Picture your podcast career as a building, with the podcast hosting service serving as the solid foundation that keeps the structure from falling. A good podcast hosting platform is crucial both at the start of your podcast career and as your following grows. The best podcast hosting Platform makes your podcast stand out in terms of performance, exposure, and ease of use. Here are the best places where podcasts can be hosted.
A podcast hosting platform is a service that helps you to host and manage your podcast. It can also provide you with tools to help you track your podcast listens, as well as to promote your podcast to new listeners.
Quickly, we’d consider the best hosting platforms, their prices, features as well as their pros and cons to help you select the best fit for your podcast sessions.
Review of the Best Podcast Hosting
Check out some of the best hosting platforms, their prices, and features. The goal of these reviews is to show you what these platforms can do and why they are our best platforms for hosting podcasts. Pay close attention to how they are different and what makes them distinctive.
Buzzsprout
Best Overall Podcast Hosting Platform
Buzzsprout is the podcast hosting site of choice for more than 90,000 podcasters. It has been around for more than a decade. Buzzsprout provides a straightforward layout, so even newcomers can utilise it without problems. It’s easy to use and includes a podcast website builder.
Features
- Offers a built-in transcription service
- Listing podcasts in the best directories attract more listeners
- Monitoring of podcast listening statistics
- Allows customization and creation of podcast website
- Mastering tools improve uploaded audio. It filters, levels, encodes, and preconditions your podcast to sound fantastic.
Pricing
- Free Plan: Two hours of monthly uploads and 90days expiration range, Magic mastery costs $9
- Paid/$12 Per Month: Monthly podcast limit is three hours. After three hours, Buzzsprout hosts extra episodes at $4 per hour. Magic mastery costs $9
- Paid/ $18 Per Month: Monthly podcast limit is six hours. Like the $12 plan, you can add an extra 6 hours for $3 per hour
- Paid/ $24 Per Month: Monthly podcast limit is 12 hours. Buzzsprout hosts extra episodes for $2 per hour. Like the $18 plan, magic mastery costs $9.
Pros
- Straightforward and quick setup
- Fair price points with all benefits in plans
- Can host multiple shows with a single Buzzsprout account
- You can easily get started with a free plan
- User-friendly interface for beginners.
Cons
- Allocated hours for content upload aren’t unlimited
- Files get deleted after 90 days on the free plan
- Free plan has website adverts
- Payment plans are only monthly.
Castos
Best WordPress Podcast Hosting Platform
Castos is one of the few hosting services that specifically caters to podcasters by providing them with optimised hosting for their WordPress-based shows.
It features an easy-to-use WordPress integration, and WordPress has over 30,000 monthly active users, so it’s unlikely that you’ll miss out on engagements or make rookie mistakes.
Castos allows you to publish both private and public podcasts with no upload restrictions and to analyse the performance of your material using comprehensive listener analytics. In contrast, Buzzsprout only grants podcasters a certain number of upload hours based on the package used.
Castos facilitates unlimited podcast uploads and helps you distribute your show to other Podcast hosting platforms, including Good Podcasts, Spotify, WordPress, and Apple Podcasts.
Features
- Publish podcast on Youtube
- Audio transcription and captions for podcast episodes
- It is majorly for wordpress users though others can use it too
- Podcast uploads are unlimited.
Pricing
- Starter Plan: This subscription costs $19 a month and allows you to broadcast unlimited podcast episodes. 100 users can subscribe
- Growth Plan: This $49/month package has every free feature. YouTube videos, 250 private subscribers, and 75,000 monthly downloads are included
- Professional Plan:This service costs $99 a month and offers superior analytics and video podcasts. The site has 200,000 monthly downloads and 500 monthly signups
- Big-time podcasters can use this option for $499 per month. Business Plan offers customised invoicing, an account manager, and higher use limitations.
Pros
- No Podcast Limits
- Reliable customer service for easy reach and settlement of platform issues.
