Are you ready to launch your podcast, but you need to choose the podcast hosting? There are several podcast hosting providers to choose from, each offering unique features. In this article, we’ll explore the best podcast hosting platforms in detail, saving you the time and effort of searching. From user-friendly interfaces to unlimited storage, distribution options, monetisation opportunities, and comprehensive analytics, we’ll guide you through the top hosting platforms, helping you make an informed decision. So get ready to take your podcast to the next level with the right hosting solution. Let’s get started!
Transistor
- Pricing: Starter ($19/month), Professional ($49/month), Business ($99/month)
- Unlimited podcasts and team members
- Advanced podcast analytics
- Collaborative show management
- Podcast distribution and monetisation
- Auto-post to YouTube feature
Transistor is a cost-effective podcast hosting platform, ideal for those wanting to host multiple podcasts. It offers a podcast RSS feed, advanced analytics, a podcast website, and collaborative show management. In addition, transistor encourages creating multiple show formats to increase listenership and allows easy podcast distribution and monetisation.
Podcast Hosting Price
Transistor offers three-tiered pricing plans. The Starter plan at $19/month includes unlimited podcasts, team members, 50 private subscribers, and 20K monthly downloads. At $49/month, the Professional plan extends to 500 private subscribers, 100K downloads, dynamic ads, and auto-post to YouTube. Finally, the $99/month Business plan supports 3K private subscribers and 250K downloads, allowing branding removal from the player.
Podcast Statistics
Transistor provides detailed podcast analytics. Average downloads per episode over various periods can be tracked on the “Analytics” page. Subscriber numbers are estimated from first-day downloads. The platform identifies your most popular episodes, the podcast apps your audience uses, and your listeners’ geographic locations. It also provides access to Apple Podcast Connect and Spotify’s Dashboard analytics, among other stats.
Dashboard Usability
Transistor’s user-friendly dashboard simplifies managing multiple podcasts. It allows collaboration with multiple users having different roles and permissions. In addition, the dashboard promotes creating varied formats to cater to diverse listener preferences.
Podcast Distribution and Monetization Assistance
Transistor facilitates easy podcast submission to major platforms like Apple Podcasts and Spotify. For monetisation, dynamic ads are provided in the Professional and Business plans. In addition, the auto-post to YouTube feature extends your content reach, boosting monetisation opportunities.
Captivate
- Pricing: Personal ($17/month), Professional ($44/month), Business ($90/month)
- 7-day free trial on all plans
- Comprehensive audience and traffic analytics
- Simple and intuitive dashboard
- Captivate Growth Labs for audience growth and monetisation
Captivate is a podcast hosting that allows you to control everything you need from a simple and intuitive desktop. We will tell you how it works in detail.
Podcast Hosting price
Captivate offers a 7-day free trial in any plan you choose. You can cancel any time during the first week if you don’t like the service. After that, any subscription has a monthly fee, but you always pay per year.
The personal plan costs $17 per month, the professional subscription $44 per month, and the business plan has a final cost per month of $90.
Podcast Statistics
Captivate’s audience and traffic analytics are incredibly comprehensive. Among other functions, you can know relevant information about your audience, geographic statistics, and the applications they use to listen to or compare the performance of each of your episodes. However, Captivate certainly goes further when it comes to analysing your audience’s behaviour.
Dashboard usability
This site’s dashboard will thrill you from the first time you use it since it is pretty simple, but at the same time, it takes into account all your needs as a podcaster.
Podcast Distribution and monetisation assistance
Captivate has a unique feature called Captivate Growth Labs, available in all the plans it offers, even in its free trial. In addition, it provides courses and workshops to learn how to grow your audience and how to monetise effectively. So Captivate is not only a hosting site but a complete platform that will help your podcast grow every day.
Spreaker
- Pricing: Free, On-Air Talent ($7/month), Broadcaster ($20/month), Anchorman ($50/month)
- Owned by iHeart company
- Offers podcast editing with Spreaker Studio
- Provides monetisation via advertising spots and dynamic ad insertion
Spreaker is the podcast hosting owned by iHeart company. In addition to podcast hosting, you can edit your podcast in Spreaker Studio.
Podcast Hosting price
Spreaker has four plans to choose from according to your needs. You can upload up to five hours of content per month with the free plan, which is a perfect option for starters.
The On-Air Talent plan costs $7 per month. This plan offers you the ability to upload up to 100 hours of content, and you can start monetising your podcast with advertising spots and dynamic ad insertion.
The Broadcaster plan costs $20 per month, and it’s the most interesting one because you can privatise your podcast and access advanced statistics.
Finally, the Anchorman plan costs $50 per month. You will have everything in the other subscriptions, plus the option to upload 1,500 hours of content and access complete statistics.
Podcast Statistics
The advanced statistics from Spreaker are available in the Broadcaster plan and higher. The statistics base are the number of daily downloads and listeners, traffic sources, geolocation, number of likes and trend of followers.
Dashboard usability
The dashboard is ideal for people who are new to podcasting, which means that recording is pretty straightforward. You can also import your RSS feed easily and just one click away.
Podcast distribution and monetisation assistance
Spreaker’s advanced plans include assistance in distributing and monetising your episodes in a much simpler way than in other hosting sites.
