From static images to animated GIFs, from “best viewed on Netscape 4.0” to being viewed on any and every device imaginable, the Internet has always pushed itself to new limits.

So it's no surprise when we see more and more websites using video. It's not just videos as primary content either—we now see videos being used as backgrounds and in other supporting roles as well.

Here's a roundup of 20 useful video plugins available on Envato Market that you can use to bring more video into your next web project.

1. Video & Parallax Backgrounds For Visual Composer

Adding a video background to your WordPress website is super easy with the Video & Parallax Backgrounds For Visual Composer.

It has all the basic options you’ll need to adapt it to your current theme—and it’s been tested on many different themes.

This is an easy way to add a video background, and it has some great parallax image background options as well.

You can configure it for full-width, full-height, fullscreen, HD video backgrounds, multi-layered parallax/video/hover backgrounds, and more.

Features include:

• smooth mouse-wheel scrolling plugin
• turn off parallax for mobile
• hardware acceleration
• and more

Simply activate this plugin with your WordPress theme and you’ll be ready to implement video, parallax and hover background elements.

Video & Parallax Backgrounds For Visual Composer is a quick and easy way to add stunning video and parallax effects to your WordPress website.

2. HTML5 Video Player with Playlist & Multiple Skins

Start playing .MP4 and .WEBM video files in style with the HTML5 Video Player with Playlist & Multiple Skins.

This isn’t just an HTML5 video player—you can set up playlists as well.

This includes two different versions. The first version has the playlist located on the right side while the second version places your playlist below the video.

Features include:

• full screen viewing
• five different skins
• full player controls
• fully responsive
• and more

The HTML5 Video Player with Playlist & Multiple Skins is super light, weighing in at only 38KB, and is easy to implement.

Both HTML5 and WordPress versions are available.

3. Modern HTML5 Responsive YouTube Playlist Player

The Modern HTML5 Responsive YouTube Playlist Player is an elegant way to bring YouTube videos to your website.

With two different layouts and “responsive with intelligent resizing,” YouTube videos have never looked so good.

Simply enter a YouTube playlist ID, channel ID, or any array of video IDs as a playlist source, and you’ll be able to present YouTube videos without YouTube’s default interface.

Some features include:

• mobile browser and touchscreen support
• custom player controls
• the latest YouTube API
• social sharing buttons
• and more

On smaller screens it will toggle the playlist or hide the video controls, maximizing screen space for the video.

The Modern HTML5 Responsive YouTube Playlist Player is beautifully designed, easy to set up, and available in both HTML5 and WordPress.

4. CCGallery - HTML5 Multimedia Gallery

Even though it’s been around for many years, now, the CoverFlow view used in OS X is a handsome way to view files.

And now, with the CCGallery - HTML5 Multimedia Gallery, you can present images, audio, and video using the same style on your website.

The UI includes the ability to select CoverFlow or thumbnails, as well as sorting the three different supported media types (image, audio, and video).

Other features include:

• CSS 3D Transforms used for supported browsers with HTML5 Canvas fallback
• includes two color schemes with the ability to make tweaks via CSS
• auto play and loop options for audio and video files
• configure with a simple XML file
• and more

Fluid, responsive, and with touch screen support, the CCGallery - HTML5 Multimedia Gallery is ready to display your website media.

Both HTML5 and WordPress versions are available.

5. Easy Video Background WP

Easily “plug and play” your way into a video background WordPress solution.

Easy Video Background WP can be used fullscreen, div, or thumbnail.

Features include:

• YouTube and native video support
• fixed or absolute positioning
• HTML5 with fallback options
• player controls
• and more

The most unique and “eye-popping” (I hate saying that) feature has to be the thumbnail option that autoplays the video on mouseover. A very cool effect.

Easy Video Background WP is not only easy, but includes polished options to implement in your WordPress website.

6. Ultimate Video Player

You can throw local, streaming, and YouTube videos at this video player. Maybe that’s why it’s called the Ultimate Video Player?

