Direct, without the platform tax.
VHX solved the early OTT problem, then became Vimeo OTT. Hiway is built for what came after: direct-to-fan selling, syndication on tap, and 90% of every sale retained.
VHX is the ancestor of every modern OTT storefront, and it now sells as Vimeo OTT. Hiway is the independent alternative. SmartLinks post anywhere, not only on a hosted storefront. You keep 90% of every sale and payouts land in real time. Forensic screener workflows come as standard on paid plans.
| Feature | Hiway | VHX |
|---|---|---|
| Sold as | Hiway, independent | Vimeo OTT since the acquisition |
| Revenue retained | You keep 90% of every sale | Monthly tier plus a revenue share on sales |
| Payouts | Real time, into your own Stripe account | Platform-scheduled payout cycle |
| Direct-to-fan SmartLinks | Core feature, post anywhere | Needs the hosted storefront |
| Connected-TV apps | Not the focus, links and embeds instead | Strong, the original VHX strength |
| Open syndication | Included | Separate integrations |
| Forensic screener rooms | Included on every paid plan | Enterprise tiers |
| Live streaming | Ticketed live plus instant VOD, built in | A separate Vimeo product |
| Audience data | A CRM you own, exports to CSV any time | Limited export on lower plans |
| Best fit | Selling direct on your own terms | A branded subscription storefront |
VHX no longer sells as its own product, so the honest comparison is with Vimeo OTT. That is still the stronger buy if branded apps on connected TV are the centre of your plan. If you already run a VHX storefront that earns well, and your subscribers are happy, there is no urgent reason to move.
Hiway suits you when you want the audience relationship on your side of the wall. You keep 90% of every sale, paid in real time into your own Stripe account. Every viewer exports to CSV from a CRM you own. Plans start at £12 a month, with a permanent free account to test on.
You do not have to decide today. Run one title on Hiway, keep the storefront live, and compare the two on what each actually pays you. There is no minimum term on Hiway and no exit fee if the answer goes the other way.
Your links run on your domain, into your CRM, with no parent platform deciding what the storefront may do next.
10% on pay-per-view, flat and predictable. Not a launch discount.
Forensic watermarking, per-viewer access and IP locks sit on every paid plan rather than behind an enterprise quote.
You bring the rights deals, Hiway plumbs the pipe. Toggle destinations per title from the same upload.
A VHX or Vimeo OTT storefront is not hard to leave. Almost all of the work is master files and audience lists.
The permanent free account gives you 5 GB and one piece of media. Enough to put a real title behind a real paywall before you spend anything.
Sales settle into your Stripe account in real time. Hiway never holds your money, so there is no payout cycle to wait out.
Upload the same masters, then set price, window and territory per title. You can change any of it later without a renegotiation.
Export your member and buyer list from the storefront and bring it in. Every new viewer then lands in a CRM you own and export to CSV.
Keep the storefront running while you test. Nothing on Hiway is exclusive, so both can sell the same title at the same time.
No. Vimeo acquired VHX and it now sells as Vimeo OTT, so a VHX comparison is really a Vimeo OTT comparison. Existing VHX storefronts run on that platform today. Our Vimeo OTT page covers the same ground in more detail.
Usually, yes. Hiway plans start at £12 a month, and Hiway takes 10% of pay-per-view sales, so you keep 90%. Vimeo OTT prices on monthly tiers with a revenue share on top. Work out what actually reaches your bank.
Yes. Re-upload your masters and import your member list, and most teams are selling again within a week. Your existing storefront can stay live throughout, because nothing on Hiway is exclusive and there is no minimum term.
Not identically. Vimeo OTT is stronger on branded apps for connected TV, which is the thing VHX pioneered. Hiway is built around SmartLinks, secure screeners, ticketed live, syndication and a CRM you own. The right answer depends on where your sales start.
Migrate from VHX or Vimeo OTT to Hiway. Book a demo and we will help plan the move.
