In this blog post we are going to review fifteen podcast platforms to give you an idea of what your options are for hosting services.
We will be covering five categories for each one: Storage, distribution, marketing, monetization, analytics, and price.
Before we get started, let’s go over what those terms mean, along with what we mean when we say hosting podcast platforms
What do Podcast Platforms for Hosting do
Your podcast host has two main missions! The first is to manage and store all the important information of your podcast. The second is the distribution of your podcast on all listening platforms. 🌍
Once you have finished recording your episode, you must upload your audio file to your hosting platform. Your platform will then create an RSS feed.
An RSS feed is like the identity card of your podcast. In it, you will find all its metadata! That is to say the description of your episodes, your images, your titles, your name and email address, the URL of your website… And it is this RSS feed, which will allow you to be listened to on all listening platforms. 🎧
How does it work in practice? When you upload a new podcast episode on your host, your RSS feed is automatically updated. This means that your audio file and all your metadata are added to the feed.
The listening platforms will then automatically check your RSS feed for changes. They can then update their catalog and update your show. 🔁
And there you have it, your podcast is on the air! 📡
Key Categories in Podcast Platforms
Before we jump into the reviews, let’s make sure we are all on the same page when it comes to what the categories are.
Storage
One big responsibility of podcast hosting platforms is that they store your episodes so they are accessible via the RSS feed of podcast listening directories. For our purposes today, storage means both how much you can upload and how much your listeners can download.
For uploads, hosting platforms may restrict your storage in three different ways. First, they may say you can only host one podcast or a certain number of podcasts. Second, they may say that you can only upload a certain number of episodes every month– they may even limit how long an episode can be. Third, they may describe actual file data limits in terms megabyties and gigabytes.
For downloads, hosting platforms may refer to limits in terms of episode downloads or in terms of bandwidth. Episodes is pretty straight forward– it is how many times an episode gets downloaded. Bandwidth is slightly more complicated. Bandwidth is described by file size. So for example, let’s say your hosting platform says your bandwidth cap is 500MB. If your episode file is 10MB, then the hosting platform will allow 50 downloads. If your episode file is 1MB, then the hosting platform will allow 500 downloads.
Distribution
Once your hosting platform creates an RSS feed link for your show, you can manually copy that link and paste it anywhere that takes an RSS feed. That is how some platforms try to get away with saying you can distribute your show to all the listening platforms in the world. While that is technically true, you are doing the work, not the hosting platform.
What we mean by distribution is when you upload a new episode, your hosting platform updates the listening platforms for you. Usually no clicks needed on your part, or may be just one.
Distribution is important because if your podcast is not distributed to a listening platform (think: Apple podcasts, Stitcher, Amazon, etc.) then the people who use that platform to listen to podcasts will not even be aware that your podcast exists!
Marketing
A hosting platform can be very effective at being a marketing engine too. After all it holds all the content of your show, plus it can be connected to just about anything that is also internet-based.
However, not many platforms besides Ausha take advantage of this. For the most part, platforms may offer some kind of website and say that it will help your search engine optimization. Some of them do not even do that much.
Monetization
Hosting platforms can play a role in monetizing your podcasts, usually through advertising of some sort. A few also are helpful with crowdfunding efforts. Some also have a private podcast feature which can be utilized as a paid membership channel.
Be careful though- hosting platforms may take a percentage of the money you bring in. Be sure to read the fine print!
Analytics
The RSS feed link is two way street. Besides your podcast hosting platform sending out your episodes, it can bring back podcast statistics from the listening platform about things like how many times it has been downloaded.
Of course your data is only as good as your distribution. If your hosting platform is only connecting with five or six listening platforms, you are only going to get listener data from those platforms.
Pricing Plans
This part is all about the money. Usually hosting platforms will have three pricing plans and the more expensive the plan is, the more features it has. Some platforms have fewer than three, and some have more.
15 podcast platforms for 2024
Ausha, the all-in-on podcast and marketing platform
Are we going to toot our own horn here? You betcha!
