Best Video Hosting for Course Creators in 2026

How We Evaluated

• Content protection: password gating, signed URLs, domain locking
• Student playback experience across devices
• Auto transcription and captioning for accessibility
• Cost per hour of hosted content
• Integration with LMS and course platforms

The Best Options

1. host.video (Top Pick)

Secure video hosting with password protection, signed URLs, auto transcription, and AI-generated chapters. Students can search inside video content to find specific lessons.

Pricing: Starter $20/mo ($200/yr), Business $100/mo ($1,000/yr), Custom from $5,000/yr

Pros

• AI search inside videos helps students find exact topics
• Auto transcription and chapters reduce production effort
• Password protection and signed URLs for gated content
• Flat pricing does not penalize popular courses

Cons

• No DRM encryption for maximum piracy prevention
• No native LMS plugin yet

2. VdoCipher

DRM-first video hosting built for e-learning. Widevine and FairPlay encryption on every plan with dynamic watermarking to deter screen capture.

Pricing: Starter $129/yr (50 GB storage), Value $429/yr, Express $699/yr, Pro $1,549/yr

Pros

• Hollywood-grade DRM included on all plans, not an add-on
• Dynamic watermarks with viewer-specific overlays
• Affordable entry at $129/yr

Cons

• Storage multiplier means a 1 GB video uses ~5 GB of quota
• Watermark quality described as unprofessional and easily bypassed by zooming out
• API explicitly not recommended for production use in their own docs

3. Wistia

Marketing video platform with engagement analytics and conversion tools. Useful for course landing pages, though not purpose-built for lesson delivery.

Pricing: Free (10 videos), Pro $79/mo, Advanced $319/mo

Pros

• Engagement heatmaps show exactly where students drop off
• In-video CTAs can link to supplementary materials
• Clean, brandable player

Cons

• No DRM or content protection beyond domain locking
• Per-video pricing is expensive for full course libraries
• $319/mo Advanced plan needed for most course-relevant features

4. Spotlightr

Niche video host for course creators with encryption, anti-download measures, and integrations with Kajabi, Thinkific, and WordPress.

Pricing: Plans start around $15/mo

Pros

• Built specifically for course creators and LMS integration
• Encryption and anti-download protection
• Affordable for the niche it serves

Cons

• Very small company with limited market presence
• No adaptive bitrate streaming on lower plans
• Narrow scope with no features beyond course delivery

5. Vimeo

General-purpose video host with privacy settings and a trusted player. Commonly used by course creators before dedicated alternatives existed.

Pricing: Free (5 GB), Starter $12/mo (annual), Standard $20-25/mo, Advanced $65-75/mo

Pros

• Familiar platform with broad compatibility
• Password protection and domain-level restrictions
• Good playback quality with adaptive streaming

Cons

• No DRM or watermarking for piracy prevention
• Bandwidth cap is risky for courses with large student enrollment
• No in-video search or chapter generation

6. Panopto

Enterprise learning video platform with searchable transcripts and LMS integration. Powerful but expensive and complex.

Pricing: From ~$7,500/yr, per-user pricing, sales-led only

Pros

• Deep LMS integrations with Canvas, Moodle, and Blackboard
• Searchable transcripts with 90%+ accuracy
• Designed for large-scale educational deployments

Cons

• $7,500/yr minimum with no self-serve option
• Editing tools described as barely functional
• Processing can take an hour or more per video

Quick Comparison

Platform	Pricing	Best For
host.video	From $20/mo	Creators wanting searchable, accessible course video
VdoCipher	From $129/yr	Maximum piracy protection with DRM
Wistia	From $79/mo	Course landing pages with conversion tracking
Spotlightr	From ~$15/mo	WordPress and Kajabi course creators
Vimeo	Free - $75/mo	Creators with small student bases
Panopto	From ~$7,500/yr	Institutional deployments with LMS integration

How to Choose

Decide what matters more: preventing piracy or improving the student experience. If piracy prevention is the top priority, VdoCipher offers DRM on every plan, though its storage accounting and watermark quality have documented issues. If you want students to actually find and engage with content, look for AI search, auto chapters, and transcription. Panopto has strong LMS integration but requires a $7,500/yr commitment. For individual creators and small course businesses, the decision comes down to budget and whether you need DRM or can rely on signed URLs and password protection.