Podcasting has become more and more popular over the years, and more and more people are using it as a way to share what they know about different topics. With the growth of this industry, there are now a lot of different platforms for hosting podcasts from which to choose. Even though having a lot of choices can be great, it can be hard to decide which one to use.
Your podcast will only do well if you use the right platform for hosting it. Your podcast files will be stored on your hosting platform and sent to podcast directories like Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Google Podcasts. Your choice of platform will also affect the features you can use, such as analytics, ways to make money, customization, and how easy it is to use.
We’ll give you a quick rundown of some popular podcast hosting platforms, such as Buzzsprout, Libsyn, Podbean, Transistor, and Anchor, so you can make an informed choice. We’ll talk about their most important features, how they can be priced, and their pros and cons. By the end of this guide, you’ll know more about which podcast hosting platform fits your needs and budget the best.
Choosing the Right Podcast Hosting Platform: A Guide
Buzzsprout
Buzzsprout is a popular podcast hosting platform known for being easy to use, having a lot of features, and having great customer service. Here are some of the benefits and features of using Buzzsprout to host your podcast:
What it is and what it does:
Ease of Use: Buzzsprout is very easy to use, and its interface makes it simple to upload and manage podcast files.
Distribution: Buzzsprout makes it easy to get your podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, and all the other big podcast directories.
Analytics: Buzzsprout gives you a lot of information about how well your podcast is doing, such as the number of downloads, subscribers, and demographics.
Buzzsprout has a number of ways to make money, such as opportunities for sponsorship and the ability to sell premium content.
Customization: Buzzsprout lets you make changes to your website, branding, and episode artwork, among other things.
Price Choices:
Buzzsprout has different plans with prices that start as low as $12 per month, depending on how many hours of audio you upload each month. Here are the plans for prices:
The free plan gives you 2 hours of audio per month, limited analytics, and branding from Buzzsprout.
$12 a month gets you advanced analytics, 3 hours of audio per month, and no Buzzsprout branding.
$18 per month gets you advanced analytics, 6 hours of audio per month, and no Buzzsprout branding.
For $24, you get advanced analytics, 12 hours of audio per month, and no Buzzsprout branding.
Pros:
User-friendly interface
It’s easy to get your podcast into all of the major directories.
Detailed data on how well a podcast is doing
Many ways to make money from it
Branding and websites that can be changed
Cons:
The lower-tier plans have less space and fewer ways to upload.
Plans with higher prices may be too much for smaller podcasters.
There aren’t many ways to connect to third-party apps and services.
Libsyn
Since 2004, Libsyn has been around as one of the oldest and most popular places to host podcasts. It has a lot of benefits and features that make it a great choice for podcasters. Here are a few of the most important features and benefits of using Libsyn to host your podcast:
What it is and what it does:
Customizable Websites: Libsyn lets you create a unique brand and online presence for your podcast with customizable websites.
Making money: There are different ways to make money on Libsyn, such as through sponsorships, in-app ads, and selling premium content.
Distribution: Libsyn makes it easy to get your podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, and other big podcast directories.
Analytics: Libsyn gives you a lot of information about how your podcast is doing, such as how many downloads and subscribers it has and what kind of people listen to it.
Support: Libsyn has great customer service, and you can reach them by phone, email, or live chat.
Price Choices:
Depending on how much storage and features you need, Libsyn has different pricing plans that start at $5 per month. Here are the plans for prices:
Classic 50: For $5 a month, you get 50MB of storage space, basic statistics, and a website that you can change.
Advanced 400: For $15 a month, you get 400MB of storage space, advanced statistics, and a website that you can change.
Professional 800: For $20 a month, you get 800MB of storage space, advanced statistics, and a website that you can change.
Enterprise 1500: For $40 a month, you get 1500MB of storage, advanced statistics, and a website that you can change.
Pros:
Branding and websites that can be changed
Many ways to make money from it
Detailed data on how well a podcast is doing. Great customer service.