On the Ausha platform, you can make managing your podcast easy! From the moment you put it online, to its monetization, to its promotion, it gives you the best opportunities to succeed.
Storage
Unlimited. No matter what plan level you have. Unlimited storage, episodes, and downloads. No bandwidth limit.
Distribution
Your podcast can be distributed on all 20 great listening platforms in just a few clicks. You can even automatically broadcast your podcasts on YouTube and SoundCloud.
Marketing
For a podcast to survive and thrive, marketing is essential. Unfortunately, podcasters usually do not have time both create awesome episodes and do the necessary marketing. That is why we have developed marketing tools that a ton of save time, such as :
- the creation of mini video clips from extracts of your episodes, 🎥
- a 100% SEO optimized web page dedicated to your podcast, 💻
- A smartlink, our unique listening link that redirects users to any listening platform 🔗
- an automatic newsletter, 💌
- an audio player to integrate on your website. With this, your visitors will be able to listen to your episodes directly on your web page… 🎧
- A social media manager to simplify your communication on social networks! 📝
Monetization
At Ausha, we firmly believe that you should keep all the money you make through your monetization efforts. We do not take any cuts at all. You get 100%. Here are our tools:
- Website and Smartplayer crowdfunding links: The best time to convert one of your listeners into being one of your donors is… well, while they are listening! Put donation links straight on your Ausha created website and Smartplayer!
- Dynamic Ad Insertion: Place your ads in pre-roll, mid-roll, post-roll, anywhere! Super easy and intuitive.
- Ad Campaign Manager: Organize your various ad campaigns. Set time limits so an ad campaign stops automatically when it is supposed to.
- Privacy controls: You can limit who hears certain content (this is how you can create paid membership content).
Analytics
We offer advanced, real time statistics pulled from all the listening directories where you distribute your show. We put them all on the most intuitive and powerful dashboard on the market! 📈
Data includes downloads, unique listens, and completions, as well Info about your listeners and how they are reaching and listening to your content.
Pricing Plans
Here are the prices for our hosting, analytics, and marketing combined: The Launch plan ($13/month), the Boost plan ($29/month) or the Supersonic plan ($69/month).
There are also plans for companies and agencies!
Of course you can also do a 14-day trial, any time, no credit card required.
Buzzsprout
Buzzsprout is one of the classic hosting and podcasting platforms that offers the basic features of a web host!
Storage
Beware, here the storage of your audio files is not unlimited ⚠️
Depending on the price plan, you may only be about to upload two hours a month. On their highest plan, you can only upload twelve hours a month.
Distribution
Buzzsprout distributes to only 12 directories: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, iHeartRadio, TuneIn, Alexa, Overcast, PocketCasts, Castro, Castbox, and Podchaser.
Marketing
You can create a website for your podcast through Buzzsprout and get an embed player. It also will create visual soundbites for you.
Monetization
The closest thing that Buzzsprout has to monetization services is that it allows you to add or remove messages pre-roll and post-roll to any episodes.
Analytics
This hosting platform provides data on total downloads over time, the apps listeners are using to listen to your episodes, and where your listeners are located.
Pricing Plans
Buzzsprout’s free plan only lasts for 90 days and after that you need to chose a paid plan at $12/month, $18/month, and $24/month.
Anchor
Anchor is Spotify’s hosting platform. Everything is structured for you to create a podcast for Spotfiy and not really anything else.
Storage
Unlimited. There is no time limit either so your podcast can live on Anchor forever.
Distribution
It only distributes to Spotify automatically. For any other listening platform, you have to manually distribute.
Marketing
Anchor does not offer marketing services or tools.
Monetization
This hosting platform allows for exclusive, subscription based content, but it does charge your a fee for every subscritption. Also, once you get at least 50 listeners, you can sign up to read ads on your show. However, Anchor takes 30% of that ad revenue.
Analytics
Anchor only gives you data on your listeners who listen through Spotify.
Pricing Plans
Free. But again, this is just basically a place to host podcasts for Spotify.
