Vimeo vs. YouTube

Several sites and services allow you to watch TV, stream movies, and upload your content online. However, two major sites receive most of the attention on the web: YouTube and Vimeo. We reviewed both to help you decide which one fits your needs best.

Overall Findings

YouTube is the king of online video. From business channels to personal video blogs to television, YouTube has it all. Founded in February of 2004, more than 48 hours of user-generated video content is uploaded every minute to YouTube, and the site receives over 3 billion views per day. Google acquired YouTube in 2006 for $1.65 billion.

Vimeo is largely characterized by the content created and uploaded by artists, musicians, and indie filmmakers who want to share their creative work. Although the variety of video content is slightly more limited compared to the wide range available on YouTube, over 16,000 videos are uploaded daily to the popular video-sharing site.

Both sites are video sharing networks where users can sign up, upload videos for free, and participate in a community. In terms of viewing choice and connection speeds, these two sites are some of the best among competing services on the web.

Audience Range: YouTube Is Tops

YouTube is the number one video-sharing site on the web. The site's popularity drives higher ranking in search results on Google. Plus, the opportunity for discovery through related videos and search terms gives it a strong reputation. The chance of being discovered by an enormous number of viewers by uploading a video on YouTube plays an important role in content promotion.

Although the massive audience and viewing potential can be considered a strength on YouTube, it can also be a disadvantage. Your videos can get lost among the many other videos. Even if your video is considered to be creative and worth watching, it may be difficult for others to discover it.

Because Vimeo is smaller than YouTube, your video views may be more limited.

Restrictions: A Choice Between Length and Bandwidth

There's no limit on the number of videos you can upload to YouTube, which is an attractive option for people who like to upload often. However, you can't upload videos longer than 15 minutes without verifying your account. Depending on the views, subscribers, the number of videos, and other statistics of your account, YouTube slowly increases the length allowed for your video uploads.

Vimeo limits you to a maximum of 500 GB of uploads per week, and 10 videos per day. A free account gives you up to 5 GB of storage.

Community Engagement: Vimeo's Nicer

YouTube relies on its community to report and flag videos for copyrighted content, pornography, violence, or other inappropriate subject matter. If your video gets flagged, YouTube may remove it from the site without warning. As your videos grow popular and attract more viewers, you increase the chance of receiving inappropriate comments, profanity, and spam. Bad comments can potentially lead to a bad reputation. For this reason, some users prefer to disable comments on videos.

Vimeo tends to have more audience engagement due to the focus on creative artistry, filmmaking, and music. You're more likely to receive friendlier comments and make stronger relationships with users on Vimeo than on YouTube.

Money Matters: Both Offer Revenue Opportunities

If your videos get enough views or your channel attracts enough subscribers, YouTube will invite you into a revenue-sharing partnership. Ads are placed at the bottom of your videos and in the sidebar. This gives you the opportunity to earn an income from the popularity of your videos. Although it takes time and effort to earn a significant amount, some people make a full-time living from their channels.

Although the Vimeo Pro features are outstanding, a Pro account has a fee. Not everyone will find it worthwhile to pay for premium features. If you decide against it, you'll miss out on a lot of what Vimeo offers.

If you plan to promote a product or service through a video on Vimeo, you must pay for a Pro account. If you upload a commercial video on a free account, you risk having your video taken down.

Uploading videos to Vimeo is as convenient as it is with YouTube. However, you can get better quality when you upgrade to a paid Vimeo Pro account. With a Pro account, videos are cleaner and require less bandwidth for viewing.

Analytics: YouTube's Are Enough for Casual Users, but Vimeo's Options Reign

The analytics platform on Vimeo—including the free option—is superior to that on YouTube. Some users feel that YouTube's analytics system is too basic.

Final Verdict

Both YouTube and Vimeo offer video producers and bloggers many creative, monetization, and tracking options. Your best choice depends on your goals. If you create lots of videos for your business, friends, or family, YouTube's the way to go. But creative types seeking constructive, helpful feedback and more robust analytics will appreciate Vimeo's artsier take on the video world.