The Kinescope Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Kinescope in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
Kinescope
The Insider’s Guide
Video hosting with DRM and live streaming for courses and teams
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among course and community platforms, read from Kinescope’s own pages.
Made by Kinescope · checked Nov 13, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from Kinescope’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Kinescope’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Nov 13, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.4
GPA, above 66 of the 98 other course and community platforms we grade
Kinescope is a video hosting platform that stores and delivers video through its own player, with encryption, DRM, analytics and live streaming. It is aimed at online courses, corporate training, webinars and developers who need a video API. Pricing is based on the storage, delivery and processing a team uses rather than on seats.
To get you started, here are 9 things to know about Kinescope, taken from its own pages and our grades.
A web app where you upload and embed video, with no store rating on record.
- 1
Best for hosting course videos with DRM
Kinescope is video hosting with a branded player, DRM, live streaming and an API, with a free plan and paid plans from €10 a month plus usage.
- 2
Paid plans start at about $11.17 a month
As its pricing page puts it: €10 per month, plus pay-as-you-go usage.
- 3
There is a free plan
100 minutes of stored video, 200 GB of monthly traffic, 2 workspace members and 2 restreaming destinations. No DRM.
- 4
It runs on Web
Web.
- 5
Ad-free branded player
An embeddable player without ads or third-party branding, with open-source SDKs for web, React, Vue, Angular, Flutter, iOS, Android and React Native.
- 6
DRM and content protection
Widevine and FairPlay DRM on paid plans, plus encryption, domain restrictions, signed links and watermarks to limit copying and sharing.
- 7
Live streaming
Live streams to a branded player with restreaming to other destinations. The Free plan caps streams at 20 minutes and 20 attendees.
- 8
A 2.4 GPA, above 66 of 98
That is against the other course and community platforms we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 9
Keep it
To replace Kinescope you would be making live video to hundreds of people at once. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
Kinescope at a glance
- Pricing
- Free plan, from €10 per month, plus pay-as-you-go usage
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- None stated
- Runs on
- Web
- Made by
- Kinescope, since 2014
- Category
- Courses & Communities
- Our grade
- 2.4 GPA, fair
The report card
Best for hosting course videos with DRM
Kinescope is video hosting with a branded player, DRM, live streaming and an API, with a free plan and paid plans from €10 a month plus usage. The free plan has 100 minutes and no DRM.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | B | Super starts at €10 a month, plus usage from €0.03 per GB of traffic and per GB stored. It is a video host, so we weigh it on its own. |
| Free plan and trial | C | The free plan has 100 minutes of stored video, 200 GB of monthly traffic and 2 members, with no DRM. |
| Features | C | Video hosting with a branded player, DRM, live streaming, analytics and an API. It does that smaller job fully and is not a course platform. |
| Ease of use | C | A web app where you upload and embed video, with no store rating on record. |
| Platforms and integrations | B | Web, with WordPress, Moodle, Open edX, Zoom, YouTube and Vimeo on the list, plus an API. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who Kinescope is for
- Fits if you sell video courses and want DRM on the video
- Works for teams embedding video in WordPress or Moodle
Who it is not for
- Tight if you stay free, as it stops at 100 minutes and has no DRM
- Watch out: paid cost is usage-based, with processing from €0.01 per minute at upload
- Watch out: prices are in euros
- Watch out: SSO, an SLA and dedicated support are Mega only, which is custom-priced
Good to know
Good for
- Course sellers and schools that need protected lesson video
- Teams hosting video for an LMS such as Moodle or Open edX
- Developers adding video to an app through an API
Worth knowing
- Prices are shown in euros, and the paid cost is usage-based: from €0.03 per GB of traffic and €0.03 per GB stored.
- The Free plan has no DRM and is limited to 100 minutes of video.
- Video processing is billed once at upload, from €0.01 per minute of video.
- SSO, an SLA and dedicated support are limited to the custom Mega plan.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
~$11.17
A month to start. There is a free plan too
Kinescope has a free plan. Paid plans start at €10 per month, plus pay-as-you-go usage.
It is a video host, so we weigh it on its own.
Free
€0
100 minutes of video, 200 GB monthly traffic, 20-minute HD live streams for 20 attendees, 2 workspace members.
Super
€10
per month and up, plus usage
Unlimited storage, members and restreaming, DRM and 4K. Final cost depends on usage billed per GB and per minute.
Mega
Custom
Adds SSO, dedicated support, an SLA, multi-CDN and S3-compatible storage. Sold through sales.
The free plan
100 minutes of stored video, 200 GB of monthly traffic, 2 workspace members and 2 restreaming destinations. No DRM.
Read from kinescope.com on Nov 13, 2026.
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
1
Place it runs: Web
Video hosting with DRM and live streaming for courses and teams. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: public API, webinars, multistreaming.
Video hosting with a branded player, DRM, live streaming, analytics and an API.
- Ad-free branded player
- An embeddable player without ads or third-party branding, with open-source SDKs for web, React, Vue, Angular, Flutter, iOS, Android and React Native.
