Ideally, these places provide an easy way to upload audio files, generate an RSS feed for these files, distribute that RSS feed, and provide a place where an audience can listen. Other features a hosting service might provide are analytics, ad integration, and a website for your podcast. There are a lot of options for podcast hosts, both free and paid. If you don’t want to spend money to host your podcast, here are some free podcast hosting options.

Essentially, where can I upload podcasts?

You can upload podcasts at a hosting service of your choice. Some are paid, but many offer free options so you can launch a test balloon of your show before committing money.

A free podcast hosting service acts as the home for your show. Just like a website needs a hosting provider, podcasts also need some way to help store and distribute the podcast audio files. Though most have cost tiers associated with them, and you can read about our favorite podcast hosting services here, several have more affordable options and some even provide free podcast hosting. Below is a list of the pros and cons and reviews of the best free podcast hosting services.

In general, podcast hosting services:

• Create an easy method to upload audio files
• Generate an RSS feed to describe the files as well as establishes file locations for download
• Distributes your podcast RSS feed to iTunes (Apple Podcasts), Google Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, and more
• Provides a server where listeners can go and find the audio files

Another way to look at hosting is it serves as a vehicle that transports the show from its upload to its storage to its distribution and finally to its analytics as well as potential money-making opportunities. The host helps simplify everything in the creation and management process.

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.

What to Look for with Podcast Hosting Free of Charge

Best Practices and How to Start a Podcast

In addition to its means as a platform that stores your important mp3 files and data, free services are also geared toward startup shows and traditionally has a lot of extra features and resources. These services may provide valuable tutorials and other reading material to learn more about what makes a good podcast and how to improve the overall quality of the audio recording. If you’re just starting out, make sure to check out our guide on how to start a podcast.

Podcast Analytics

Though the analytics for a podcast are basic at the free podcast hosting level, they can still help deliver important information and where and how your generating an audience as well as build upon that audience. The goal is to eventually have enough listeners that you can turn a profit on the podcast, though many still do it simply for the hobby of podcasting.

Pitfalls of Free Podcast Hosting

There are many other advanced features that are sometimes included with a free version and other times only granted to podcasters with paid accounts. These include a blog or website for listeners to stop in and visit, methods for listener feedback, automatic uploads to popular directories (Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, etc.) and customer service for any questions or problems you run into regarding the hosting or RSS feed.

The same rule applies with podcast hosting with any product: you get what you pay for and once again the old adage is true, “if you’re not paying for the product, you’re the product.”

If after some time your podcast outgrows the free host tier,  there is always the opportunity to upgrade to a paid podcast hosting solution.

Many are reasonably priced between in $10 to $20 per month. Until then you can expect the upload time and bandwidth to be limited, which not only impacts the number of hours you can upload each month but also the playback speeds. Advanced metrics and potential money-making opportunities are usually restricted to paid subscribers as well.

In the end, free versions are basic means to an RSS feed and file hosting, but as your audience grows you’ll want to consider an upgrade. When you get to that point, make sure to read our best podcast hosting services review. For now a free account is sufficient for many new podcasts.

Compare Free Podcast Hosting

Best Free Podcast Hosting Services

Buzzsprout

Buzzsprout is a hosting service that features a basic, free podcast hosting plan along with affordable monthly options that require no contract or credit card to sign-up. Buzzsprout currently works with notable podcast directories like Apple/iTunes, Spotify, Google Podcast and Stitcher.

The website has worked to provide hosting for over 50,000 people since the website was launched in 2009. It boosts several 5 star reviews from satisfied customers.

Strengths

• Subscription includes your own custom website and ways to sync with popular directories
• 250 GB of bandwidth each month for paid plans, even less for the free version
• Supports multiple audio file types then optimizes the quality of the file
• Easily migrate a podcast from another source onto Buzzsprout with minimal effort

Weaknesses

• Unlimited storage for free plan, but can only upload 2 hours each month
• Only 90 days of hosting for a free podcast before Buzzsprout wants you to upgrade to a paid version

Buzzsprout is promoted as one of the easiest ways to host, promote and track a podcast. Like a lot of providers it includes detailed analytics to learn more about the audience tuning in.

The website is designed to make it easier to upload and publish once an episode is recorded. Publishing can take place within minutes of an upload, or even get scheduled days or weeks in advance.

It supports a number of different audio files. Not only that but the website optimizes the file based on if it’s more spoken word, or a show that also incorporates a lot of music. A purchasable add-on will event boost audio to 128k stereo.

One great feature on the dashboard is that it provides a notification of how much upload time is left in the current cycle, so you do not have to guess approximately how many more minutes you have left to upload each month.

Podcasters may learn everything about where and how listeners are connecting, what device or directory they are using to play the episode, and more advanced stats.

Buzzsprout helps get you listed on popular podcast directories and is also mobile-friendly. An embedded version is provided for your own domain. The hosting provider also includes your own website upon sign-up.

The free subscription delivers 2 hours of upload time each month and the episode is hosted for 90 days before its removed. The next step up costs $12 per month, and only one more hour of upload time each month yet is hosted indefinitely.

Deal: Get a $20 Amazon gift card when you sign up. Click here.

Spreaker

Spreaker is a well known provider for podcasters as it’s an all-in-one system for new as well as established shows. It provides a versatile program that helps you create, distribute, as well as potentially make money on your podcast.

Spreaker says they are “the one-stop-shop for recording, publishing, monetizing, and distributing your podcasts.” The free plan gives you basic stats, and the ability to store up to 5 hours of audio, and 10 episodes for the whole account.

The episode size limit is 300MB for all plans on Spreaker. You can host multiple podcasts on the same account, and they assist with distribution to iHeart Radio, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts. Spreaker does not offer monetization for their free podcast hosting plan, though it is available on their paid ones.

You don’t need a credit card to sign up for the free plan. Spreaker has an app you can use to produce your show, and even go live (no other free podcast plan allows for live broadcasting). The free plan has a 15 minute limit per live broadcast session.

Spreaker was launched in 2010, and now hosts thousands of publishers along with millions of active listeners. It includes apps for Android and iOS as well.

Strengths

• The best recording studio of any free hosting service for podcasts
• External tools like broadcasting software and mixers supported for advanced audio production
• Unlimited bandwidth on all subscriptions including the free version
• Live streaming, including up to 15 minutes per episode for users not paying a dime
• Podcast monetization program with dynamics ads, giving 60% of the revenue to the podcaster
• IAB certified podcast statistics
• Allows a single account to manage multiple podcasts

Weaknesses

• Monetization is only available on the paid plans

Spreaker is unique in that it also features an onboard recording and editing system on its platform. Users may record a podcast and post at a later date, or even broadcast live. Content may also get migrated from an existing service through its RSS importer. The studio app is extremely resourceful and easy to use.

After you record or upload an audio file, it’s time to distribute. Spreaker supports various forms of social media for uploads as well as mainstream directories like Apple Podcasts and YouTube. Like most podcast hosting services, you may also embed a widget onto your own website for immediate playback.

Analytics are crucial to the success of any new podcast and Spreaker provides basic statistics for its free and $5.99 per month plans, as well as more detailed stats for the higher priced monthly subscriptions. The analytics for the free plan is good but not great, about what you would expect as well as comparable to other free hosting providers.

The free plan also includes 5 hours of audio storage and 15 minutes of max live streaming (in a single session). However, the podcast monetization tool is not available with the free sign-up. Bandwidth is unlimited on every type of subscription.

Deal: First month free with code “discoverpod”. Click here.

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. 

Podbean

Podbean is self-described as an “easy and powerful” way to podcast. The podcast hosting service provides four different plans for users, including one completely free version. As your podcast grows it also offers two paid versions.

Podbean currently hosts over 240,000 podcasters with more than 7.4 million episodes combined. The site also boasts around 6 billion downloads.

