Social Video Platform 2025: 11 Best Free & Trending Platforms

With every passing day, the popularity of video content has been steadily rising. Whether it is learning, training, marketing, or just entertainment, videos have taken over the internet space. Moreover, with the widespread use of social media, social video platform have been gaining a lot of traction lately.

Most businesses have been leveraging the power of these mass-reaching channels to post a call-to-action at the end of their video snippets. This urges users to check out further details about their products or services.

The video has evolved as one of the best storytelling mediums for a wide array of publishers and brands. Since the majority of online traffic arrives via social video platforms, they have been on the rage.

In this post, I’ll take a look at the top 11 social video platforms, that has been creating a massive influence with versatile content. Let’s dig in.

What are social media video platform and apps?

Social media video platforms and apps are digital spaces where users can create, upload, share, and interact with video content. Unlike traditional video platforms that were designed mainly for long-form entertainment (like early YouTube), today’s social video apps focus heavily on short-form, snackable videos that are quick to watch and easy to engage with.

Think of Instagram Reels, TikTok clips, YouTube Shorts, or Snapchat Stories—they’re all designed for a fast-scrolling audience who wants entertainment, education, or updates in seconds. These platforms have made it possible for everyday users to become content creators with just a smartphone.

What makes them powerful is the community-driven aspect. Creators get instant feedback in the form of likes, shares, and comments, while viewers discover new trends, challenges, and information every time they open the app. In fact, these apps have redefined what it means to be “viral.” A funny clip, a dance routine, or even a product demo can reach millions globally within hours.

For businesses, social media video apps have become marketing goldmines. A brand launch, product update, or live event can trend instantly. Companies no longer rely on traditional ads—just one influencer collaboration or trending video can bring in more visibility than an expensive TV campaign. And because these platforms thrive on real-time content, news and updates spread worldwide within seconds of an event.

In short, social video platforms and apps are shaping culture, consumer behavior, and even global conversations. They’re not just entertainment tools—they’re ecosystems where creators, brands, and audiences meet.

Features of a social video platform

What makes a great social media video app isn’t just the community—it’s the features that empower users and creators. The most successful platforms combine creativity, accessibility, and monetization.

• Video Editing Tools – From adding trending sounds and AR filters to trimming and stitching clips, built-in editing tools make content creation easy for everyone. TikTok and Instagram Reels thrive because users can edit videos inside the app without third-party software.

• Video Analytics – Views and likes are just the beginning. Detailed insights into watch time, audience demographics, retention rate, and device types help creators fine-tune their strategy and brands measure ROI.

• Monetization Options – Platforms now reward creators through ads, subscriptions, sponsorships, tipping, and even shopping integrations (like TikTok Shop or Instagram Shops). This makes social media video apps financially sustainable for influencers and professionals.

• Easy Integration Across Platforms – A single video can be shared across TikTok, Instagram, YouTube Shorts, and even Pinterest, ensuring maximum reach with minimum effort.

• Accessibility Features – Closed captions, multilingual subtitles, and audio descriptions help creators reach global audiences while making videos inclusive for people with disabilities.

These features ensure that social video apps aren’t just for entertainment—they’re powerful tools for communication, education, and commerce.

Why Social Media Video Apps Dominate in 2025?

If you open your phone right now, odds are the first thing you’ll see is a video. That’s how deeply social media video apps have woven themselves into our daily routines. In 2025, they’re not just apps—they’re lifestyles.

Why? Because video is the most human form of communication online. Unlike text or photos, videos capture voice, emotion, humor, and creativity all at once. Whether it’s a viral TikTok dance, an Instagram Reel of a new recipe, or a YouTube Short explaining the latest tech hack, videos connect people instantly.

For creators, these apps are massive opportunities. Billions of people worldwide are watching videos daily, meaning even a small creator can build an audience overnight. For businesses, they’re digital storefronts—cheaper, faster, and more effective than traditional advertising. A café might spend thousands on a billboard, but one viral Reel could bring in more customers than any physical ad.