- Free and Unlimited Storage
- Affordable Payments and Tiered Programs
- Analyse Your Target Audience and Content Performance.
Cons
- It does not support free plans for Podcasters who can’t afford the paid plans
- Does not support Built-in Monetization
- The software can be used independently, however it is developed for WordPress.
Anchor by Spotify
Best Free Podcast Hosting Platform
There are many popular podcast hosting sites, but this one stands out since it is free and widely used. Podcasters may easily record, edit, and publish their shows. Unlike Buzzsprout and Castos, Anchor is totally free for users.
You are not limited in either the number of episodes you may upload or the total number of episodes your listeners can download in a given month. As a result, podcasters may be themselves and share whatever they think their audience will enjoy.
This platform has built-in ways to make money. It takes a cut from the built-in monetization utilised by podcasters to receive donations from listeners. Also, it incorporates adverts in some episodes to ensure this platform remains one of the most satisfactory free podcast hosting services. It gives podcasters a new way to make money without charging their listeners.
Features
- Podcasts are cloud based
- Pair option to Spotify and Apple music
- It provides increased hosting analytics
- Allows importation of songs from supported platforms to be used in making the podcast.
Pricing
- 100% Free Podcast Platform.
Pros
- Supports monetization from podcast sales and donations or ambassador ship deals with Anchor
- Every tool needed to make a podcast is available to Podcasters
- Easy distribution
- Perfect for distance/remote hosting.
Cons
- Restricts each account to one show at a time
- It takes a bit from money earned from monetization, which dents the 100% free feature of this platform.
RSS.com
Most Affordable Podcast Hosting Platform
RSS.com is another long-running enterprise that focuses on podcasting. Their continued success may be attributed in part to the fact that their plans permit unlimited data storage and episode lengths.
This podcast hosting is ideal if you intend to produce numerous episodes weekly or if you prefer to release a file containing multiple episodes at once.
It’s a hub for podcasting with in-built advertising and sponsorship opportunities for creators with strong listener engagement. In addition to providing each podcaster with their free website, it also provides episode and cross-platform analytics information.
RSS.com will automatically distribute your podcasts to services like Apple Podcasts and Spotify. It’s great for newcomers and seasoned Podcasters alike because of its adaptability and practicality.
Features
- Cross-platform analytics
- Supports chapters and soundbites to make podcasts engaging and orderly
- Episodes can be scheduled to be posted whenever you want
- Automatic distribution of podcasts to efficient directories.
Pricing
- $4.99/month Student and NGOs Plan
- $8.25/Monthly All-in-One Podcasting Plan: All premium features accessible through the non-profit and student plan are also included in this bundle.
- Pro and Enterprise Paid Plan: With this bespoke pricing tier, you get everything included in the All-in-One plan.
Pros
- Podcast episodes are distributed automatically to major platforms like Spotify and Apple
- No limits to storage space and Episode length
- The platform is straightforward and easy to navigate
- Allows monetization
- It allows social media integration.
Cons
- Does not offer unlimited free plans
- The cheapest plan is only available to students and Non-Government Organisations.
Captivate
Best Podcast Hosting Platform for Businesses
The cost and functionality of this platform are both optimal. It guarantees newcomers and seasoned pros access to the resources necessary to run a successful podcast channel.
Captivate is an excellent choice for business use.
The included analytics provide the host with information about what kind of material is most popular with their viewers. On captivate, podcasters can use one account to administer and promote multiple podcast networks owned by the same presenter, making it ideal for professionals.
It’s a fantastic option for a manager-subordinate relationship because it allows the host to provide roles to members with granular rights.
Features
- Team membership
- Creation of private podcasts for a selected few
- Available marketing tools to improve podcast performance
- Podcast performance statistic.
