The simplest way to gate video access with a password in 2026
YouTube's private videos work only for up to 50 Google accounts and cannot be embedded. Unlisted YouTube videos have no password — anyone with the link can share it freely. Vimeo offers password protection but enforces bandwidth caps that create risk for high-traffic content. Cloudflare Stream supports signed URLs but has no built-in password gate — you must build your own authentication layer. Many teams resort to sharing videos in Google Drive, which requires viewers to have Google accounts and does not provide a clean playback experience.
Upload any video file. Every video gets a non-guessable ULID-based URL by default, even before adding password protection.
Toggle on password protection in your video settings and set your password. The change takes effect immediately.
Share the video URL directly or embed the iframe. Viewers see a clean password prompt before the video loads — no content is transmitted until the correct password is entered.
Combine password protection with signed URLs, domain locking, IP allowlists, or country restrictions for defense in depth.
Password protection is the most straightforward access control for non-technical teams. It works for investor updates, client deliverables, internal announcements, and pre-release content. When the gate is clean, the setup is instant, and you can combine it with other controls, you get practical security without complexity.
YouTube private videos support 50 Google accounts only and cannot be embedded. Vimeo has password protection but with bandwidth caps. Google Drive requires Google accounts for viewers. Cloudflare Stream requires building your own auth layer. SproutVideo offers password protection with bandwidth overage charges.