And for audiences? They’re pure entertainment, learning, and discovery rolled into one. Users open TikTok to laugh, YouTube Shorts to learn, and Instagram Reels to stay updated with trends. The result? Hours spent daily on these apps, making them indispensable in today’s digital age.

That’s why in 2025, social media video apps dominate—they don’t just entertain us, they shape how we shop, learn, connect, and even see the world.

How to Choose the Right Social Video Platform?

Here’s the truth: not every social media video app will be the right fit for you. With so many options available, it’s easy to spread yourself too thin. The smarter strategy is to choose the one that matches your content style, goals, and audience.

• Audience Fit – Are you trying to reach Gen Z? TikTok is unbeatable. Want to target millennials? Instagram Reels works wonders. For professionals, LinkedIn videos are surprisingly effective.

• Content Style – Each app favors a different type of content. Comedy skits and trends thrive on TikTok, tutorials and explainer content work best on YouTube Shorts, while lifestyle and travel clips shine on Instagram Reels.

• Monetization – If you’re focused on revenue, YouTube is still the king for ad income. TikTok and Instagram offer creator funds and sponsorship opportunities, making them lucrative for influencers.

• Privacy & Safety – Not every app is right for kids or privacy-conscious users. TikTok and YouTube Kids offer parental controls, while most apps now provide privacy settings to manage who sees your content.

• Growth Potential – If you’re early on a rising app (like BeReal or Moj), you may grow faster with less competition compared to oversaturated platforms like Instagram.

The golden rule: Don’t try to be everywhere at once. Pick the social media video app where your target audience is most active and focus on mastering it. One great platform presence is better than five average ones.

Top 11 Social Video Platform in 2025

Before we dive into the list of the top social video platforms, it’s worth remembering why these platforms have taken over our screens. Every app brings something unique to the table- whether it’s TikTok’s viral challenges, Instagram Reels’ aesthetic trends, YouTube Shorts’ educational bites, or Snapchat’s raw, in-the-moment stories. For creators, these apps are opportunities to reach millions without expensive gear or big budgets. For businesses, they’re powerful marketing tools that connect with customers instantly. And for everyday users, they’re sources of fun, learning, and inspiration. With that in mind, let’s explore the best social media video apps in 2025 that are shaping how we watch, create, and share content.

Instagram

Gone are the days when the common masses check doubt Instagram just for keeping up with celebrity pictures. The platform has witnessed an exceptional rise in the ad business, thanks to the concept of video on social media. This automatically means more monetization options for creators and a constant flow of a wide variety of content. f you use the right Instagram feed planner, you can create a more appealing page and engage more visitors. Yet, by utilising the best Instagram growth services, you will reach your targeted audience and multiply sales conversion.

Whether someone gets their message out there using live video or short reels, Instagram has got it all. Not to mention, the provision of IGTV series has given long-form video content the necessary boost it always craved. Since around 200 million users visit a minimum of one business profile in a day, Instagram has given businesses an unexpected advantage. Without a doubt, it’s the most popular social video platform out there in 2021 and beyond.

Facebook Watch

The brainchild of Mark Zuckerberg has been proving its relevance since it started. With Facebook Watch, the platform has made it clear that it’s one of the evergreen gems in the social video platform arena.

Facebook Watch has also launched watch parties where a group of friends can enjoy watching a video together. This increases engagement and since a large number of people can indulge themselves in watch parties, they can have real-time meaningful discussions that are subject-oriented.

Short videos have become the top trend on almost every social video platform for a while now. It was obvious that Facebook was going to tap into their potential for some more engagement. Recently, the social video app has also introduced short videos like those on Tiktok that has been serving as a great source of entertainment for a massive audience base.

Snapchat

Were you under the impression that Snapchat is all about making goofy faces and showing off those short videos to your friends? If yes, you’ve been living under a rock. According to statistics by Bloomberg, the per-day video watch count on Snapchat is 10 billion. Doesn’t that make Snapchat one of the leading videos on social media platforms?

