With more people tuning in to listen to their favorite shows, it’s no surprise that more people are seeking to create content in the form of podcasts. As such, podcast hosting platforms have become more important than ever. However, using a regular web hosting server to upload your podcast files can negatively impact your website’s performance, consume your bandwidth and potentially provide a poor user experience for your listeners. The strain that the additional downloads and streaming can put on your server could impact the quality of your podcast. This is where the best podcast hosting platforms come in to save the day.
Podcast hosting platforms are the backbone of any podcast, adding the necessary infrastructure to upload, store, and distribute your audio files efficiently. This article will look at the best podcast hosting platforms in 2023.
What is a Podcast Hosting Platform?
A podcast hosting platform is a service that allows you to upload and store your audio files and then distribute them to various podcast directories and apps, such as Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Google Podcasts.
These platforms typically offer a variety of features, such as analytics, hosting, and distribution tools, as well as the ability to monetize your podcast. These tools provide valuable insights into your listeners’ behavior and preferences and can help you widen your audience and earn additional income from your podcast.
10 Best Podcast Hosting Platforms
Our list of the best podcast hosting platforms takes into consideration their various feature sets, integrations, and of course, price. Now, let’s check out the list!
1. Buzzsprout (Best for Ease of Use)
Buzzsprout is a user-friendly podcast hosting platform that makes it easy to upload, publish, and promote your podcast. The platform offers a simple and intuitive interface allowing users to edit audio files directly within the app without additional software. This feature is helpful for podcasters who may not have access to expensive editing software or lack the technical skills to use it.
It also offers detailed statistics on your podcast’s performance, such as the number of downloads, the demographics of your audience, and the most popular episodes. This information can be used to improve your podcast and reach a wider audience. Additionally, Buzzsprout integrates with popular podcast directories and apps, such as Apple Podcasts and Spotify, making it easy for your podcast to be found by listeners.
Key Features for Buzzsprout:
- Add show notes
- Audio editing
- Customization options for branding
- Schedule episodes in advance
- Powerful analytics and distribution tools
- Integrations with popular podcast directories and apps
Buzzsprout is designed to be intuitive, so you can quickly get your podcast up and running even if you’re new to podcasting. You can easily upload your audio files, add show notes and episode descriptions, and even schedule episodes in advance. Additionally, the platform offers customization options for your podcast’s branding and design.
It’s perfect for new podcasters looking for a user-friendly platform to track the performance of their podcast and reach a wider audience.
Buzzsprout is for you if…
- You’re new to podcasting and looking for a user-friendly platform
- You want to track the performance of your podcast
- You want to reach a wider audience
Pricing: Free, Paid plans start at $12 per month
2. Blubrry (Best for WordPress Users)
Blubrry is a podcast-hosting platform that offers a variety of unique solutions for podcasters. It’s the best option for WordPress users. Its standout feature is the PowerPress, a popular podcast plugin that allows users to easily publish and manage their podcasts directly from their own WordPress website. You will receive a complimentary WordPress website with any Blubrry plan if you don’t have a WordPress site.
Additionally, Blubrry offers a Podcast Media Hosting plan. This allows users to host their media files on their server while utilizing Blubrry’s advanced and IAB-certified stats.
Key Features of Blubrry:
- PowerPress plugin for easy publishing and management from own WordPress site
- Podcast Media Hosting plan for hosting media files on own server
- Advanced and IAB-certified statistics
- Buying any Blubrry plan will get you a free WordPress website
Blubrry sets itself apart from other services by offering great features such as the PowerPress plugin, a Podcast Media Hosting plan, a WordPress website, advanced statistics, and a Podcast migration service, giving podcasters more control, flexibility, and ease of use. It should be noted that the PowerPress plugin and Podcast Media Hosting plan are separate add-ons and not included in the basic subscription plan.
Blubrry is for you if…
- You want to publish and manage your podcast directly from your website easily.
- You want to host your media files on your server while using advanced statistics.
- You want to use the PowerPress Plugin for your WordPress site.
