How to create a video sharing platform like YouTube

Want to make a video sharing social app like YouTube? We’ll look at the essential features, then explain how you can build your own using our no-code platform.

Streaming is the future

Sharing videos online is now part of everyday life. YouTube has a huge 2.1 billion users. From their advertising revenue, they generated $7 billion in Q2. And it’s not a market exclusive to YouTube, there are over 200 popular streaming services today.

A video streaming service is a platform designed to share video content with a wide audience. They use a range of monetization methods: advertising, subscriptions and pay-per-view are all common. COVID-19 has only made them more popular. Amazon Prime, Netflix and YouTube saw a rise in subscribers between 9 - 19%.

Key features of YouTube

If you want to create a video sharing app like YouTube, you need to start with the must-have features. This is the first step of video sharing app development. We’ve broken lots of apps down to their basic features to build a library of useful templates. Our YouTube template includes 26 app features. Let’s look at 10 of the most important.

Videos

All the video settings your users need to control playback: pause, play and volume control for example. Without this basic feature, a streaming app isn’t enjoyable to use.

User Profiles

Allow visitors to create a user profile. They can register with an email address and password. Not only can you personalise their experience, but you can collect useful data for marketing.

Library

Display all your app’s content in a space designed with the user experience in mind. This central hub lets users quickly explore video content they’re interested in viewing.

Like A Post

Let users show they like a piece of content that's been shared. This gives you useful data about their interests and desires that can be used for marketing purposes.

Navigation Menu

Display custom navigation menus for different devices. Remove or add menu options to deliver the optimal experience for each screen size.

Notifications

Give users a handy dashboard for managing notifications. Shows unread notifications to highlight what's going on and encourages users to spend more time on the app.

Playlist

Active users can arrange a list of files to be played in order. Content creators can create playlists of original content to aid in discovery.

Reviews

Let users write reviews and add ratings for video clips. Other users can read the reviews, and see the average ratings. This is useful information for powering a recommendation engine.

Search

Making the right content visible to your user base is a challenge. Allow them to search for keywords within your database and click the results for more detailed information.

Share

Users can take single videos or playlists and share them with their social media channels. This lets you bring in new audiences from other social networks.

How to make a video sharing social app

There are many different ways you can create a video sharing platform. Programmers could DIY the entire project. Just remember, this might take a while. A YouTube or TikTok-like app is about 15 million lines of code.

Another option is to hire a team of mobile app developers. They can build a robust video player and add additional features and file types. The problem is calculating the actual cost. You’ll pay for app design, cost of developers and testing. This can quickly spiral out of control.

How to build yours with Builder.ai

Thankfully, we offer a simpler method. Around 80% of all software is made up of 500 features. We packaged each basic feature as a reusable Lego-like block. Explain your idea to our AI and it uses these blocks to rapidly create an outline of your app.

The work is completed much faster and for less because AI handles all the repetitive coding. Then it’s off to our app design team and mobile app developers. They personalise it and create any bespoke elements you need.

Here's how to build your video sharing platform with Builder Studio.

Step 1: Choose a base

Head over to Builder Studio and find the ‘Filter by category’ option on the left-hand side. This will let you filter for just “Entertainment and music” apps templates. Choose up to 3 you feel are related to your big idea by clicking the plus icon. These selections make it easier for us to understand the features your app needs. When you’re ready, click ‘Build Now’.

Step 2: Refine the features

Sign up and Natasha (our AI) will greet you. She’s been created to help understand your idea and the specific requirements of your app. Would you rather chat with a human? That’s fine, our team is on hand. Just click ‘Talk to our experts’.

Features are recommended based on how you answer Natasha and what similar apps do. Find out more about individual features by clicking the eye or add them to your app with the plus icon. We calculate your price down to the individual feature, so any changes update the price in real-time – this price is guaranteed. Click ‘Plan Delivery’ to continue.