Popular and interesting features such as Geofilters, Stickers, Lenses, Discover, and Snapmap has further contributed to its wide user base. The video on social media app further rose to power by adding shows. During the second half of 2020, the total valuation was at $50 billion.

TikTok

This Gen-Z social video platform has got it all to get creators their few moments of extravagant fame. That automatically means more viewers for businesses which makes Tiktok a great target for marketing and advertising. Millions of users all over the world are indulging themselves in hardcore entertainment with their famous 15-second music videos. 

With common creators using it for entertainment and businesses using it to enhance their brand reach, Tiktok seems to have a firm grip on the top social video platform game. When the first wave of the coronavirus pandemic was in full swing, the global reach of Tiktok further increased. The craze attracted brands in the look for more visibility among the Gen-z, which also contributed in boosting incomes for the creators. 

In fact, it’s one of the most frequently downloaded apps across the globe. The social video app partners with Modern Sky which further contributes to its skyrocketing reach. Not to mention, the social video platform has its strategic brand partnerships to credit for its booming success.

YouTube

Without a doubt, YouTube is an extremely popular social video platform on the internet. In fact, we can credit YouTube for or making the concept of video streaming online popular. Most businesses across the globe have been using this social video app as an online video platform, for dipping their toes in the video creation arena.

The biggest advantage is that it’s completely free of cost for the users. However, if you want to go ad-free with YouTube, you’ll have to purchase the premium version. Ad-based monetization offers content creators a chance to earn on the basis of their views. The user-friendly interface makes it easier to browse videos on YouTube.

Vimeo

Vimeo is a social video platform popular among businesses, videographers, filmmakers, animators, editors, and so on. It’s a leading network that facilitates the free sharing of videos. The social video app also launched a subscription service in the later half of 2016. The platform has also been making sincere efforts towards Vimeo Original and the hopes to transform their consumer experience.

Twitter

Twitter has emerged as a social video platform after its first live-streaming partnership with NFL. The audience has been tuning in for watching high definition and live sports on Twitter. Witnessing the sharp growth in live video views, Twitter decided to add Periscope as one of its in-app features in 2016. It also introduced 360-degree capabilities for live videos.

Vine

Vine is a famous social video app for bite-sized videos. It’s a low-cost and low effort social video platform that features highly sharable and interesting content. Since the duration of videos has to be short, marketers are challenged to be more creative. 

While on-the-go users are unlikely to cease their scrolling spree for a lengthy video, short Vines can go viral within seconds. Users can also easily share Vine videos on Pinterest, Tumblr, Facebook, and Twitter.

Periscope

Periscope enables creators to either broadcast their content to the public or invite chosen users, thanks to the provision of private broadcast. Viewers can also save and share a broadcast. It also offers live streaming options for real-time engagement with the audience. 

Since Twitter owns Periscope, it’s easy for users to share videos on Twitter. Thanks to easy integration, you don’t need to build a separate follower base for Periscope if you have a massive Twitter following.

Pinterest

Even though Pinterest is not particularly known for video on social media, it has been making some strides in this area. They launched a mobile video platform for publishers and marketers. Brands can reach out to consumers with promoted videos on this social video app. 

Lately, the video uploader for creators and businesses allows them to directly upload video content on Pinterest. Users can easily engage with their respective target audience and check out the latest metrics. Business profiles even have a new video tab that allows hassle-free featuring of videos in a single place. This addresses their audience to discover some more relevant content.

The best thing about using Pinterest as a social video platform is its evergreen nature. Unlike Instagram and Facebook, videos on Pinterest keep on surfacing and resurfacing with time. In other words, they don’t disappear at the bottom as content creators add new videos to their feed.

Popular brands such as L’Oréal, Tastemade, Giada De Laurentiis’ Giadzy, and PureWow have already leveraged the power of Pinterest as a social video app via motivational storytelling on this video on social media platforms.

Flipgrid (Vidku)

Vidku started out as a video messaging app meant for private groups. However, since the market was already congested, (thanks to Snapchat) in 2015, it had to partner with Flipgrid, its flagship platform for educational videos. In 2020, it rolled out automatic closed captioning to address translation issues. 

