Feb 18, 2026
Discover the top 5 self-distribution platforms for content creators in 2026. Compare features, pricing, and benefits to choose the best platform for your growth.
David Orman
Co-Founder & CEO
The distribution game has changed. Permanently.
A decade ago, you needed a distributor, an aggregator, a sales agent, and a lawyer just to get your film in front of an audience. Today, the tools to do it yourself exist, are affordable, and in many cases, are better.
But self-distribution platforms are not all built for the same job. Choosing the wrong one means losing revenue, losing data, or losing control of the very content you spent years creating.
Here is what the landscape actually looks like in 2026, and what to consider before you commit.
Why Platform Choice Matters More Than Ever
Most creators start by comparing video streaming and hosting services. Others want a content publishing platform for subscriptions. Some want marketplace exposure through alternative video sharing platforms.
The problem? These are fundamentally different tools solving fundamentally different problems.
Hosting keeps your content accessible. Distribution controls how it performs, where it appears, who pays for it, and what you earn.
Confusing the two is expensive.
The Top 5 Self-Distribution Platforms in 2026
1. Hiway
Category: Distribution Infrastructure
Hiway is not a video hosting service. It is not a marketplace. It is distribution infrastructure built for content owners who want control over every variable in the chain.
Where most platforms ask you to adapt to their ecosystem, Hiway lets you define yours. You set the territories. You set the pricing model. You set the access windows. You own the audience data and get paid directly.
This makes Hiway the right choice for:
Rights-managed projects and co-productions
Hybrid film festival and direct-to-fan releases
Catalogue distribution strategies
Professional B2B screeners for buyers, press, and financiers
Creators who need predictable costs and zero revenue share
Pricing (no revenue share deducted)
Solo: $15/month
Studio: $75/month
Premiere: $250/month
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2. Vimeo
Category: Video Streaming and Hosting Service
Vimeo is the benchmark for professional online video hosting. Clean playback, solid brand presentation, and reliable infrastructure make it the default choice for portfolios, branded content, and video publishing.
As a content publishing platform it performs well. As a distribution infrastructure tool, it has limits. Monetisation is handled through Vimeo OTT, which works for subscription-based services but offers limited flexibility for complex release strategies or territory management.
Choose Vimeo when hosting quality and presentation are the priority. Look elsewhere when you need structured distribution control.
Pricing (billed annually)
Starter: £9/month
Standard: £19/month
Advanced: £69/month
Enterprise: Custom
3. Uscreen
Category: Subscription-Based Content Publishing Platform
Uscreen is built for creators who want to run a membership business around their content. It combines video hosting with subscription billing, branded apps, and audience engagement tools in one package.
It is one of the stronger self-distribution platforms if your model is recurring revenue from a loyal subscriber base. It is less suited to single-title releases, complex rights management, or theatrical-style launches.
Pricing
Starter: $49/month
Growth: $149/month + $1.99 per subscriber
App Essentials: $449/month + $0.99 per subscriber
Custom: Custom pricing + $0.99 per subscriber
Note: costs scale with your subscriber volume.
4. Filmhub
Category: Aggregator-Led Distribution
Filmhub takes a different approach. Rather than acting as a direct-to-fan platform, it distributes your content to downstream streaming services on your behalf. Think of it as a pipeline to platforms, not a platform itself.
Among aggregator-led self-distribution platforms, it simplifies multi-service access without requiring individual platform agreements. The trade-off is a 20% revenue share across all tiers.
Pricing
Core: $0/month (80% revenue share)
Plus: $999/year (80% revenue share)
Pro: $1,999/year (80% revenue share)
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5. Amazon Prime Video Direct
Category: Marketplace Distribution
Amazon Prime Video Direct gives you access to one of the world's largest consumer video marketplaces. The reach is significant. The trade-off is that you are operating inside Amazon's ecosystem, which means visibility, pricing, and discoverability are shaped by marketplace dynamics rather than your own release strategy.
It is worth considering as part of a broader distribution strategy, particularly when scale and catalogue exposure matter more than direct audience relationships.
Pricing
No monthly fee
Revenue share model based on Amazon's current policies and territory
Hosting vs. Distribution: Why the Distinction Matters
This is the question that most self-distribution guides skip over, and it is the most important one.
An online video hosting platform stores and streams your content. It handles playback quality and presentation. That is the job.
Distribution infrastructure goes further. It manages:
Territory and access restrictions
Release window control
Flexible monetisation models (pay-per-view, rental, pass, bundle)
Real-time audience data and revenue tracking
Direct payment to the content owner
You can have excellent hosting and poor distribution. You can have wide marketplace distribution and zero data on who watched it.
Hosting determines where your content lives. Distribution determines what it does once it gets there.
How to Choose the Right Self-Distribution Platform
Ask yourself these five questions before you commit:
Are you releasing a single title or building a library?
Do you need to restrict territories or set time-limited access windows?
Is predictable, fixed-cost pricing important to your business model?
Are you comfortable trading a percentage of revenue for reduced upfront cost?
How much does owning your audience data matter to your long-term strategy?
There is no universally correct answer. There is only the platform that fits your specific release model and business goals.
About the Author
David Orman
Co-Founder & CEO
With a career that has taken me through venture capital, media, sport and digital content, I’ve picked up more stories than I can count, and too many I can't tell....