If you’ve been around the podcasting space for a bit, you’ve likely heard people discuss the merits of podcast hosting services like Libsyn, Blubrry, Podiant, Spreaker, RedCircle, PodBean, Buzzsprout, Castos, Simplecast, SoundCloud (tip: don’t use SoundCloud for hosting podcasts, and several others. This post aims to objectively lay out the pros and cons of the top solutions to help with your decision.

In any case, we hope to help simplify the process with this comprehensive overview of why you need a podcast host, how to pick a podcast host, and what makes some of the options stand out amongst the pack. We’ll also help explain just why a free podcast hosting option may not be what it seems.

Why do you need a podcast hosting service?

To put it simply, the main reason you need a podcast hosting service is so you don’t have to worry about how your podcast is getting stored and shared. Podcast hosting services are engineered specifically for the type of content you will be recording and sharing and have features built in to eliminate some of the technological aspects of creating a podcast.

In addition to the ability to share to multiple distributors with RSS feeds, podcast hosting services can also simplify the process of adding cover art and descriptions, embedding or sharing files on social media or other websites and can even automatically optimize your audio to be the right file formats and sizes for your listeners.

Many of the best podcast hosting services are also committed to the podcast community and work tirelessly to update and improve their offerings to satisfy current trends. As you’ll see as we go into more detail about some of the best services, many of the top options have very similar offerings available, and it is the more niche, new features being rolled out that may help you decide where to host.

Maybe you are a show that would benefit from automatic transcription, so a hosting service that integrates directly with a place to do that will be helpful. Maybe you are making a longer show that needs chapter markers. Whatever it may be, chances are another podcaster has the same needs and there is a podcast hosting service that is one step ahead of you and already has the feature integrated.

Of course, not everyone wants or needs to be spending $100.00 a year for hosting, and there are plenty of free podcast hosting services as well. However, like all free things in life, you may notice that the storage space, speed, and availability of features in these plans are somewhat limiting. And is that what you want in your podcast hosting service?

You may also learn that free options pay for themselves by putting ads in your episodes that you didn’t approve and aren’t seeing any profit from. Be cautious of free plans and realize that if you want your podcast to grow, stand out amongst the competition, and be as enjoyable as possible for your listeners, the small investment will pay off in the long run.

Why can’t I use my website to host my podcast?

If you are a new podcaster exploring options of where to host your episodes, the thought of simply hosting them on your own website or even in Dropbox or Google Drive may have crossed your mind. Podcasting host services exist for a reason, both technical and financial.

Related reading: how to start a podcast

Podcasts typically are shared and distributed with a Really Simple Syndication (RSS) feed, a common system for online publishers to distribute content to Internet users. When you download a podcast from Stitcher, Google Play, or Apple Podcasts, the podcast hasn’t actually been updated individually to those platforms. Instead, the RSS feed was shared with each library and when a new episode is uploaded to the creator’s podcast hosting service, it is automatically pushed out to all of the audiences. Most websites or storage options that are not meant for podcasting are not suited for this and don’t have the bandwidth.

As you read on, you’ll learn that podcast hosting typically provides more than just a place to store files. If you think you don’t need the extra services, there are free options available that will still be easier to use, more effective for reaching new audiences, and less prone to issues than the systems you might use to store other files.

Our favorite podcast hosting services

Don’t want to read the entire analysis? Here’s our quick winner:

Buzzsprout —  a simple, intuitive, and feature-rich podcast host perfect for most podcasters.

Starter plan comparisons

As you can see from the rows of check marks in the table above, a lot of the best podcast hosting services offer similar features and are mostly differentiated by their price and some of the specialty options that they have available. We’ll now go more in depth into these several options, as well as a handful of newer companies or more specialized podcast hosts that are starting to make a splash.

Buzzsprout

Buzzsprout is one of the places you can host your podcast for free, offering competitively priced plans with various amounts of storage and bandwidth. The free plan removes episodes after 90 days, so while it might be nice for a breaking news show or as a trial run, we suspect you’ll grow out of that option early.

Buzzsprout’s main selling point is that it is clean, easy to use and understand, and more modern than some competitors. From the statistics offered to the easy-to-create websites, the platform feels very “21st century” in the fonts, colors, and aesthetics. Even though it has been around for a decade, the vibe feels very much like a start-up, which can be really appealing.

Buzzsprout also provides an audio transcription service, starting at $0.10 per minute, which is competitively priced compared to other similar services. They are one of the few platforms to have this option integrated directly into their dashboard.

