ClipBucket is a free, open-source PHP video-sharing script for self-hosting a YouTube-style platform with uploads, playlists, groups, and social features.
Category
Media & Audio/Video Tools
Pricing
Free/Open-source, from Free
Verified
Not yet
Last updated
July 18, 2026
Web AppOpen SourceFreemiumSelf-Hosted
Overview
ClipBucket is a free, open-source PHP script for self-hosting a video-sharing website, often described as a YouTube-clone script. It lets operators run their own branded video (and optionally photo) sharing platform on their own server.
The original project (arslancb/clipbucket) was archived in December 2022 after slowing following its 4.1 release, but the codebase continues under community forks, most notably ClipBucket V5, which ships ongoing stability and security releases.
Key Features
ClipBucket includes core video hosting (upload, transcode via FFmpeg, playback) alongside social features such as playlists, collections, user groups, friend requests, and private messaging, enabling both video-sharing and lightweight social-network functionality.
Because it is self-hosted, operators have full control of data, moderation, and monetization, but must also manage their own server infrastructure, security patching, and scaling.
Pricing
ClipBucket itself is free and open-source with no licensing fee. The only costs are for self-managed server hosting, storage, and bandwidth, which scale with the size of the video library and audience.
Key Features
Video upload & transcoding — Handles video uploads and transcodes them via FFmpeg for web playback.
Playlists & collections — Users can organize uploaded videos into playlists and collections.
Social features — Includes user groups, friend requests, and private messaging alongside video hosting.
Self-hosted deployment — Runs on a standard LAMP-style stack (PHP, MySQL/MariaDB, FFmpeg) under the operator's full control.
Open-source codebase — Source is freely available to modify, extend, or audit, with community forks such as ClipBucket V5.
Pros & Cons
Pros
Completely free and open-source with no licensing cost.
Full control over hosting, data, moderation, and monetization.
Includes social features (groups, messaging, playlists) beyond basic video hosting.
Community forks (ClipBucket V5) continue active development after the original project was archived.
Cons
Requires technical setup: PHP, MySQL/MariaDB, FFmpeg, and shell/exec access, which rules out most shared hosting.
The original arslancb repository is archived, so evaluating which fork is actively maintained takes extra diligence.
No vendor support or SLA — operators are responsible for their own security, backups, and scaling.
Pricing
Community (Self-Hosted) Free N/A
SaaS (Managed Hosting) Contact for pricing subscription
Frequently Asked Questions
Is ClipBucket free?
Yes, ClipBucket is free and open-source. The only costs are for self-managed server hosting, storage, and bandwidth.
What server requirements does ClipBucket have?
It requires PHP 8.0+ with specific extensions, MySQL 5.6+ or MariaDB 10.3+, FFmpeg 3+ for transcoding, and mediainfo, plus a working sendmail configuration.
Is the original ClipBucket project still maintained?
The original arslancb/clipbucket repository was archived in December 2022, but community forks such as ClipBucket V5 continue to ship stability and security releases.
Can ClipBucket run on shared hosting?
It's generally not well suited to typical shared hosting because it needs shell/exec access and FFmpeg for video transcoding, which most shared hosts restrict.