Whether you’ve created video content before or just started, there is a lot of room to grow as a creator in the video monetization space. The best video monetization platforms can take your growth even further.
So, you might be wondering, where do I start? Or, what are the best video monetization platforms to use in order to maximize my revenue?
If you’re a creator looking to earn money with videos, read on for everything you need to know about video monetization, including a deep dive into the best platforms on the market right now.
10 Best video monetization platforms in 2024
| Platform | Description |
| The Leap | Level: Beginner Best for: Creator educators looking to turn their knowledge into digital products, quickly and easily. Cost: Free! |
| Thinkific | Level: Beginner to intermediate Best for: Creator educators who want to monetize their knowledge or expertise. Cost: $$ |
| Patreon | Level: Beginner Best for: Content that does not adhere to the community guidelines of popular video monetization platforms. Cost: $ |
| Cleeng | Level: Intermediate to advanced Best for: Creators interested in the latest tech. Cost: $$ |
| Muvi | Level: Beginner Best for: Beginners and anyone looking for a little additional support monetizing their videos. Cost: $$$ |
| Lightcast | Level: Beginner Best for: Agencies. Cost: $$$$ |
| InPlayer | Level: Beginner Best for: Musicians and music-oriented creators. Cost: N/A |
| Dacast | Level: Intermediate Best for: Live streaming video content. Cost: $$ |
| Kaltura | Level: Intermediate Best for: Businesses and companies running virtual events. Cost: $$ |
| Brightcove | Level: Beginner Best for: Integrating videos to a WordPress site. Cost: N/A |
Best video monetization platforms in 2024
1. The Leap
The Leap is a free, all-in-one platform that functions as a link-in-bio storefront, an AI-powered digital product builder, and an email marketing suite. Essentially, The Leap allows creators to create, market, and sell (aka monetize) their video content all from a single platform.
Designed with lead generation and sales in mind, The Leap helps creators transform their knowledge into digital products and their followers into paying customers quickly and easily.
The Leap’s AI-powered digital product builder enables creators to create a range of bingeable bite-sized learning products, including mini-courses, tutorials, guides, and challenges. Plus, The Leap’s product builder is powered by generative AI, meaning it creates products for you, saving you time and effort (which = money, right?). It also empowers creators to turn their products into lead magnets, which helps them grow their email list.
If you need a video monetization platform to host coaching or consultation services, then The Leap is here for you. The platform’s Book My Time feature is a native calendar booking tool that simplifies scheduling and hosting multiple types of events.
What’s more, The Leap offers users an email collection and built-in email marketing features like pre-made templates for setting up email flows and sending email broadcasts. It also has audience analytics and several flexible payment options so it’s super easy for your customer to pay for your digital products.
Ultimately, The Leap is designed for creators looking to kickstart their monetization journey. And by leveraging all of its features at once, you can build an income engine that’ll earn you more (and more) money over time.
The best part about The Leap? It’s free to use!
Want to learn more about how The Leap can help you earn money online? Sign up for The Leap Way mini-course series!
Pros:
- Mobile-optimized link-in-bio creator store
- Digital product-hosting services
- AI-powered digital product builder for mini-courses, tutorials, guides, and challenges
- Email list builder
- Pre-made email templates for setting up email flows and sending email broadcasts easily
- Book My Time native calendar booking feature for coaching and consulting services
- Audience analytics
- No listing fee or platform transaction fees
- Flexible payment options like buy now / pay later, discount/coupon codes, and one-click payments
- 200 combinations of themes, layouts, and colorways for customized storefronts
- AI assistant to generate sales page descriptions and content for digital products
- It’s free!
Pricing
The Leap is totally free to use!
Ready to monetize your video content? Create your first video digital product on The Leap today.
2. Thinkific
Perfect for creator educators, Thinkific is one of the best video monetization platforms for selling video courses online. With this platform, you can choose between a subscription-based (SVOD) or transactional video (TVOD) monetization model to start earning with your videos.
If you want to opt for a full-fledged online course experience, Thinkific allows you to add quizzes, documents, and more add-ons directly into your course. Thinkific automatically guides students through the online course, so you can build the lesson sequence exactly how you’d like.
Another benefit is that Thinkific supports community management. So whether you already have a following or are looking to build an audience, this platform can help you with that. Payments from your video revenue are paid out instantly in multiple ways through one of Thinkific’s many integration partners.
