--- title: "What Are Reels? Short Vertical Video in Streaming Apps" description: "Reels are short vertical videos shown in an endless, swipeable feed. See how a streaming service uses a reels feed for discovery and retention." url: "https://www.rentanott.com/glossary/reels" markdown_url: "https://www.rentanott.com/glossary/reels.md" category: "Content formats" updated: "2026-10-05" --- # What are reels? Reels are short vertical videos, typically 15 to 90 seconds long, presented in a full-screen feed that the viewer swipes through one after another. The format was popularized by social apps and is now built into many streaming apps. ## How a reels feed works The app opens straight into a video that starts playing with sound. A swipe up brings the next one, already preloaded so it starts instantly. Each item can carry a caption, like and share buttons, and a link to something longer. The order is chosen per viewer, favoring items similar to those they watched to the end. ## How streaming services use reels - Discovery: clips and trailers that link to the full film, episode or live event - Daily habit: something new every time the app is opened, even between releases - Free tier: a feed open to everyone, with the full catalog behind a subscription - Advertising: ads placed between items - Creator and community content alongside the professional catalog ## What makes a good reel - The first two seconds decide whether it is watched - It makes sense with the sound off, through captions - One idea, one scene, one moment - A clear next step: watch the full title, follow the series ## Reels and the rest of the catalog On a streaming service a reel is rarely the product. It is the shop window. Measure a feed by how many viewers it sends into long-form titles and how often it brings them back to the app, as well as by time spent in the feed itself. ## Reels on RentAnOTT Reels and vertical video are content formats included on every RentAnOTT plan, alongside movies, series and music. [See pricing](https://www.rentanott.com/pricing). ## Related terms - [Short-form video](https://www.rentanott.com/glossary/short-form-video) — Short-form video is video that lasts from a few seconds to a few minutes, usually vertical and watched in a continuous, swipeable feed on a phone. It covers clips, reels and the episodes of microdramas. - [Vertical video](https://www.rentanott.com/glossary/vertical-video) — Vertical video is video framed in portrait orientation, taller than it is wide, most often at a 9:16 aspect ratio. It fills the screen of a phone held upright, so the viewer does not need to rotate the device. - [Microdrama](https://www.rentanott.com/glossary/microdrama) — A microdrama is a serialized fiction story told in very short episodes, typically one to three minutes each, filmed vertically for viewing on a phone. A series often runs to dozens of episodes, each ending on a hook that leads into the next. - [Vertical series](https://www.rentanott.com/glossary/vertical-series) — A vertical series is a series of episodes filmed in portrait orientation for viewing on a phone held upright. Episodes are usually short, from one to ten minutes, and released in a swipeable feed. - [UGC](https://www.rentanott.com/glossary/ugc) — UGC (user-generated content) is video created and uploaded by the users of a platform instead of being produced or licensed by the platform's owner. On a streaming service it ranges from open uploads by anyone to submissions from an invited group of creators. - [Recommendation engine](https://www.rentanott.com/glossary/recommendation-engine) — A recommendation engine is the system that chooses which titles to suggest to each viewer, based on what they and similar viewers have watched and on the properties of the titles themselves. It fills rows such as recommended for you and because you watched. ## Further reading - [Short video applications compared](https://www.rentanott.com/blogs/best-short-video-application) - [Microdrama and short-form streaming platforms](https://www.rentanott.com/blogs/microdrama-short-form-streaming-platforms) - [OTT app builder](https://www.rentanott.com/tools/ott-app-builder) ## Frequently asked questions ### How long is a reel? Usually between 15 and 90 seconds. Shorter items tend to be watched through more often. ### Are reels the same as short-form video? Reels are one form of it: standalone short videos in a feed. Short-form video also includes serialized episodes such as microdramas. ### Does a subscription service need a reels feed? It is optional. It helps most where viewers struggle to choose from a large catalog, or where the service wants a reason for daily visits. 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