Strengths

• Provides excellent resources for sharing and building audience
• Features an app for Android and iPhone users
• RSS Feed and iTunes Support included even with free plan
• One of the largest podcast hosting platforms available
• Will scale as you grow

Weaknesses

• Free version is limited to 5 hours of storage
• Cannot use your own domain name for a podcast through free subscription

Podbean advertises as a service that presents everything you need to create, manage, and promote a podcast. The website features everything from custom domains to upload and publishing tools, methods to promote a podcast, as well as embedded players for the episodes.

The provider is like a lot of the podcast hosting companies featured in the article in that little programming knowledge is necessary to record, produce, upload and share your new podcasts. It is also mobile-ready which is a must for any podcast hosting service these days.

Though the three paid options do deliver unlimited bandwidth, the free version is capped at 100GB monthly, and five hours of storage space. The hosting is described as reliable with a robust network that is flexible based on where and how your viewers listen.

Podcasters may connect their own website to the hosting provider or embed a player on their own domain for easy playback. Sharing tools enable listeners to connect with you on social media, while other types of audience engagement like enabling feedback are nice additions.

Podbean presents a breakdown of how the podcast is performing, and also provides advertising sponsorship opportunities for its members. The website can help introduce premium subscription services to your podcast as well as crowdfund.

Related reading:

• Libsyn vs. Podbean Podcast Host Review
• Blubrry vs. Podbean Podcast Host Review

Deal: Get your first month free if/when you upgrade for a paid account. Click here.

Acast

Acast says they are “the world’s leading independent podcast company.” The free podcast hosting plan gives you basic analytics, unlimited episodes, and a basic podcast website. You can’t integrate with Patreon, customize your website, monetize with advertising, or distribute to Amazon Music, Spotify and Youtube using Acast on the free plan (as these features require a Pro account).

You’ll have to submit your RSS feed to listening platforms manually. There is not a limit to episode size for the free plan specifically, though the max episode size is 150MB for all plans on Acast to match the file download limit on Apple Podcasts. You don’t need to input any billing info to sign up on the free plan. Acast allows for multiple shows, but you are billed one plan per podcast – not an issue for using the free plan, but could potentially make upgrading costly if you have multiple podcasts on Acast.

Anchor

Anchor is self-proclaimed as “the easiest way to make a podcast.” When it started, Anchor had some controversy about who owns the content uploaded to it, but they have since clarified in their terms of service that “You retain ownership of your User Content. Using Anchor does not cause you to lose ownership of your content.”

Since being acquired by Spotify, Anchor has had numerous issues with the podcast community including producing podcasts in a non-compliant manner, making their podcasts unplayable in some podcast players, several large-scale bugs, deleting podcasts without cause, allowing pirated podcasts on their platform (and here) — and to be monetized, and many others. I would recommend staying away from Anchor.

They only offer a free plan, which allows for unlimited episodes, basic analytics, a simple website, and some monetization options, though the latter is available only to users in the US. There is no episode size limit, though you can only upload 250MB at a time (but multiple files can be combined into a single episode).

The biggest downside of Anchor is that you can only create one podcast per free podcast hosting account. If you want to use Anchor for multiple feeds, you’ll need multiple emails – but only a different email, as you don’t need a credit card to sign up. Anchor also assists with distribution to a number of listening platforms, and has an app that podcasters can use to make their show.

Castbox

Castbox is a podcast app (self-proclaimed as “the best free podcast app with over 95 million volumes of content”) that also allows podcasters to host their feeds for free. Their plan allows unlimited hosting, but they only offer statistics from people who listen using their app.

If you want additional analytics on your show, you’d have to use a third party service, and this can be a dealbreaker to many (especially because many third party services aren’t free themselves). You can host multiple feeds in the same account on Castbox, and you don’t need to input any billing info to sign up. The episode size limit is 400M, the second largest of all the free hosting services. There are no monetization options available through Castbox, and you’ll need to submit your RSS feed to other platforms manually – though it will automatically show up on the Castbox app.

Pinecast

Pinecast’s tagline is “podcast hosting made easy.” The free plan gives you basic analytics, up to two podcast feeds, and access to the tip jar (which lets you collect donations from your listeners). Pinecast also assists with distribution to a number of listening platforms.

On the free plan, you can upload an unlimited number of episodes, but only the ten most recent episodes per podcast are available to listeners – previous episodes are not deleted, and if you join a paid plan your full backlog will be available to all. If you’re making a serialized show with more than 10 episodes, this might be a dealbreaker, but if you’re doing topical episodes this might not be an issue.

The free plan has a 48MB episode size limit, which becomes 80MB on a paid plan (along with unlimited feeds instead of two). You don’t need a credit card to sign up for the free plan, and there are no monetization options available through Pinecast beyond the tip jar. 

Podomatic

The free podcast hosting plan gives you 15 GB of bandwidth per month and 500MB of storage a month, by far the most technical limits of any free podcasting plan. There is not a limit on the number or length of episodes beyond the available bandwidth and storage on your Podomatic account. The episode size limit for Podomatic is 350MB for all plans.

On the free plan, you cannot get any analytics for your show, integrate with Patreon, or get sponsorships with Podcorn using Podomatic, but they will help assist with distribution to a number of listening platforms. Like with Castbox, the lack of analytics is Podomatic’s biggest drawback.

You can manage multiple feeds using one email, but must have separate accounts with different usernames. Podomatic also offers a way to record your podcast directly on the podomatic website (though it does not support guest callers), and you don’t need to input any billing information to sign up.

SoundCloud

SoundCloud is not a podcast host. Do not use SoundCloud for podcasts.

The post The 9 Best Free Podcast Hosting Services in 2023 appeared first on Discover the Best Podcasts | Discover Pods.

But how are these platforms similar or different? And what are the advantages and/or disadvantages of each of them? Let this extensive podcast host review guide you and hopefully help you find the hosting platform that best suits your needs. 

Podcast Hosting Plan Options and Pricing

Most searches for a new hosting plan will start with pricing and storage options. 

Anchor is a podcasting platform owned by Spotify and one of the key selling points of the platform is that it is now and forever will be a 100% free platform for all and any podcasters. Along with being free to use, Anchor also offers unlimited storage for your feed for an unlimited time. 

Spreaker also offers a free option. However, the hosting platform also offers several different paid options depending on the needs of the podcaster. The On-Air Talent plan (USD$6/month), for example, offers multiple podcasts hosting, one-click distribution, customizable RSS feeds and programmatic monetization, while the Anchorman plan (USD $50/month) offers all of that plus additional features which include but are not limited to, paid subscriptions, full statistics, and customizable player colors. 

As media professional and audio expert Rachel Corbett eloquently states, that podcasters should be wary when using a free platform. Primarily because if podcasters are not paying for Anchor’s services with their money, then they need to make sure that they aren’t paying with anything else, like their content. If you do choose to host your podcast with Anchor, make sure that you thoroughly read their terms and conditions. In terms of Spreaker, who also offers a free plan, we would also recommend carefully reading exactly what you would get (and not get) with their free plan. 

Podcast Recording & Editing Options 

Both Spreaker and Anchor offer a modern and polished user interface, however, the main difference between the two is a lack of overall control. 

On the one hand, Anchor is a great tool and is very easy to use. It’s a fun tool to play with when you are editing your podcast. Anchor allows podcasters to add background music, intros, or create audiograms, but that isn’t unique to Anchor. Spreaker offers all of these features as well. Anchor also has a mobile app and recommends that podcasters record their episodes directly on their phone. 

The problem however is that although Anchor does allow you to edit your podcast episode, the podcaster has very little control in the editing process. You can drag and drop segments and add a little music, but that’s about it. Podcasters can’t edit effects or EQ, for example, and they can’t export the audio easily to third-party processing software. So in the end, the podcasters have very little control over the actual audio of their podcast. 

