21 Best Podcast Hosting Platforms You Can’t Afford To Miss

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If you have a lot of insightful wisdom or content to share, one of the best ways to broadcast these thoughts to the world is through a podcast. 

Contrary to popular belief, starting a podcast is not too complicated. With the right tools and enlightenment, you’re bound to be a podcast superstar soon enough. 

Before anything else, the first thing for you to determine is to find the best podcast hosting platforms.

With all the options out there, we understand that picking one can be too overwhelming. Don’t worry, we’ve got your back. 

In this article, we’ll introduce you to the best podcast hosting platforms of today to help you get started. We’ve also added other useful information and tips – so consider us your one-stop podcasting resource. 

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Buzzsprout

Best Beginners (Free,  $24/month + $20 Amazon Gift Card).

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Transistor

Great Built-In Podcast Analytics ($19-99/montt).

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Fusebox

A Reliable Toolbox of Podcasting Software (Free-$19/Month).


What is Podcast Hosting?

Before we introduce you to the best podcast hosting platform, let’s first give you a discussion on what podcast hosting is. 

A podcast host refers to the service provider that offers storage and distribution of your podcast episodes.

This host provides you with the Really Simple Syndication Feed or RSS Feed that you need to share your episodes with your potential audience.

It is also a place where you can manage all your episodes before you decide to publish them on a podcast hosting platform. 

From this, we can gather that podcast hosting refers to the service of providing users with a virtual space where they can keep and manage all of their podcast episodes in one place before publishing them.

Quick Facts

  • Fully 39% of men and 36% of women age 12+ in the U.S. are regularly podcast listeners, Source.
  •  94% of podcast listeners tune in while performing different tasks. Source 
  • According to a Research. 78 % of Americans, are presently familiar with the word “podcasting”, and greater than 5 in 10. have listened to a podcast themselves. Source 
  •  A standard podcast is downloaded about 141 times in the first month. Source
  • 38% of podcast listeners buy products introduced in podcasts. Source 
  • Per Week, More Americans Listen to Podcasts compared to Netflix Accounts. Source 

Best Podcast Hosting Platforms : Reviews

Now that you know what podcast hosting is, we can start discussing the best podcast hosting providers in the market.

buzzsprout Podcast

Whenever we think about podcast hosting, BuzzSprout is a name that always comes to mind. With its intuitive interface and useful features, it’s easy to see why it’s well-loved by the podcasting community.

And with a large resource for everything you need to get started, it’s one of the best podcast hosting services for beginners and experienced podcasters alike.

Key Features

BuzzSprout offers a variety of user-friendly features, and here are some of the best that it offers:

  • It helps you get listed. BuzzSprout helps you market your podcasts by giving you access to the top listing directories of today. That includes Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Alexa, and iHeartRadio, among others. 

  • It has an intuitive dashboard. This feature easily allows you to check up on your statistics and progress. These data will help you determine what you need to improve on for your next episodes. 

  • It offers a Magic Mastering technology. This feature automatically optimizes your audio files to make sure they’re at par with the industry’s quality standards. Even without any audio editing experience, this feature allows you to create the same high-quality effect as those of professionals. 

  • It offers a transcription service. BuzzSprout offers an in-app transcription service, which will help your podcasts become more accessible to a variety of users. This will not only increase your visibility but will also help the hearing-impaired enjoy every episode. 

Pricing Plan

BuzzSprout offers one free plan and three payment plans. For the free plan, you get to upload up to 2 hours of content every month, which will be hosted for up to 90 days. Pay plans, on the other hand, start at $12  for up to 3-hour uploads every month.

If you prefer a higher monthly upload limit, you can opt for the 6-hour uploads or the 12-hour uploads for $18 and $24 per month respectively. 

BuzzSprout Pricing
Spreaker podcast 2021

Spreaker is another notable podcast hosting service that you might want to consider.

With its wide selection of plans, podcasters at different stages of their careers are sure to find a home with this host. And since it’s part of the iHeart family, you know that Spreaker can deliver everything that every podcaster needs. 

Key Features

Claiming to be the one-stop-shop for everything we need to produce a podcast, Spreaker boasts some interesting features.

  • It offers a simplified publication system. Spreaker has an intuitive Content Management System that allows you to easily publish your content without delay. All it takes is a few clicks and a few seconds, and your podcast episodes are ready for the public to enjoy.

