--- title: "What Is D2C Streaming? | RentAnOTT" description: "D2C streaming means a content owner selling video straight to viewers through its own service, not through a distributor. See the benefits and costs." url: "https://www.rentanott.com/glossary/d2c-streaming" markdown_url: "https://www.rentanott.com/glossary/d2c-streaming.md" category: "Platform" updated: "2026-10-05" --- # What is D2C streaming? D2C (direct-to-consumer) streaming is a content owner distributing video straight to viewers through its own branded service, instead of licensing it to a broadcaster, an operator or another streaming service. ## How D2C streaming works The content owner runs its own website and apps, sets its own prices and bills viewers itself. There is no intermediary deciding what is promoted, what the viewer pays or what share reaches the owner. ## What going direct gives you - The full price of each sale, less payment and store fees - The customer relationship: names, emails and viewing data - Control of pricing, release timing and presentation - A lasting asset: an audience that belongs to you rather than to a distributor ## What it costs you - Marketing: you must bring the audience yourself - Technology: a platform, apps and delivery - Operations: support, billing questions and content scheduling - Possibly licensing income, if exclusivity to your own service means giving up a distributor's fee ## D2C alongside distribution It is rarely a choice of one or the other. Many owners license older titles to third parties while keeping new releases, niche catalogs or live events for their own service, and use social platforms for free clips that lead viewers to it. ## D2C streaming on RentAnOTT RentAnOTT gives a content owner a branded website and apps with subscriptions, advertising and one-time sales on one catalog, at a flat monthly tier from $169 with no fee per subscriber. [See pricing](https://www.rentanott.com/pricing). ## Related terms - [OTT](https://www.rentanott.com/glossary/ott) — OTT (over-the-top) is the delivery of video to viewers over the open internet, direct from the service to the viewer's device, without a cable, satellite or telecom operator controlling the distribution. - [White-label OTT](https://www.rentanott.com/glossary/white-label-ott) — A white-label OTT platform is ready-made streaming technology that a business launches under its own name, logo and domain. The vendor builds and operates the software; viewers see only the business's brand. - [OTT platform](https://www.rentanott.com/glossary/ott-platform) — An OTT platform is the software and infrastructure a business uses to run its own streaming service. It covers content management, encoding, delivery, the video player, subscriptions and payments, apps and analytics. - [Creator monetization](https://www.rentanott.com/glossary/creator-monetization) — Creator monetization is the set of ways a video creator earns from an audience, including a share of platform advertising, memberships, tips, sponsorships, and selling subscriptions or titles directly through a service they own. - [Streaming aggregator](https://www.rentanott.com/glossary/streaming-aggregator) — A streaming aggregator is a service or device platform that brings content from many streaming services together in one place, with a single interface for browsing and, often, a single bill. It distributes other companies' services instead of, or as well as, its own content. - [Content licensing](https://www.rentanott.com/glossary/content-licensing) — Content licensing is the agreement by which the owner of a film, series or event grants a streaming service the right to show it, for a set period, in set territories, under set business models, in exchange for payment. - [CAC](https://www.rentanott.com/glossary/cac) — CAC (customer acquisition cost) is the average amount a service spends on marketing and sales to gain one new paying customer. It is total acquisition spending in a period divided by the number of new customers won in that period. - [SVOD](https://www.rentanott.com/glossary/svod) — SVOD (subscription video on demand) is a streaming model where viewers pay a recurring fee, usually monthly or yearly, for unlimited access to a catalog of on-demand video. ## Further reading - [How to start a streaming service](https://www.rentanott.com/blogs/how-to-start-a-streaming-service) - [Streaming aggregators explained](https://www.rentanott.com/blogs/streaming-aggregators) - [OTT revenue calculator](https://www.rentanott.com/tools/ott-revenue-calculator) ## Frequently asked questions ### What does D2C stand for? D2C stands for direct-to-consumer. It is also written DTC. ### Is D2C streaming only for large studios? No. Niche publishers, sports clubs, faith organizations, educators and individual creators run direct services, because a small loyal audience can sustain one. ### Can a D2C service also appear on aggregators? Yes. Listing a service or a channel on an aggregator adds reach, usually in exchange for a share of revenue, while the direct service remains the place where you keep the full relationship. All 163 terms: [Streaming and OTT glossary](https://www.rentanott.com/glossary). ## Book a demo Tell RentAnOTT what you are launching. The team walks through the platform and maps the path to go-live around your catalog, markets and revenue model. Book a demo: https://www.rentanott.com/contact ## More from RentAnOTT - [Home](https://www.rentanott.com/index.md) — What RentAnOTT is, what every plan includes, and how launch works - [Features](https://www.rentanott.com/features.md) — Every core feature and optional add-on - [Pricing](https://www.rentanott.com/pricing.md) — Platform tiers, apps, add-ons, usage rates and example bills in INR and USD - [Free tools](https://www.rentanott.com/tools.md) — OTT app builder and calculators for streaming revenue, bandwidth, bitrate and pricing - [Insights](https://www.rentanott.com/blogs.md) — All streaming business articles - [Glossary](https://www.rentanott.com/glossary.md) — Definitions of streaming and OTT terms - [Book a demo](https://www.rentanott.com/contact.md) — Talk to RentAnOTT about your launch Full site in one file: https://www.rentanott.com/llms-full.txt