Yes, you can record the audio separately and then import it into Anchor on your desktop, but one of the main selling points of the platform is that podcasters can do everything from recording to editing to distribution on the mobile app. 

Finally, the file format that Anchor records in is an m4a, not a wav. file of an mp3 file. What does this mean? In short,  it is a low-quality audio file format. 

Spreaker also argues that it has its own recording, editing, and distribution app, called the Spreaker Studio App. Their free podcast software lets podcasters record, publish, distribute and analyze their podcast, whenever and wherever, easily. The unique in-app features give you total flexibility at your fingertips, making it ideal for podcasting on the go. 

The Spreaker app is different from Anchor as it allows podcasters to not only professionally record their podcast in the app’s audio studio, but it provides easy-to-use editing tools, live podcast recording, a Skype podcast recording integration, podcast listener statistics on mobile devices, and one-click distribution. 

Speaking of distribution, let’s compare how these two platforms distribute your podcast episode to major podcatchers.  

Marketing Your Podcast One-Click Distribution 

Anchor originally made it difficult to claim ownership over your podcast content. However, the platform recently updated its terms and services, which do allow podcasters to retain ownership, but not without jumping through a couple of hoops first.

What does this mean? When distributing your podcast with a platform like Spreaker, for example, to podcatchers (Apple Podcasts or Spotify), Spreaker shares your podcast with your email and account. This means you have complete control. It means that you can log into Google Podcast Manager, for example, to see podcast statistics by using your email address. 

However, by default, Anchor distributes your podcast using their email and doesn’t show your email address in the RSS feed. If you do want to use your email address, you can manually change the setting in your account, but it does take a couple of extra steps. Nevertheless, at the moment it seems as if you still can’t claim ownership of your account on Spotify. This means that you probably don’t have access to the analytics in Spotify for Podcasters. 

On the other hand, Spreaker has made distribution almost too easy. All podcasters need to do is click the distribution option in the Spreaker CMS dashboard, select the podcast distribution platforms of choice and click submit – Spreaker does all the rest. This also means that once it is set up it is good to go for all of your future episodes. Once a podcast episode is published on Spreaker, it will automatically and almost instantly be published on all the podcatchers that you previously selected. 

Now that we’ve got that out of the way, let’s talk about making money with your podcast. 

Monetization Options

Spreaker has found a niche appealing to professional podcasters with straightforward monetization tools, as well as features like the ability to host multiple podcasts on the same account. 

Monetization is an area where Spreaker is pushing the boundaries and providing modern features. For example, they have integrated programmatic advertising, easy dynamic ad insertion, and other tools that make monetizing easy for podcasters of all sizes. Podcasters also can earn money even if they aren’t located in the US. Spreaker has opened up monetization for various countries like Canada, the UK, Portugal, and many more. This means that even if you are not located in the U.S., you can still make some money from your podcast if you have the right amount of downloads per episode. 

Anchor also does offer monetization, however, like many of their other features, it seems like it is quite basic and limited to Spotify-specific advertisements. You can activate Sponsorships for your podcast on both web and mobile from the ‘Money’ section of Anchor. However, let’s be clear. Anyone can ‘set up monetization’ on Anchor/Spotify, however, the protection or barrier to entry is that these are direct sponsors so the podcast has to be selected by the sponsor/Anchor. What does this mean exactly? Well just because you activate Sponsorships, doesn’t mean that you will get any. It is not an open marketplace programmatic monetization tool like Spreaker, it is more of a direct sales ad model. You can also activate Listener Support, which allows podcasters to collect monthly donations from their listeners. It seems also that Anchor only allows monetization options for individuals located in the United States, which can be quite limiting if you have a podcast anywhere else in the world. 

The Final Verdict

In the end, Anchor is a great option for people who are just starting their podcast. If you are a hobby podcaster and are not looking to grow, then Anchor might be the perfect solution for you. The platform does do everything, but at the same time, it doesn’t do everything well if you catch our drift. Anchor provides the basics, but if you want to expand your podcast, monetize your podcast or build your brand with your podcast then Anchor probably isn’t the right solution for you. 

That’s where Spreaker comes in. Spreaker is the perfect one-stop-shop for all of your podcasting needs. Whether you are just starting, or you have years of experience and multiple shows underneath your belt, Spreaker has something that is perfectly tailored to your needs. 

The platform also has a unique Prime Program for podcasters who want to monetize their content. The program helps maximize podcasters’ ad revenue,  increase their exposure, and streamline their publishing. If you are looking to monetize your podcast in any way, then there is simply no better place for your podcast. 

The post Anchor vs. Spreaker Podcast Host Review appeared first on Discover the Best Podcasts | Discover Pods.

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. 

The post The 10 Best Podcast Hosting Services (for new & experienced podcasters) appeared first on Discover the Best Podcasts | Discover Pods.

Since its founding in 2010 Spreaker has developed a suite of solutions aimed at all levels of podcasters, from beginners to established publishers looking to make a move. In the last decade-plus, they’ve established themselves as the unrivaled leader in monetization through programmatic advertising.

And Spreaker has been investing quite a bit into making sure podcasters of all walks can focus more on creation and less on the nuts and bolts of bringing money through the door.

They were recently acquired by iHeartMedia, so I’m not the only one excited about what they’re doing. So, what sets this podcast host apart?

Let’s get under the hood and see what makes Spreaker tick.

Read more: best podcast hosting solutions

What is Spreaker

Spreaker consists of two complementary, but standalone offerings.

First is the content management system (CMS) where you’ll handle the majority of your back-end work. Your analytics, distribution, and revenue generation all take place within the CMS dashboard. 

The second is the Spreaker studio app. Spreaker’s companion app is designed to help content creators record, publish, distribute and analyze their podcast, whenever and wherever, easily. In fact, the unique in-app features give you total flexibility at your fingertips, making it ideal for podcasting on-the-go. 

Read more: Record an Interview With The 8 Best Affordable Mobile Podcast Microphones

While you don’t need to use the studio app, I did find it added a good deal of value and was a unique offering among podcast hosts that further sets Spreaker apart. 

Creating a Podcast in Spreaker

Starting a podcast on Spreaker is simple. It does feel like home in that respect. After creating your account and confirming your email you can jump right into creating a podcast. There are several spots on their website to create the podcast container that houses your episodes.

Clicking on the menu in the top left of the page, the account context menu, gives you a drop down of several features. Clicking on “My Podcasts” will load Spreaker’s Content Management System (CMS) dashboard. It’s here you can get an overview of your storage, shows, and episodes. 

From here you click “Create a New Podcast” which brings up a page where you can specify the title and description of your show, along with your show’s artwork. 

All in all, a very straightforward process, as you’d expect from an industry leader like Spreaker.

The Spreaker Content Management System

The heart and soul of Spreaker is the CMS. This is where you’ll handle the bulk of your podcast work.

If you don’t want (or don’t have the need) to use the Spreaker Studio app to publish your show, you can do it from the CMS dashboard. But you can do quite a bit more than publish individual episodes.

Spreaker CMS Features

Podcasts

The CMS dashboard gives you an overview of your storage limit, measured in terms of hours, not file size, as well as your episode limit. A “free speech” account starts with 5 hours of storage and 10 episodes. 

Paying accounts have quite a bit more; even on plans starting at $6 a month.

Spreaker includes a basic website with each show you create which is a nice touch if you don’t have your own web presence. It also has a customizable embedded player where you can feature different episodes as you see fit.

It’s especially helpful when you’re testing the waters on a new show before you go all in.

RSS

Spreaker takes the lead on ensuring your show is properly distributed with robust RSS feed customization features.

It is important to note that if you are coming to Spreaker from another host, you can import your show’s RSS feed here in the Podcasts tab of the CMS dashboard. 

Scheduling

Spreaker does focus on leveraging a podcast creator’s time so they can focus the majority of their time on the content and not worry so much about the back end administration. 

To this end, Spreaker allows you to schedule multiple shows simultaneously into the queue.  

