5 Popular Chinese Video Platform Alternatives to YouTube in China

As we all know, YouTube and Vimeo are two of the most popular video-sharing platforms in the world today. However, these platforms are simply not available in China. This is a major problem if your business operates in China, especially when you need to localise an existing English website for use in the online video market in China.

Although YouTube and Vimeo are blocked, video-sharing is still a popular activity in China. In fact, according to data compiled by the China Netcasting Services Association (CNSA) from June 2020, short films surpassed instant messaging with an average daily usage time of 110 minutes per person. This was a huge increase from 2018, when the typical day’s usage time was only 30 minutes per person. As of 2024, China’s audio and video industry saw a market size surge to 1.22 trillion yuan (USD 168 billion) and a market size growth of 6.1% year on year. According to the CNSA, the industry became a major player for job creation as approximately 757 000 companies are currently operating in this sector. Platforms like Douyin (Chinese TikTok), Kuaishou, and Bilibili have seriously grown in popularity due to the increasing demand for short videos.

So now, let’s deep dive into the 5 platform alternatives in China that you can use to embed videos on your website.

Why is YouTube Blocked in China?

YouTube is widely used globally for entertainment, education, and news. However, it has been blocked for the Chinese audience since 2009 due to several reasons:

• Censorship enforcement. YouTube’s open platform allows content that may criticize the Chinese government or discuss sensitive political topics, which conflicts with China’s strict censorship policies.
• Media control. China tightly regulates information to maintain social stability and control public opinion, and YouTube’s user-generated content model undermines this control.
• Protecting domestic platforms. Blocking YouTube helps promote and protect homegrown platforms like Youku, Bilibili, and Tencent Video on the Chinese market, which comply with government regulations.

The ban is enforced through the Great Firewall, which is a censorship and surveillance system that blocks access to YouTube and many other Western social media sites.

Top 5 Video Platform Alternatives to YouTube in China

With YouTube blocked in China since 2009, Chinese users have turned to domestic platforms that offer rich video content and interactive features tailored to local preferences and regulations, effectively creating a landscape of YouTube alternatives in China.

YouKu: The Pioneer Chinese Video Platform

YouKu is one of the most popular video platforms in China. It is similar to YouTube as it allows users to upload, view, and share videos. However, YouKu also has some unique features, such as the ability to live stream events.

Youku’s library has movies, documentaries, user-generated content, etc. It was acquired by Alibaba in 2015. As of March 2024, Youku has 173 million monthly active users.

One downside of YouKu is that it includes advertisements. These ads can be annoying for website visitors and may deter some people from watching. Unlike YouTube, the ads will even appear for embedded videos. This can be a problem as the ads will often run for 30 seconds and are usually not skippable, which is not ideal for your user experience.

However, most Chinese platforms show ads, so YouKu is not unique in this regard. In order to avoid ads complicating matters further, YouKu has a paid subscription option that gives users an ad-free experience.

PolyV: Subscription-Based Content Sharing

PolyV is another popular Chinese platform. It is similar to YouKu in that it allows users to upload, view, and share videos. However, PolyV does not have any advertisements; instead, its payment model is based on a monthly subscription, making it an attractive choice in the video market.

This can be a great option if you don’t want your viewers to be bombarded with ads. However, it is important to note that PolyV’s monthly subscription fee can be quite expensive. One of the main use cases for PolyV is for websites with paid or gated content, as the no-ads policy ensures a better user experience for viewers who are paying for access to your content.

PolyV also has some great features, such as the ability to live stream events and the option to password-protect videos. This can be useful if you want to keep your videos private or only accessible to certain people.

If you need to upload, publish, or embed videos onto your website for documentation, instructional, or training purposes, then a paid subscription to PolyV is likely a good option for you.

Ixigua: Long-Form Entertainment with Short Clips and Premium Content

Ixigua is a Chinese video-sharing platform that contains a mix of longer videos, like movies and TV episodes, as well as shorter clips and live streams. It is similar to YouTube and other platforms in that it allows users to upload, view, and share videos.

Ixigua does have advertisements, but they are not as intrusive as the ads on YouKu. Ixigua also has a premium subscription option that removes ads and gives your users access to exclusive content.