During the pandemic, Flipgrid had an interesting addition to its Discovery library. It featured California State parks that help students indulge in virtual trips and witness the beauty of reservoirs, lighthouses, and seashores in California.

TikTok

TikTok has revolutionized social media by popularizing short-form, vertical videos with an unmatched level of user engagement. The platform thrives on quick, attention-grabbing content, typically between 15 seconds to 1 minute, although longer videos up to 10 minutes are now supported.

Its “For You Page” algorithm personalizes feeds with remarkable accuracy, giving even new creators a shot at virality. TikTok’s audience is primarily Gen Z and younger Millennials, but its user base is rapidly diversifying across age groups. It’s a hub for music trends, viral challenges, bite-sized educational content, and product showcases.

Monetization options include the Creator Fund, brand collaborations, live gifting, and the TikTok Shop for ecommerce. Its built-in editing tools, massive sound library, and culture of trends make it an ideal platform for brands and individuals looking to grow fast, especially through authentic, relatable content.

LinkedIn Video

LinkedIn Video is the go-to platform for professional and B2B video content. Unlike entertainment-focused platforms, LinkedIn supports videos that emphasize expertise, brand authority, and thought leadership. These videos are typically shared as native posts in the feed or as part of LinkedIn Live sessions.

The audience consists of professionals, executives, entrepreneurs, and job seekers, making it perfect for industry insights, product walkthroughs, webinars, and behind-the-scenes company content. Engagement is more intentional and meaningful, especially for niche industries.

While direct monetization features like ads or tipping are limited, LinkedIn Video excels at generating leads, building authority, and driving traffic to high-value conversions like demo signups or partnerships. Its strength lies in the trust and credibility of its user base, making it ideal for SaaS, fintech, consulting, and enterprise-focused creators.

Twitch

Twitch is the world’s leading live streaming platform, originally built around gaming but now expanded into categories like music, art, just chatting, and educational streams. It supports long-form live interaction, with viewers engaging in real time via chat.

The Twitch audience is predominantly male, tech-savvy, and under 35, but the platform is steadily diversifying. Streamers build communities through consistent interaction, making it highly effective for audience retention and loyalty.

Monetization is robust: streamers earn through subscriptions, Bits (donations), ad revenue, and brand sponsorships. Twitch’s interface allows for overlays, alerts, and advanced streaming customization, which makes it ideal for immersive, personality-driven content. It’s less about polished production and more about real-time connection, which works well for creators who can sustain live audience engagement.

Kick

Kick is a newer streaming platform that’s positioning itself as a more creator-friendly alternative to Twitch. It gained popularity by offering a much higher revenue share (up to 95% for streamers) and fewer content restrictions.

Kick primarily caters to gaming and lifestyle streamers but is quickly becoming a hub for a broader range of live content, including commentary, reaction streams, and niche interest communities. Its audience is young and edgy, often drawn in by creators who migrated from Twitch due to platform disputes or stricter guidelines.

Kick is still evolving in terms of features and community moderation, but it’s gaining traction due to its streamer-first model and freedom of content. It’s ideal for early adopters, controversial creators, or those looking to build a loyal following with more control over their monetization.

Future of Social Media Video Apps

So, where are social media video apps heading? In one word: smarter. These platforms are evolving from simple entertainment tools into powerful ecosystems that combine technology, commerce, and community. What started as quick dance videos or funny skits has now grown into a trillion-dollar digital economy that shapes how people shop, learn, and interact online.

AI Everywhere

Artificial Intelligence is set to become the core engine of social media. By 2027, experts predict that over 90% of online video content will involve some form of AI assistance, whether it’s automated editing, captioning, or distribution. Apps like CapCut already use AI to generate subtitles and trending templates, while TikTok’s algorithm is so advanced that it predicts user preferences within seconds. In the near future, creators may simply upload raw footage, and AI will do the rest—adding effects, syncing music, inserting hashtags, and scheduling posts for peak engagement.