Statistics

Spreaker hosts are treated to robust statistical reporting for their shows. Standard time filters apply here and you can dig into the following categories on paid accounts.

• Downloads
• Likes
• Geography
• Referral Sources
• Devices
• Number of Followers
• Episode Evolution
  Starting with the Anchorman Plan (covered below) the episode evolution feature will help content creators track an episode’s progress over the first 30 critical days.

Paying accounts are also able to export all of this data as a comma-separated values file. That comes in handy when you’re going shopping for show sponsors. 

Spreaker has a couple more tricks up its sleeve that really set it apart from other podcast hosts. Let’s take a look.

Spreaker Add On Store

Also within the Spreaker Studio app you’ll notice there’s a menu item called “Royalty Free Library.” Part of Spreaker’s corporate philosophy is that there will be no hidden fees. That does not mean, however, that there aren’t some upsells.

Clicking that link takes you to the Spreaker Store where there are several add ons that can take your show to the next level.

These include:

• Epidemic Sound Royalty Free Music and Effects Library
• Jamendo Royalty Free Music Library
• Podcast Host Academy
• Show Transcription
• Professional Voice Overs

Are any of these add ons necessary to produce a great show on Spreaker? Of course not. But these add-ons provide podcasters all the tools they need to succeed in their podcasting journey – all in one place. 

If you don’t have to leave the Spreaker ecosystem to chase down royalty-free music to import into your show, all the better. Your mileage will vary on these features, but they seem to be reasonably priced for a new Spreaker host.

Read more: 5 Ways To Deal With An Unexpected Drop In Podcast Listenership

Spreaker’s Monetization Features

If you’d rather create than sell, paying Spreaker hosts can take advantage of Spreaker’s integrated ad network. If you’re noticing an integration theme at Spreaker, that’s on purpose.

Spreaker is well out in front in terms of podcast monetization, specifically programmatic advertising. There isn’t a comparable platform when it comes to income-generating potential for hosts.

Not a company to rest on its laurels, Spreaker’s ad network has the highest performance in terms of revenue and it consistently brings innovative features to the table. Features, it seems, that are unmatched in the podcasting market. 

For example, as someone with a background in audio editing, Spreaker’s silence detection tool is an invaluable bit of leverage. Spreaker developed a system that analyzes your podcast episodes and finds specific moments of silence. It then ranks all of these based on the duration, the distance between each silent spot, and its position within the episode. Silence detection is a game-changer in programmatic ad insertion. It means that content is completely undisturbed, the listener’s experience is superb and podcasters can earn money from their content with peace of mind. 

But let’s talk quickly about programmatic advertising and how Spreaker is leading the way in programmatic. 

Read more: Buzzsprout vs. Libsyn vs. Spreaker

Programmatic Advertising & Dynamic Ad Insertion

Programmatic advertising refers to the marketplace where the automatic buying and selling of podcast advertisements occur. Programmatic advertising allows you, the podcaster, to take the guesswork out of making money with your podcast. Instead of seeking your own sponsors or advertisers, with Spreaker, you are able to use their built-in programmatic marketplace. Their marketplace is full of advertisers who are ready and willing to automatically deliver targeted and relevant ads on your podcast. It is as simple as flipping a switch.

How is this possible? Through Spreaker’s dynamic ad insertion. 

Once you’ve opted in, Spreaker’s dynamic ad insertion allows you to insert an ad anywhere in a podcast episode – pre-roll (beginning), mid-roll (middle), or post-roll (end). Spreaker makes this so easy with their ad software as you can either manually choose points in the episode where you want your ads inserted or you can simply click a switch that auto-optimizes all ads in a particular episode. It also makes sure that you, the podcaster, has full control of this process.

Dynamic, relevant, and timely ads inserted into your back catalog is an enormous boost for show creators. Programmatic advertising is a game changer because it allows hosts to leverage and monetize their entire catalog. 

The Spreaker Studio App

Remember how I mentioned that Spreaker’s lineage is in live radio broadcasting? This history is readily apparent in Spreaker’s studio application.. 

The Spreaker Studio App Overview

It is a basic software reproduction of a live studio console. It’s a well done piece of software, designed with simplicity and functionality front and center.

Because creators don’t need to create their podcast in Spreaker Studio to use the Spreaker content management system, they can use a full digital audio workstation (DAW), or any software they feel comfortable with if they need a bit more power. But for recording on the go or recording live, Spreaker Studio is intuitive and well appointed.

But for recording on the go or recording live, Spreaker Studio is intuitive and well appointed.

Once I got over the hurdle of what I was working with a workflow that made a lot of sense began to unfold. What you’ll want to do as a host, even if you’re planning on broadcasting your show live, is have all of your segment pieces completely finished beforehand. You’ll do this outside of the Spreaker Studio App in a DAW of your choice and import them as audio segments.

Then when you go to record the final version of the show you’re going to release, either live or in “offline mode” you can add spontaneity in the app. The same way a radio DJ would take requests while a song is playing, you can have a live twitter chat or take calls. Then you can respond in real time, between segments should you so choose.

The emphasis on live recording gives the Spreaker host a leg up over some of the other  podcast hosting solutions.

Recording With the Spreaker Studio App

Aside from not being a DAW, the app has a tremendous amount of versatility. For starters, the Spreaker Studio App is available for Mac, Windows, Android, and iOS. Spreaker was also the first podcast solution to natively support Chrome OS thanks to Play Store integration.

That’s a lot of platform synergy.

I was able to test both the Windows desktop and Android versions of the Spreaker Studio app. Both were adequate for recording a live show pre-recorded tracks. The desktop version of the app is by far the better solution for recording live audio.

Playlist Tab

The playlist tab allows you to queue up pre recorded audio that can be played in sequence.

Tracks Tab

The heart of the desktop mixer is the “Tracks” tab. This is where you’ll find the two channel mixer. On the desktop version of the app you can simply drag your pre recorded audio tracks into either channel to play them. You’ll then sequence your audio in real time, fade between channels to play your next pre recorded audio segment.

Effects Tab

The effects tab contains 9 “soft buttons” that can be loaded with any sound effect or audio track you’d like. The defaults are common ones like applause, lighting, and laughter. But, again, you can put whatever you want to have at your fingertips. This is the most morning drive time element of the software and would be inseparable from Spreaker’s roots.

Chat Tab

If you are recording and broadcasting your show live, whomever is listening can interact via chat while you’re doing so. This feature isn’t available with a free account, but it’s another aspect that feels more like doing a digital radio show than a podcast.

The wheels in my head are already turning with how to use this.

In addition to the two mixer channels, you can also record live audio via the “Microphone & Sources” section under the Tracks tab.

Here, unlike the mobile app, you can use whatever outboard gear you’d like. If you have a physical mixer and mic setup, you can use those in the app. I was able to use my Zoom R8 without incident. 

Auto-Ducking settings that automatically balance the volume between live and recorded tracks. You’ve got enough on your plate without having to worry about manually adjusting those levels.

At the bottom is the master output. You can map this to wherever you want the audio output to go. Normally that’s wherever your headphones are, but if you’re not using the mic feature, you could conceivably have this go to some speakers. 

Every audio input, no matter what tab it’s under, has its own monitoring and mute buttons. The former allows you to solo just what that channel is doing so you can check the levels. The mute button allows you to cut that track’s signal to the audience feed so they will never know it is there. That way you can queue up exactly what you want to come in. Mute also comes in handy as a cough button.

All things considered, a Spreaker host has a lot of flexibility and tools at their disposal when putting together a live feed. 

Post Recording With Spreaker Studio

Once you’re happy with your track, it’s time to publish. Publishing is done from inside the studio app if you should so choose.

The Drafts and Uploads menu brings up a screen where you can drop your canned shows that are ready to publish. This screen also is where you’ll find the live tracks you just finished recording above.