Read our full Buzzsprout review.

Deal: Sign up for Buzzsprout and get a $20 Amazon card.

Alitu

Alitu, the podcast maker, is NOT just another place to host your podcast. While Alitu’s hosting options are robust and free for any user for up to 1k downloads, the platform does so much more to get new and time-strapped podcasters up and running.

Unique from other podcast hosting providers, Alitu, is an end-to-end podcast creation software where you can record, edit, produce, publish and HOST all from the same place. Not only will you get free hosting with any paid subscription, but you won’t have to shell out extra money for all the other tools necessary to create a podcast. Alitu also provides a highly accurate and fast transcription tool at no extra cost to subscribers. Talk about value. Right?

The best bit? It will save you time so you can focus on other important aspects of podcasting, such as promotion or booking your next guest. Alitu also provides audio transcription at no extra cost, and with new features launching every couple of months, it’s even harder to put a price on that value. 

Alitu is a highly preferred podcast editing software by startups, individuals, and SMEs. The pricing starts from USD $27 per month for a yearly subscription.

RedCircle

RedCircle is the podcast hosting platform that puts the creator first.

The company has been around since 2018 and has been growing quickly. They’re focused on helping their creators grow and monetize their Podcasts.

That RedCircle, unlike many other podcast hosts, is so focused on growing its business right alongside the bevy of creators on its platform is both novel and refreshing. Quite frankly, it’s a philosophy we really dig.

RedCircle makes money when its creators make money. Period. Even their free tier offering has sophisticated ways to monetize a podcast. RedCircle is unique in that it allows anyone to create a podcast for free — no matter how small or large your audience is today — and allows you to monetize from day one using pre-roll, mid-roll, and post-roll ads.

As your audience grows, so does your income potential.

In addition to the free tier, paid hosting plans start at $9/month or $30/month (all plans include unlimited bandwidth and distribution). There are additional monetization options available through:

• RedCircle’s Ad Platform (RAP)
• Cross Promotions With Like-minded Podcasters
• Subscriptions and Pay Walls
• Donations

Libsyn

Libsyn launched in 2004 before you probably even knew podcasts existed. They are one of the original and most popular podcast hosts and help podcasters of all levels quickly create and share work.

As of late, Libsyn has given its offering a facelift that has made it much more attractive, adding to what was already a robust podcast hosting offering.

The in-depth tutorial, aptly named “How to Start a Podcast,” walks anyone looking to grow a show from how to hone a concept through the technicals of creation and promotion. Soon they will also be covering that oh-so-sweet concept of monetization. All within one helpful guide, which beats searching through random YouTube tutorials. Although they have spent a lot of time on their YouTube channel, that’s also a helpful resource.

On the software side, Libsyn now features an all-in-one recording studio that requires a simple USB mic to create a high-quality podcast. Integrated Canva templates make creating your episode cover art a breeze. An embeddable podcast player makes sharing and promoting your episodes easier than ever.

Plans begin at only $5/month, and the offerings have caught up to the competition. They are an established veteran worth considering if money is your top deciding factor.

PodBean

PodBean has a great basic plan for $9/month, as well as a smaller plan for just $3/month that is a step up from some free options. Their analytics are very visual, which can make them easy to understand and can also be really helpful for sharing with potential partners or advertisers. They have other features that may be appealing to podcasters looking to monetize, like a Patron service that is similar to Patreon in that it allows for a paywall on certain content.

PodBean truly has one of the widest arrays of features available, although some features only come at the higher priced plans. Still, the basic plan is a great, reliable option that podcasters big and small will love and find more than sufficient.

Read our full PodBean review, Libsyn vs. PodBean

Deal: First month free with code “discoverpods”.

Blubrry

In our recent full review of Blubrry, we spoke highly of their Powerpress option that allows for seamless publishing with WordPress websites and their support line where you can actually talk to a person, rather than wait for an email response. They also provide a free WordPress website for new customers if you don’t already have one.

Price wise, it falls right about at the middle of the pack and while it may not be flashy, Blubrry remains an excellent choice for podcasters. They offer a wide array of pricing options, so it is important to decide what your podcast future looks like before locking into a yearly plan. While the $12/month basic plan will be sufficient for some, larger networks of shows also have options up to $80 per month.

Blubrry is a veteran in the hosting space and really all about the simplicity of its interface and the speed of “post – upload – publish” with Powerpress.
One key differentiator, is they are one of the few players currently IAB certified, helping standardize the podcast analytics.