Transistor:
Transitor was first created in 2018 and still has a small team of just four people which is pretty tiny compared to other podcast platforms.
Storage
While you can make unlimited podcasts and episodes, there is a monthly limit on downloads. The cheapest plan limits you to 20,000 downloads a month, the most expensive limits you 250,000 downloads a month.
Distribution
Transitor only provides one-click distibution to six listening platforms: Spotfiy, Apple, Google Podcasts, Podcast Addict, Breaker, and Player FM. It also distributes to YouTube.
Marketing
Transitor does not offer any marketing services or tools other than a webpage builder.
Monetization
Private podcasting is available through Tranistor. It also offers dynamic ad insertion for pre-roll, mid-roll, and post-roll advertising.
Analytics
This hosting platform provides the standard data that hosting platforms do, although they also offer an estimated subscriber number which based on the average of the first 24 hours of downloads of your last 3 episodes.
Price
This platform has 3 different plans: $19/month, $49/month and $99/month.
Castos
Castos is very similar to Transitor. It even has the same price plans!
Storage
Castos says it offers unlimited podcasts and episodes, but it does cap the number of downloads your podcast can get. For the lowest price plan the cap is 20,000 and for the highest to cap is 200,000.
Distribution
The company’s website says it automatically distributes your podcast to all the leading podcast directories, but the full list is not clear. It definitely distributes to Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, TuneIn, Pocket Casts, and Overcast.
Marketing
Castos does not offer marketing tools or services, but you can create a podcast webpage through it. It also offers a plugin for WordPress websites.
Monetization
It provides limited private subscriber access, capping it at 100 subscribers at its lowest price plan, then 250, then 500. It does not have any dynamic insertion service.
Analytics
It provides the standard analytics about downloads and listener data that you will find on mostpodcast platforms. They do promise listening duration data for web based streaming soon.
Pricing Plans
Like Transistor, the basic plan is $19/month, the medium plan is $49/month, and the advanced plan is $99/month.
PodBean
PodBean has been around awhile, at least compared to other podcast platforms. It started in 2006. It has hosted 660,000 podcasters over that time.
Storage
For its free plan, PodBean limits storage space to five hours total. That’s right, total. So you are going to have to purchase one of their paid plans. And yes, their paid plans to offer unlimited storage.
In terms of bandwidth, the free plan caps you at 100GB monthly. For their basic and medium plan, PodBeans says bandwidth is unmetered. For their biggest plan, you are capped at 3TB monthly.
Distribution
PodBean says its distribution is “all destination.” On its website is specifically lists: Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, and Spotify.
This hosting platform does offer a live-streaming option. It also distributes to Alexa devices.
Marketing
PodBean offers some promotion tools. You can connect your PodBean account to your social media and it will automatically post new episodes. You can also generate video clips. With its MailChimp integration, you can collect email addresses and automatically send new episodes via email. You can also make a podcast webpage through them.
Monetization
In its higher price plans, it allows you to make premium content and run a patron program, though it takes 15% of the money. It also has dynamic ad insertion, or your can sign up for their Ads Marketplace to get ads placed in your show. It is not clear how much of a percentage or fee PodBean takes in this situation.
Analytics
This hosting platform offers the standard analytics for podcasts. The company highlights its “user retention” data as unique. It shows the percentage of listeners retained over a few weeks.
Pricing Plans
This podcast platform’s cheapest plan is $14/month, its middle plan is $39/month, and its biggest plan is $99/month.
Captivate
Captivate is a British podcast platform and they even list the Church of England as a group they work with. Cheerio!
Storage
This hosting platform allows for unlimited podcasts and uploads. However it limits downloads. On its cheapest plan, you can have 30,000 downloads every month. On its most expensive, it allows you to have 300,000 downloads.
Distribution
Captivate’s website says it distributes to Apple, Spotify, and “every other podcast app.” It does not appear to distribute to YouTube.
Marketing
This company does offer some promotion services. It has an embeddable social player. It also offers customizable links, attributable link shorteners, and a tracked single promo link. It also has a WordPress plugin.
