Are you thinking about investing in one of the most vibrant and dynamic sections of the media industry? It’s an exciting time to be involved in over-the-top (OTT) programming and it can offer a lot of potential for professionals looking to monetize video-based content, and there are some great examples you can follow. Before we go into more detail about the top OTT developers that can help you create your own channel, so let’s remind ourselves of the basics.
For starters, OTT involves the publication of video over the internet, without the need for a traditional cable or satellite TV subscription. The great thing about OTT is that content developed using this format can be consumed in a variety of ways, including on smartphones, smart TVs, laptops, the list goes on.
OTT Applications
As you can imagine this had made OTT services highly popular and ever since the COVID-19 pandemic when we all had more time to explore new media, OTT has exploded in popularity. By the end of the year 2023, $316 billion in revenue is expected to be generated by OTT platforms and it’s not hard to see why.
Media consumers want to watch content on their own terms at any time they wish, and not be restricted by the limited offerings of conventional TV. In turn, advertisers have embraced OTT because it allows them to run campaigns based on actionable data with a far higher degree of accuracy than was previously possible, in the process of video monetization.
Video monetization usually involves advertisements being placed on or around video content, which then earns a share of the revenue generated by those ads, but there are other methods too. Subscription-based models charge users a fee for monthly, yearly, etc, access to an OTT platform or website, and sponsorship-based monetization generates revenue via deals with companies and brands. Depending on your project, drive, and adaptability, any of these systems can generate a considerable amount of revenue.
How To Create an OTT Application
You might now be thinking about developing your own OTT app to take advantage of these developments, so start with a clear idea about what your app’s about and then choose a platform. The next step is to create a design, develop the code etc, and then integrate video content. Finally, you need to add monetization options based on the systems outlined above.
Pretty simple, right? The one extra step you can take to ace developing your own OTT app is to follow the example of the best in the industry. Let’s have a look at 10 of them, listed in no particular order.
Just Check the Top 10 OTT App Developers in 2023
- Zype
Zype’s a good choice if you’re looking for an OTT development platform that’s reliable and simple to use, especially if you’re new to OTT app development. It provides an open framework with easy-to-understand APIs as well as an interesting suite of customizable video streaming options with functions like liner video and live streams.
As you don’t require either API programming skills or coding experience to use Zype for OTT app development, it’s a good choice for beginners looking to experiment with their abilities. However, despite the customizable video streaming options, more experienced OTT professionals may find that its functions will not provide the level of efficacy that they’re looking for.
- VlogBox
We’re not placing ourselves on this list just because we think we’re awesome (even though we are)… VlogBox is an excellent choice for people wanting to develop their own OTT app with the maximum level of support and customizable features, and so far our team of 75 top-level engineers has created over 1,000 apps between them.
VlogBox offers a number of intuitive UI templates, can be configured for just about any video content you want to publish on your app, and it’s incredibly user-friendly so that even a beginner can get the most benefit as an expert. All you need to do to fully appreciate the efficacy of VlogBox’s OTT app development is to check out some case studies on our website.
- VidApp
The succinctly named ViddApp is marketed as being able to help you ‘transform your Kajabi, VHX/Vimeo OTT, or WordPress website into a native mobile or smart TV app,’ and it does exactly that. This OTT developing app includes a number of interesting features like a streamlined website to app porting experience and auto-sync across users on different devices.
As such VidApp is a good choice for people working in teams or OTT developing app companies looking to expand their tool roster. It’s a solid starter’s selection, especially for those looking to create cross-channel distribution channels, however, it has been reported to have fewer designs than other competitors, which may be off-putting to more artistic project creators.
- Oxagile
If you’re looking for an OTT-developing app company with a professional reputation and a lot of experience then Oxagile is likely to be the app company for you. The company has worked with some of the tech industry’s leading giants like Android, Samsung, and Apple TVs, and has a good reputation for creating products with high viewer engagement and scalability.
Another interesting feature about Oxagile is that it offers its enterprise-scale users custom-built multi-screen apps, so if your team is planning to expand this could be the OTT app developer for you. With high-quality audience analytics and cloud migration also part of the package, Oxagile is a good choice for the ambitious teams out there.
- Tothenew
Don’t let this OTT app development company’s rather unusual name fool you as it’s neither novel nor new; Tothenew has been going strong for over 10 years in the OTT industry. This company’s core client base is made up of enterprises looking for custom-built solutions, as well as businesses working in media (naturally) but also healthcare, e-commerce, and other industries.
Thanks to its many years of experience, Tothenew can likely offer support to almost any project in any industry, so if you work in a niche field this may be the OTT app development platform for you. However, it should be noted that some users report this company’s offerings to be rather limited, so if your project is complex and or multimedia in nature you may need to think twice.
- RisingMax
For an OTT app developer that won’t leave you a ‘mad Max’ but rather one with rising potential for their OTT project then look no further than RisingMax. This platform allows you to hire some of the leading developers out there, especially for Apple TV projects and is able to provide a number of custom-built OTT solutions that can cover a number of subjects.
RisingMax is very easy to use and supports you at every stage of the developmental project, ensuring that you’re able to manage your project with ease. While the app’s costs are higher than the average it’s still a good choice for you if you want something that’s simple and reliable as high-quality customer support is included as standard.
- VPlayed
VPlayed is a great choice for your OTT app development partner if you’re looking for an option with lots of in-built options and a rich creative environment. This app has a number of custom templates as well as a competitive selection of pricing options, so it should be able to meet the creative requirements and budget of almost any project.
VPlayed also offers end-to-end development support which makes it a good option for OTT content creators who need that extra bit of support from start to finish. With other features including in-app notifications, support for multiple video formats, and detailed video analytics, this is an all-in-one OTT development platform worth considering.
- Builder
Are you looking to develop something based on a design that already exists, but you want to add a little unique touch that makes it unique? Then you should consider Builder as an OTT app developer of choice as it allows you to choose from a number of basic templates that are based on major OTT or connected television (CTV) providers, for example like Netflix.
As you can imagine this makes Builder a good choice for OTT content creators looking to develop an app that’s relatively simple, especially so for those just entering the field. However, it’s still a powerful option with other interesting features like multilingual support options as well as multi-device functionality.
- Daffodil
If we were giving out awards for the nicest name an OTT app developer could choose then surely Daffodil would win, and we’re happy to report that this development platform has a number of other ‘a-cute’ features. You can enjoy latent free streaming, live or cloud-based delivery, webinar management included as standard, and a highly secure content inventory.
As you can imagine all these features make Daffodil popular with companies working in the media industry looking to expand their operations further into OTT. As such it’s developed a reputation as a niche choice, so if you’re considering using this OTT app platform, we’d recommend doing so if you’re project is more complex in nature.
- Brightcove
Bringing up our list of OTT app developers you should consider in 2023 is an interesting one as Brightcove has a number of attractive offerings when it comes to multimedia content. It has metadata management included as standard, as well as a marketing suite that comes with ad integrations, making monetization all that easier.
As such Brightcove is a good choice for project managers looking to achieve quick monetization with their concept, and with multiple device support, it can work with multiple colleagues too. Just be sure that you need the complexity that this offers however as similarly to the last entry, Brightcove might not be the best choice for beginners.
With all of that information in mind, you should be ready to find the right choice of OTT app development platform, and at VlogBox we’ll be happy to help you along that road. If you want to learn more about our development options, or about OTT in general, then send us a message. One of our dedicated experts will get back to you, and in no time, you’ll be monetization OTT content like a pro.