9 vendor criteria to consider when evaluating OTT service providers

You may have thought about switching OTT service providers, or perhaps you’re looking for your very first vendor to power a new streaming platform. Either way, the decision is far from easy. With so many different providers promising the best features, lowest costs, or fastest launches, how do you cut through the noise and find the partner that’s right for your business?

The answer lies in having a selection strategy that aligns your business needs, long-term goals, and budget realities with the capabilities of your chosen vendor. 

Think about future needs for your business: Where do you see your OTT strategy going in one, five or ten years? Given the product-centred nature of cloud businesses, most OTT partners have a defined offering aimed at their target market. 

With that in mind, here are nine key vendor criteria to keep in mind when evaluating OTT service providers.

1. Pricing transparency and predictability 

A successful OTT migration strategy often comes down to controlling costs. Vendors should be able to clearly explain how their pricing works - not just the headline numbers, but also hidden costs like storage, transcoding, bandwidth, DRM licenses, and support.

Ask for detailed cost breakdowns and real-world examples of how the OTT platform can reduce total cost of ownership (TCO). The right partner should make it easy to forecast costs across your goals for your OTT service, without unpleasant surprises.

2. Comprehensive feature sets

Every business has unique needs. A strong OTT vendor should provide a complete feature set that covers core streaming requirements, monetization models that match your business strategy, and features that allow you to realize the level of user engagement you are aiming for. 

Confirm that your existing content workflows can be replicated or improved within the new platform. A vendor that leaves key gaps in your desired feature set may create operational headaches. 

However, do consider accepting minor feature gaps for a larger advantage if the new OTT platform is a great match for your business needs.

3. Performance and scalability

Your service may run smoothly under normal load but fall apart during high-traffic events. An important part of your OTT migration strategy is verifying that your vendor can handle spikes - whether that’s millions of concurrent viewers for a live event or a sudden surge in VOD demand.

Look for customer case studies or live event references that demonstrate scalability.

4. Robust security and compliance capabilities

Security is non-negotiable in an OTT vendor. Protecting content, user data, and compliance with international regulations should be a top priority.

Key capabilities include DRM support, anti-piracy measures, tokenization, geo-restrictions, and compliance with regional data privacy laws such as GDPR and CCPA.

5. Quality of ongoing support and operational assistance

Technology is only one piece of the puzzle. The best OTT vendors back their platforms with strong operational support. After your migration, you’ll want clear SLAs, dedicated support channels, and defined escalation paths.

Consider whether the OTT vendor acts like a partner who will help you succeed, not just a technology supplier. This ongoing assistance ensures your migration timeline stays on track and your service continues to run smoothly afterward.

6. Integration with existing systems

Most OTT services don’t operate in isolation. You may already rely on existing vendors and systems that are critical to the continued success of your service - anything from an internal customer database to an analytics provider or a recommendation engine.

OTT platform providers typically won’t offer out-of-the-box integrations with every system you use. However, they may support some key integrations directly, or offer the option to build custom connections at an additional cost.

When evaluating a potential OTT provider, consider the following:

• Does the service provider offer integration options for the most important components of your current setup?
• For less critical parts of your setup, does the provider offer viable alternatives that still align with your business goals?
  
  

7. Commitment to innovation

OTT is a fast-moving space. Your chosen OTT vendor should show investment in R&D, with a roadmap that ensures your platform remains competitive in the years ahead.

When evaluating providers, ask questions such as: 

• What new features have they launched recently? 
• How do they adapt to emerging devices and evolving monetization models?

Choosing an innovative vendor ensures your service stays modern, competitive, and ultimately profitable.

8. Flexibility and customization

While a SaaS OTT solution is the perfect choice for cost efficiency and speed to market, every business needs a degree of flexibility. Ask the vendors under your consideration:

• How flexible is the platform in accommodating monetization models?
• How does pricing scale with your growth - will costs remain predictable?
• What level of customization is possible without compromising the SaaS model's cost benefits?

Understanding these limitations upfront ensures your chosen vendor won’t restrict future strategies as your business evolves beyond the initial OTT migration scope.

9. Total relationship value

Finally, don’t just evaluate OTT vendors on features and costs. Think long term: will this provider grow with you? The best OTT partners become strategic allies, helping you scale internationally, adapt to regulatory changes, and explore new revenue models.

Final thoughts

Choosing the right OTT vendor isn’t about chasing the lowest price or the flashiest feature. It’s about aligning the goals for your OTT service with a partner who can deliver the tools and growth opportunities you need to run a successful service for years to come.

Further reading

OTT migration at Accedo One

Checklist for migrating to a new SaaS service provider (White Paper) 

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