Pros
- Instant access to funds and no transaction fees
- Wide range of ways to engage your audience in addition to video
- Great customer support
Cons
- Does not support an ad-based video monetization strategy
- Since the platform is very feature-rich, it comes with a bit of a learning curve for beginners
Pricing
Thinkific’s paid plans range from $49 to $199 per month with an opportunity to save 25% by paying annually. There is a 14-day free trial for all plans.
3. Patreon
Patreon is a beginner-friendly platform that supports all kinds of content, including video. This is an especially great platform if you supplement your videos with other content formats such as podcasts, books, and tutorials. It can even be used if you’re crowdfunding for an upcoming project.
Patreon helps users sell content using a transaction video on demand (TVOD) monetization model. Since pricing is based on your percentage of take-home income, there are no upfront costs. Payouts can be done via direct deposit, PayPal, or Payoneer. You can also sell digital products on Patreon. It’s worth noting that while it’s free to list digital products, Patreon takes a 5% transaction fee per sale.
Pros
- All plan levels include payment processing integrations to other apps
- Offers flexible membership tiers
- Supports a lot of content types beyond just video
- Fewer content restrictions than most platforms
- Easy to set up and manage
Cons
- Costs will continue to grow as your content becomes more popular
Pricing
Starting a Patreon is free. Subscription fees cost between 8% and 12% of your monthly income for Pro and Premium plans. It’s free to sell digital products on Patreon, however, the platform takes a 5% transaction fee for each sale. Patreon processing rates are 2.9% + $0.30 for standard payments over $3. Payments under $3 are charged 5% + $0.10 in processing fees
4. Cleeng
Cleeng considers themselves specialists in “subscriber management.” Essentially, this means they can help you build and maintain a strong audience around your content. This platform is fantastic if you have a set of courses or a video series that you want viewers to watch in sequence. Or, if you specialize in one niche, Cleeng can help you build a following by notifying subscribers of every new video release.
Though they mostly promote a subscription-based video-on-demand (SVOD) model, Cleeng allows you to test out any monetization model you want. This platform also uses AI to help you get a leg up on promoting to new audiences, optimizing the checkout experience, and minimizing churn. And, if you’re a techie, Cleeng has a developer toolkit that lets you custom-code your very own subscriber management app within Cleeng.
Pros
- Very detailed analytics dashboards
- AI tools to support you in promotion efforts
- Multi-language support
- Authentication tools for content integrity and fraud prevention
- High customizability
- Scalable billing options
Cons
- More difficult to learn how to use than other platforms
- No integrations to other tools
Pricing
Cleeng offers three plans: Core, ChurnIQ, and Hi5. Payment is based on the number of users you have, i.e., a subscriber who purchases or accesses your content. In general, the fewer users you have, the more you’ll pay. Depending on which plan you choose, pricing ranges from $0.13 to $0.74 per user.
5. Muvi
Muvi prides itself on being a fully managed and all-inclusive digital distribution service monetization platform. It not only allows you to sell your videos, but it also helps you build the apps to sell your content.
This video monetization platform caters to all industries and supports a wide variety of video content, including video on demand (VOD), live streaming, e-learning courses, and online gaming videos. Additionally, Muvi comes with all the integrated features you need to monetize videos and more, including your own personalized domain, native web and mobile apps for popular systems, and developer tools to help you customize your marketplace.
Beyond the platform, Muvi also offers support services for end-user support and CMS management. If you’re a small business or an individual who’s short on time, this type of support can go a long way to help you launch your video business as a side revenue stream without eating away at your free time.
Pros
- Incredibly feature-rich
- Add-on service offerings can save you time and effort
- Tons of customization options and device compatibility
- Very scalable
Cons
- Expensive and may not be affordable for small businesses
- Fewer integrations than other platforms
Pricing
Muvi offers a free trial however its paid plans are pricey starting at $399 per month + $299 per app and additional infrastructure fees. Its Enterprise level goes up to $3,900+ per month. You can save 10% on your subscription by paying bi-yearly or 15% by paying annually.
6. Lightcast
Lightcast promotes itself as a way to “automate the virtual experience.” It has the capability to automate digital media content streams such as social media, live streaming, and advertising directly. This video platform also helps users monetize with advertising-based (AVOD), transactional (TVOD), and subscription-based (SVOD) video model strategies.
