Growing Vimeo
Vimeo's growth tools are Staff Picks, search-indexed showcases and lead capture, and selling now runs through Vimeo OTT. For discovery, compare Growing YouTube.
Basics
How many people use Vimeo?
Vimeo lists more than 1.7 million paid subscribers in over 190 countries, with more than 350,000 uploads a day. Its About page gives no date for these figures.[1]
How do you get more views on Vimeo?
Vimeo's own advice is to aim for a Staff Pick and to let Google index your public showcases.
| Step | Vimeo's advice |
|---|---|
| Clear thumbnail and description | Vimeo's first tip for a Staff Pick |
| Groups and channels | Add your video to relevant ones |
| Categories, tags and rating | Categorize, tag and rate each video |
| Showcase SEO | Let Google index public showcases (Standard plan and up) |
Staff Picks has no submission process; any creator can be chosen. In the EU and UK, Vimeo no longer promotes user videos, so Staff Picks, channels, groups and site search are off there. Links and embeds still work.[2, 3, 4]
When can you earn money on Vimeo?
Through Vimeo OTT, which Vimeo now recommends to new sellers. Vimeo On Demand closes on November 20, 2026, and new subscriptions there stopped on September 21, 2026.[5]
Advanced
What does Vimeo OTT cost?
Nothing upfront; Vimeo charges per subscriber or per sale instead of a plan fee.
| Product | Fee |
|---|---|
| Subscriptions | $1 per subscriber a month, plus 2.5% + 30¢ |
| Buy and rent | 10% + 50¢ per transaction |
| Upload hours | 1 hour free; 10 hours for $99 |
Sources [6]
What can you do with Vimeo's API?
Upload videos, read and edit their details, change privacy, delete videos and manage folders. The API is open to every plan at no charge.
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Access | Create an app at developer.vimeo.com for a token |
| Scope | It can do what you can do on vimeo.com |
| Enterprise only | The Live API and the AI API |
Which paid Vimeo options are worth it?
Start free, then pay when you need a custom URL or tools that turn viewers into leads. The order is our view.
| Option | Cost | What it buys |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Free | Hosting with no ads in your videos |
| Starter | $12 a month, billed yearly | A custom URL and privacy tools |
| Standard | $25 a month, billed yearly | Player branding, lead capture and calls to action |
| Vimeo OTT | Per subscriber or sale | Your own subscription video service |
Sources (12)
- PrimaryVimeo: About, undated
- PrimaryVimeo Help: FAQ: Vimeo Staff Picks
- PrimaryVimeo Help: Changes to Vimeo.com in the EU and UK
- PrimaryVimeo Help: Search Engine Optimization (SEO) with showcases
- PrimaryVimeo Help: How to start selling with Vimeo On Demand
- PrimaryVimeo Help: Vimeo OTT pricing breakdown
- PrimaryVimeo Help: Overview: Developer Tools
- PrimaryVimeo Help: API technical and developer prerequisites
- PrimaryVimeo Help: Vimeo Developer Overview
- PrimaryVimeo: Pricing plans (archived copy)
- PrimaryVimeo Help: About managing your Vimeo profile page
- PrimaryVimeo Help: How to downgrade my subscription