This video player is full of options:

• optimized for both mobile and desktop
• set up playlists and categories
• customizable thumbnails
• optional deep-linking
• and more

For those hosting their own videos, there is an optional “video download” button that can be added or removed globally or on a per-video basis. With unlimited playlists, flexible skin, and multiple fallback options, maybe this is the Ultimate Video Player (WordPress version also available).

7. YouTube Vimeo Popup Plugin

This is a simple video plugin that could easily find its way into a web dev’s toolbox of tricks.

Create a YouTube or Vimeo popup after the user clicks on any link embedded in your website—text, image, or whatever you’ve anchored it to.

Grab the jQuery version of the YouTube Video Popup Plugin or the WordPress YouTube Vimeo Popup Plugin.

8. FullScreen Background / Gallery – Image and Video

The FullScreen Background / Gallery – Image and Video jQuery plugin includes several different options for both video and images.

Some of the features include:

• over 40 js customizable options
• texture over images
• fully responsive
• animated text
• and more

The FullScreen Background / Gallery – Image and Video plugin can be used as a full-screen background, full-screen multimedia gallery, or full-width multimedia slider for all your video and image needs. It also comes in a WordPress packaged version.

9. HelloVideo – Video CMS

One does not simply share useful video plugins without including this robust of a solution.

The HelloVideo – Video CMS is a full-featured premium PHP script that displays videos on posts, pages, and can make your videos available free or to subscribers only.

HelloVideo’s impressive features set includes:

• add posts, pages, categories, and menus
• accept recurring payments via Stripe
• track stats and analytics
• multiple themes
• and much more

HelloVideo is very polished and fits the video-centric website niche very well. The built-in payment gateway system is certainly a nice bonus feature.

10. jQuery HTML5 Video Player

Simple and light.

Just like all good jQuery HTML5 video players should be.

Based on the jQuery JavaScript library, this HTML5 video player has a nice UI, supports fullscreen, and offers a few other nice things:

• supports auto-play, video preloading, and video loop
• displays message for older browsers
• buffer status display
• 8KB footprint
• and more

The jQuery HTML5 Video Player is mobile friendly and requires no browser plugins, fully running in JavaScript.

11. MediaBox - jQuery Plugin for Audio & Video

Using HTML5, jQuery and jPlayer with a Flash fallback, the MediaBox - jQuery Plugin for Audio & Video includes some nice bells and whistles.

There are plenty of options and API. Some features include:

• supports both video and audio files
• retrieves metadata (if available)
• 9 easy-to-use widgets
• playlist management
• and more

You can mix up your own functionality with the developer-friendly API and use the widgets independently or all together for more robust solutions.

Create multimedia applications quickly and easily with MediaBox - jQuery Plugin for Audio & Video.

12. Vimuse - HTML5 Media Player

The Vimuse - HTML5 Media Player feels more like a multimedia app than something you would embed in a website. This robust and dynamic media plugin is an excellent video and audio player.

Play back your self-hosted audio and video files or pull videos from YouTube, Vimeo, and Dailymotion or audio from the Shoutcast and Icecast streams.

Features include:

• pull individual videos, user videos, playlist, and channels
• display post-roll content for videos
• several layout options
• show video subtitles
• and much more

It comes packaged with two color schemes and has a huge list of configurable options.

The Vimuse - HTML5 Media Player plugin is both beautiful and robust, and comes in multiple flavors: HTML5, WordPress, and Layers versions.

13. YouTube Channel WordPress Plugin – Yottie

This WordPress video plugin transforms your website into the perfect YouTube video portal.

The YouTube Channel WordPress Plugin – Yottie is a must-have for YouTubers trying to establish their own web presence.

Some of the powerful features include:

• custom cache time, video order, and video grid
• 4 color schemes and 16 supported languages
• over 100 adjustable parameters
• fully responsive and retina ready
• and much more

This WordPress video plugin packs in so many features that it feels more like a theme than a plugin. YouTube Channel WordPress Plugin – Yottie is an impressive offering in the video plugin world and should seriously be considered by YouTubers.

14. Ultimate Video SEO Plugin

If your WordPress website serves up a lot of videos, getting some good SEO juice on it can be difficult. With the Ultimate Video SEO Plugin, however, it doesn’t have to be.