Lightcast’s video monetization services come in bundle packages with a number of the platform’s other services, meaning you’ll be paying for more than just video monetization services here. However, despite the extra cost, this isn’t necessarily a bad thing. If you’re in need of extra support or just have a ton of content to move around, Lightcast can help you with its additional services and automation. Additionally, all plans include some distribution support (including Roku TV) and an unlimited amount of viewers per month.
Pros
- Agency support if you need it
- Includes distribution of your video content
- Supports all video monetization strategies
Cons
- It’s on the pricier side
- Lightcast’s website and tool kit have poor UX compared to other platforms
Pricing
Lightcast does not offer a free plan. Its paid plans range between $2,388 to $21,588 per year with discounted fees if you pay annually.
7. InPlayer
Made for music-oriented creators, InPlayer covers all aspects of selling music digitally, including audio streaming, monetization of online music videos, ticket sales processing for virtual livestream events, and management of video on demand (VOD) subscriptions. In other words, InPlayer covers a lot of video monetization models, which is great for creators looking to increase their revenue streams.
In terms of features, InPlayer provides a plug-and-play paywall, meaning you can choose to sell your videos through authenticated pay-per-view or subscription sales. To help you generate leads on your sales, InPlayer also lets you share a live stream highlight with users who don’t currently have a subscription, which might inspire new audiences to subscribe.
Additionally, InPlayer focuses a lot on authentication and user security. Some examples of the platform’s key security features include social sign-in services, in-app authentication for payment processing, and the ability for the seller to add custom registration fields upon user sign-up.
Pros
- Easy for development teams to set up integrations with
- Supports lots of different kinds of access to content
- Global approach with multi-lingual support and foreign currency conversion
Cons
- The user interface is a bit difficult to navigate
Pricing
Contact the platform directly for pricing details.
8. Dacast
Dacast specializes in live-streaming video content, though it also offers capabilities for video on demand (VOD) subscriptions, which is useful for sharing your recorded video content after a livestream ends. There are four key areas that this platform focuses on, including streaming, connecting, managing, and measuring.
In terms of streaming and connecting, Dacast helps you create different types of videos, which can then be distributed throughout the platform’s video delivery networks. On the management side of things, Dacast has a video CMS to help you organize content. This platform also offers analytics on your video content and sales, as well as the marketing efforts that go into your distribution.
All in all, Dacast is a great video monetization platform if customizability is one of your priorities. This platform provides you with tons of developer resources, allowing you to code a custom experience, including video transcoding, pay-per-view content, and secure video upload features.
Pros
- Features to support global audiences
- Specialize in live streaming
- Prioritize security and privacy
- High customization options
Cons
- Need developer or coding support for additional monetization strategies
- Weak integrations compared to other platforms
Pricing
Dacast does not offer a free plan, though you can access a free trial. Designed for affordable streaming, The Starter plan costs $39/month and comes with 2.4 TB of bandwidth and 500 GB of storage.
Ideal for video creators who want to host one-time or occasional live events, Dacast’s Event plan costs $63/month and comes with 6 TB of bandwidth and 250 GB of storage. The aptly named Scale plan costs $165/month and comes with 24 TB of bandwidth and 2 TB of storage. Dacast also offers custom plans.
9. Kaltura
Aimed at helping enterprises manage video content, Kaltura has many features that support webinars, virtual events, and training. It also has a video portal for users to easily access content.
Kaltura presents each “solution” (webinars, training, virtual events, video messaging) as a separate offering with individual pricing. You can sign up for a free trial using any of these solutions individually, but you need to contact its sales team to mix and match multiple solutions into one package. This approach to pricing could be seen as an advantage if you’re looking for flexibility, or a con if you are looking for a full-service video monetization platform.
Pros
- Lots of video resources to help you get started
- Flexibility in services
- Ability to support a high volume of content for enterprise teams
Cons
- Not a full-service video monetization platform
Pricing
Kaltura has a free 7-day trial for each tool for each tool offering. Virtual classrooms start at $19 per month (1 classroom). Webinar tools start at $99 per month. Custom enterprise plans are available.
10. Brightcove
Brightcove offers video monetization for creators who don’t want to go through the hassle of production and licensing. The platform provides you with marketing tools and deep analytics that allow you to see whether your video content is reaching the right users. It also analyzes your programming and monetization data to help you make data-driven decisions about your content offerings.
Moreover, Brightcove is built to cater to several different industries, so its features can help support a wide range of creators.