Monetization
Captivate does not list any monetization services or tools on its website.
Analytics
Captivate has the standard data as most podcast platforms, though it does note that the data is IAB certified which is very important.
Pricing Plans
Their cheapest plan is 19 euros/month. The middle one is 49 euros/month. The highest level one is 99 euros/month.
Libsyn
This podcast platform gets its name from merging “Liberation” and “Syndication.” It has been around for almost twenty years.
Storage
In its cheapest plan, you are limited to 3 hours and 162MB in new uploads per month. In its most expensive plan you are limited to 55 hours and 3000MB in new uploads per months. There are lots of plans in between with gradual increases in storage. All have unlimited bandwidth.
Distribution
Libsyn says it distributes to “all popular audience apps” and specifically lists Apple, Spotfiy, and Google. It does not appear to distribute to YouTube.
Marketing
This podcast platform lists “basic social promotion” for its two most basic plans, though what that entails is not clear. For its most popular plan, it does offer a social promotion scheduler. All plans include a podcast website and podcast player.
Monetization
Libsyn offers a service called “Libsyn Glow” that allows you to build a membership program. It also offers a service called “AdvertiseCast Marketplace” where you can promote your show to about 1,500 advertisers, if Libsyn accepts you into the marketplace. Any ad revenue you make there, Libsyn keeps 30%.
Analytics
Libsyn’s data analytics is IAB certifed. For Libsyn’s cheapest plan you only get a stats “snapshot.” At the next level, you get basic stats about your episode divided by daily and all time. At the next level and all the following levels, you get basic episode stats plus geographical information.
Pricing Plans
This podcast platform’s price plans range from $5/month to $150/month. Starting at $20/month you get all the features, all the higer levels have all the same features and only the storage limit increases.
Spreaker
This podcast platform is owned by iHeart, which is an American mass media corporation.
Storage
Spreaker’s most basic plan limits your storage to 100 hours. The next levels up are 500 hours and then 1,500 hours. Only their most expensive plan at $120/month has unlimited storage.
Distribution
Spreaker only auto-uploads to iHeartRadio, Spotify, and Apple podcasts.
Marketing
This podcast platform does not offer any marketing services and tools.
Monetization
Spreaker dynamically inserts ads into your podcasts, even if you are just starting your podcast. However, it is not clear how much money you receive from them for this.
Analytics
The data offered by Spreakers is pretty much standard, however it is restricted depending on what price plan you are on. Its free period and cheapest plan only provides basic data on downloads and listeners. At its $20/month level it gives data on: downloads, listeners, likes, followers, sources, and geolocations. Its most advanced data plan offers information on all those categories, plus what devices the listener used to hear the episode as well as something they call “evolution” which they base on “episodes’ cumulative plays and downloads over time, relative to their release date.”
Pricing Plans
This is one of those podcast platforms that offers a free plan, but it is so limited that it really is not a plan, but a trial period. Spreaker calls it their “Free Speech” plan and limits you to uploading 10 episodes.
Their paid plans start at $8/month, then increase to $20/month, $50/month, and $120/month.
RSS.com
Producing an RSS feed is the number one job of podcast platforms so this one is aptly named. They also like outer space and the color purple like we do.
Storage
Their website says that all their plans, including their free plan includes unlimited episodes, unlimited audio, and unlimited bandwidth (downloads).
Distribution
This podcast platform automatically distributes to Apple, Google, Spotify, Amazon, and Samsung. It looks like it also automatically submits your episodes to other podcast directories, but those are the only ones listed by name. It does not appear that it distributes to YouTube.
Marketing
Like many of podcast platforms, RSS.com does offer the ability to make a webpage for your podcast and an embedded player. It also offers one-click social media sharing, though it is not clear which social media networks are covered under this.
Monetization
This podcast platform does allow you to create a donation button to your show, linking a crowdfunding or payment website. It also has a dynamic ad insertion tool. It also has a ad marketplace called Podcorn where you can find advertisers. Podcorn takes 10% of your ad revenue.