Pricing
- Personal Plan: Listeners can download about 12,000 episodes per month in this way. Every month, you’ll be charged $19
- Professional Plan: It paves the way for 60,000 monthly episode downloads. The monthly fee is $49
- Business Plan: Listeners and fans can download one hundred and fifty thousand episodes every month. Monthly payments of $99.00 are required.
Pros
- Unlimited storage space and episode length
- Paid plans have similar features except for the number of monthly downloads allowed
- Excellent built-in tools to better podcast sound
- Unlimited audio storage.
Cons
- Doesn’t come with a free plan
- Customised websites for podcasters are too basic.
Factors to Consider Before Choosing a Podcast Hosting Platform
Keep in mind that all podcast hosting systems include these features, albeit to varying degrees. Therefore, you should seek one that emphasises a quality you would like your hosting to have. The best features of podcast platforms include:
Storage Space and Bandwidth Restrictions
Podcast hosting services need storage spaces and bandwidth. More bandwidth should be available on platforms that transport data to and from podcast hosts. More space helps organise podcasts.
This affects how often new episodes may be released, how listeners can access older episodes, and how many can download the show at once.
Cost
Most podcast hosting services provide free plans, but paying unlocks extra features and reduces storage and bandwidth constraints. If you are looking to monetise your podcast, you should also consider whether the platform takes a cut from your earnings and what percentage if any.
Analytic Reports
Use this function to comprehend your audience better. It’s crucial to your podcast’s development since it helps you gauge interest in various topics and make informed choices about what to cover next.
By analysing your audience’s listening habits, you can choose a podcast hosting service that is IAB-certified or compliant.
Ease of Use
You should also consider how user-friendly the platform is. You do not want to choose a platform that you have to spend precious time fiddling with when you could be creating content for your podcast.
Monetization
You must also consider the monetization features of the platform. How easy is it to make revenue from the platform and does this justify the cost of the platform. You should also consider whether you want this cost transferred to your listeners or you want to find other ways to make revenue from the platform.
FAQs on the Best Podcast Hosting Platforms
Uploading a podcast or episode to a platform can be done in various ways, each of which is determined by the website’s host. Some podcast hosting systems, however, provide integrations with WordPress websites, which greatly simplify the process of publishing episodes.
Before submitting, you must create a Spotify account first. Then, whenever necessary, you may include a link to this account in your RSS feed. Your podcast’s ownership status would need to be confirmed by email.
Spotify will then feature your podcast after you’re finished. Some users actively seek direct video submissions via Anchor.
Podcasts have various features such that the important features are dependent on the podcast host. Some common important features are the ability to host unlimited episodes, schedule episodes in advance, and provide detailed analytics reports of the podcast performance.
There are many different factors that can make or break a podcast, but ultimately it comes down to the quality of the content and the connection that the host has with the audience. Not to forget to mention the kinds of hosting platforms used matter too.
There are many different topics that podcasts can cover. Some popular topics include: Technology, Business, Education, Entertainment, Health & Fitness, Politics & current affairs, Religion & Spirituality. Podcasts can really be about anything that interests the creators and listeners.
Making your podcast sound good depends on the hosting platform and the recording state of the podcaster. If you have a good quality microphone and know how to use it, your podcast will automatically sound good.
Most podcasts are recorded in audio formats however, there are video podcasts commonly called vodcasts. Many vodcasts are simply audio podcasts that also include a video feed of the recording session or host.
Wrapping Up
Hosting platforms will provide you with the tools you need to create and distribute your podcast. They will also help you track your listener statistics so that you can see how your show is performing.
When choosing a hosting platform, it’s important to consider your budget, as well as the features and functionality that you need.There are many podcasts hosts out there such as Buzzsprout, the hosting platform allows podcasters to customise their podcast.
Rss.com is another great platform that offers so many benefits such as audio transcriptions, social media integration options and so on and there is Anchor by Spotify which is available for free.
It is important to do your research, read through all we have reviewed and find the one that’s right for you.
