9 Best Podcast Hosting Platforms: Where Should You Host Your Podcast?
9 Best Podcast Hosting Platforms: Where Should You Host Your Podcast?
Welcome, podcaster! If you’re new to this, you most likely have a few questions. If you’re a seasoned audio content creator, it may be time to review your options to see if there’s a a better podcast hosting platform you for you.
There are plenty of podcast hosting sites out there, and each PCer will have different likes and dislikes when it comes to using one of these services.
Fear not, podcaster – by the end of this page, you’ll have a better idea of your choices and which would suit you best.
What is Podcast Hosting?
To make a simple comparison, just like Instagram is a place online for you to share your pictures with the world, podcast hosting platforms are places online for you to store and share your audio files.
Podcast platforms do a few different things:
- Store your sound files.
- Display them for viewers or listeners to see.
- Make them available for listening via the internet.
There are a whole lot of these websites out there, and as with all things, some are better than others.
What is the Best Podcast Hosting?
The best podcast hosting platform for you will really depend on … Well, you.
There’s no black and white answer to this. Just like web hosting, while the basic principles are the same no matter which one you go for, you’re likely to find one on the list that you like better than the others, for whatever reason.
Things that may influence the way you feel about a particular host include:
- Usability
- Look and feel
- Space for uploads
- Ease of migration (if you’re switching)
- Extra features
- Pricing
What is the Best Podcast Hosting Platform That’s Free?
Although the adage “You get what you pay for” generally rings true, there are a bunch of really great podcast services out there that offer free plans.
This is another thing that really depends on your needs as a content creator, though, so what’s best for you may not be best for the next guy or girl’s podcast!
We’ll go through the details of 9 different platforms and their free and paid plans, so you can compare and make your choice.
Best Podcast Hosting Platform Options:
Best For Newbies
For new podcasters, PodBean is a great starting choice. Their free plan is a useful podcast starter kit but can be a little limited, allowing 5 hours of uploads and sharing only basic statistics.
Depending on how long your episodes are, though, this may be quite enough for beginner podcasters.
If you do start off with this one and find out that you need something a little more comprehensive, their $9/month plan allows you access to more advanced statistics, a custom domain, social tools, monetization tools, and easy-to-use templates.
PodBean gets a big thumbs up for having their own app, which you can download free for Apple or Android, for easy recording and uploading on the go!
- Basic – $0/month
- Unlimited Audio – $9/month
- Unlimited Plus – $29/month
- Business – $99/month
Best Value
BuzzSprout is one of the most user-friendly platforms around, which is awesome for newbies and fuss-free for the veterans.
They also have updates fairly often and bring out new features on a regular basis, so you know they’re constantly working to bring you the best hosting experience.
You can select their Free plan, which is great but only allows for 2 hours of uploads per month and stores your uploads for 90 days. You will, however, get advanced stats and the ability to add unlimited team members.
If you’re okay with that, then you can’t beat BuzzSprout for value!
Their paid options are $12, $18, and $24 per month, which will allow you 3, 6, and 12 hours of uploads respectively. You’ll also have the option to upload even more content at a price per hour, and you won’t have to worry about your episodes being removed.
- Free
- $12/month
- $18/month
- 24/month
Best For Live Recording
The one feature these guys have that stands out is Live Podcasting. This is awesome and includes the option to interact with listeners via chat as you’re recording.
Their free plan allows for up to 15 minutes per live recording. When you sign up you’ll get access to both their desktop app and their mobile app, which are great for live streaming.
If 15 minutes is not enough for all you need to say, their $6 plan allows you 45 minutes to have your say, and you’ll also gain access to monetization tools.
If you’re serious about your live feeds, you can choose either the $18/month Broadcaster plan (3 hours recording per live session and advanced stats), or the $45/month Anchorman option (5 hours per live podcast, full statistics, and customizable player colors).
- Free Speech – $0/month
- On-Air Talent – $6/month
- Broadcaster – $18/month
- Anchorman – $45/month
Best Free Trial
Simplecast is eye-catching and retro, and supports one-click publishing to any third-party app you want your audio hosted on.
There is a catch here, though – you can only use it free for 14 days before selecting a paying plan. If you’re looking for a free plan for life this won’t be the one for you, but if your goal is to test one out and upgrade to a paying product, Simplecast is highly recommended.