Analytics
RSS.com offers standard insights for your podcast: “Overall downloads and trends; Episodes downloads and trends; Estimated number of followers Location of your listeners; Type of device used to download your show; Applications used to listen to your podcast.” It also gives you the option to to export and download your podcast’s metrics in a CSV format.
Pricing Plans
This company offers the very basics for their free plan. The catch is that they will add their own advertising to your show. It does not seem like you get any cut of the ad revenue, which is a bummer.
They only have one main plan and that is $15/month. The difference between this plan and the free one is that you do have the option of monetizing your podcast through sponsors.
Resonate
Resonate was founded in 2014 and is based in Louisville, Kentucky. The company does a lot of different things including podcast launching, producing, and editing. They also have a hosting podcast platform– which is what we are here to talk about today!
Storage
For all of its plans (there are only two and they are relatively high priced), there is unlimited episodes and unlimited downloads.
Distribution
Like many other podcast platforms, Resonate says it distributes to all the top podcasting directories but it is not entirely clear what the full list is. They do list by name Apple Podcasts, Google, Spotify, and Stitcher.
Marketing
Resonate’s hosting platform does not have any marketing tools besides an automatically created “microsite” aka webpage (only available in their Premium plan) and an embed player. As a larger company, Resonate offers marketing services like Advanced Show Notes for $99, Audiogram for $50, etc.
Monetization
This hosting platform does offer a dynamic ad insertion tool. It also offers private hosting options.
Analytics
According to their website, Resonate’s hosting platform does have an analytics dashboard, but it is not clear what data is actually collected and shown.
Pricing Plan
Resonate offers a 14-day free trial period and then you have to pick a plan. You only have two to chose from: Basic ($25/month) and Premium ($49/month). The only difference between the two is that with the Premium plan you get a microsite and dynamic ad insertion.
Simplecast
Simplecast is the native hosting platform for Pandora and Stitcher. It has been around for about seven years though it has changed through the years.
Storage
This hosting platform has unlimited audio storage, even stating “Who are we to put limits on your creativity?!” but watch out because that does not mean unlimited downloads and bandwidth. The download limits are 20,000, 50,000, and 120,000 per month as the price level increases.
Distribution
Obviously it distributes to Pandora and Stitcher. It also says it distributes to Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, and “many more.”
Marketing
Like most podcast platforms, Simplecast offers and embed player as well as the ability to create a website. It also has a tool called “Recast” that allows podcasters and listeners to create a custom clip of an episode and post it to social media.
Monetization
This hosting platform does not any monetization tools, including no private option for premium content.
Analytics
Simplecast has the standard podcast data, but access to it increases with the cost of the pricing plan. For example, data from your embed player is only available in their midddle level plan.
Pricing Plans
Speaking of pricing plans, Simplecast offers three. The first is Basic at $15/month. The second is Essential at $35/month. The biggest is Growth at $85/month.
bCast
This hosting platform is designed “for marketers, by marketers.” Sounds very… markety! Let’s check it out.
Storage
The platform has a pretty small cap for downloads, at least for its first level plan. It only allows for 10,000 downloads a month. That grows to 50,000 in the mid plan and then finally hits unlimited with their most expensive plan.
It does allow unlimited storage of episodes, but it caps how may different podcasts you can host. The first level plan only allows for one podcast.
Distribution
This company only does one-click distribution to twelve listening directories and notably it does not provide this for Apple Podcasts or Spotify. It does distribute to YouTube in its more advanced price plans.
Marketing
bCast automatically creates a website for your podcast and provides an embed player. It also has Episode Title Split Testing, limited automatic episode transcription, and an email opt-in tool.
The downside in terms of marketing and branding is that bCast puts its logo on your show unless you pay for their highest price plan at $75. Ahhh now we see that “made by marketers” shining through.
Monetization
bCast does allow for some private content so you can use that for premium memberships. Besides that, it does not offer any others.
