power plan are very reasonable options, considering you get a website, full-screen galleries, and easy public, private, and social media sharing tools.

Download For:

09
of 10

Best App for Private Sharing: Cluster

Cluster photo and video sharing app and site
What We Like

  • Great way to share photos and videos if you don't like social media.

  • Create private groups for sharing.

  • Only invited group members can see what you post.

  • Create multiple albums.

What We Don't Like

  • Photos appear in the order you posted them, and you can't move them.

Cluster has a beautifully designed web and app interface that offers a social media feel without the intrusions and lack of privacy. With Cluster, create private groups and invite members, then share your photos and videos along with notes and updates. Create multiple albums and organize photos and videos into collections so you can easily access your media. Cluster is free to download and use.

Download For:

10
of 10

Best for Families: FamilyAlbum

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=us.mitene
What We Like

  • Great for families with growing children.

  • Private and secure way to share your kids' pictures and videos.

  • Great way to keep a timeline of your child's growth.

  • Pieces together image clips to form movies.

  • No ads, even on free version.

  • Easily create photo books.

What We Don't Like

  • You'll need to upgrade to the paid version for additional features.

Sharing your children's pictures and videos on social media is tricky, with privacy concerns and worries about alienating friends who aren't as invested in your baby's milestones. FamilyAlbum is a perfect way to collect, store, and share precious childhood memories privately and securely.

This free app is beautifully designed and lets parents effortlessly keep a digital scrapbook of their children's lives, with photos and videos automatically sorted by month along with your child's age. Share albums and videos with whoever you choose, and avoid the social media pressures of "liking" and posting. The free version is ad-free and featureful, while the $4.99 premium version gives you more ways to share.

Download For:



Was this page helpful?