Read our full Blubrry review, Blubrry vs. PodBean

Deal: First month free with code “discoverpods”.

Castos

Castos may not be as recognizable of a name as some of the other options, but their WordPress integration is rivaled only by Blubrry in terms of ease of use, and they also do offer unlimited bandwidth and storage at only $15/month.

Castos has an automated import process that users switching from a competitor to their platform to easily move content over, and they also have an integrated Youtube publishing option that can convert your audio into video files that can be shared with the click of a button.

Don’t eliminate Castos simply because it costs a couple dollars more than some similar platforms. It is one of the few options out there that really does differentiate itself with the features available, and we think they’re worth an extra $30 a year.

Deal: First month free with code “discoverpods”.

Captivate.fm

Captivate is a relatively newcomer to the podcast hosting space from the UK. They are certainly making waves in the space and claim that if you move to their service, you’re going to stick there. In fact, one of their testimonials states that they tried seven different podcast hosts before landing on Captivate.fm.

Bold.

While they don’t offer a free plan, they do offer a 7 day free trial so you can get used to their platform. Before signing up, you can take a look at their extensive library of content designed to help independent podcasters grow their audience.

Since so many podcasts fail before reaching the fifth episode, having a host that is focused on your success makes a lot of business sense.

Here are some of the key things that make Captivate.fm worth a look:

1. Growth-oriented: Captivate.fm is designed to help podcasters grow their audience and build their brand. It offers a range of marketing and analytics tools to help podcasters track their growth and make data-driven decisions.
2. User-friendly: Captivate.fm has a simple, intuitive interface that makes it easy for podcasters to upload, publish, and manage their episodes. It also offers a range of customizable player options, so podcasters can match their player to their branding.
3. Podcast website: With Captivate.fm, podcasters can create a custom podcast website that integrates seamlessly with their hosting platform. This allows podcasters to have a dedicated website for their show that is fully customizable and easy to manage.
4. Support: Captivate.fm offers excellent customer support, with a team of podcasting experts on hand to answer any questions and help users troubleshoot any issues.
5. Pricing: Captivate.fm offers transparent pricing with no hidden fees. It also offers unlimited storage and bandwidth, so podcasters can upload as many episodes as they like without worrying about extra costs. If you pay annually, the starter plan sits right in the middle of the pack at $17 a month.
   
   To that end, Captivate does want some commitment from their content creators, but they return the favor with quite a bit of training and resources.

Overall, Captivate.fm is a podcast host that prioritizes the needs of podcasters and offers a range of features to help you, as an indie podcaster, succeed. Overall, Captivate.fm is a host we’re going to be doing a deeper dive on with a full review in the near future, but for now, it’s certainly worth a look as a paid podcast host.

Podiant

Podiant is one of the few podcasts that offers truly unlimited storage and bandwidth, and they won’t price you out or increase your rates as your listenership and following grows. Podiant has great statistics and analytics and offers users a free podcast website (but who doesn’t these days).

One way they do stand out is their Production Assistant system, which can help with scripting, reviewing and adding notes to edits and more all from your Podiant dashboard. For larger podcasts with precise scripts or lots of guests coming in and out, or for shows with hosts in different cities, this can be especially helpful with organization. We’ll also give props to Podiant for offering websites that are also pretty nice to look at and have more of an aesthetic focus than some competitors.

In addition to the basic $12.99/month plan, Podiant offers professional plans that allow you to host more than one podcast with a single account and provide you with one on one technical support.

Deal: Get 25% off your first 3 months with code “discoverpods”.

Spreaker

Spreaker’s plans are for total audio storage, rather than monthly limits, which can be beneficial or restricting. The $6 per month On-Air Talent plan allows for 100-hours of storage, which would be great for a show planning to only release a single season but would only last a little over a year for a weekly show with longer episodes. The Broadcaster plan, priced at $18 per month, increases to 500-hours of storage and the Anchorman plan allows for 1,500 hours of storage. It is easy to switch from one plan to another, so if you max out your storage you can just level up. 

A key differentiator for Spreaker is the ability to manage multiple podcasts through a single account. They’re also one of the few podcast hosts to have  their statistics IAB certified — a growing standard in the industry.