Step 3: Plan delivery

It’s time to choose the platforms you want your video app available on. Click the plus icon and a menu with options will open up. Want a video sharing iOS app? Click the Apple logo. Fancy a video sharing Android app? Hit the Android logo. Choose the platforms you’d like and you see how it changes the price and timelines.

Now it’s time to plan the phases of your project. We recommend most customers leave it as the default. Our team uses the latest design principles to make a beautiful wireframe. Then, your MVP (Minimum Viable Product) is completed – a simplified version of your idea so you can collect feedback. We use this feedback to complete your video app.

Need more control? No worries, toggle the ‘Advanced’ view. From here you can change the speed of each phase. Need it super fast? Pay extra and we’ll make it happen. No rush? Great, you can make big savings with relaxed timelines.

Step 4: Name your Build Card

How should we refer to your idea? This is the moment to name your app. No pressure, you can always change it later!

Great, your Build Card has a name. Now, check over all the selections you made. Confirm the features, phases, cost and timelines are all agreeable. Ready? Click ‘START BUILD CARD’.

Step 5: Select your payment plan

How often would you like to pay? We support weekly or monthly instalments. Payment dates and amounts are visible for each option. Select your preferred billing cycle, then click ‘CONTINUE’.

You’ll be asked to input your payment details and agree to the terms and conditions. Once that’s done, click ‘Continue to Payment’.

Step 6: Take it easy

Your video app is underway. Have a look at the progress from your dashboard whenever you’d like. It’s your app and you’re the boss. You can make changes or pause your video sharing app development.

Why choose Builder.ai?

You can create a video sharing platform like YouTube faster and more cost effective with our no-code platform. We calculate the price down to the individual feature, so you know exactly what you’re paying for. You get competitive timelines, a guaranteed price and more...

Your dream software is almost here

Builder Studio is where ideas come to life. It’s as easy as ordering pizza online. It starts with the base – an app template similar to your idea. Add any advanced features you want – that’s your toppings. You don’t need any code skills. Once your order is placed, we handle the rest. Our team is available if you’d rather chat with a human.

Effortless cloud bills

Builder Cloud makes the cloud hassle-free. Run your video app from any public cloud – AWS, DigitalOcean, Alibaba Cloud and Microsoft Azure to name a few. You can access all these providers with just one account. Even better, our AI-powered analytics helps you minimise costs. Last year alone, our clients saved more than $4.5 million.

Always as good as new

Studio One is our aftercare service. We monitor your code for any errors or potential issues. OS updates and third-party software can cause weird things to happen – we check the code to prevent this. Our AI also monitors your app. It pings our developers if it notices any unexpected behaviour that could become a problem.

FAQs

1. What tech stack does my app need if I use Builder.ai?

It depends. We build each app based on your specific requirements. Different apps will have different needs. Don’t worry though, we handle all the technical details. We provide your apps, help you get them into the App Store and can configure your cloud setup.

2. What is the best app for sharing videos?

This varies depending on user preference. Video sharing websites use a variety of file formats. From the popular 15-second TikTok video format to streaming video on Twitch. Addictive video content can be found on many platforms.

3. How do I make a video app?

Visit Builder Studio. Work from a template and customise with any additional features you’d like (e.g. push notifications, app login, special effects and video editing). You can easily make a video sharing iOS app or a video sharing Android app. It’s just 1-click to add platforms.

4. How much does it cost to build an app like YouTube?

Mobile app development costs have a huge range depending on what you need. We price per individual feature so can give you an exact price. This is guaranteed and calculated before any work begins.

5. Can I make an app like YouTube?

Absolutely, we even have a template you can use to quickly get started. It comes with handy and admired features such as a video feed, video playback, vertical video carousel (for mobile), and lets video creators and viewers share on social media platforms.

6. What are some good video monetisation models?

Funny videos and ads are a tried and tested model. You could charge per single video viewed. In-app purchases are also a good option. Why not let an admin user pay to send a push notification to a border audience? It’s a great way to boost sharing activity.