The Vimeo Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Vimeo 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.
Vimeo
The Insider’s Guide
Ad-free video hosting with a customizable player and review tools
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among screen recording and video tools, read from Vimeo’s own pages.
Made by Vimeo.com, Inc. · checked Oct 5, 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 Vimeo’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Vimeo’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Oct 5, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.6
GPA, above 28 of the 52 other screen recording and video tools we grade
Vimeo is a video hosting platform with an ad-free, embeddable player and tools to record, edit, review and share videos. Paid plans add player customization, privacy controls, team seats and analytics, and the top self-serve tier adds livestreamed events and webinars. A free plan with 1 GB of storage stays free indefinitely.
To get you started, here are 9 things to know about Vimeo, taken from its own pages and our grades.
- 1
Best for hosting videos with no ads around them
Vimeo hosts videos with an ad-free player you can embed on any site, and paid plans add passwords, branding and time-coded review comments.
- 2
Paid plans start at $12 a month
As its pricing page puts it: $12 per month, billed annually ($20 billed monthly).
- 3
There is a free plan
1 GB of total storage for the life of the account, one seat, ad-free playback, basic viewer analytics, and screen and webcam recordings of up to 30 minutes each.
- 4
It runs on 4 platforms
Web, macOS, iOS and Android.
- 5
Ad-free hosting up to 4K
Videos stream at up to 4K with HDR and Dolby Vision support, and Vimeo places no ads before, during or after them on any plan.
- 6
Customizable, embeddable player
Embed videos on any site. Paid plans unlock player customization, and Standard adds your own branding, calls to action and lead capture forms.
- 7
Privacy and access controls
Paid plans add password protection, unlisted links and embed domain-level privacy. Enterprise adds SSO, SCIM and custom permissions.
- 8
A 2.6 GPA, above 28 of 52
That is against the other screen recording and video tools we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 9
Keep it
To replace Vimeo you would be making a video editor. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
Vimeo at a glance
- Pricing
- Free plan, from $12 per month, billed annually ($20 billed monthly)
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- Free trial offered on Starter, Standard and Advanced; the pricing page does not state its length
- Runs on
- Web, macOS, iOS, Android
- Made by
- Vimeo.com, Inc.
- Category
- Screen Recording & Video
- Our grade
- 2.6 GPA, good
- Store rating
- 4.5 on the App Store, 11,801 ratings
The report card
Best for hosting videos with no ads around them
Vimeo hosts videos with an ad-free player you can embed on any site, and paid plans add passwords, branding and time-coded review comments. But the free plan's 1 GB of storage never resets, monthly billing is $20 against $12, live events need Advanced at $75 a month, self-serve bandwidth stops at 2TB, and the help center describes newer plans than the pricing page.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | C | Starter is $12 a month billed annually ($144), or $20 by the month, so just above this category's $10 middle for 1 user and 2TB. Livestreamed events are a long climb up, on Advanced at $75. |
| Free plan and trial | C | Free stays free indefinitely with ad-free playback and 30-minute recordings. The catch is 1 GB of storage for the life of the account: it never resets, so a few long videos and that's the end of it. |
| Features | B | Ad-free hosting up to 4K with HDR, an embeddable customizable player, passwords and unlisted links, time-coded review comments with versions, a browser recorder and editor, live events with Q&A. No gap in the hosting job. |
| Ease of use | B | 4.5 from 11,801 App Store ratings. The plans are the confusing part, since the help center also describes newer Core, Professional and Studio tiers alongside the ones on the pricing page. |
| Platforms and integrations | B | Web, Mac, iPhone and Android with an API, connecting to Premiere Pro, Final Cut Pro, Dropbox, HubSpot, Mailchimp, Zoom and Shopify. The only desktop app is for Mac, which is what keeps it off an A. |
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 Vimeo is for
- Fits if you embed videos on your own site and want no ads or suggested videos
- Works for creative teams passing cuts around for time-coded comments, from $12 a month
Who it is not for
- Tight if you're staying free, as 1 GB of storage is all you get for the life of the account
- Pricey if you pay monthly, at $20 for Starter against $12 a month on the annual bill
- Pricey if you run webinars, since livestreamed events need Advanced at $75 a month billed annually
- Skip it if your videos pull huge audiences, since self-serve plans have a bandwidth limit of 2TB a month
- Watch out: the help center lists newer plans than the pricing page, the trial length isn't stated, and there's no Windows app
Good to know
Good for
- Hosting and embedding videos without ads or suggested videos
- Creative teams sharing cuts for time-coded review
- Businesses running webinars and livestreamed events on the Advanced plan
Worth knowing
- The Free plan is capped at 1 GB of storage for the life of the account; the allowance does not reset or renew.
- Livestreamed events and webinars need the Advanced plan at $75 a month billed annually, or Enterprise.
- Self-serve plans have a bandwidth limit of 2TB a month; accounts that expect more are asked to talk to sales.