It’s easy to get your podcast into all of the major directories.
Cons:
Compared to other hosting platforms, plans can be pricey.
The lower-tier plans have few storage options.
Plans with higher prices are the only ones that offer advanced analytics.
Podbean
Podbean is another popular platform for hosting podcasts. It gives podcasters a lot of features and benefits. Here are some of the best things about Podbean and why you should use it to host your podcast:
What it is and what it does:
Customizable Websites: Podbean makes it easy to create a unique brand and online presence for your podcast by offering customizable websites.
Making money: There are different ways to make money on Podbean, such as through sponsorships, in-app ads, and selling premium content.
Distribution: Podbean makes it easy to get your podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, and other big podcast directories.
Analytics: Podbean gives you a lot of information about how well your podcast is doing, such as the number of downloads, subscribers, and demographics.
Marketplace for Podcast Advertising: Podbean has a marketplace where you can meet advertisers who want to promote their products and services.
Price Choices:
Podbean has different plans with prices that range from free to $99 per month, depending on how much storage and features you need. Here are the plans for prices:
The free plan gives you 5 hours of storage, some basic analytics, and a website that you can change.
Unlimited Audio: For $9 a month, you can store as much audio as you want, get advanced analytics, and make your own website.
Business: For $29 a month, you can get unlimited storage, advanced analytics, a website you can change, and ways to make money.
Pro: For $99 a month, you get unlimited storage, advanced analytics, a website you can change, more ways to make money, and premium support.
Pros:
Branding and websites that can be changed
Many ways to make money from it
Detailed analytics on how well a podcast is doing Market place for advertisers to connect
It’s easy to get your podcast into all of the major directories.
Cons:
The free plan doesn’t have a lot of features or storage space.
Plans with higher prices are the only ones with advanced features.
Compared to other hosting platforms, the user interface may not be as easy to use.
Semiconductor
Transistor is a new platform for hosting podcasts that wants to make podcasting easier and more accessible for everyone. Here are a few of the most important features and benefits of using Transistor to host your podcast:
What it is and what it does:
Customizable Websites: Transistor lets you create a unique brand and online presence for your podcast with websites that you can change.
Distribution: Transistor makes it easy to get your podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, and all the other big podcast directories.
Analytics: Transistor gives you a lot of information about how well your podcast is doing, such as the number of downloads, subscribers, and demographics.
Multiple Podcasts: You can host multiple podcasts on Transistor with one account, which makes it great for podcast networks and businesses.
Transistor is made to be simple and easy to use, with a clean and straightforward interface.
Price Choices:
Transistor has different pricing plans that start at $19 per month and go up from there depending on how many downloads and features you need. Here are the plans for prices:
Starter: $19 per month for 15,000 monthly downloads, basic analytics, and a website that you can change.
Professional: $49 per month for up to 75,000 downloads per month, advanced analytics, and a website that can be changed to fit your needs.
Business: For $99 a month, you can get 150,000 downloads per month, advanced analytics, a website that you can change, and tools for teamwork.
Pros:
Branding and websites that can be changed
It’s easy to get your podcast into all of the major directories.
Detailed data on how well a podcast is doing
Perfect for businesses and networks with many podcasts
A simple and easy-to-use interface
Cons:
Smaller podcasts might not be able to afford the plans.
Compared to other hosting platforms, there aren’t as many ways to make money.
There is no free plan.
Anchor
Anchor is a free podcast hosting service that wants everyone to be able to listen to podcasts. Here are a few of the most important features and benefits of using Anchor to host your podcast:
What it is and what it does:
Anchor is free to use, which makes it a great choice for people who are on a tight budget.
Distribution: Anchor makes it easy to get your podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, and all the other big podcast directories.
Making money: Anchor has a number of ways to make money, such as sponsorships and the ability to sell premium content.
Editing Tools: Anchor lets you edit your podcast right on the platform with its editing tools.