Analytics
bCast offers the same podcast data as most podcast platforms. It lists: How many people listen to your show? How many people download your episodes? How many people are subscribed to your show? Where these people are? Which application or browser they are using to listen to your show? Which device they are using to listen to your show?
Pricing Plans
The plans that bCast offers are Starter ($15/month), Growth ($35/month), and Legendary ($75/month).
Blubrry
This company is based in Columbus, Ohio and yes, its FAQ page addresses why there are no E’s in the title: “In the early 2000’s, when the company was established, it was actually in vogue to drop vowels from names. Since it represents part of our company heritage, we’ve kept it. In case you were wondering… the name is pronounced just like the fruit.”
Who among us does not have regrets from the early 2000s.
Storage
Blubrry offers unlimited bandwidth for downloads for its first two level. However it limits how much you can upload. In its first level plan, you are capped at 125MB storage. The next level’s cap is 400MB.
Interestingly, for its highest plan ($100/month) there is no storage limit, but there is a download bandwidth limit at 1TB per month.
Distribution
The website says Blubrry distributes everywhere you get your podcasts and lists the following specifically: Apple, Spotify, Google, Amazon, TuneIn, iHeart, Pandora, Deezr.
Marketing
Blubrry’s marketing tools are pretty much limited to WordPress. It will create a landing page or even a whole WordPress website for your podcast. It also has a WordPress plugin called PowerPress Podcasting Plugin (say that five times fast!)
Monetization
Blubrry does offer private podcasting content, although its emphasis seems to be more focused on securing potentially sensitive content rather than a membership model. It does offer dynamic ad insertion, but only at its highest level plan which starts $100/month.
Analytics
The data provided by Blubrry is pretty standard for podcast platforms. However they do offer a pre-made listener survey that you can send to your listeners to learn more details about them.
Pricing Plans
The Standard plan is $12/month. The Advanced plan is$20/month. The Pro plan is $100/month.
PodServe
PodServe does not provide much info about themselves at all on their website, though it seems like a poor guy named Tyler is doing all the blog post writing, tech help, and general correspondence. You go Tyler!
Storage
PodServe offers unlimited storage in terms of uploads, including having episodes that are as long as you want. However does limit its bandwidth to 2,000GB month with the option of adding 3,000GB per month for $20.
Distribution
While the company says it distributes to all podcast platforms, in its FAQ section, it only lists Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, and Pandora.
Marketing
The only marketing service PodServe provides is that it will randomly promote your show on its own listing platform, PodParadise.com, which has a self-reported average of 5,000 visits per day.
Monetization
PodServe does not provide any monetizing tools for its hosting platform users. It simply advises them to check out the Podcorn ads marketplace.
Analytics
The data that PodServe offers is on the minimal side. It is only “the time, geographical location, and listening app used for every download that your podcast receives.”
Pricing Plan
There is only one pricing plan. It is $19/month. You can do a 14-day trial without a credit card.
Summary
Whew, that was a lot of information, right? And it is always changing! That is why it is important to do your research and figure out which one is the best for you.
Of course, you could make it easy for yourself and go with Ausha. We say that lightheartedly, but we do believe it. After all, that’s why we started offering our services in America in 2022. We are confident that our platform combines everything you need to efficiently grow your podcast audience.
We are not marketers first, we are podcasters first.
We know that listeners around the world want to hear what you have to say. That is why we distribute your podcast globally, not just to a few podcast directories.
We also know that video is probably the future of podcasting– that’s why we do not cap your storage limits and we distribute straight to YouTube.
We know that marketing is crucial for a successful podcast, but you do not want to spend a ton of time on it. After all, you too are a podcaster, not a marketer.
That is why we have folded marketing tools right into our hosting platform. It makes everything simpler and more efficient. You do not have to buy any additional marketing services or every read the latest marketing hacks– our engineers are always working to find small, almost invisible ways to get the algorithms of the internet to love your content.
When you take into consideration or email tool, etc., our platform replaces an average of five separate marketing tools. That means saving you a ton of time and money.
We leave you with that for today. Happy podcasting!
[elementor-template id=”19425″ Independents
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