Spreaker Studio gives you the option to add artwork before you decide to delete or publish. If you’re a paying Spreaker host you also have the option to export the audio file you just recorded. If there were some glaring errors, you can take that into your DAW of choice to polish before bringing it back for publishing.

Once you hit publish, your show goes live in all the necessary haunts. Apple, Spotify, Google, Podchaser, etc. 

Record Interviews With Skype

As a medium, the interview podcast exploded in 2020. Even if you were lucky enough to have a fancy home studio to record in during lockdown, there was nobody coming over for an interview. The entirety of the format moved online.

The beautiful opportunity for small and independent podcasters was a lower barrier of entry. All of a sudden the playing field was more level because everyone was in their home doing this online.

Which brings me to my favorite Spreaker host feature for new podcasters. Skype integration right inside Spreaker Studio.

This means that one of your tracks within the mixer is the feed from your Skype session. That’s slick.

There’s no free lunch of course. The drivers take a little bit of work to install and it only works on the desktop iteration of the app, but it’s a game-changer. For creators who aren’t the most tech-savvy, this integration is a boon.

Spreaker Studio Software Conclusions 

As a stand-alone piece of live podcasting software, Spreaker Studio is impressive. The mobile versions of the app lack some of the professional bells and whistles. You’re limited to your device’s onboard microphone for example, but even Spreaker Studio “lite” is nice to work with.

Spreaker Host Pricing Tiers

First and foremost, Spreaker has committed to always having a free podcast hosting plan so long as they are around. It’s part of their operating philosophy that creators should have access to the means to broadcast.

Spreaker host plans are as follows:

On-Air Talent

$7 Per Month or $6 Per Month (Billed Annually)

On-Air Talent is Spreaker’s entry-level paid tier that brings with it some of the professional features like programmatic advertising and customizable RSS feeds for better distribution.

Broadcaster

$20 Per Month or $18 Per Month (Billed Annually)

The Broadcaster tier opens up some of Spreaker’s advanced analytics as well as limited access podcasts to add additional value.

Anchorman

$50 Per Month or $45 Per Month (Billed Annually)

Spreaker’s professional Anchorman tier grants access to the full suite of granular analytics as well as additional branding options like customizable player colors.

Conclusion

In 2021 there are a ton of outlets to host your podcast. If you’re just starting out and don’t want to jump around too much as you grow, there’s a lot to like about being a Spreaker host. Why? Let’s break it down. 

First and foremost, as mentioned before, Spreaker offers a free plan that you can test out. Although the features are limited, podcasters can really get a real feel for the platform before they decide to invest in a particular plan. 

And when you do decide to switch to a paid plan, there is something for everyone. From their on-air talent to anchorman, podcasters can take advantage of Spreaker’s ease of use, and numerous features, including monetization and one-click distribution (to name just a few).

And as we are on the topic of monetization, there is in fact, no other platform with an equal offering and revenue generation potential for programmatic out there on the podcast market today. It you want to make money off of your podcast, then Speaker is the perfect home for you.

Finally, the Spreaker Studio software is truly impressive. If your show conception is heavy on interviews, I can’t think of a better host to start. 

In the end, I don’t know where else you’d want to be.

The post Spreaker Podcast Host Review appeared first on Discover the Best Podcasts | Discover Pods.

As podcast creators we tend to give a lot of time and attention to our show content and the gear we use to record it. And rightly so.

The listener experience is paramount to your show’s growth and ultimate success. Any part of the process that impacts that listener experience needs pouring over with a fine tooth comb.

Most listeners consume their podcasts by way of RSS feed. Their podcatcher of choice picks up that feed. Where you choose to host your podcast finds its way down the list of priorities as a result.

As long as it’s technically working, why rock the boat? That mentality finds a lot of podcasts still using SoundCloud. Even when that may no longer be the best fit for their show.

I’d encourage all creators to do a hosting audit and see if there’s a better choice. We should do this far more often. The market has grown up and there are SoundCloud alternatives worth a look.

Steve Wilson, formerly head of marketing at Apple Podcasts, pleaded for podcasters to stay away from using SoundCloud as their podcast host. Why? It’s just not designed for it.

Why Podcasters use SoundCloud as a Podcast Host?

SoundCloud, as a podcast host does have a lot going for it on the surface. There are reasons it was as big as it was at its peak and why SiriusXM was so interested in dropping that much coin on their transaction.

Related reading: 12 of the best podcast hosting services

Social networking to promote your pod

This comes from their musician roots. Swapping “tapes” and getting new music out into the scene is a big deal. SoundCloud has always had that just under the surface of their offering.

Dedicated apps

It’s “iTunes like” in that it has dedicated apps and a dedicated ecosystem. From the perspective of attracting a new audience, you can capture “SoundCloud” only listeners who may not be using another podcatcher. If you came to SoundCloud for the face melting underground dark metal band, you might stay for an obscure indie music podcast. That might not happen if you’re using another podcatcher.

It’s free.

That’s a big one. You can graduate to a paid service with more bells and whistles later. But when you’re launching a new pod idea, why pay when you don’t have to, right? Again, born of it’s garage band roots, free distribution is a big deal when you look at the world of record contract advances. Podcasting doesn’t have those same financial foundations, but new podcasters benefited alongside their musician cousins.

Analytics

They make an honest effort at metrics and analytics.

SoundCloud Alternatives for Podcast Hosting

As the podcast market matured, so did the podcast hosting providers. The demand created by an explosion in new podcasts attracted new players to the pitch.

What might we be looking to build and improve on if we are willing to jump ship?

SoundCloud isn’t a dedicated podcast host.

SoundCloud was built around music and music distribution. For independent musicians, they are a de facto better financial choice than big record labels. But that doesn’t necessarily translate to podcasters. Something to think about and consider.

SoundCloud’s uploads are based on time, not size.

Spoken word podcasts don’t require the fidelity that music does, which means you should have the option to cap your sound quality to get more length for the same size file. SoundCloud doesn’t allow this.

SoundCloud has had some issues with their business model.

They’ve had a recent influx of money and interest from outside parties like the aforementioned SiriusXM, but you have to ask yourself if you want to ride that roller coaster. A business that’s in trouble has to make changes that can have a significant impact on your show.

Compare SoundCloud Alternatives for Podcast Hosting Features

The Best Free SoundCloud Alternatives for Podcasts

The best things in life are free right? I’m sure I’ve heard that somewhere. But really, as someone who has bootstrapped several businesses, taking action with a free service trumps a fancy paid service. At least when you’re first starting out.

Related reading: best free podcast hosting services

With how far free hosting has come, it doesn’t make financial sense to spend money before you’ve tested your podcast in the market and built an audience that you can monetize.

SoundCloud is a good free hosting provider, but can we do better in 2021 and beyond? Let’s look at some of the best free SoundCloud alternatives for podcast hosting.

Spreaker

Founded in 2010 as an all-in-one podcast solution, Spreaker has been well-received as one of the most well rounded solutions in the market. And they do it on the cheap. Spreaker is a great spot to host your podcast, sure, but it’s the included ancillary services that make it stand apart.

Spreaker features an onboard recording and editing suite that has no rival at this price point. Meaning you can produce your podcast from soup to nuts, or idea to distribution, all within Spreaker itself. No need for additional digital audio workstation (DAW) software.

The free plan offers basic analytics, 15 minutes of live broadcasting, and full RSS distribution. Spreaker knows who their audience is and actively fosters creators towards a show that would make more sense on their paid platforms. 

Starting Price: Free

Pros and Cons:

• Included recording and editing suite.
• Unlimited bandwidth, even at the free pricing tier.
• 15 minutes of live broadcasting.
• Full RSS distribution.
• 5 hours of audio storage.
• Analytics could be more robust at free and basic pricing.

Useful Links:

Enjoy your first month free with code “discoverpod.”

