Best premium YouTube Alternative Platforms to look for in 2023

YouTube allows users to upload, share, and view videos. In February 2005, three former PayPal employees created the site, which became a global sensation.

YouTube currently has over two billion monthly active users. There are many types of content available on YouTube, including music videos, TV shows, vlogs, and even educational videos.

There have recently been a lot of complaints about the platform from both users and creators. There have been several problems raised by users with the service, including its suspect algorithm, which favors certain content over others. Additionally, this claim was supported by research.

It's also hurting independent artists and stifling creativity, according to several content creators.

Problems with YouTube income:

To determine income potential, keep these factors in mind:

• YouTube makes 45% of its revenue from advertising;
• The revenues are less or nil if users skip the ads;
• Everything is automated: the advertisers, the number of ads, their frequency, the CPM… The creators have limited control over the parameters of the campaigns;
• It is also important to keep in mind that seasonality plays a role in the pay of video themes;
• On average we can say that 1000 views = 1€ paid back to the creator (before taxes etc…);

You may find this article useful if you have a similar complaint with YouTube. Here are some membership alternatives to YouTube that you can try. These platforms have impressive features that will surprise you.

1. GudSho

Gutsho is a video monetization platform for content creators which allows them to earn revenue by posting their videos and by monetizing them. The platform majorly caters mainly to Youtubers, Fitness, Film Festival & Edutech streamers.

Platform Highlights

• Creators on this platform are treated to a privatized channel setting that pulls the entire focus onto themselves.
• As part of GudSho, a concept called 'Adaptive Bitrate Streaming' allows video consumers to stream videos without buffering.
• The quality of video streaming also is one of a high degree as that in 4K streaming.
• There are numerous revenue models available to creators to reach monetary gains, including SVOD, TVOD...
• GudSho also presents creators with the scope of analyzing the performance of their creations on the basis of a set few key metrics that is outwardly packaged as a dashboard.
• GudSho encourages creators all over the globe to employ their platform in their creative enterprise thereby it also makes facilities for a range of currencies to monetize anywhere.

2. Patreon

That is a platform in sole dedication to artistic creators such as bloggers, podcasters, artists, gamers and video creators. In addition, Patreon does not focus on video creators only, but also offers monetization options for other kinds of creators.

Platform Highlights:

• Patreon lets its creators charge their supporters in three ways: on a pay-per-view basis, package subscription or just an annual fee.
• Creators opting for higher packages with Patreon will be let in on a much more sophisticated deal entailing stats on the performance of their videos as well as a way to promote to their fans.
• Payments concerning creators are entirely overseen by the platform for them. Cases of defaults are followed up by the platform as well.

3. Twitch

Twitch is one of those platforms with an interesting backstory. Started as a platform for gamers especially, to livestream their progress during matches on here, it did develop into a platform for other forms of art as well.

Platform Highlights:

• There are two monetization programmes lent to creators: Affiliate & Partner. The features following below are the same for these two monetization schemes.
• Fans of every creator herein can subscribe to one of the three tiers of packages valued at $4.99, $9.99 and $24.99. Their subscription may be a renewal or single purchase.
• Subscribers also get access to the creator's vod (video on demand)/ livestream archives without ads.
• When a fan cheers you in a conversation, you will earn "bits", which will be worth one cent each.

4. Ko-fi

Its platform feels more like a social media platform but with a means to generate revenue right aboard the platform in exchange for offering exclusive content to fans cum subscribers.

Platform Features:

• On Ko-fi, creators can chalk out revenue means via either monthly subscriptions of their fans or receive individual endowments or crowdsource to reach a target.
• The platform acts similar to a social media platform with a touch indicative of artistry such as it lets creators host a virtual gallery of their works besides interacting with their fans.
• Moreover, creators shall also receive donations from sponsors with rewards made out to them; they may also create videos within the platform for commissions.

5. Buy Me A Coffee

A fan buying a coffee in appreciation translates into a financial gain for the creator. The creator can also be a writer, musician, podcaster, illustrator, video creator or another type of artist.

Platform Highlights:

• Live events can be hosted with a Zoom template.
• Payment is sanctioned to PayPal, Stripe or the bank account of the creator.
• Creators get given access to a page that updates them on performance criteria such as supporter count, viewer count, earnings and more.
• Creators may earn the support of their fans through either conversion of fandom into subscription or receive one-off endowments.

6. Kickstarter

Kickstarter is an age-old platform for fundraising so it might have to sound a bit different from the rest on our list, not because of the “age-old” part but simply because of the “fundraising” part.

Platform Highlights:

• Creators may make their pitch in any format such as a live video, a recorded video, or any other format to ask for monetary aid for the project in hand.
• Creators may seek funds on the kickstarter website as well as its app for wider reach.
• There will be a medium for receiving comments and thoughts from your audience, sponsor or others
• As long as creators hit their target amount, money is disbursed after 2 weeks following the close of a campaign.

7. Memberful

The platform allows creators to sell podcasts, newsletters, courses and more.

Its set-up is a simple plug-in into the wordpress site with integration possible for other sites such as Mailchimp to keep track of subscribers, Discourse to maintain a paid private forum and more such sites in support that supports subscription-based monetization.

Platform Highlights:

• Creators may launch a custom site on wordpress, added with Memberful tools or take money for group access on Discord or Discourse.
• Creators have umpteen choices to fix the pricing of their digital products from a multi-tiered subscription to one-off payments.
• With Memberful on the side there is a possibility to offer coupons, discounts and integrations with email and affiliate marketing tools.
• Creators can also employ google analytics to track records of traffic data and other analytics related to revenue and members.
• Memberful also lets creators place a paywall when publishing video content with stand-alone platforms like YouTube and Vimeo.

YouTube might be popular, but it's not the ideal platform for hosting & monetizing videos. Consider the pros and cons of the above YouTube membership alternatives before making your decision.