Analytics: Anchor gives you a lot of information about how your podcast is doing, such as the number of downloads, subscribers, and demographics.
Price Choices:
Anchor is available for free, and there are no paid plans.
Pros:
Free to use in every way
It’s easy to get your podcast into all of the major directories.
Monetization options available
There are tools for editing.
Detailed data on how well a podcast is doing
Cons:
Compared to other hosting platforms, it has fewer ways to change things.
Few places to store things (5 hours per month)
Anchor’s branding is part of the RSS feed for the podcast.
Features side by side
When looking for the best podcast hosting platform for your needs, it’s important to think about a number of things, such as distribution options, analytics, ways to make money, how easy it is to use, and how you can customize it. Here is a comparison of the most important features of each podcast hosting platform we’ve talked about:
Options for distribution: All five platforms make it easy to send your podcast to all of the major podcast directories.
Anchor is the only platform that automatically transcribes episodes, which can make them easier to find and use.
Analytics: All five platforms give you a lot of information about how well your podcast is doing, such as how many people download it, who subscribes to it, and what their demographics are.
Libsyn and Podbean have the most detailed analytics, and their more expensive plans have more features.
Monetization: Each of the five platforms has different ways to make money, such as sponsorships and selling premium content.
Buzzsprout and Podbean give you the most ways to make money, and Podbean has a marketplace where you can meet advertisers.
Ease of Use: All five platforms have easy-to-use interfaces that make it simple to upload and manage your podcast files.
Anchor is the easiest platform to use because it has editing tools built right into it.
Customization: All five platforms let you change the look of your website and brand.
Libsyn has the most customization options, and more advanced features are available on plans that cost more.
Overall, the best podcast hosting platform for you will depend on your needs and preferences. Anchor might be the best choice for you if you want a free and easy-to-use platform. If you want more features, like advanced analytics and ways to make money from your podcast, Libsyn or Podbean might be a better choice.
Here’s the comparison of the key features for each of the podcast hosting platforms we discussed, presented in table format:
| Platform | Distribution Options | Analytics | Monetization | Ease of Use | Customization |
| Buzzsprout | Easy distribution to all major podcast directories | Detailed analytics on podcast performance, with advanced features available | Robust monetization options | User-friendly interface | Customizable websites and branding |
| Libsyn | Easy distribution to all major podcast directories | Comprehensive analytics on podcast performance, with advanced features available on higher-priced plans | Various monetization options | User-friendly interface | Comprehensive customization options, with advanced features available on higher-priced plans |
| Podbean | Easy distribution to all major podcast directories | Comprehensive analytics on podcast performance, with advanced features available | Robust monetization options, including a marketplace for connecting with advertisers | User-friendly interface | Customizable websites and branding |
| Transistor | Easy distribution to all major podcast directories | Detailed analytics on podcast performance | Limited monetization options | Simple and user-friendly interface | Customizable websites and branding |
| Anchor | Easy distribution to all major podcast directories, with automatic episode transcription available | Detailed analytics on podcast performance | Various monetization options | Simple and user-friendly interface | Limited customization options |
Conclusion
In short, for your podcast to be successful, you need to choose the right platform for hosting it. Each of the five platforms we’ve talked about—Buzzsprout, Libsyn, Podbean, Transistor, and Anchor—has different features and benefits that can help you take your podcast to the next level.
Buzzsprout is a great choice for people who want a platform that is easy to use and has a lot of ways to make money. Libsyn and Podbean are great for people who want advanced analytics and options to make their podcasts their own. Transistor is a good choice for businesses and podcast networks with multiple podcasts, while Anchor is a good choice for those on a tight budget or just starting out.
In the end, your needs and preferences will determine which podcast hosting platform is best for you. Before making a choice, think about things like distribution options, analytics, monetization, ease of use, and customization.
No matter which platform you choose, remember that the most important thing is to create high-quality content that engages and informs your audience. You can build a successful podcast and grow your audience over time if you use the right hosting platform and work hard to make great content.