Podbean

Podbean was founded in 2006, just two years after the term “podcast” was coined, making it one of the oldest providers on this list. Simplicity is the name of the game with Podbean, and it is designed for podcast creators with very limited technical knowledge. 

This can be a double-edged sword. Viewed in a positive light, it liberates creators to focus on their content and worry less about getting caught in the gear trap.

Even at the free pricing level Podbean offers full RSS distribution, 5 hours of storage, and a dedicated Podbean app for iOS and Android. They do offer paid plans as well if your podcast’s trajectory is ascendant and you don’t feel like making a move.

Starting Price: Free

Pros and Cons:

• Blog style point and click interface.
• Dedicated iOS and Android app ecosystem to encourage podcast discovery.
• One of the oldest and largest podcast hosts in the market.
• Full RSS distribution including iTunes.

• 100 gb bandwidth cap.
• Lackluster analytics.

Useful Links:

Podbean Link

Buzzsprout

After a decade in business Buzzsprout’s free plan still has a lot to like if you aren’t publishing a daily or weekly episode. The free plan does have some limitations that seem designed to steer you toward one of their paid options where you’ll find a plethora of extras.

That said, the free plan does hosting well. It distributes widely to all the major podcast directories and supports plenty of bandwidth. Even for shows with a higher file quality. If you sincerely think your podcast will be monetizing quickly, a layover at Buzzsprout’s free plan might be the right move for you.

Read our full Buzzsprout review.

Starting Price: Free

Pros and Cons:

• Better analytics at the free tier than competitors.
• 250gb monthly bandwidth.
• Supports higher frequency and bit rate audio files.
• Easy to import your show from other hosts.

• Limited to 2 hours of storage a month.
• Shows are hosted for 90 days only. This can be an issue for your archive.

Useful Links:

$20 Amazon gift card when you sign up

Anchor

If you’ve been podcasting a while, you’ve come across Anchor. It’s the Soundcloud alternatives for podcast hosting that is popular with hobbyist creators. And for good reason, they’re owned by Spotify and the corresponding deep pockets. 

Anchor is free and has unlimited hosting. That alone would be enough to attract attention, but Anchor takes budding podcasters a step further.

Unlike some other hosts, Anchor doesn’t restrict your bit rate at all. If you have a music heavy show you want to broadcast at 256k, go for it. Married to the high quality audio capability are some next level analytics for a free host that are very useful when building an audience.

The free tier also includes some structured monetization that isn’t always found in the gratis offerings.

Starting Price: Free

Pros and Cons:

• Superior free analytics.
• Full RSS podcast distribution.
• Unrestricted audio quality.
• Novel mobile recording suite on both Android and iOS for location flexibility.

• Anchor isn’t shy about placing your show under the Anchor umbrella. This can cause branding confusion with new listeners.
• Monetization offerings, while there, require a large number of downloads.
• Online editor is rudimentary. Clips need to be pre-edited before being built on Anchor.

Red Circle

Red Circle is free. Their business model is unlike any other on this list. Red Circle doesn’t make money unless you make money. They work on a commission or arbitrage model and thus their financial incentives are more in line with the creator’s. 

This works great for shows that are new and starting out. The last thing they need is new overhead when they’re focused on creating new content.

Commissions at Red Circle range from 4.5% on direct donations (a feature SoundCloud also launched last spring) to 50% on “programmatic” ads. The latter being basically commercials the podcast host themselves has nothing to do with.

Price: Free

Pros and Cons:

• Monetization focused. Red Circle needs you to make money. They’re going to help you in any way they can.
• Small, dedicated team that runs Red Circle. They are more responsive. You might even find a founder or two on your Reddit thread.
• Ticks all the requisite podcast start up boxes.
• Promotion and financial alignment with creators.

• Relatively new company without a long track record (yet).
• Lacks some of the bells and whistles of more established hosting providers.

The Best Paid SoundCloud Alternatives for Podcast Hosting

When you’ve been at it a while and you’re starting to build a significant audience, your podcast hosting review will likely suggest a paid option. After all, you get what you pay for, right?

While free options are a solid baseline, paid options offer refined features like granular analytics, more monetization opportunities, and advanced marketing.

Several of the free options I covered above have paid tiers, but if you’re ready to make a paid move, look to these hosts. These SoundCloud alternatives for podcast hosting are dedicated to a paying audience. You may not need a stopover at one of the providers splitting their attention between free and paid.

Transistor

What jumps out at you about Transistor.fm is that they want to be the podcast host for those with a lot of ideas. One of the first calls to action on the site is that you can host as many different podcast streams under one account as you’d like. Instead of trying to cram everything into a single show, break that audience up and get paid.

Their HTML5 based web player integrates well with most content management systems (CMS) meaning it’s easy to share across the web. You’ll want to be embedding all of your shows on all of your platforms. 

The only thing holding you back with Transistor.FM is that you have a download cap. 15,000 downloads per month on their introductory plan. Caps are a bummer, but that’s kind of a first world problem isn’t it?

Starting Price: $19 / month

Pros and Cons:

• Can have multiple streams under one account.
• All major aggregator distribution. iTunes, Google, Spotify, Pocketcasts, Overcast, etc.
• Intuitive drag and drop workflow to publish.
• Well built HTML5 player that is easy to share.
• Excellent show analytics included.
• Download cap across all pricing platforms.

Blubrry

If you’re looking for professional options that won’t bankrupt the show and grow with you over time, Blubrry might be the host for you. The lower echelon of their pricing scale forces podcasters to cut back on some niceties, sure. The 100mb upload per month limit is going to force you to scale back the audio quality for example.

Burbrry’s “long tail” podcasting gives podcasters an opportunity to squeeze every drop of value from their archive. You can cut in evergreen audio segments globally into the archive. Without impacting your bandwidth quotas or ranking.

That means newer, more relevant ads, higher paying archive ads, and other updates that translate to more revenue.

The platform is literally stuffed with little addons like that. We did a much deeper dive on Blubrry before, and the platform just keeps getting better in the low end paid space. It won’t be for every show, but it requires a look.

Starting Price: $12 / month

Pros and Cons:

• Longtail archive focus.
• Free migration from another host.
• Professional show analytics.
• Utilizes CDN service to serve content faster.
• Excellent WordPress integration with PowerPress plugin.
• Unlimited bandwidth.
• Limited storage space.

Useful Links:

First month free

Captivate

As a relative newcomer to the podcast host game, Captivate was born out of one podcaster’s desire for simplicity and like minded goals. Frustration with the competition can be a powerful motivator.

Captivate’s pricing model is based on downloads per month. Their $19 per month plan will serve you up to 12,000 downloads. Plenty to monetize your show with a basic advertising model. So, it’s not like it breaks the bank.

Further, Captivate’s philosophy centers around building a podcaster community. They regularly push shows to be featured on their platform and do put some marketing umph behind their client’s work. 

When you’re ready to look at paid hosting, this may feel like a homey place to land.

Starting Price: $19 / month

Pros and Cons:

• Professional level data and IAB certified analytics.
• Phenomenal WordPress integration for additional marketing avenues.
• Community focused with an eye towards creator show growth.
• Responsive, always on, live customer service.
• Automated donation, opt-in, subscriber, and calls to action.
• Unadulterated audio quality. Can upload lossless if desired.
• Episode download caps at every pricing level.

Libsyn

Lybsyn is one of the oldest podcast hosts in the space, having been around since 2004. It’s a company that gives off a vibe that they somehow invented the space. Other companies feel hip, experimental, and collaborative. Libsyn feels established and competent. 

More than 75,000 podcasts are using Libsyn and those numbers convey a well deserved heft. 

The old guard company delivers unlimited listens, a robust app ecosystem, and wide distribution. At their lower pricing tiers, they offer a steeper learning curve, and cost plus basic analytics. 

Libsyn is a professional’s podcast host, so if you can get in at their higher pricing tiers, you’ll feel better about it. There are better free options available if you’re looking at their $5 per month tier.