- DRM and content protection
- Widevine and FairPlay DRM on paid plans, plus encryption, domain restrictions, signed links and watermarks to limit copying and sharing.
- Live streaming
- Live streams to a branded player with restreaming to other destinations. The Free plan caps streams at 20 minutes and 20 attendees.
- Analytics
- Viewing statistics including retention, engagement and audience device and location, shown in the dashboard and available through the API.
- LMS and CMS plugins
- Integrations listed for WordPress, Moodle and Open edX, plus Vimeo and YouTube import and Zoom live streams and recordings.
- Video API
- A REST API for upload, transcoding, playback security, live streams, webhooks and analytics, with an MCP server in public beta.
Where it runs
- Web
What it works with
- WordPress
- Moodle
- Open edX
- Zoom
- YouTube
- Vimeo
- Google Drive
- Dropbox
Kinescope is made by Kinescope, and has been around since 2014.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
66/98
Other course and community platforms it is graded above
Kinescope's GPA of 2.4 is higher than 66 of the 98 other course and community platforms we grade, and level with 16.
It stands best on value for money (B, above 79 of 98) and worst on features (C, above 1).
Its paid plans start at about $11.17 a month, against a middle price of $36 for the category: 3 of the 65 others that charge start lower.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.3 out of 4. 1 tool scores higher and costs less.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 99 course and community platforms we grade, cut by the letter each got. Kinescope’s own letter is outlined.
- BValue for moneyAbove 79 of 98
- CFree plan and trialAbove 34 of 98
- CFeaturesAbove 1 of 98
- CEase of useAbove 23 of 98
- BPlatforms and integrationsAbove 25 of 98
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 78 course and community platforms. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Kinescope is the marked dot.
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Keep it
To replace Kinescope you would be making live video to hundreds of people at once. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
It is one of the better ones too: its GPA of 2.4 is higher than 66 of the 98 other course and community platforms we grade. It costs $134.06 a year.
What you could not
- Live video to hundreds of people at once.
- One live stream sent to several platforms at once.
- It plugs into other products, WordPress, Moodle and Open edX among them, and has an API.
What this rests on. Kinescope’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
Spotlightr and Uscreen
The 2 tools Kinescope is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.4GPA
Spotlightr
Free trial · from $13/mo
Encrypted video hosting with a course module for creators.
- Kinescope has a free plan. Spotlightr does not, though it has a free trial.
- Kinescope also covers webinars and multistreaming.
- Spotlightr also covers reports, online courses and popups.
- 1.6GPA
Uscreen
Free trial · from $49/mo
Video membership platform with a catalog, live streaming and apps.
- Kinescope has a free plan. Uscreen does not, though it has a free trial.
- Kinescope also covers webinars and multistreaming.
- Uscreen also covers marketing automation, reports, online courses and community.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
13
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is Kinescope free?
Kinescope has a free plan. 100 minutes of stored video, 200 GB of monthly traffic, 2 workspace members and 2 restreaming destinations.
How much does Kinescope cost?
Kinescope lists 3 plans. Free: €0.
What platforms does Kinescope work on?
Kinescope is available on Web.
Does Kinescope have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. Kinescope is listed for Web.
Does Kinescope have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. Kinescope is listed for Web.
Is Kinescope open source?
Kinescope is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Nov 13, 2026.
Does Kinescope have an API?
Yes. Kinescope offers a public API, according to its own site.
What does Kinescope integrate with?
Kinescope's listing names WordPress, Moodle, Open edX, Zoom, YouTube, Vimeo, Google Drive and Dropbox.
Who makes Kinescope?
Kinescope is made by a company of the same name. It dates from 2014.
What are the alternatives to Kinescope?
The closest alternatives to Kinescope in our directory are Spotlightr and Uscreen.
How does Kinescope compare with other course and community platforms?
Kinescope's GPA of 2.4 is higher than 66 of the 98 other course and community platforms we grade, and level with 16.
Is Kinescope good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Kinescope B for value for money. Its paid plans start at about $11.17 a month, against a middle price of $36 for the category: 3 of the 65 others that charge start lower.
Could I make my own version of Kinescope?
To replace Kinescope you would be making live video to hundreds of people at once.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Kinescope’s own pages on Nov 13, 2026, and the grades were given on Nov 13, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Kinescope's own pages on 13 November 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by Kinescope. Prices change, so check kinescope.com before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
7,721
Tools graded, in 95 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
7,721
tools graded
95
categories
739
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- Kinescope, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/kinescope
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "Kinescope: The Insider's Guide", checked Nov 13, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/kinescope
Know someone choosing between course and community platforms?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/kinescope/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded course and community platforms after Kinescope, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Courses & Communities Insider's GuideEvery one of the 99 course and community platforms we grade, compared
- Hylo Insider's GuideFree open-source platform for community groups and coordination3.2 GPA
- Academy LMS Insider's GuideWordPress LMS plugin with a free core and Pro licenses by site count2.8 GPA
- Circle Insider's GuideCommunity platform with courses, events, payments and branded apps2.8 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what Kinescope’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Kinescope is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Kinescope. Prices and plans change: check kinescope.com before you buy.