- You want to use Blubrry to create a website for your podcast.
Pricing: $10 per month
3. Podbean (Best for Monetization)
Podbean makes creating and editing your podcast incredibly simple. This is especially true due to its mobile integration app, which allows you to use this platform from anywhere. The platform has a drag-and-drop feature that allows users to upload and organize their episodes, add episode details and cover art, and even schedule the release of episodes.
Key Features of Podbean:
- Analytics and distribution tools
- Built-in music and sound effect library
- Mobile app
- Monetization options, such as advertising and sponsorships
Podbean offers several ways to monetize content; podcasters can sell ad spots, sell merchandise and even use the platform’s built-in donation feature. This platform also offers a feature called “Premium Podcasts,” which allows you to create exclusive content and charge a subscription fee for your users to gain access to it.
Plus, you can create live streams directly from the dashboard to engage with your audience.
Podbean is for you if…
- You’re looking for a comprehensive podcast-hosting platform
- You if you want to gain insights into your audience through advanced analytics and statistics.
- If you want to monetize your podcast through running ads, selling merchandise, and offering premium content to your audience.
Pricing: $9 per month
4. Libsyn (Best for Reliability)
Libsyn is a podcast-hosting platform that has been around since 2004, making it one of the industry’s oldest and most established platforms. Over the years, it has built a strong community of podcasters, making it an excellent option for those starting in the podcasting world.
One of the standout features of Libsyn is its unlimited bandwidth, which ensures that your podcast will not be affected even if it becomes popular and experiences a high volume of traffic. Recently, Libsyn has introduced Libsyn Studio, an addition to its platform allowing users to create and record a podcast using a computer without additional equipment.
Key Features for Libsyn:
- Advanced analytics and distribution tools
- Integrations with popular podcast directories and apps
- Customizable media player
- Multiple hosting options and monetization options
Libsyn is an excellent choice for professional podcasters looking for advanced features and options. However, it should be noted that Libsyn only includes essential features in its plans, and everything else must be purchased as separate add-ons. For example, if you want to use the platform’s monetization features, you must pay extra on top of your subscription. Even basic statistics are not included in the lowest subscription plan.
Libsyn is for you if…
- You are looking for a long-standing and established podcast hosting platform with a strong community of podcasters.
- You want the peace of mind that comes with unlimited bandwidth.
- You want a user-friendly interface for creating and managing your podcast without extra equipment.
Pricing: $5 per month
5. Simplecast (Best for Professional Podcasting)
Simplecast is a podcast hosting platform designed to help newcomers and advanced users create professional podcasts. This platform has payment plans for independent users and larger enterprises and is trusted by noteworthy companies like Kickstarter and Nike. It provides its users with responsive and optimized hosting plus unlimited storage.
With its advanced analytics, you can track your podcast’s performance and reach a wider audience with its integrations with popular podcast directories and apps. The Recast™ tool from Simplecast is a powerful feature that allows users to easily schedule and share clips from their podcast episodes on social media. This is a great way to promote your podcast and reach a wider audience. The tool also allows you to customize your clips’ start and end times and add captions and hashtags.
Key Features for Simplecast:
- Advanced analytics and distribution tools
- Integrations with popular podcast directories and apps
- A customizable and embeddable player
- Multiple hosting options
- High-quality audio hosting
Simplecast is an excellent choice for anyone looking for a professional podcast hosting platform. You can start creating your podcast branding and marketing within seconds of starting with the platform, plus it’s a relatively cheap solution for both individuals and larger companies.
Simplecast is for you if…
- You want to collaborate with a large team on a single account
- You want to track the performance of your podcast
- You want enterprise pricing for your podcast
Pricing: $15 per month
6. Transistor (Best for Teams)
Transistor is a podcast hosting platform that is designed for teams and businesses. It allows you to manage multiple shows from a single account and gather data on them to grow your listener base, making it an excellent tool for creating larger-scale podcasting networks. Additionally, it provides team management and collaboration features, making it easy for multiple team members to work on a podcast. It allows users to add multiple hosts and guests to their accounts and assign different roles and permissions for each person. It’s all about collaboration with Transistor.
