9 Best Podcast Platforms (2023)
For your assistance in your search, we've created a brief introduction, highlighted the most important aspects, and provided pricing alternatives for the nine most popular platforms for podcasts. The platforms have been ranked in order of costs as well as upload and bandwidth limitations, monetization tools, and many more. Let's get started!
Our top list of 9 top podcast hosting platforms:
PodBean
Over ten years of experience, PodBean boasts an impressive 650,000 registered podcasters on its platform. PodBean provides users with readily-read and easy-to-read statistics like downloads according to dates and times, as well as trends, top 10 episodes listening numbers, audience demographics, as well as user retention. It also allows you to live broadcast your content to your viewers as well as invite guests and viewers to join your stream to take part or listen to your stream.
Important Features
- Plan available for free
- Podcast websites that can be customized for every plan
- An embeddable and customizable podcast player for your site.
- Native tools for making it easier for Podcasts to earn money
- Auto-sharing is enabled on the social media platforms.
- Live streaming, which allows viewers to dial in and listen
Price price range:
PodBean is among the few sites that provide an option to use a free plan. Their free plan supports mp3 file formats and includes 5 hours of storage (500MB) and 100GB of bandwidth per month.
In addition to the free plan, PodBean has three plans for premium customers. These include Unlimited Audio ($9) Unlimited Plus ($29), and Network ($79). Unlimited Audio and Unlimited Plus plans offer unlimited storage and bandwidth. The Network plan limit bandwidth to 3TB and gives the option of purchasing additional.
Buzzsprout
Buzzsprout is the host platform that's used by more than 100,000 podcasters. The platform provides advanced analysis to allow you to track the number of people who download your podcasts regardless of where they are in addition to how people access your show. The platform also gives you access to various instruments , including an embeddable player on websites as well as the option to create a transcript of your episode, and "Dynamic Content" that lets you alter pre and post-roll segments regardless of when you've published your episode.
Once you've uploaded your podcast via Buzzsprout it will allow you to promote your show on the major directories including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, iHeartRadio, Alexa, Castro, Podchaser and many more. In addition, the platform will automatically enhance the audio file uploaded to make your podcast the most effective you can achieve.
Key Features
- Free plan available
- Podcast websites that can be customized for all plans
- An embeddable, customizable podcast player that you can embed for your website.
- The ability to design chapter markers to accompany episodes
- Advanced statistics that track your development
- Dynamic content allows you to modify posts or pre-rolls right away following the time you've posted
Price band:
Buzzsprout is also among the few podcast platforms that provide a trial program for free. In terms of their paid subscriptions there are three options available that include $12, $18 and $24 per month. They don't offer price for annual plans at present, so you'll have keep the monthly price. Only difference between these paid plans is the number of upload time each plan provides.
RSS.com
RSS.com offers a user-friendly interface well-known for its user-friendly interface. The platform provides users with access to features such as full analytics, scheduling tools for episodes, embeddable episodes and sharing on social media and an included podcasting website.
Additionally, it is different when compared to other platforms hosting podcasts, RSS.com offers a donation button you can choose to activate or deactivate. This lets you access funding that is not typical for marketing and sponsorship techniques. But, if advertising and sponsorships are what you prefer there are also sponsorships and ads available. Podcasters can find sponsors through RSS.com's Podcorn marketplace.
Key Features
- Unlimited episodes and unlimited music on all plans
- A custom-designed podcast site can be built for every plan
- Embeddable podcast player for your website
- Native episode scheduler
- Optional donation button
- Capability to make chapters, chapters with soundbites and transcriptions in the platform.
Price range for price:
It appears that RSS.com officially offers 3 plans however, most users can take advantage of plans like that of the All in One Podcasting plan at $12.99 each month. Students, non-government entities and other organizations can benefit from a separate plan that is just for them for $4.99 per month. The Student plan has all of the benefits that are included in the All in One plan, however , you'll need to be accepted. If you've more than 10,000 daily downloads are eligible to join The Podcast Networks plan, but you'll need to reach out to the platform prior to joining.
Captivate
Captivate is a fantastic choice for podcasters who are new. The hosting dashboard is widely praised in the world of podcasts because of its easy user interface. The platform allows you distribute your podcasts to all the leading directories for podcasts, make your podcasts available for sale using the built-in tools for marketing, and make money with private podcasting.
The most important attributes
- A podcast site that you can modify on any of the plans
- Unlimited Podcasts, Uploads, as well as storage space for all plans.
- A player that can embed podcasts, which is customizable on your site
- Optional Captivate Sync(tm) WordPress Plugin for the flexibility of hosting control
- Podcasting Premium/Private on all plans
- Team members are unlimited and can be re-purposed to suit roles
Price range:
Captivate provides three plans that comprise: Personal ($19) and Professional ($49), and Professional ($99). The plans aren't free and you'll get seven days of trial free in every plan. The major difference between paid plans lies in the amount of networked podcasts and private ones, and the number of private subscribers that they permit. Apart from these various choices, the plans are comparable.
Transistor
Transistor is a top-quality podcast hosting service that hosts popular podcasts like Cards Against Humanity. Transistor offers extensive analytics, private show content, and distribution via 1-click to all of the leading directories. In addition, they offer one-click distribution for Listen Notes and The Podcast Index two famous search engines specifically designed for podcasts.
Transistor is a great choice for podcasts with many episodes. Transistor permits unlimited episodes with every plan. They don't restrict podcasters with bandwidth or downloads or storage per month, but rather with monthly downloads. This helps to understand limits more easily.
The most important features
- Podcast websites that are personalized to fit all plans.