AR & VR Takeover

Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) will completely redefine video experiences. Snapchat lenses were just the beginning—now imagine shopping in a TikTok video where you can virtually “try on” clothes before buying. According to Statista, the global AR & VR market is expected to hit $300 billion by 2030, with a large portion driven by social media video apps. Instagram and TikTok are already testing AR-powered ads, and Meta (formerly Facebook) is investing billions in immersive VR platforms. The future will be highly interactive, blending the physical and digital worlds seamlessly.

Shop While You Scroll

E-commerce has officially merged with video. By 2026, it’s projected that over 40% of online shopping will be influenced by social media video apps, with TikTok Shop and Instagram Shops leading the charge. YouTube has already introduced shoppable video ads where viewers can purchase items directly from a creator’s tutorial. This is transforming how people buy products—no more visiting separate websites; purchases happen instantly while engaging with content. This social commerce revolution is making videos both entertaining and transactional.

Rise of Niche Communities

While mega-platforms like YouTube and TikTok dominate globally, niche and regional apps are quietly on the rise. In India, apps like Moj and Roposo have gained millions of daily users post-TikTok ban. In Latin America, Kwai is thriving, while apps like BeReal in the West are offering authenticity over algorithms. A recent Hootsuite study found that 72% of Gen Z prefer smaller, community-driven platforms where they feel more connected than on crowded mainstream apps. This signals a shift towards more intimate and culturally relevant experiences.

Conclusion: Why Social Media Video Apps Are Here to Stay

It’s no secret that video as a medium of content is only going to get more widespread and popular in the coming years. Of course, trends might keep changing but the core will remain the same. Since it’s the most convenient form of content for consumers, the importance of creating video marketing strategies is immense.

The best way to narrow down a social video platform is by trial and error. However, if you wish to stream videos through a player where people can’t download your content or screen capture it, consider giving Vdoocipher a try. 

It houses a complete video hosting solution for LMS, media, and e-Learning platforms. You can check out its free 5 GB trial to determine whether it’s a fit for your requirement. Adding to the convenience, there is no credit card required for the trial version. If you think we missed something, sound off in the comments below.

FAQs About Social Video Platform Apps

1. What are social media video apps?

They are mobile or web-based apps that let people create, upload, and share videos. Examples include TikTok, Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts, and Snapchat.

2. Which short video platforms are most popular in 2025?

TikTok, YouTube Shorts, and Instagram Reels dominate globally, while regional platforms like Moj, Roposo, and Kwai are popular in specific countries.

3. What is the best free app to edit videos for Instagram and TikTok?

CapCut, InShot, and VN Video Editor are among the top free apps for editing short-form content on Instagram Reels and TikTok.

4. How do video-sharing apps make money?

Most platforms monetize through advertising, paid subscriptions, e-commerce integrations, and brand partnerships. Creators can also earn through ad revenue sharing and sponsored content.

5. Can you earn money using short video apps?

Yes. Platforms like YouTube Shorts pay ad revenue, TikTok has its Creator Fund, and Instagram supports brand collaborations. Many influencers also earn through affiliate marketing.

6. Are TikTok alternatives worth using?

Yes. Apps like Triller, Moj, and Roposo are good alternatives, especially in markets where TikTok is restricted. They offer similar editing tools, trending content, and growing audiences.

7. What are the best video apps for businesses and brands?

Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts work well for product showcases, while TikTok is excellent for brand storytelling. Pinterest and LinkedIn also support video content for marketing.

8. How do algorithms work on these video platforms?

Algorithms use AI to recommend videos based on user behavior—likes, shares, watch time, and even trending hashtags. TikTok’s “For You Page” is a prime example of algorithm-driven discovery.

9. Which apps are safest for children to use?

YouTube Kids offers curated content for younger audiences, while TikTok and Instagram have parental controls. Still, supervision is recommended since most short video platforms contain user-generated content.

10. What’s the future of video apps in social media?

The future will be shaped by AI-powered editing, AR/VR shopping experiences, and tighter integration of e-commerce. By 2027, nearly half of online shopping is expected to be influenced by short video platforms.