Move your video library before the next billing surprise
JW Player charges for original files plus all transcoded variants, even when originals are not retained. Customers report being billed for 22 TB when only 6.6 TB is actually needed — a 70% inflation of real usage.
Teams receive "overage" notices forcing upgrades to bundles that include features they do not need. Transcription is charged at $1/minute — roughly 10x what alternatives charge.
Multiple customers report losing all their videos with no explanation. Support is described as "completely unresponsive, unclear, and downright careless." Cases exist where support interactions led to lost content.
JW Player merged with ad-tech company Connatix in late 2024 and rebranded to JWX in December 2025. The product is pivoting toward ad monetization, not video hosting. The open-source player is officially abandoned.
Before: paying for phantom storage from transcoded variants you cannot control. After: transparent storage billing that reflects your actual usage.
Before: $1/minute for transcription. After: auto-transcription included with your plan at no per-minute cost.
Before: a product pivoting to ad-tech. After: a dedicated video hosting platform where hosting is the entire product.
Use the JW Player Management API to list and download your video assets. Navigate to your JW Player dashboard, go to the Media Library, and download source files. For large libraries, script the export using their Delivery API.
Sign up for a free 14-day trial. Set up your workspace, custom domain, and player configuration.
Upload via drag-and-drop, S3 import, or cloud storage connection. All uploads are resumable via the TUS protocol.
Search your codebase for JW Player embed references — typically "cdn.jwplayer.com" or the jwplayer() JavaScript initialization. Replace with host.video iframe embed codes.
Confirm playback on all embed locations, check auto-generated transcriptions, and verify your custom domain. Cancel your JW Player plan once everything is verified.
JW Player embeds use their JavaScript player library loaded from cdn.jwplayer.com. These embeds will stop working if your JW Player account is closed or your license key expires. Replace all embed codes before canceling. If you have a large number of embed locations, prioritize high-traffic pages first and work through the rest systematically.
A typical library of 100-500 videos can be exported and re-uploaded within a few hours. Embed replacement time depends on how many pages reference the JW Player.
Export any JW Player analytics you need before canceling. host.video analytics start fresh from the moment your new embeds go live.
JW Player skin customizations do not transfer. host.video offers its own player theming with custom colors, logos, and controls. Set these up in the dashboard during your trial.