It’s not a secret that ByteDance, the same company behind Douyin, TikTok, and Toutiao, owns this Chinese platform. However, it is not well-known outside of China. Even so, we think it has a bright future!

QQ Video: Tencent’s Multimedia Video Platform

QQ Video is a Chinese video platform that is owned by Tencent, one of the largest internet companies in China. QQ video is similar to other Chinese video platforms in that it allows users to upload, view, and share videos.

However, QQ video has a few unique features, such as the ability to download videos for offline viewing and the option to share videos with people who are not registered QQ users.

QQ video also has a premium subscription option that removes ads and gives users access to exclusive content. In addition, Tencent offers enterprise-level solutions for businesses that want to use QQ video for marketing or internal communications purposes.

Overall, QQ video is a great option for Chinese video sharing, especially if you are already using other Chinese social media platforms, such as WeChat or QQ.

Iqiyi: The Netflix of China

iQiyi is often called the “Netflix of China” because of its dominant position in the Chinese market and its extensive library of TV shows, films, and original content. Unlike Netflix, which relies almost entirely on subscription revenue, iQiyi generates income from multiple streams, including advertising, content distribution fees, and subscriptions. This diversified model has helped iQiyi grow its paying subscribers rapidly, reaching over 112 million daily subscribers by early 2024.

iQiyi produces a significant amount of reality shows, which are less costly to make than scripted dramas, and has benefited from regulatory changes that have lowered production costs. The platform hosts a wide range of content, from high-quality original dramas like The Story of Yanxi Palace to popular variety shows such as Rap of China. Its user-friendly and fast app experience, combined with a modest subscription fee, appeals broadly to Chinese viewers.

Bilibili: The Video Platform for Anime Lovers

Bilibili stands out as a vibrant platform that caters primarily to China’s youth and niche subcultures. It has cultivated a unique community centered around anime, comics, gaming, and other elements of youth culture, distinguishing itself from more mainstream platforms like iQiyi.

Known for its interactive features such as “bullet comments” (real-time scrolling user comments over videos), Bilibili has a highly engaged and participatory audience, making it a standout in the video market. This makes it a cultural hub where young users share interests in creative content, indie music, and emerging internet trends. The platform also hosts e-sports events and user-generated content, which further solidifies its appeal among younger demographics.

Bilibili has become a critical platform for advertisers and brands aiming to connect with China’s Gen Z and millennial consumers, who value originality and subcultural identity

Embedding Videos Directly on Your Website

If you are developing a website for the Chinese market and don’t want to use any of the Chinese platforms, then another option is to embed videos directly on your website. This should also be done alongside registering a Chinese Domain Name (CDN), which will help to ensure the fast delivery of your videos.

One downside of this approach is that you need to organise the hosting yourself. This can become expensive if you have many videos. Also, if you expect to have a large volume of traffic, then you need to ensure that your hosting solution can handle a large number of visits. The costs could potentially outweigh the benefits, but it depends on your specific situation.

Technically, it is not so simple, as you need to ensure the right video codecs are used, embed using a customised video player, and set up the CDN infrastructure. This is something we have done for many of our clients, so feel free to get in touch if you have questions on this.

Overall, if you want to improve the localisation of your Chinese website, embedding videos directly on your website can be a good option. However, you should first consider the costs and complexity before deciding if this is the right approach for you.

Breaking into China Doesn’t Have To Be Difficult

As you can see, there are a number of different options for embedding videos into your Chinese website. YouKu, PolyV, Ixigua, Tencent Video, as well as embedding videos directly on your website, are all viable options. The best approach depends on your specific needs and requirements. However, with a little bit of research, you should be able to find the best solution for your needs.

Chinese internet users are used to seeing advertisements on platforms, but if you don’t want to see ads, then you will need to pay for a premium subscription. If you simply want to share videos with friends and family, then you can use one of the Chinese social media platforms, such as WeChat or QQ. And finally, if you want more control over your videos and are still looking for the best hosting for your business, you can just embed videos directly on your website.

If you have any experience with Chinese video sharing or you want to get some videos hosted, then drop us a comment below, we’ll be happy to share our experience and point you in the right direction. Confused about Chinese internet regulations? Check out our guide on how to obtain an ICP license in China first!

If you don’t have much time for research and you just want a website in China in record time, then check out our new rapid site service at Synclone.