- Vimeo's help center also describes newer Core, Professional and Studio plans, with Professional rolling out gradually, so the plans an account is offered may differ.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$12
A month to start. There is a free plan too
Vimeo has a free plan. Paid plans start at $12 per month, billed annually ($20 billed monthly).
Free
$0
1 GB of total storage, one seat, ad-free playback, basic viewer analytics and recordings of up to 30 minutes each.
Starter
$12
per month, billed annually ($144); $20 billed monthly
1 user and 2TB of storage, with a customizable player, password privacy and unlisted links, review tools and engagement analytics.
Standard
$25
per month, billed annually ($300); $41 billed monthly
5 users and 4TB of storage. Adds player branding, a custom watermark, branded video galleries, lead capture and calls to action.
Advanced
$75
per month, billed annually ($900); $125 billed monthly
10 users and 7TB of storage. Adds hosted livestreamed events with Q&A, polls and chat, multi-destination streaming and marketing integrations.
Enterprise
Custom
More users, storage and bandwidth, plus SSO and SCIM, custom permissions, advanced AI capabilities and dedicated support.
The free plan
1 GB of total storage for the life of the account, one seat, ad-free playback, basic viewer analytics, and screen and webcam recordings of up to 30 minutes each.
Trying it first
Free trial offered on Starter, Standard and Advanced; the pricing page does not state its length
Read from vimeo.com on Oct 5, 2026.
Ways to pay less
Annual discount
Save about 40% with annual billing
Starter is $12 a month billed annually against $20 billed monthly. Standard is $25 against $41, and Advanced is $75 against $125.
Stated on vimeo.com
What the app costs elsewhere
Each country’s App Store price for “Vimeo Plus Monthly - 5GB/week”, against $11.99 in the United States, in dollars at the day’s rate. The four cheapest and the four dearest of 11.
| Country | Price there | In dollars | Against the US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Turkey | ₺46,99 | $0.96 | 92% less |
| Brazil | R$ 38,90 | $7.77 | 35% less |
| Indonesia | Rp 159ribu | $8.89 | 26% less |
| India | ₹ 919 | $9.50 | 21% less |
| Mexico | $219.00 | $12.03 | about the same |
| Australia | $17.49 | $12.21 | about the same |
| Germany | 11,99 € | $13.44 | 12% more |
| United Kingdom | £10.49 | $13.87 | 16% more |
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
4
Places it runs: Web, macOS, iOS and Android
Ad-free video hosting with a customizable player and review tools. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: public API, AI features, transcription, templates, screen recording, video editing.
Web, Mac, iPhone and Android with an API, connecting to Premiere Pro, Final Cut Pro, Dropbox, HubSpot, Mailchimp, Zoom and Shopify.
- Ad-free hosting up to 4K
- Videos stream at up to 4K with HDR and Dolby Vision support, and Vimeo places no ads before, during or after them on any plan.
- Customizable, embeddable player
- Embed videos on any site. Paid plans unlock player customization, and Standard adds your own branding, calls to action and lead capture forms.
- Privacy and access controls
- Paid plans add password protection, unlisted links and embed domain-level privacy. Enterprise adds SSO, SCIM and custom permissions.
- Review and collaboration
- Share cuts for review, collect time-coded comments, track versions and keep work in shared folders across team seats.
- Browser recorder and editor
- Record your screen, webcam or both in the browser and trim on a timeline. Text-based editing and AI teleprompter scripts start on Standard.
- Live events and webinars
- Advanced adds hosted livestreamed events with Q&A, polls and chat, streaming to multiple destinations and event-level analytics.
Where it runs
- Web
- macOS
- iOS
- Android
What it works with
- Adobe Premiere Pro
- Final Cut Pro
- Dropbox
- HubSpot
- Mailchimp
- Zoom
- Shopify
- Asana
Vimeo is made by Vimeo.com, Inc.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
28/52
Other screen recording and video tools it is graded above
Vimeo's GPA of 2.6 is higher than 28 of the 52 other screen recording and video tools we grade, and level with 9.
It stands best on features (B, above 26 of 52) and worst on free plan and trial (C, above 4).
Its paid plans start at $12 a month, against a middle price of $10 for the category: 24 of the 41 others that charge start lower.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 3.0 out of 4. 2 tools score higher and cost less.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 53 screen recording and video tools we grade, cut by the letter each got. Vimeo’s own letter is outlined.
- CValue for moneyAbove 10 of 52
- CFree plan and trialAbove 4 of 52
- BFeaturesAbove 26 of 52
- BEase of useAbove 20 of 52
- BPlatforms and integrationsAbove 15 of 52
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 46 screen recording and video tools. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Vimeo 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 Vimeo you would be making a video editor. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
It costs $144 a year.
What you could make
- Templates: an app builder makes this well.
What you could not
- A video editor.
- Recording the screen with its sound, and somewhere to keep the video.
- Speech turned into text you can trust.
- Apps for macOS, iOS and Android that stay in step with each other.
- It plugs into other products, Adobe Premiere Pro, Final Cut Pro and Dropbox among them, and has an API.
- AI features, unless you pay a model provider for each request yourself.