Additionally, the platform combines content management for various syndication channels such as TV, website, mobile, and social media apps all in one platform. This all-in-one format helps you expand your content’s reach while reducing your time spent working.
Revenue-wise, the tool helps you earn money through multiple monetization models, including advertising-based (AVOD), subscription-based (SVOD), and transactional-based (TVOD) video models. On top of video monetization, you can also use this platform to sell other products or engage with your audience directly.
Pros
- Easy-to-navigate platform
- Advanced analytics dashboard
- Integrates into WordPress to play videos on your website
Cons
- Can be very slow to upload large video files
- Does not help you create a branded storefront or website
Pricing
Contact the platform directly for pricing details.
Types of video monetization
While there are several ways to monetize video content, some of the most popular video monetization models include advertising-based video on demand (AVOD), subscription-based video on demand, or transactional video on demand (TVOD).
Choosing between AVOD, SVOD, and TVOD for your content depends on your goals, audience, and growth strategy. Advertising-Based Video on Demand (AVOD), like YouTube, lets creators offer free content, earning through ads. Essentially, this model is a good fit if you’re aiming for broad visibility and rapid audience growth since viewers don’t face paywalls.
Subscription-Based Video on Demand (SVOD) works well if you have a loyal audience willing to pay for exclusive, ad-free content. Platforms like Patreon or streaming services are popular because they allow you to earn a fairly predictable monthly revenue and build a closer community with your subscribers.
Transactional Video on Demand (TVOD), where viewers pay per piece of content, is ideal if your content is highly specialized or event-based, like tutorials, webinars, or performances. It’s great for creators who want higher revenue per view without relying on ads or recurring subscriptions.
Ultimately, each model offers unique ways to monetize. Read on to learn more about the pros and cons of each.
Advertising-based video on demand (AVOD)
This approach relies on the placement of video ads before and after your videos in order to generate revenue. An advertising company or third-party advertising network will pay you to post their ads on your videos. Some companies might pay for an ad as a set fee per period (for example, per month). However, most often, ad revenue is paid based on the number of views the ad gets.
This is measured in cost per thousand views (CPM). In this case, some of the onus is on the creator to ensure their content (and, in turn, the video ads) gets the most views possible to maximize their ad income. It’s likely you have seen these kinds of video ads on platforms like YouTube or Paramount+.
Subscription-based video on demand (SVOD)
If you subscribe to a video streaming platform like Netflix, Amazon Prime, or Disney+, you’ve already encountered subscription-based video on demand (SVOD). This approach charges a set fee, usually as a monthly charge, for unlimited access to the streaming service’s content.
Transactional video on demand (TVOD)
Transactional video on demand (TVOD) is also commonly known as pay-per-view (PPV). With this kind of video streaming platform, viewers pay either to watch a video or to rent it for a limited period of time. If you purchase an online course, for example, you are buying into TVOD.
TVOD can also be combined with SVOD in a hybrid approach. This model charges users a set subscription fee to access some or most of the platform’s available content. Access to premium content is available at an additional pay-per-view cost on top of the set subscription fee. This method is used by streaming platforms like Apple TV, which charges a monthly rate plus extra fees to rent or buy new movies.
The 10 platforms listed above are some of the overall best video monetization platforms on the market right now. However, the best video monetization platform is the one that is best tailored to your specific needs and goals as a creator. There’s no one-size-fits-all video monetization solution.
Before committing to one of the many video monetization platforms out there, consider what kind of content you want to create, which video monetization methods best service your business, as well as your budget. From there, we hope this guide will help you get started and help your video business take off.
To learn more about how to monetize your videos and other digital content, check out The Leap’s free resources!
Monetize your video content with The Leap
Ready to monetize your knowledge? With The Leap, you’re equipped with everything you need to turn your content into a revenue stream. Created by the popular online course creation platform Thinkific, The Leap is a free, all-in-one platform designed specifically for creators who want to simplify their creator business.
Acting as a link-in-bio, online storefront, email marketing platform, and digital product builder all in one, The Leap brings powerful tools together so you can build, market, and sell from a central place.
What sets The Leap apart from other platforms is its AI-driven support, which takes the work out of brainstorming, strategizing, and setting up your digital products. Instead of spending time on repetitive tasks, you can focus on what matters most: creating content your audience loves. For example, The Leap’s AI can generate mini-course ideas and templates for you, all you have to do is add the video content.
