9 Top Podcast Platforms (2023)
To help with your research, we've created a brief description of the platform. We've identified its main features as well as the pricing plans for 9 of the best podcasting platforms. They've been evaluated according to cost, upload speed, limits, tools to help monetize, and more. Let's get started!
This is our list of 9 top podcasting platforms:
PodBean
With over 10 years experience, PodBean boasts an impressive 650,000 podcasters registered on their platform. PodBean provides users with simple-to-read statistics like downloads by date and time, trends and top 10 podcasts, audience demographics and retention. The platform lets you live stream your content for viewers, and let listeners as well as guests to join your stream to listen or participate.
Important Features
- Free plan available
- Podcast websites that are personalized to fit all plans.
- Embeddable and customizable podcast player onto your website
- Native tools that make it simple to Podcast to monetize
- Automatic sharing of social media accounts
- Live streaming, which allows viewers to dial in and listen
Price range for price:
PodBean is among the few platforms that provide the option of a no-cost plan. The free plan is compatible with the mp3 format and offers the storage of five hours (500MB) and 100GB of monthly bandwidth.
In addition to the no-cost plan PodBean has three plans for paid customers that consist of Unlimited Audio ($9) Unlimited Plus ($29) as well as Network ($79). The Unlimited Audio and Unlimited Plus plans offer unlimited storage capacity and bandwidth. The Network plan limit bandwidth to 3TB with the option of purchasing greater bandwidth.
Buzzsprout
Buzzsprout is the host platform which is utilized by more than 100,000 podcasters. It provides advanced analytics that permit you to monitor the number of downloads that you receive for your episodes, where they're located, and how people access your podcast. There are also different tools, including an embeddable episode player on sites, an option for episode transcription, and "Dynamic Content," that allows you to edit post and pre-rolls regardless of when you publish them.
If you upload your podcast on Buzzsprout it will allow you to showcase your podcast in every major directories, including the Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, iHeartRadio, Alexa, Castro, Podchaser, and much more. Additionally, the platform can automatically enhance audio files uploaded, making your podcast the most effective possible.
The most important attributes
- Plan available for free
- Podcast website that can be customized for all plans
- The ability to embed a podcast player on your website.
- The ability to design chapter markers for episodes
- Advanced stats to monitor your development
- Dynamic content lets you alter posts and pre-rolls following the time of publishing.
Price Band:
Buzzsprout is among the few platforms for podcasts that provide a no-cost plan. In their paid plans, they offer three choices comprising $12, $18, and $24 monthly. There is no any price for an annual subscription at present, which means you'll be stuck with the monthly pricing. One difference in their plans that are paid is the amount of upload times each plan offers.
RSS.com
RSS.com has a user-friendly user interface that is well-known for its ease of use. The platform provides users with access to various features, including complete analytics, schedulers for episodes, embeddable episodes as well as social media sharing, as well as a podcasting website that's included.
In contrast to other platforms hosting podcasts, RSS.com has a donate button which you can activate or turn off. It allows you to access money beyond traditional method of sponsorship and advertising. If sponsorships and ads are your thing there are other options. Podcasters are able to find sponsors through RSS.com's Podcorn marketplace.
The most important qualities
- Unlimited audio and podcasts for all plans
- Podcast Website that is personalized to fit all plans.
- Embeddable podcast player for your website
- Native episode scheduler
- Donation button with donation option
- The capability to build chapter chapters, soundbites and even transcripts in the platform.
Price range:
Although it appears that RSS.com officially offers 3 plans but the vast majority of customers will have access to plans that fall under the All in One Podcasting plan that costs $12.99 per month. Students, non-governmental organisations and other students are able to benefit from a separate plan designed for them at $4.99 per month. The Student plan comes with similar features to those included in the All in One plan, however, you'll need be accredited. If you're able to accumulate greater than 10,000 downloads in a day will be qualified to be eligible for the Podcast Networks plan, but you'll have to connect for the platform first.
Captivate
Captivate is a fantastic choice for beginning podcasters. The dashboard for hosting is well-known by the industry of podcasts for its easy-to-use user interface. This dashboard lets you publish your podcasts across all important directories for podcasts, market your podcasts with the built-in tools for marketing and earn money through private podcasting.
The main features
- A custom-designed podcast site can be created for all plans
- Unlimited uploads and podcasts as well as storage on all plans.
- The player can be embedded as a podcast, and is customizable for your website
- The Captivate Optional Sync(tm) WordPress Plugin for flexibility in hosting control
- Podcasting Premium/Private on all plans
- Unlimited team members , with flexible roles
Price range for price:
Captivate has three plans available which include: Personal ($19) as well as Professional ($49) as well as business ($99). There isn't any free plans offered, you're allowed to take advantage of the free trial for 7 days with each plan. The main difference between the paid plans is in the amount of networks-connected podcasts, as well as the number of private subscriptions to private podcasts that they allow. Other than these choices All plans have the same features.
Transistor
Transistor is a premium podcast hosting service that hosts major-name shows like Cards Against Humanity. They offer an extensive set of analytics, exclusive shows, and 1-click distribution to the world's most famous directories. In addition, they offer single-click distribution for Listen Notes and The Podcast Index two well-known search engines specifically designed for podcasts.
Transistor is an ideal option for podcasts that have several episodes. The platform offers unlimited shows for any subscription plan. The platform doesn't limit podcasters with storage or bandwidth but limit them to monthly downloads. This makes understanding the limits simpler.
The most important Features
- Podcast Website that is tailored to fit any plan.