- What a company asks for before it lets staff use something: single sign-on, SCIM and roles and permissions.
- Sharing with other people, which means accounts and invitations.
- The depth: we grade its features B, which means it covers the whole job.
What this rests on. Vimeo’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
Wistia, Vidyard, Loom, StreamYard and Descript
The 5 tools Vimeo is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.4GPA
Wistia
Free plan · from $79/mo
Video hosting, recording and webinars for marketing teams.
- Only Vimeo lists macOS, iOS and Android apps.
- Vimeo also covers templates.
- Wistia also covers noise cancellation.
- 2.4GPA
Vidyard
Free plan · from $59/mo
Video messaging, AI avatars and video hosting for sales teams.
- Only Vidyard lists a Windows app.
- Only Vidyard lists a browser extension.
- Vimeo also covers transcription and templates.
- 2.8GPA
Loom
Free plan · from $18/mo
Screen and camera recorder for shareable video messages.
- Only Vimeo lists a web app.
- Only Loom lists a Windows app.
- Only Loom lists a browser extension.
- 2.0GPA
StreamYard
Free plan · from $35.99/mo
Browser-based studio for live streaming and recording with guests.
- Only Vimeo lists macOS, iOS and Android apps.
- Vimeo also covers templates and screen recording.
- 2.4GPA
Descript
Free plan · from $16/mo
Audio and video editor that works by editing the transcript.
- Only Vimeo lists iOS and Android apps.
- Only Descript lists a Windows app.
- Vimeo also covers templates.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
16
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 Vimeo free?
Vimeo has a free plan. 1 GB of total storage for the life of the account, one seat, ad-free playback, basic viewer analytics, and screen and webcam recordings of up to 30 minutes each.
How much does Vimeo cost?
Vimeo lists 5 plans. Free: $0.
What platforms does Vimeo work on?
Vimeo is available on Web, macOS, iOS and Android.
Does Vimeo offer any discounts?
Vimeo publicly lists the following: Save about 40% with annual billing.
How is Vimeo rated?
Vimeo's iPhone and iPad app averages 4.5 out of 5 from 11,801 ratings on the App Store in the United States, as read on Oct 5, 2026.
Does Vimeo have a Windows app?
No Windows app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 5, 2026. Vimeo is listed for Web, macOS, iOS and Android.
Does Vimeo have a Linux app?
No Linux app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 5, 2026. Vimeo is listed for Web, macOS, iOS and Android.
Is Vimeo open source?
Vimeo is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Oct 5, 2026.
Does Vimeo have an API?
Yes. Vimeo offers a public API, according to its own site.
What does Vimeo integrate with?
Vimeo's listing names Adobe Premiere Pro, Final Cut Pro, Dropbox, HubSpot, Mailchimp, Zoom, Shopify and Asana.
Does Vimeo have a free trial?
Yes. Free trial offered on Starter, Standard and Advanced; the pricing page does not state its length.
Who makes Vimeo?
Vimeo is made by Vimeo.com, Inc.
What are the alternatives to Vimeo?
The closest alternatives to Vimeo in our directory are Wistia, Vidyard, Loom, StreamYard and Descript.
How does Vimeo compare with other screen recording and video tools?
Vimeo's GPA of 2.6 is higher than 28 of the 52 other screen recording and video tools we grade, and level with 9.
Is Vimeo good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Vimeo C for value for money. Its paid plans start at $12 a month, against a middle price of $10 for the category: 24 of the 41 others that charge start lower.
Could I make my own version of Vimeo?
To replace Vimeo you would be making a video editor. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Vimeo’s own pages on Oct 5, 2026, and the grades were given on Oct 10, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Vimeo's own pages on 5 October 2026, and its App Store rating. Also tested with a demo account on 2026-03-06.
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 Vimeo.com, Inc. Prices change, so check vimeo.com before you buy.
- vimeo.com
- vimeo.com/upgrade-plan
- vimeo.com/features/screen-recorder
- vimeo.com/integrations
- help.vimeo.com/hc/en-us/articles/12425432033937-About-Vimeo-plans
- help.vimeo.com/hc/en-us/articles/12425432518801-About-the-Vimeo-Free-plan
- help.vimeo.com/hc/en-us/articles/12425432485521-About-the-Vimeo-Starter-plan
- help.vimeo.com/hc/en-us/articles/49786887852049-About-the-Vimeo-Professional-plan
- help.vimeo.com/hc/en-us/articles/47197205924241-About-the-Vimeo-Studio-plan
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
3,189
Tools graded, in 94 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.
3,189
tools graded
94
categories
426
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- Vimeo, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/vimeo
- 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, "Vimeo: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 5, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/vimeo
Know someone choosing between screen recording and video tools?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/vimeo/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
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- Zencastr Insider's GuideFree podcast recording, chat-based editing and hosting in one app3.4 GPA
- Cap Insider's GuideOpen-source screen recorder with instant share links and an editor3.2 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 Vimeo’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. Vimeo is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Vimeo.com, Inc. Prices and plans change: check vimeo.com before you buy.