Best Private Video Hosting in 2026

How We Evaluated

• Access control: password protection, signed URLs, domain locking, IP restrictions
• Encryption and DRM capabilities
• Viewer-level tracking and audit trails
• Custom domain support to avoid blocked third-party domains
• Compliance readiness for regulated industries

The Best Options

1. host.video (Top Pick)

Private video hosting with password protection, signed URLs, and custom domains. Videos are served from your own domain, avoiding corporate firewall blocks on third-party video sites.

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

Pros

• Password protection and signed URLs on all plans
• Custom domains avoid firewall blocks common with youtube.com and vimeo.com
• HLS delivery with token-based access control
• Flat pricing means security features are never locked behind higher tiers

Cons

• No DRM for Hollywood-grade content protection
• No geo-blocking or IP restriction features yet

2. SproutVideo

Privacy-focused video host with domain whitelisting, SSO, IP restrictions, geo-blocking, dynamic watermarking, and signed embeds.

Pricing: Seed $10/mo, Sprout $35/mo, Tree $75/mo, Forest $295/mo

Pros

• Most comprehensive set of privacy controls at a reasonable price
• SSO, IP restrictions, and geo-blocking included
• Dynamic watermarking for sensitive content
• Per-viewer tracking with exportable data

Cons

• Bandwidth overages can be surprising
• No AI features for search or transcription
• Small company with limited development velocity

3. VdoCipher

DRM-first platform with Widevine and FairPlay encryption on every plan. Designed to prevent video downloads and piracy.

Pricing: Starter $129/yr, Value $429/yr, Pro $1,549/yr, Plus $2,999/yr

Pros

• DRM on all plans, not an expensive add-on
• Dynamic watermarking with user-specific overlays
• Piracy tracking and hacker identification

Cons

• Storage multiplier inflates effective costs by ~5x
• India-based support with timezone gaps for US/EU
• API not recommended for production use per their own documentation

4. Gumlet

Video platform with optional DRM, dynamic watermarks, and geo-blocking. DRM requires the $249/mo Business tier.

Pricing: Creator $15/mo (annual), Growth $79/mo, Business $199/mo (annual)

Pros

• Single-click DRM enablement on Business plan
• AI compression and latest codecs for efficient delivery
• Developer-friendly API with SDKs

Cons

• DRM locked to $249/mo tier and above
• Major reliability issues including a 12+ hour outage in January 2025
• Storage metric delays mean you pay for deleted content

5. Vimeo

Broad video platform with password protection and domain-level restrictions. DRM only on Enterprise.

Pricing: Starter $12/mo (annual), Advanced $65-75/mo, Enterprise custom

Pros

• Password protection and domain restrictions on self-serve plans
• Well-known platform with broad compatibility
• Privacy settings are intuitive to configure

Cons

• DRM requires Enterprise tier at custom pricing
• Bandwidth cap applies even to private video
• Geographic restrictions only on Enterprise

6. Brightcove

Enterprise video platform with studio-grade DRM, SSO, RBAC, and regional data storage. The most comprehensive security feature set, if you can afford it.

Pricing: Starter ~$199/mo, Professional ~$500/mo, Enterprise custom

Pros

• Studio-grade DRM with Widevine, FairPlay, and PlayReady
• ISO/IEC 27001 certification and SOC 2 compliance
• Regional data storage for data sovereignty requirements

Cons

• Sales-led pricing starting around $199/mo
• 85% staff reduction in 2025 creates long-term uncertainty
• Setup complexity requires dedicated technical resources

Quick Comparison

Platform	Pricing	Best For
host.video	From $20/mo	Teams needing privacy with custom domains and flat pricing
SproutVideo	From $10/mo	Maximum privacy controls at mid-range pricing
VdoCipher	From $129/yr	DRM-first piracy prevention
Gumlet	From $15/mo	DRM with AI compression (higher tiers)
Vimeo	From $12/mo	Basic password protection on a familiar platform
Brightcove	From ~$199/mo	Enterprise compliance and studio-grade DRM

How to Choose

Define what "private" means for your use case. If you need to prevent screen capture and file downloading, you need DRM, which narrows the field to VdoCipher, Gumlet (Business tier), and Brightcove. If you need to restrict who can view content, password protection, signed URLs, and domain locking are sufficient and available at lower price points. If your videos are blocked by corporate firewalls because they are served from youtube.com or vimeo.com, custom domain support solves that problem. For regulated industries, check compliance certifications and data residency options before committing.