Spreaker offers live podcasting on all their plans (with time caps varied by plan), which is a new feature offered by some hosting services that will certainly be appealing to hosts looking to take live calls or interact more closely with their audiences. While they do not currently offer customized websites, you do get advanced distribution capabilities including embeddable players with all plans so it is easy to share episodes on other web platforms. Spreaker also has a monetization program through dynamic ad insertion. It works as a revenue-sharing program in which the podcaster gets 60% of the ad revenue, and Spreaker keeps 40% of it.

Other Podcast Hosts To Consider

Transistor.fm

Transistor sets to differentiate themselves from competitors by offering the ability to create unlimited podcasts within a single plan. You can add additional users per podcast as well, making it a great option for teams and small networks with multiple shows. The platform, analytics, customizable websites and other features are all very cleanly designed and easy to navigate. 

Transistor has download limits on their unlimited plans, with the lowest being 15,000 downloads on their $19 per month Starter Plan, but promises never to shut off an account if a download cap is reached, which is a nice touch. Instead, they’ll contact you and allow you to easily upgrade your plan. Those upgrades include the $49 per month Professional plan (75,000 monthly downloads) and $99 per month Business plan (200,000 monthly downloads). 

Simplecast

Simplecast is taking a big and bold approach, with a modern design aesthetic that looks more like a high end gym or streetwear brand than a podcast hosting service. But, don’t be distracted by the bold fonts — with a $15 per month unlimited plan and two-week trial with no credit card required, they clearly mean business. Simplecast also offers tools aimed at growing podcasts in their $35 per month Essential plan and $85 per month Growth plan, including more advanced analytics, collaboration tools and an increase in the number of included monthly downloads. 

Simplecast also offers Professional and Enterprise plans for larger volume shows, which is rare for some of the newer podcast hosting platforms out there. You have to contact Simplecast’s sales team for pricing, but working with a growing host could be a great option for a growing podcast network looking to get competitive pricing and lots of access to customer support. 

bCast

bCast is a podcast host built for marketers, by self-confessed marketers, Tom Hunt and Neil Morgan. Their unique pitch is they build every feature around making your podcast more profitable. A few notable features:

• Automated transcription for SEO growth
• Audio inserts to easily add calls to action or sponsor ads to the start or end of any episode for any period of time in a few clicks
• Custom domains to allow you to host your podcast website on your own domain or subdomain
• Auto opt-in which is a smooth strategy for converting listeners (downloads) into leads (email addresses)

bCast plans start at $15 per month, which gives access to most features and 10,000 downloads per month, plans scale up to unlimited podcasts, downloads, premium support and the ability to remove branding for $75 per month.

Fireside

A platform that is quickly gaining popularity is Fireside, which was founded in 2016 and is working to grow their network by offering a competitively priced unlimited plan and a seamless, 1-click hosting platform transfer process. Their standard plan is $19 per month for unlimited storage, with a cap at 75,000 downloads per month. The plan is definitely worth considering, especially if you are looking for a plan that also includes a robust, customizable website builder. In addition to the Standard plan, there is a $9 per month starter plan and a $49 per month Professional plan, where downloads are unlimited and you can work with up to 10 collaborators. 

Which podcast host is right for you?

We hope that this list helped narrow things down a bit, but chances are you are still facing a dilemma and are having a tough time choosing between a couple options. Take these final tips to heart when deciding where to host your show.

First, think about the growth you want your show to have and what platform will allow for that. If you are confident that you may need a plan larger than a basic plan in six months, look for a host that will allow you to upgrade. If you think this podcast is mostly just a hobby, consider a lower priced plan and save a bit on hosting that could instead be invested in slightly nicer podcast recording equipment.

Second, consider the websites. If you already have a personal website that is run through WordPress, Blubrry and Castos automatically stand out as front runners. If you don’t have a website, look at samples of each platforms websites and decide what you like best aesthetically.

Finally, remember that you can switch. Podcast hosts know that the space they operate in is very competitive, and they make it easy to seamlessly move your files from one host to another (usually for free). While this is an important decision to make, you are buying a hosting service, not a house, and ultimately the best way to choose between the top options is to go with your gut, see which hosts some of your favorite shows use, and go with the option that feels right to you.

Podcast Hosting FAQs

What is podcast hosting?

Regardless of where you find your podcasts, from Apple to Spotify to Stitcher, the audio files have to be stored — or hosted — somewhere. You may have heard of some of the most popular podcast hosting services, like Podbean, Blubrry and Buzzsprout, and a quick Google search will reveal dozens more options catering to podcasts both big and small. 