It also connects with various third-party tools, including social media platforms, email marketing services, and website builders. This makes it easy for users to promote their podcasts and reach a wider audience.
Key Features of Transistor:
- Advanced analytics and distribution tools
- Integrations with popular podcast directories and apps
- Team management and collaboration features
Transistor is an excellent choice for businesses and teams looking for a professional podcast hosting platform. Its advanced analytics and distribution tools, as well as team management and collaboration features, allow you to run and manage your podcast as a team effectively.
The platform also provides a customizable and embeddable player that can be added to any website, including those built on WordPress.
Transistor is for you if…
- You’re a business or team looking to run a podcast
- You want to assign user roles to your podcast
- Do you want to integrate your marketing efforts with social media
Pricing: $19 per month
7. Soundcloud (Best for Music Lovers)
Soundcloud is a popular platform for hosting and sharing music and podcasts. Its simple interface and the large community of users make it easy to upload and share your podcast with a broad audience. Users on the free plan are limited to uploading a maximum of three hours of audio per month, while the least expensive paid plan allows for twice that amount, with a cap of six hours.
Using SoundCloud is an excellent idea because it’s one of the largest social audio platforms available, but its free plan does limit you.
Key Features for Soundcloud:
- A large community of users
- Analytics and distribution tools
- Embed player
Soundcloud is an excellent choice for anyone looking for a popular platform to host and distribute their podcast. With over 76 million registered users and 175 million monthly active users, it offers a large audience for creators to share their work. They also have a built-in promotion feature that allows users to share their podcast easily with other Soundcloud users, which is a great way to increase the visibility of your podcast.
Soundcloud is for you if…
- You’re looking for a popular platform to host and distribute your podcast
- You want to reach a broad audience
- You want a free plan with a cap of 3 hours of audio
Pricing: Free, Paid plans start at $16 per month
8. Spreaker (Best for Audience Engagement)
Spreaker is a podcast hosting platform that offers a range of features to help you create, distribute, and monetize your podcast. It allows podcasters to interact with their audience in real-time through live streaming. This can help increase engagement and build a stronger connection with listeners.
Spreaker also provides a wide variety of music and sound effects that can be used to enhance the production value of a podcast. Like the other solutions on the list, it has a customizable and embeddable player that can integrate with any website, including WordPress ones.
Key Features for Speaker:
- Built-in music and sound effect library
- Live streaming
- Integration. with popular apps and directories (Apple, Spotify, etc.)
- Monetization options, such as merchandise sales and donations
This platform is an excellent choice for anyone looking for a comprehensive podcast hosting platform. It integrates with popular podcasting apps and directories, such as Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Google Podcasts, to help increase the visibility and reach of a podcast.
Spreaker is for you if…
- You’re looking for a comprehensive podcast-hosting platform
- You want to use the app to record and mix your podcast
- You want to monetize your podcast
Pricing: $12 per month
9. Acast (Best for Monetized Content Creators)
Acast is a relatively new podcast hosting company making waves, especially in digital content creation. With a focus on monetization, Acast provides both the tools to create, edit and distribute your podcast and the ability to monetize it. With Acast, you get free access to Podcastle, a browser-based podcast editor. Acast also provides tools to promote your podcast across social media, making it easy to transform your episodes into video content. Acast’s insights are also an area where this podcast hosting company excels. Not only can you see stats for your podcast across platforms, but you can also track your monetization and advertising efforts. To monetize your podcast to the next level, consider using Acast as your podcast hosting company.
Key Features:
- Distribution to 100s of podcast listening apps, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, and more
- Multiple monetization options, including advertising, sponsorships, and member subscriptions
- Native audio-to-video converter to share your podcast on social media and beyond
- Deep analytics and insights for growing your audience, podcast revenue, and more
- Customizable web player
An exciting feature of Acast is its native website builder. You can change the color, add your Facebook Pixel, connect your social media accounts, and more. Add comments from Disqus or Facebook and include links to your other podcast platforms from one simple interface.