Starting Price: $5 / month

Pros and Cons:

• Polished mobile apps in the mid range and high price tiers.
• Unlimited listens and downloads.
• Visually appealing mini-site if you don’t have your own standalone site.
• Famous podcasters on this host. Can handle the traffic.

• Even basic analytics cost $2 / month more.
• A custom URL using your own domain name is an additional $2 per month.
• Not as intuitive as some other SoundCloud alternatives for podcast hosting.

Conclusion

SoundCloud is a familiar proving ground for many a podcast when they’re just starting out. As a free hosting solution it offers enough to serve as a proof of concept.

There are enough questions about the future of the SoundCloud business model that should give creators pause.  It makes sense for podcast creators to take a proactive look at these SoundCloud alternatives for podcast hosting.

If for no other reason than to have your bases covered.

As the podcast industry has grown up, more mature, dedicated, hosting options have emerged. Both in the free and paid arenas. 

SoundCloud was a giant, and maybe it will be again. But their trajectory is a reminder that, as creatives, we ought not leave all of our eggs in a single basket.

The post 5 SoundCloud Alternatives for Podcast Hosting appeared first on Discover the Best Podcasts | Discover Pods.

Podcast Hosting Plan Options and Pricing

Most searches for a new hosting plan will start with pricing and storage options. Libysn and Buzzsprout have very similar plan options, structured based on the amount of audio you can upload per month. Buzzsprout has the advantage of offering a free podcast hosting plan, which caps you at two hours of audio per month. Their next plans are $12 per month, $18 per month, and $24 per month, offering 3, 6, or 12 hours of uploads per month respectively. In all options, audio is stored indefinitely and you have the option to upload more content at an hourly rate. 

Libsyn’s plans are by MB rather than hours of audio, starting at $5 per month for 50 MB of audio, then $15 per month for 250 MB, $20 per month for 400 MB, and $40 per month for 800 MB. If you are a new podcaster, you are certainly asking how much storage capacity you would actually need and how big a single podcast file might be. While sizes will vary, a general rule of thumb is that the average hour-long audio podcast is about 25 MB. Because audio file sizes vary, it is hard to give one platform an edge over the other. 

Spreaker, however, structures its plans based on total audio storage rather than a monthly limit. The $6 per month On-Air Talent plan allows for 100-hours of storage, 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. These pricing options are appealing if you are transferring over an existing library of audio files or if you are planning to release episodes less frequently or only for a single season. In fact, if that is your situation it means you will be less likely to overspend if you are using Spreaker compared to other options. For podcasters with bigger ambitions or enterprise clients, there is also the unlimited Publisher plan at $120 per month. Spreaker also offers a free plan which allows for five total hours of uploads, which would be a great place to start if you are not sure you are ready to commit to a paid hosting plan. 

All three platforms allow you to add extra storage as you go, and offer larger options for enterprise clients. The most important consideration to make is how much storage space you need both monthly and as a whole. If you know you will not need more than 100 or 500 total hours of storage, Spreaker is a great option that will likely end up being less expensive. However, if you are not sure, Libsyn and Buzzsprout are both great providers with competitive pricing.

Spreaker Review and Features

Spreaker has a nice balance of simplicity and power, combining some of the best features offered by Buzzsprout and Libsyn, and leads the pack in several areas as well. You will immediately notice Spreaker’s clean, simple to navigate design and the ease of use when it comes to publishing is on par with Buzzsprout. Where Spreaker excels above the pack is in innovation and modern features, as the company continues to rapidly update its offerings to meet modern needs. One example is the ability to host live podcasts, which can be streamed directly through a Spreaker platform and then distributed to other podcasting apps. They also offer a podcast recording app, Speaker Studio, which would be a nice benefit for a new podcaster who is less experienced with editing. 

Spreaker has also found a niche appealing to professional podcasters with straightforward monetization tools, as well as features like the ability to host multiple podcasts on the same account. Monetization is another area where Spreaker is pushing the boundaries and providing modern features. For example, they have integrated programmatic advertising, easy dynamic ad insertion, and other tools that make monetizing easy for podcasters of all sizes. Spreaker also offers podcasters a way to grow their audience with their AdHub. Podcasters can upload an audio ad — for example, promoting their show — and then specify both a budget and target audience and then it will be dynamically inserted as an additional promotional method.

When looking at a list of features offered by Spreaker, you may notice that a few common offerings are missing, but in many cases that will not be a disadvantage. For example, Spreaker does not offer podcast websites (Buzzsprout, Libsyn and some other hosts do), but not all users will need that feature and frankly, making a website with Squarespace, Wix or WordPress is usually a better option. Ultimately, in our opinion, nothing essential is missing. If you evaluate what your key needs are, and decide which features offered will actually be useful for you, we are fairly certain that all of your top needs, and more, are going to be met with Spreaker. 

Spreaker has great support, and provides lots of resources for their network of podcasters, including tools and articles on how to start a podcast, how to monetize, and how to understand your analytics. They also like to prominently feature podcasts that use their services, which could give your show a nice boost. 

Buzzsprout Review and Features

Buzzsprout prides itself on being intuitive, straightforward, and long-term contract-free (meaning only monthly plans are available). Their platform makes it incredibly easy to transfer over files from another hosting provider.

One of Buzzsprout’s recent releases is Magic Mastering, which was first announced in May 2020. The company describes it as an Instagram filter for your audio, again putting an effort into making their platform one of the easiest to use for podcasters of all skill levels. While some people may prefer to do their own touch-ups, it is a nice option have especially for podcasters that do not work with an editor or want to spend time mastering. The extra option can be added to all of Buzzsprout’s paid plans. 

Other features that are unique to Buzzsprout or less common include the option to automatically get uploads transcribed, and a Dynamic Content tool that can help with adding pre-roll or post-roll segments. The Dynamic Content tool is especially helpful as it allows you to automatically add a pre-roll message such as an ad, announcement, or show update to all of your past episodes with a single click. 

Buzzsprout also offers many of the key features that have now become standard in the podcast hosting space. This includes detailed podcast statistics, easy-to-create podcast websites, custom embed players, and monetization options integrated into the platform. 

Related reading: Buzzsprout podcast host review

One benefit of using a platform like Buzzsprout (or Spreaker and to an extent Libsyn) is that their network is large, support is quick and helpful and options for enterprise or professional podcasters are extensive. Although other plans may be slightly less expensive, Buzzsprout does a good job of getting you your money’s worth without taking any shortcuts or short-changing users with their features. Although many of Buzzsprout’s key features are aimed at new podcasters or early-stage podcasts with simplified actions and automated add-ons, they are a great bet for professionals as well. 

Libsyn Review and Features

If Buzzsprout and Spreaker excel at making things modern and automated, Libsyn excels at offering powerful, robust features. While they certainly are a top option for enterprise-level producers, their long list of features and capabilities will also be helpful for podcasting newbies as well. 

Libsyn offers some of the most complete and comprehensive statistics available, with the ability to review stats from specific date ranges, stats related to social media engagement, location-specific stats, and more. They have also integrated the option to easily download statistics for quick marketing reports or other analysis. 

The platform and their publishing formats are extremely customizable, with the ability to seamlessly schedule episodes to be released at a later time, set episode expiration dates, or limit who a released episode is available to. While some of these features will not be useful for all podcasters, having the ability to several of these things just in case is a nice perk. 

In addition to the competitively priced Enterprise plans, Libsyn also excels in the professional market because of its monetization features. The platform provides users at certain tier levels with dynamic ad insertion, as well as ad management tools and stats. There is also the MyLibsyn service, which is similar to Patreon or another paywall platform, allowing you to set up premium content that listeners can subscribe to through the Libysn app.

Are There Any Standout Disadvantages?