This video plugin has everything you’d want in a video SEO plugin:

• automatic video SEO for major video hosts, including self-hosted
• supports video embeds with shortcode or metabox
• schema.org videoObject markup
• custom post type support
• and much more

With a well-styled XML video sitemap and being so easy to configure, this is one of the most impressive WordPress video SEO plugins you’ll find.

The Ultimate Video SEO Plugin is the “Yoast” of video SEO.

15. WP Playlist Video Gallery

Here’s another nice option to consider for incorporating your YouTube videos or channel into your WordPress powered website.

WP Playlist Video Gallery is perfect for building out video playlists and galleries.

Create as many playlists as you want with this beautifully styled plugin.

Features include:

• use shortcodes to display YouTube channels, playlists, and favorites
• search, add, and remove videos in the Admin
• resize player, thumbnails, and titles
• fully responsive
• and more

WP Playlist Video Gallery is a nice WordPress video plugin to integrate YouTube videos and playlists into your website.

16. HTML5 Video Player & FullScreen Video Background

Easily add YouTube, Vimeo, and self-hosted video fullscreen video backgrounds with the HTML5 Video Player & FullScreen Video Background video plugin.

Display a fullscreen video with no black bars, or configure it with:

• texture over video
• 30 js options
• fixed width
• full width
• and more

This 22KB video plugin is straightforward and lean. There’s also a WordPress version of HTML5 Video Player & FullScreen Video Background.

17. WooCommerce Video Links - Product Embedded Videos

Images are great, but videos are better.

Add some video previews to your products with the WooCommerce Video Links - Product Embedded Videos WordPress plugin.

Features include:

• supports YouTube, Vimeo, Wistia, and others
• also works with SoundCloud Music
• loads as inline embed or lightbox
• and more

Replacing your WooCommerce Featured Product Image on product pages with video doesn’t get much easier than this.

The WooCommerce Video Links - Product Embedded Videos is an awesome addition to your e-commerce storefront.

18. PHP Video Plugin

Easily integrate the PHP Video Plugin into CodeIgniter or standard PHP. This video plugin is a nice addition to any web dev’s toolbox.

“This video plugin can take a YouTube or Vimeo URL and return an array of info such as a thumbnail image, title, length, tags, views, etc. It can even automatically embed the video into the page.”

Furthermore, it uses the new iframe embed which adds HTML5 support, making videos play on iOS and Android devices.

I imagine the PHP Video Plugin will be a standard go-to for many.

19. StarTube - YouTube Video Gallery Powered by jQuery

Much like some of the aforementioned WordPress plugin options, StarTube - YouTube Video Gallery Powered by jQuery will provide an easy and powerful way to bring YouTube videos to your website (WordPress not required).

Using HTML5, CSS3, and JavaScript best practices, StarTube delivers nicely:

• set default video quality and video to load
• keyboard and onscreen controls
• pagination and layout options
• group videos by category
• and much more

If you need a video gallery, StarTube - YouTube Video Gallery Powered by jQuery is worth a view.

20. YouTubeR - Unique YouTube Videos Plugin

YouTubeR - Unique YouTube Videos Plugin really is a unique WordPress video plugin for YouTubers.

It’s fully responsive, includes four templates, and is WPML compatible, but that’s not what will catch your eye.

YouTubeR allows you to upload your videos to YouTube through WordPress.

Afterwards, you can easily embed videos, playlists, and channels. But upload them? That’s a new trick. It also includes widgets, is AJAX powered, uses Google API, and much more.

Finally, YouTubeR - Unique YouTube Videos Plugin does a wonderful job integrating YouTube functions like “thumbsup,” “thumbsdown,” and other YouTube features.

Conclusion

From YouTube clones to well-designed solutions to embed videos, video plugins come in all sorts of different shapes and sizes, making it easy to implement video into web projects.

You can find these plugins as well anything else you need for your next creative project on Envato Market. And if you can't find exactly what you're looking for, consider one of the many code tutorials, courses, or eBooks.

Have you used video in any of your recent web projects?