Let's get one thing out in the open before we start. These scripts are all VERY similar. So similar, in fact, that many of them are based on the same original code (some say PHPMotion). That being said, each video sharing platform has taken that first generation of YouTube Clone script and made it their own by adding features, creating new templates, fixing up bugs and holes, etcetera... The success of your site is also going to come down to your hard work and the quality of your host. We went through several FFMpeg hosting companies before we settled on APTHost as our favorite because they have less down time and 24-hour technical support, 1-800 numbers AND they are located in Canada (the rest we found were in India). But that's another comparison altogether so let's get back to our review of each video sharing software package:

Vshare YouTube Clone
This was the first YouTube Clone script we installed, and we were somewhat disappointed. They say you get what you pay for in life, and this was no exception. At $10 it was a great way for us to get our feet wet and see what these video sharing sites were all about. Although the features and design were almost identical to PHPMotion there was one BIG difference: The Code Was Encrypted. Basically these people stole the code from another script, probably PHPMotion or ClipShare, encrypted it so users would never be able to wean themselves off of their support, and then charged you $10 for what you could have got for free from PHPMotion. That is why they get our lowest possible score.

ClipShare Video Sharing
Clipshare was the second video sharing script we installed, and we were fairly happy with the design and features. Although developed from the same base-code as Vshare, ClipShare is more fully evolved (especially the most recent version). There are the same vulnerabilities associated with any code that is based on open source, but ClipShare has done a better job (recently) of closing up those security holes. What really hurt this clone script in our review was the poor customer service, and the fact that the owners have been repeatedly accused of deleting unflattering forum posts by their own customers. For the price, go with a code base that was custom-developed from scratch, or - if we are to believe they were the first - at least one that hasn't been copied all over the internet.

Rayzz Multi-Media Sharing
Rayzz is probably the strongest script we've seen in terms of developing a mix of video sharing and online community features. If you are looking to build a pure video sharing website this probably isn't the software/script for you. But if you are planning on bigger things and want to stand out from the thousands of other YouTube Clones out there, Rayzz is well worth the extra dough. When you consider that it isn't all that much more than ClipShare and MediaMax, Rayzz becomes the clear choice. However, if you have a small budget and are just looking to get something up quick, one of the open-source or less-expensive options might be a better choice.

MediaMax Script
This is an interesting YouTube Clone because, at first, we thought it was a completely original script. After paying for it, we realized it was a very recent rebranding of Video Watch Pro. The difference in the MediaMax version includes a better design and some extra features like picture sharing and PHPBB forum integration. Of course, you'll pay for those differences with an extra $100. The worst part about this place is that they have some of the worst customer service I've ever seen. Seriously, unless you want to be reduced to blind rage or tears, DO NOT BUY MEDIAMAX and I'm guessing the same goes for VideoWatch Pro.

PHPMotion
What can we say about this You Tube Clone other than you get what you pay for? It happens to be free, and for that reason it is widely distributed, buggy and full of security holes. It is a GREAT way to get your feet wet, but remember that moving over user accounts and videos to a different platform when you outgrow PHPMotion is going to be difficult and expensive. Our advice, unless you plan on having your own developers totally tweak out this base code, is to spend the money and go with something like Rayzz. Still, it is hard for us to say anything bad about something that is FREE.

Other Scripts worth mentioning are php melody by phpsugar (music sharing), phpfox, AlstraSoft eFriends, and Dolphin (All social networking / community sites).