All three platforms have been in the podcast hosting market for over a decade, and as a result they all have the basic features on lock, with helpful support and an array of features for podcasts of all sizes. If you are just looking for a reliable way to get your podcast on as many platforms as possible, you cannot go wrong with any of the three. 

With that, you will certainly notice that Spreaker and Buzzsprout have a much more modern interface than Libsyn and although Libsyn has a lot of features, it tends to be less intuitive. Do not think that just because Spreaker and Buzzsprout feature simplified design and emphasize their ease equates to key features or a lack of functionality. In fact, it is just the opposite. In almost all regards, Spreaker and Buzzsprout’s simplicity is an advantage. 

Although Spreaker has some areas where it is different or takes a different approach than it’s competition, transitioning to the platform is very easy and we truly feel that a lot of the choices they are making are better for many, if not all, users. Take for example their pricing structure. While at first it will stand out as different, it is actually much more intuitive than a monthly cap and gives you more freedom, more transparency and more bang for your buck. 

So, Which Podcast Host Should You Choose?

In the battle between Buzzsprout, Libsyn, and Spreaker the first thing to consider is pricing. Buzzsprout and Libsyn have similar enough plans that it really just comes down to which way of thinking about the cost you prefer. On Spreaker, you will have to take into consideration if you will max out the lower-priced 100 or 500-hour audio storage plan. While some podcast hosts may see 500+ episodes in their future, in most cases 500 hours of storage will be more than enough. If you only see yourself releasing a short episode or two a month, the Spreaker On-Air Talent plan at $6 per month is probably the most cost effective of all three platforms. 

Next, evaluate which features you will actually use. Assume that the statistics and RSS and distribution options available on all three will be substantial, and consider what would then become the most important features for you. Perhaps you are eager to monetize and like the idea of live podcasting. In that case, Spreaker may be the right tool for you. 

Ultimately, there are very few cons with all three of these options and the choice really becomes about which platform is best for you. All three strive to appeal to users of all skill levels and storage needs and have the features and range of plans to prove it. Most importantly, they all also offer flexible plans and have simplified the process of moving content over to their platforms if you change your mind after committing to a different service. Instead of thinking of choosing a podcast host as a stressful choice you have to make, instead let it be an exciting chance to choose between several great options all eager to welcome you into their podcasting communities. 

The post Podcast Host Comparison: Buzzsprout vs. Libsyn vs. Spreaker appeared first on Discover the Best Podcasts | Discover Pods.

I previously wrote about my theory about The Great Consolidation. To quickly summarize the idea, larger companies will buy up podcasts creating original content (Creators), companies supplying the distribution of podcasts (Distributors) — both hosting and streaming, and companies controlling the advertising on the podcasts (Advertisers). E.W. Scripps fits this example to a tee and Spotify isn’t far behind.

Scripps has the Creator (Earwolf), the Distributor (Stitcher), and the Advertiser (Midroll).

Here are my picks for potential companies to be acquired next. However, I should note here this is complete speculation and I have no insider knowledge.

Wondery

Wondery follows in many of the same footsteps as Gimlet. They’re the podcast network behind mega true crime podcast hits like Dr. Death and Dirty John. The latter of which was part of the first wave of podcast adaptations with Bravo premiering the Dirty John show in 2018 starring Eric Bana and Connie Britton. Wondery CEO, Hernan Lopez even alluded to the fact they’re specifically creating podcasts for adaptations to larger mediums.

They’re a machine for creating compelling original content, some with the potential to be big gainers. They’re my pick to be the next acquisition.

Cadence13

Cadence13 might be a new name for many not directly involved in the podcast industry. However, they’re the marketing and sales arm behind podcast behemoths like Pod Save America, Revisionist History, Up and Vanished, Atlanta Monster, and What Really Happened?

Though they have a star-powered stable of podcasts, their team is still relatively small — 65 employees according to LinkedIn. They could make for a bargain buy for the right company.

Audioboom

Audioboom is a unique company on this list. In my Consolidation image, they already play a bit in all three buckets yet don’t quite excel in any. The London-based company has a hosting element, an ad platform, and also creates original podcasts like Mission to Zyxx and Deliberations.

I don’t know what their finances look like at the moment, but in 2018 they hit some rocky waters after their acquisition of Triton Digital was called off, they were late to pay podcasters, and there were constant rumors they were circling the drain. In the end, they raised $6 million and righted the ship.

Megaphone or Simplecast

In the same strategy idea as Anchor, Simplecast is a sleek podcast host looking to gain a stronger foothold with an easy-to-use platform and a powerful tool. If they’re able to gain a substantial market share (or equivalent buzz), they have the potential to be a key piece in the podcast lifecycle for a larger buyer.

Megaphone is a podcast host built to scale for large networks. They’ve already proved their value with networks like Stuff Media, Gimlet Media, Slate, WSJ, Vox, and more.

Night Vale Presents

I don’t have any data on this, but it seems like a disproportionate amount of audio drama fiction podcasts are getting adaptation deals. If this indeed is a major revenue stream for podcasts, it makes sense to target the networks creating these types of podcasts. Night Vale Presents with their titular podcast, Welcome to Night Vale and Alice Isn’t Dead, have massive built-in followings.

Plus, it never hurts to bring on super creative people and let them create more cool stuff.

Podbean, Blubrry, Libsyn, Spreaker, Buzzsprout

I’m lumping these five together since they’re stalwarts in the podcast hosting space. Together, they host a vast majority of the top podcasts out there. While Anchor is popular and has a large market share for new podcasts, these hosts pick quality over quantity. Libsyn, for example, only has 7% of the overall market, but over 25% of the top 400 podcasts according to Chartable.

Whether the consolidation strategy is geared to entice new podcasters — like Spotify’s — or to gain a bigger foothold with existing podcasts, aiming for the proprietary host technology is a smart way to own an underrepresented area of podcasting.

Related reading: The best podcast hosting services

Maximum Fun

See everything I wrote for Night Vale Presents and add wacky and fun. I’m not sure exactly how they do it, but many of their podcasts obtain huge cult followings. The Adventure Zone has people dressing in cosplay to their live events and Bubble is a legitimately great and funny audio drama.

A Max Fun acquisition would follow the same line of thinking as Earwolf — comedy podcast networks with supremely talented people.

Headgum

Headgum would definitely be an interesting acquisition. On the surface, they’re a great podcast network producing popular shows like All Fantasy Everything, Doughboys, and Buckets with Amir Blumenfeld. However, the majority of their shows are personality-driven instead of story-driven. This makes it hard to separate the person(s) and the podcast. For example, ESPN “owns” The BS Report but when Bill Simmons left the podcast is essentially worthless.  

Radiotopia

I should be clear upfront here, I would be SHOCKED if Radiotopia were acquired. But, I’d be remiss if I didn’t include them in a list like this because of the sheer quality of the podcasts they create. For a company looking to buy a Creator, they probably couldn’t do much better than Radiotopia. With podcasts like 99% Invisible, Criminal, This is Love, Song Exploder, The Allusionist, and many other blue-chip podcasts under their helm, the network doesn’t really have a misstep.

Radiotopia is currently run by the nonprofit, Public Radio Exchange (PRX).

Crooked Media

Again, I don’t think an acquisition is in the cards here, but like Radiotopia their roster only has mega hits. They face a similar problem that I outlined with Headgum since the allure of their podcasts is their political commentators who bring a unique blend of expertise and entertainment.

Overcast and Pocket Casts

Two of the more popular “niche” streaming apps, both Overcast and Pocket Casts provide extra features and ease-of-use over their counterparts from Apple, Google, and even Spotify. I don’t think it makes sense for Spotify — or any of the big three, really — to buy either since they could simple reconfigure their UI to replicate some of the more popular features. That said, an enterprising company looking to make waves could scoop up one of these.

Pocket Casts was acquired in 2018 by NPR but it remains to be seen exactly what they’re doing with the app and even at the time left some people questioning their strategy.

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