Video on Demand

What is video on demand (VOD)?

Video on demand (VOD) is a type of streaming technology that gives viewers 24/7 access to video content so they can watch whenever they want. It eliminates the need for traditional broadcasting schedules and gives viewers more control over what they watch and when.

When you offer VOD, your customers can pause, rewind, and fast forward through videos as necessary. As a result, this tech can help you make video content more accessible to a larger audience.

How does VOD work for B2B?

B2B companies offer three main types of VOD services for customers:

1. Transactional VOD (TVOD): This option uses a pay-per-view model, which means businesses charge a fee for each piece of video content. It’s ideal for exclusive videos or high-value content like webinars, online courses, and paid tutorials.
2. Subscription VOD (SVOD): Viewers pay a recurring fee to access an entire library of video content. This model is most popular with B2B software companies providing educational content or premium user guides.
3. Advertising VOD (AVOD): This model provides video content at no cost to viewers. Yet it monetizes the content with advertisements. It's effective for businesses aiming to reach a broader audience.

It’s important to note that B2B companies don’t always have to charge a fee for VOD content. You can also offer VOD content for free to viewers who signed up to attend your virtual event or enroll in your video course.

VOD vs. video streaming: What’s the difference?

The terms “VOD” and “video streaming” are often used interchangeably. It’s true that both options allow users to watch videos on their own time. Yet they aren’t exactly the same.

VOD typically refers to individual videos that viewers can watch at any time. Video streaming usually refers to live broadcasting or continuous playback.

How to offer on-demand video content via Livestorm

With Livestorm, you can record and save live webinars or virtual events for viewers to watch later. Our VOD feature is great for repurposing webinar content and making virtual event replays accessible to viewers who were unable to attend the live event.

Our on-demand video feature makes it easy to record, upload, and manage video content on a single platform. With Livestorm, you can offer customer training sessions, product demos, automated webinar series, and other content on demand so viewers can watch 24/7.

Video on demand vs. on-demand webinars

Video on demand (VOD) is the broad category: any video a viewer can watch whenever they choose, rather than at a fixed broadcast time — Netflix, a YouTube upload, or a recorded product demo all qualify. An on-demand webinar is a specific type of VOD built for B2B: a recorded session, often gated behind a registration form, that keeps webinar-style engagement tools like polls, chat, or a CTA button active even though it’s not airing live.

The practical difference is intent: general VOD is usually entertainment or reference content with no lead-capture goal, while on-demand webinars are built to convert — combining the reach of a video with the lead-generation mechanics of a live event.

It’s also worth naming the common monetization models: subscription VOD (SVOD — e.g. Netflix), transactional VOD (TVOD — pay-per-view), ad-supported VOD (AVOD — e.g. YouTube), and gated/lead-gen VOD (the B2B webinar-replay model).

Editorial & methodology — Written and reviewed by the Livestorm content team, based on first-party product experience and platform documentation. Last updated: July 2026.