- Unlimited podcasts included on each hosting plan
- Dynamic Ad Tool for easy and automatic insertion of advertisements
- Automatically upload every episode to YouTube
- Unique RSS feeds that are unique for each show you watch
- Embeddable podcast player for your website
Price range:
Transistor provides three pricing plans including Starter ($19) as well as Professional ($49) as well as Professional ($99). The only features that are different between the plans. These are the team size you are able to add as well as the number of listeners to your podcast which you can choose to have, as well as the limitation on monthly downloads. It's good to know that the Starter plan allows the possibility of up to 10,000 downloads every month, which is more than enough for the majority of podcasters who are just beginning their journey.
Audioboom
Audioboom is an acceptable platform that is suitable for the majority of users that is distributed through directories of all kinds with unlimited episodes and the capacity to download 15,000 files monthly on their entry-level plan. Their approach to revenue-generating is what sets it apart from others. Podcasters are able to use the market for monetization after they've reached the threshold of 10,000 downloads per month. If you have a large fan base, this shouldn't affect the quality of your show. If you're a small podcast, you could be missing out on the potential to earn money when you've reached that pivotal milestone.
Important Features
- Unlimited episodes per month
- 15,000 downloads per month on entry-level plan
- Distribution to most well-known directories
- IAB compliant analytics dashboard
- You will be able to be part of the world's biggest advertising marketplace once you reach 10,000 monthly downloads
Price band:
The pricing options offered by Audioboom are straightforward! Audioboom provides two monthly plans including both the Standard Plan ($9.99) and the Plus Plan ($19.99). The Standard plan allows for the possibility of 15,000 downloads each month. If you're looking for greater, you could upgrade up to the Plus Plan allows up to 10,000. If you're still not enough, you'll have contact them for a personalized Podcast Pros account.
Resonate
Resonate is a fantastic podcast hosting platform that is ideal for those seeking a complete solution. The plans for hosting offer many of the most well-known features but don't provide a customizable website, private/premium podcasting and support for customers who purchase their cheaper plans. While Resonate isn't able to provide common hosting features It may have the ability to cover the difference with extra services.
Resonate provides a variety of services for podcasts, such as producer, launch, video production, podcast marketing and enterprise service. This allows podcasters to make a highly produced and well-produced show all on the same platform.
Important characteristics
- Automatically built a podcast microsite
- Embeddable podcast player for your website
- Complete analytics and stats gathered from embedded players
- Integrated Dynamic Ad Insertion for Dynamic Ads featuring announcements that are time-sensitive along with timed ads
Price range:
Resonate offers two month-long plans: Standard ($25) and Premium ($49). They both include the capability to download unlimited episodes, and show users. The microsite however is available only for Premium subscribers, that separates Resonate from other platforms offering websites as part of the least simple plans. If neither the Basic nor the Premium plan meets your needs, think about the Professional plan, which gives you more microsites and assistance choices.
Castos
As opposed with other platforms that host podcasts Castos can be described as an WordPress plugin. It's built to integrate to Seriously Simple Podcasting and allows podcasters to control the hosting of their podcasts from their WordPress site. Castos will also permit users to develop customized websites for podcasts that include precise analytics.
In comparison with Buzzsprout and Buzzsprout the transcription services offered by Castos are much cheaper and cost just $0.10 every minute. If you're considering starting an online podcast with YouTube, Castos will also immediately upload the episodes to YouTube when you sign up for certain plans. Castos is focused on improving and developing new features which will provide analytic data specifically tailored for potential sponsors as well as playback duration metrics that will give you a greater idea of the time that listeners stay watching.
Important qualities
- A podcast website that you can customize on every plan
- Unlimited podcasts episode uploads
- Private podcasting feature for premium content
- Templates for web pages which are built in advance
- Automatic podcast transcriptions (optional)
- YouTube is republishing
Price range:
Castos has four pricing options that include the Starter ($19) Growing ($49) Pro ($99) as well as Premium ($499) per month. Opting for annual payments could save you about 17% overall. Even though the standard plan includes the basics, only the Growth plan, and higher ones, include YouTube Republishing.
Libsyn CMXLwrNQHMKKTEthurYb
Going all the way back to 2004, Libsyn has been an established actor in the field of podcasting. It's a great platform for both new and experienced creators as well as hosts with short podcasts with low episodes, or even monetized podcasts. Keep the fact that the platform only allows uploads as well as bandwidth. This can create issues when podcasts contain the largest collection of media or a lot of listeners. To increase storage and bandwidth, you'll have to pick a larger plan and that's the reason this is an ideal choice for podcasts with small audiences, or ones that make profits.
Important features
- Podcast Website that is customized for all plans
- built-in monetization via advertisements and podcasting in private
- Integrated visual-builder with Canva
- Make a customized iOS and Android app for your own show
- Distribution to some of the most well-known podcast directories
Price price range:
Libsyn provides a range of plans, including 3 for audio podcasts and 3 to support videos-based podcasts.
Audio Podcasts
Audio pricing starts with $5and goes upwards to $15 and $20 each month. However, Libsyn limits the number of hours of audio that you are able to upload each month, as well as its total capacity for storage in contrast to other platforms on this list. Opting for a more expensive option will provide the highest amount of both.
Video Podcasts
Plans for video podcasts start at $45 and increase to $150 and $75 per month. At this level, the analytics remain the same, with the only difference being that bandwidth and upload limitations are changed as each month progresses, and will rise as the price increases.
Final thoughts
This is it! Nine of the best podcasting platforms. The choice of an appropriate platform is just the first of many decisions you'll have to make when you're a professional podcaster. When you're attempting to find the right platform, be sure to take into consideration your particular needs in the world of podcasting. Consider your basic requirements like uploading data, bandwidth, downloads, and budget. Next, think about ways to make money from your site and social media connectivity after narrowing the choices down to your top three possibilities.
Need more help in starting an own show? Check out our previous podcasting posts:
Article was first seen on here