What you’ll get, though, is a range of top-class features like unlimited uploads and storage, distribution across multiple platforms, a sweet embeddable web player, and a customizable website.
You must know they’re a fantastic option when they call Facebook, Harvard University, and Nike their clients!
- Free Trial – $0 for 14 days
- Basic – $15/month
- Essential – $35/month
- Growth – $85/month
Best For Expanding Your Audience
Captivate is a new platform run by seasoned professionals, and although you’ll need a paid plan to continue using it after 7 days, it’s packed with value.
Every plan has unlimited uploads, advanced analytics, a built-in CTA, a website, a simple workflow, and more.
They’re also quite focused on marketing, so if you’re already quite established and want to grow your listening audience, Captivate can help.
- Free Trial – $0 for 7 days
- Podcaster – $19/month
- Audio Influencer – $49/month
- Podcast Brand – $99/month
Best For Serious Podcasters
The first thing you see on Transistor’s site is about distribution, so that’s already an indication that this one is best for established creators who are looking to expand.
Things like average download stats, detailed analytics, and listener trends are wonderful tools for guiding you to increase your reach.
Their Starter plan will set you back $19 monthly, but it’s extremely worth it if you’re serious about what you do.
- Free Trial – $0 for 14 days
- Starter – $19/month
- Professional – $49/month
- Business – $99/month
Best Web Player
This is the best podcast hosting platform if you want a player on your website but you’d also like to allow your listeners the freedom to browse other pages while they listen uninterrupted.
The Sticky Player hangs around on the top or bottom of the page so your listener/reader can control the player quickly and easily while still navigating around your site.
Another unusual but very useful feature is the ability to capture listeners’ email addresses. They also have a 60-day money-back guarantee, so it’s virtually risk-free!
- Best Value – $8,09/month
- Most Flexible – $12/month
- Both options billed annually
Best For Monetization
Audioboom focuses quite a bit on making money from your work.
They do the usual hosting and distributing, but once you’re getting more than 10k monthly downloads you’ll get access to their exclusive network of advertisers, branded partnerships, and sponsorships.
If you’re looking at taking your PC to new heights and beginning to make some serious cash from it, Audioboom would work for you.
- Best Value – $8,09/month
- Most Flexible – $12/month
- Both options billed annually
Best All-In-One Podcast Service
This is one comprehensive hosting platform.
It covers all a budding podcaster may need to succeed in the world of audio recording and distributing, and will start you off on the right food if you want to launch a brand
You’ll be able to create an awesome website with unlimited pages, blog posts, and audio episodes, making this a superbly well-rounded option.
- $97 monthly
- $77 (paid annually)
How Do I Choose from the Best Podcast Hosting Services in 2020?
To choose which is right for you, you will need to consider:
- Your goals
- Your budget
- User-friendliness
This will depend on you and you alone. The above list should give you some insight into which would suit your needs better, and once you’ve found the few that would work well for you, it’s a simple matter of going for whichever one feels right.
What Podcast Platforms Should I Publish My Podcast On?
Once you’ve chosen your host and uploaded a file, it’s as simple as choosing where you’d like your episodes to be published.
Some of the best options include:
All of these have very large followings, so whichever you decide on (just one or all five) you’ll be sure to reach quite a decent audience.
Don’t forget to market yourself effectively so people can find you!
What Are the Benefits of Using a Podcast Host?
Using a podcast host has a few distinct benefits you may not have thought of.
- Storage Space
Storing your audio files on your computer on through your web host can become problematic. Storing them with your podcast host isn’t an issue at all, and gives you some peace of mind.
- Better Quality Files
If you have a decent amount of storage space with your host, you can upload larger files, which means better quality audio.
- More Efficient Website
If you’re running your episodes directly on your website, the more you add the slower it’s going to get. Hosting them elsewhere will allow for a faster website, and that’s never a bad thing.
Conclusion
No matter what level of podcaster you are or whether you’re doing this as a business or simply as a hobby, making sure to select the best podcast hosting platform for your needs is essential.
It’s not as overwhelming as it may seem to choose a great one. All you need to do is to figure out your goals as a podcaster and match to a host that fits into your budget and feels great to work with.
Happy podcasting.
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