- Unlimited podcasts included in each hosting plan
- Dynamic Ad Tool to allow for efficient and automated inserting of ads
- Upload each episode automatically each episode to YouTube
- Special RSS feeds, which is unique for each show you watch
- Embeddable podcast player for your website
Price price range:
Transistor provides three pricing plans starting with Starter ($19) Professional $49) as well as Professional ($99). Three of the features are the only features that differ between the plans. The three are: the number of team members that you can add as well as the amount of people who listen for your podcast you are able to have, as well as the monthly download limit. Luckily, the Starter program allows monthly downloads of 10,000 and will suffice for the vast majority of podcasters who are new to their journey.
Audioboom
Audioboom is a normal platform which is suitable for the majority of users. with distribution through popular directories with unlimited episodes and an impressive 15,000 download limit per month on their base plan. How they go about the process of monetization stands out against other podcasting platforms. Podcasters can access the marketplace for monetization once they've reached the 10000 monthly downloaded. If you've got a large following, it won't affect your show much. But if you're a smaller podcast, it could mean that you're not having the chance to make money until you hit the crucial milestone.
The key attributes
- Unlimited episodes per month
- 15,000 downloads per month on entry-level plan
- Distribution to the most popular directories
- IAB compliant analytics dashboard
- The ability to access the global marketplace for advertising when you have reached 10,000 downloads per month.
Price range for price:
Pricing plans offered by Audioboom is easy to comprehend! There are two monthly plans available with Standard Plan ($9.99) and Plus Standard Plan ($9.99) and the Plus Plan ($19.99). The Standard plan allows for as much as 15,000 downloads each month. If you're interested in greater, then upgrading into the Plus Plan allows up to 10,000. If that's not enough, you'll have to inquire with them about a custom Podcast Professionals account.
Resonate
Resonate is an excellent podcast hosting platform that is ideal for users who require a single-stop solution. While their hosting plans offer several of the most well-known options, they're missing the option to personalize their website, their premium/private podcasting, and support for their cheaper plans. While Resonate isn't equipped with the typical hosting options but it could compensate by offering additional attributes.
Resonate has a broad range of services for podcasts, such as the launch, producer videos, launch, marketing, as well as business services. These services enable podcasters to create a high-quality, heavily produced show all on one platform.
Important features
- Automatically generated podcast microsite
- Embeddable podcast player for your website
- Deep analysis of embedded player
- The built-in Dynamic Ad Insertion feature permits time-sensitive announcements and targeted campaigns that are timed
Price band:
Resonate offers 2 ready-to-go month-long plans: the Standard ($25) and Premium ($49). The two plans include unlimited episodes, downloads and show users. The microsite, however, can only be accessed through the Premium plan. This separates Resonate from the platforms with websites in their more basic plans. If you are not sure if the Basic or the Premium plan is sufficient for your requirements you should consider the Professional plan which gives the user more microsites and support choices.
Castos
As opposed to other podcasting platforms, Castos can be described as unlike other podcasting platforms, Castos is a WordPress plugin. It's designed to work with Seriously Simple Podcasting and allows podcasters to control their podcasts right on their WordPress website. Castos also allows users to build custom podcast websites that include detailed analysis.
Comparatively with Buzzsprout in audio transcription, Castos' offerings are considerably less expensive, at less than $0.10 each minute. If you're looking to start your own podcast through YouTube, Castos will also immediately upload your podcasts to YouTube when you subscribe to specific plans. It is focusing in making its services better and is developing new features that deliver analytic reports tailored to prospective sponsors, and playback time metrics to inform you of the duration people are watching your show.
Key Features
- Podcast websites that are personalized for each 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 offers four pricing plans that start at the starting at ($19), Growth ($49) Pro ($99) and Premium ($499) monthly. If you make payments annually, you'll lower your monthly costs by 17%. Although the basic plan offers your general features, only the plan for growth and more include YouTube Republishing.
Libsyn
From 2004 until 2004, Libsyn was a consistent player in the world of podcasts. It's an excellent platform for new creators, hosts with short episodes which have low duration or for podcasts that have monetization. Be sure to keep on your toes that the platform limits upload speeds and bandwidth. It could result in problems with podcasts with a massive library of content or large numbers of viewers. If you want to expand storage or bandwidth and bandwidth, it's best to go for larger plans, that's the reason this platform is suited to small audiences or for productions earning revenue.
Important characteristics
- Customizable podcast website on every plan
- built-in monetization via ads and private podcasting
- Visual-builder integrated with Canva
- Create a custom iOS and Android app to show your events
- Distribution of all of the well-known podcast directories
Price band:
Libsyn has a wide range of six options. 3 are for audio podcasts and the other three allow video-based podcasts.
Audio Podcasts
Audio pricing starts at $5 and increases up to $20 or $15 each month. Unfortunately, Libsyn limits the number of hours of audio that you are able to upload per month as well as the total capacity of storage, in contrast to other platforms on this list. Selecting a pricey plan will give you greater storage space and.
Video podcasts
The video podcast plan starts with just $40, and go up to $75 to $150 per month. For those who pay the price, the analytics remain the same, but the upload limit and bandwidth increase, and they will continue to rise the more you spend.
Final thoughts
There you go! Nine of the most listened-to podcasting platforms. Selecting a platform is but one of many decisions that producers have to make. When you're attempting to find the most suitable platform, ensure that you be aware of your individual requirements for podcasting. Think about your main requirements, including downloading bandwidth, uploading, and budget. Then consider things like ways to earn money through your website and social media connectivity after narrowing the list down to your preferred three choices.
Need more help in starting an audio-based podcast? Take a look at our podcasting blog posts:
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