The primary benefit of a podcast hosting platform is that it provides the ability to share files automatically with multiple distributors using an RSS feed. This means that when you upload your new episodes to your podcast host, they can be easily pushed out to any platform you’ve set your feed up with, rather than having to upload to multiple platforms individually. Cover art, descriptions and data like downloads and listenership also all can be managed with your podcast host. 

In addition to pricing, storage space allotment and ease of use, you’ll find that podcast hosts differentiate themselves with a variety of helpful features like easy-to-build podcast websites, social media integration, post scheduling and in-depth statistics. 

Can I host my podcast on my website?

If you have a personal, business or even a website exclusively built for your podcast established, you may be considering simply using that site to host the files. While you may find a way to do this and potentially save a few dollars, the storage space and bandwidth required to host a growing podcast will quickly add up and you’ll realize it is not an effective or reliable way to host your files.  

Some popular website creation sites, like Squarespace and WordPress, have RSS publishing capabilities available that work well and are relatively easy for smaller podcasters. Again, storage and bandwidth will be an issue as your site grows but if you are dedicated to putting your audio files directly on your website consider an easy to use platform like Squarespace. 

Podcast hosting services are not the same as other file storage, so you cannot use a platform like Dropbox or Google Drive for your podcast (although these tools are very useful for collaborating while you are recording your episodes). 

Can I use SoundCloud to host my podcast?

The short answer to the question of whether you can use SoundCloud to host a podcast is yes, but you may not want to. SoundCloud is a streaming service, rather than a service built for hosting podcasts, and you will run into various obstacles if you decide to host with SoundCloud. 

While SoundCloud is free, you will be limited to three hours of uploaded audio per month. For musicians, this is typically more than enough, but podcasters will quickly run out. The free option also does not provide any statistics or the ability to schedule postings, which are both useful capabilities for podcasters. Paid plans are $7/month for SoundCloud Pro, or $15/month for SoundCloud Pro Unlimited, in which case it makes more sense to use a comparably priced dedicated podcast host. 

You don’t need to take my word on it, either. Steve Wilson, head of marketing for Apple Podcasts, discourages podcaster from using SoundCloud as their podcast host.

That being said, it doesn’t hurt to upload episodes to SoundCloud as a supplemental place for listeners to find your content. SoundCloud has a great social component and is actively growing their podcast capabilities, so it is a good platform to get familiar with. 

Related reading: SoundCloud alternatives for hosting podcasts

Which podcast host is right for me?

You can choose your podcast host strictly based on cost, but you’ll be better off if you look at the bigger picture and see what the benefit add of some of the top plans are. For example, Buzzsprout offers discounted audio transcription for podcasts using their service, and Castos has integrated Youtube publishing. Think about what you will really need when you are podcasting and what your goals are and then factor in the extra perks with how much you value them.

If you are setting up a podcast that you expect will have large listenership off the bat, we recommend an established host like Buzzsprout or Podbean because of the unlimited monthly storage and comprehensive podcast analytics. If you are not worried about maxing out your bandwidth or storage, take some time to look through all the options out there to see what interface feels right.   

How much does podcast hosting cost?

In most cases, expect to be paying around $10.00 to $15.00 / month for podcast hosting. If you are working with video, or looking to host a large commercial podcast, that rate will be higher depending on your specific needs. 

Most hosting sites will allow you to either increase your plan capacity if you are running out of space or provide an option for a one-time purchase of extra storage. Check your plan details before signing up if you are not sure exactly how much space you’ll need. 

You’ll also notice that some plans have hourly storage limits while others have limits based on file sizes. Episode file sizes can vary a lot based on the recording and exported file specifics, but a very rough ballpark is that a 60-minute spoken podcast will be around 50MB. 

Can I use a free podcast host?

If you are just starting out with a new podcast, looking to see if you have any audience at all, and are not even sure you’ll want to make more than a few episodes then by all means use a free podcast hosting plan offered by a reliable service. Buzzsprout, Libsnn and Soundcloud are just a few options you could use to try out podcasting for free.

Make sure you are using a platform that will allow you to move to a different plan though when you are ready to start growing your podcast! 

Related reading: best free podcast hosting

Where should I publish my podcast?

In our guide to podcast hosting services, we explain the pros and cons of some of the best podcast hosting platforms for any budget. Blubrry, Castos Simplecast and many other services have offers for a free first month, which can be helpful if you want to see exactly what a podcast host is capable of before committing. It tends to be pretty easy to transition from one host to another with integrated file transfer services and most plans are monthly, so remember that while this decision is important, you are not locked in for life. 

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