Have all your latest episodes listed in a simple format that gets updated every time you upload a new podcast episode. You can also add an About page to share more about your podcast with your listeners.
Acast is for you if…
- You are a creator who wants to have a platform that supports
- Want deep monetization options and analytics
- You already have a podcast following and want to move to another platform easily
Pricing: Free, Paid plans start at $14.99 per month
10. Streamyard (Best for Video and Audio Podcasters)
Streamyard is more than just a podcast hosting platform. With Streamyard, you can live stream, create video podcasts and record your podcasts remotely. Unlike other platforms that focus on only audio podcasting, Streamyard wants to give you the ability to add video to your listeners’ podcasting experience. It prides itself in being able to add up to 10 guests from anywhere in the world, to join each recording session. Streamyard also allows you to edit your audio files for each guest if you upload your audio podcast to other platforms. If you’re looking to host live-streamed podcasting recordings, you have a variety of places to stream your podcasts, like Twitch, Twitter, and Facebook, to name a few. If you’d only like to have Streamyard handle the audio aspect of your podcast, it comes with adequate tools to enable you to be still able to edit
Key Features:
- Live streaming functionality with branding and engagement capabilities
- Create video and audio podcasts from one convenient location
- Add logos, lower thirds, and green screens to your visual podcasts
- Stream pre-recorded clips and download recordings for external editing
- Interact with listeners and viewers, showcase comments on screen
Streamyard sticks out from other platforms on our list because the platform takes video very seriously. While it is a decent audio recorder and editor, you can also live stream your podcast recording to multiple destinations across the web.
The Streamyard studio allows you to add guests, banners, and logos and allow for listener interaction. For a fully immersive podcast experience, Streamyard beautifully combines video, audio, and live streaming capabilities to your podcast.
Streamyard is for you if…
- You want to build a video podcast, use Streamyard.
- You want to quickly interview guests worldwide, no matter their internet connection, consider Streamyard.
- You want to add live streaming to your viewers and listeners’ podcast experience.
Pricing: Free, Paid plans start at $25 per month
Podcast Hosting Platforms Price Comparison
With our top picks listed, let’s look at how each stacks up to each other in terms of price. You may be surprised to know that some of them come with free versions or trials, helping you to start your podcast today for little investment:
| Plugin | Price | Free Option | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buzzsprout | $12/mth | ✔️ | Visit | |
| Blubrry | $10/mth | ❌ | Visit | |
| Podbean | $9/mth | ❌ | Visit | |
| 4 | Libsyn | $5/mth | ✔️ | Visit |
| 5 | Simplecast | $15/mth | ❌ | Visit |
| 6 | Transistor | $19/mth | ❌ | Visit |
| 7 | Soundcloud | $16/mth | ✔️ | Visit |
| 8 | Spreaker | $12/mth | ❌ | Visit |
| 9 | Acast | $14.99/mth | ✔️ | Visit |
| 10 | Streamyard | $25/mth | ✔️ | Visit |
What are the Best Podcast Hosting Platforms?
Regarding the best podcast hosting platforms, we believe all the ones we’ve put on our list will help you with your podcast. For our overall best pick, choose Buzzsprout. WordPress users or bloggers with podcasts can get good use out of Blubrry’s WordPress plugin, making adding your podcast episodes to your blog easy. Lastly, for the user focused on making money with their podcast, choose Podbean as your podcast hosting platform.
If you’re using WordPress, we’ve made an article about podcast plugins to help you find the right plugin to work with your podcast platform. Check it out today!
Do you have any podcast hosting tips? Let us know in the comments section below!
Featured Image via Evgeniia Sergeeva / shutterstock.com
The post 10 Best Podcast Hosting Platforms in 2023 (For More Effective Podcasts) appeared first on Elegant Themes Blog.