Libsyn
- Pricing: Classic ($5/month to $40/month)
- Friendly for beginners and professionals
- Customisable podcast feed
- Basic monetisation assistan
Lisbsyn is an amicable option for those who want to make podcasting their full-time business.
Podcast Hosting price
Libsyn’s hosting rates range from $5 per month for the Classic plan to the $40 advanced program.
The classic 50 plan of this site allows you to upload up to 50MB of content. The Classic 250 plan will enable you to upload 250 MB per month and costs $15. The Advanced 400 plan costs $20 monthly and allows 250 MB. Finally, in the Advanced 800 plan, you can upload up to 800MB of content for a monthly $40.
Podcast Statistics
Although the strength of this site is not the statistics, this makes up for it with its ability to customise your podcast feed. And we know the latter is essential when standing out from the other existing podcasts.
Dashboard usability
Libsyn boasts a beginner-friendly and professional-satisfying dashboard to work at.
Podcast distribution and monetisation assistance
This site has pretty basic monetisation assistance, sometimes even ineffective.
Buzzsprout
- Pricing: Free, $12/month, $18/month, $24/month
- Intuitive dashboard
- Advanced analysis of downloads, best episodes, and apps where the podcast is popular
- Monetisation through the ‘Support the Show’ feature and Affiliate Market Plan
Buzzsprout is an excellent option if you want an easy and fast solution. Below we will tell you in detail the different functionalities of Buzzsprout to host and develop your podcast.
Podcast Hosting price
Buzzsprout offers a free plan that includes two hours of audio per month. With this plan, your episodes will be hosted for only 90 days, and you can view traffic statistics in an advanced way, but it does not include the option to monetise your podcast from there.
The lowest-paid plan costs $12, and you can upload up to 3 hours per period indefinitely. If you want to upload more content, you can do it for $4 per hour. In addition to containing all the options of the free plan, in this plan, you can add the Magic Mastering option for an extra $6.
The plan that follows has a monthly cost of $18. You will be able to upload up to 6 hours of content per month. In addition, you can upload extra content for a cost of $3 per hour.
The most advanced plan costs $24, and you can upload up to 12 hours of content per month.
The Buzzsprout subscription works monthly. However, it doesn’t have annual plans; therefore, you can cancel it whenever you want.
Podcast Statistics
Buzzsprout offers an advanced analysis that shows the number of downloads on specific days, and how many downloads your podcast had per day and per month in detail. You can also see which were the best episodes according to the number of downloads, and the apps where your podcast has the most listeners.
Dashboard usability
Buzzsprout has a reasonably intuitive dashboard: you don’t need to be a genius to find what you are looking for; with a couple of hours of use, you will get used to it.
Podcast distribution and monetisation assistance
Buzzsprout offers several ways to monetise your podcast. For example, your listeners can support you directly with the ‘Support the Show’ feature.
An Affiliate Market Plan is also available where you can promote other companies’ services to your audience. Finally, you can get sponsors with the help of Buzzsprout.
Podbean
- Pricing: Free, Unlimited Audio ($9/month), Video ($29/month), Business ($99/month)
- Decade-long experience in the podcast business
- Comprehensive statistical analysis
- Efficient distribution and monetisation
- Podcast management from smartphone via Podbean Podcast App
- Podbean podcast website
Podbean offers the right tools you need to go from beginner podcaster to becoming a professional podcaster. It has been in the podcast business for over a decade, offering hosting, distribution, and monetisation.
In addition, Podbean Ads offers premium sales of your exclusive content in video, audio and pdf format. We will talk more in depth about all the features you will find on this site.
Podcast Hosting price
Podbean offers a free version, which allows you to upload up to 5 hours of audio. However, its features are pretty limited, and it does not allow monetisation and advanced statistics.
There is also an unlimited audio plan for $9 per month, designed for audio podcasts only. It includes everything in the free plan, but you can upload unlimited content. It also has more in-depth statistical analysis and all monetisation features except for the subscriber or patron program.
The following plan costs monthly $29 and includes everything in the previous subscription but also allows you to upload videos and includes the subscriber or patron monetisation program.
Finally, the Business plan costs $99 per month. It includes all the features above plus other options such as multiple administrators or privatising the podcast (ideal if we are talking about a corporate one for internal use).
Podbean has an application for smartphones called Podbean Podcast App, which will allow you to manage your podcast from the comfort of your smartphone.
Podcast Statistics
Podbean offers a pretty complete statistical analysis.
With Podbean analytics, you can see downloads and trends during a period you choose by episode and compare the traffic between episodes.
You can view downloads by geographic location, how long people listen to a particular episode and what days or hours people listen the most.
Dashboard usability
Podbean’s platform and desktop are pretty friendly and intuitive to use. The usability is straightforward, allowing you to focus and spend time on what matters most: your podcast’s content.
Podcast distribution and monetisation assistance
Podbean is very efficient in the distribution and monetisation of your podcast, and users are pleased with the different plans it offers, from the most basic to the most advanced.
Although there are several options on the market for hosting your podcast, we believe that there is an option designed exclusively for the unique needs of your podcast. We hope you have been able to choose the most convenient option for you by now.
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