With The Leap, it’s super easy and intuitive to transform your skills into digital products and reach your followers where they’re at.
The best part? The Leap is free to use, making it an ideal platform for creators at any stage, from those just starting to experiment with monetization to seasoned creators scaling up their revenue.
So why wait? Discover how simple it can be to turn your content into consistent income and try The Leap free today!
Create and sell digital products in minutes using The Leap!
FAQ
What is a video monetization platform?
A video monetization platform enables creators, entrepreneurs, and marketers to generate revenue from their video content. These platforms allow users to upload and distribute a variety of videos to a broad audience while earning income through methods like ads, subscriptions, or pay-per-view.
Long gone are the days of monetizing video content via physical distribution like DVDs or CDs. Today, the process has shifted online, and its video monetization platforms streamline the entire process. These platforms offer creators an easy way to upload videos, manage payments, and track earnings and audience analytics. This digital approach not only simplifies content distribution but also opens up a whole lot of passive income opportunities. Once a video is uploaded and monetized, it can generate ongoing revenue with minimal additional effort.
For creators looking to turn their video content into a revenue stream, using a video monetization platform provides a scalable, efficient, and accessible way to do so in the digital age.
How do I monetize my video content?
Monetizing your video content essentially means turning your creative work into a revenue stream. There are several ways you can achieve this depending on your audience, platform, and content type. Some popular examples for monetizing your video content include:
- Ad revenue: This is when platforms like YouTube, Lightcast, or Brightcove allow you to earn through ad placements.
- Subscriptions and memberships: Platforms like Patreon’s membership feature allow you to charge your audience a subscription fee for exclusive content, which works best for creators who already have a loyal following who are willing to pay for behind-the-scenes content, tutorials, or early access to videos.
- Pay-per-View: This monetization model is when platforms such as InPlayer or Dacast enable you to sell your videos directly to viewers, which is a great option for creators who produce premium content, like in-depth tutorials, courses, or documentaries.
- Sponsorships and brand deals: If you’ve built a strong niche audience, brands may pay you to feature their products in your videos.
When it comes to monetizing your video content, the key to success is diversifying your revenue streams across multiple methods. This way, you can maximize your earnings and create a sustainable business around your video content.
How do you monetize live streaming?
Monetizing live streaming can be a great way to engage your audience while earning revenue in real-time. One common method is through donations and tips, where certain platforms enable viewers to contribute money during a broadcast.
Another popular approach is subscriptions and ad revenue. On platforms like Patreon, viewers can subscribe to your channel for a monthly fee, gaining perks like ad-free viewing. Meanwhile, ads—whether pre-roll or mid-roll—during live streams on platforms like YouTube can provide consistent income based on your viewership.
Finally, there’s always the option to partner with brands for sponsorships, brand deals, and merchandise sales. Selling your own merchandise or sharing affiliate links in the video chat or description also offers a way to generate revenue while engaging viewers. By combining these strategies, you can build a sustainable income from live streaming while also maintaining a close connection with your audience.
What is the best video monetization platform for creators?
When it comes to choosing the best video monetization platform, it all depends on what you’re looking to achieve and how you want to engage your audience. Platforms like YouTube are great for generating ad revenue, especially if you’ve built up a solid following. Twitch, on the other hand, is perfect if you’re into live streaming and building real-time connections with your audience, thanks to subscriptions and donations. Patreon is a great choice if you’re looking to offer exclusive, premium content to your biggest fans through a subscription model.
But if you’re looking for a platform that combines everything you need to grow and monetize your content in one place, The Leap is a game-changer. It’s an all-in-one solution where you can create, market, and sell digital products—all from a single platform. Whether you want to share free content, sell video-based digital products like mini-courses, or get busy with email marketing, The Leap has you covered.
Plus, it’s 100% free to use, making it an accessible option for up-and-coming creators looking to turn their passion into income. The Leap allows you to focus on what you do best—creating content—while giving you the tools to monetize it effectively.
Check out The Leap Way Mini-Course Series to learn more!
Follow The Leap on TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube for more monetization tips for creators. We also make a newsletter.
Further reading
- How To Make Money on TikTok: 9 Effective Ways
- YouTube Monetization Requirements: How to Monetize Your Videos
- YouTube Shorts Monetization: How To Start Earning (Even Without 1,000 Subscribers)
This article was originally published in March 2023, and updated in March 2025 with additional information.