  • It offers a podcast on-the-go service. Thanks to its Spreaker Studio app, you can record your podcasts wherever you may be. This makes it accessible for all of its users, and convenient enough for frequent travelers.

  • Distributing podcast episodes is a breeze. Spreaker also offers a one-click podcast distribution system that instantly makes your episodes available on top streaming platforms. This feature makes marketing your content a breeze.

  • It features a monetization program. With just one click, you can opt to monetize your content without the hassle of setting it up on your own. 

Pricing Plan

Spreaker offers the most versatile pay plans for podcast hosting in the market. 

It offers a free plan that allows you to enjoy its basic features at no price at all. It also has three paid personal plans that start at $7 per month to up to $50 per month. You unlock more of its premium features if you get the higher plans. 

If you’re an enterprise, you might also be interested in the Publisher plan at $120 per month, where you can get priority support, premium trafficking tools, and a collaboration feature from Spreaker.

 Transistor Podcast

If you’re looking to host multiple podcasts, Transistor offers the best value for the money. 

With affordable plans that can host an unlimited number of podcasts, this is the perfect hosting platform for those who want to talk about different topics.

It’s bound to help you grow your brand faster without shelling out too much on individual podcast accounts. 

Key Features

  • Transistor.fm allows you to create unlimited podcasts. Even its most affordable plan guarantees unlimited podcasts, so you know you can’t go wrong with this host. 

  • It allows multiple collaborators. Transistor allows you to invite other users to create your podcast team. These team members can help you create quality content and access your data to manage your podcast better. 

  • It comes with a minimalist dashboard. Everything you need to know about the statistics of your show is displayed on this dashboard. Its simple interface makes navigation a breeze while also making it easy to read. You also have access to multiple statistics, making it convenient to track your progress.

  • It can give you a separate website for your podcast. Having your website means building a better brand for yourself while also improving your marketing. 

Pricing plan

Transistor.fm offers three pricing plans at $19 per month for the Starter Plan, $49 per month for the Professional Plan, and $99 for the Business Plan.

transistor Pricing (1) (1)

All plans offer unlimited podcasts, live support, advanced analytics, and more. However, you get more collaborators and monthly downloads with the more expensive plans. 

While Transistor.fm does not have a free plan, you can try its services for free for up to 14 days. 

PodBean Podcast

PodBean is perhaps one of the most beginner-friendly platforms we have encountered.

It has everything you need to get started on podcasting, coupled with straight-to-the-point pricing plans that are easy on the wallet. 

Key Features

  • PodBean’s intuitive interface allows you to manage your content with ease. It has a minimalist user-friendly dashboard that allows you to publish your broadcasts and track your progress all in one place.

  • It offers a mobile podcast publishing option. This feature allows you to record and publish your content straight from your phone – wherever you may be. And if you’re busy, you can always activate the scheduled publishing option. 

  • It allows you to distribute your content through various platforms. Whether it’s a podcast platform, a streaming provider, or a social network, you can count on PodBean to share your content without issue. 

  • PodBean offers live streaming services. This feature allows you to engage with your audience in real-time, so it would give you a sense of personal connection with your listeners. That will surely help you gain their trust and support.

Pricing Plan

PodBean offers a free Basic plan where you can get a total of 5 hours of storage space. For the paid plans, you can choose between three plans offering unlimited storage and bandwidth starting at $9 per month if you choose to pay annually, or at $14 a month if you decide to pay by the month. All other plans are listed here : 

Podbean Pricing

Tip

Choosing a reliable hosting platform is crucial for your podcast because it will help you grow your audience faster while making it easier to manage your files.

Simplecast Podcast

As its name implies, Simplecast is guaranteed to make podcasting a lot simpler for all of us. 

With its customized plans and powerful podcast tools, you’re bound to publish high-quality episodes like a pro. Its plan pricing is also competitive, so you know you're getting your money's worth.

Key Features

  • It allows you to manage multiple podcasts. Even the most affordable plan offers unlimited storage and uploads, and that allows you to host as many shows as you want with just one account.

  • Users get their customizable website. This website will help you build your brand, where users can instantly access data about your shows. This will also help you promote your content better. 

  • Distribution through various platforms. Speaking of podcast promotion, this feature allows you to reach a wide range of audiences across multiple platforms, allowing you to grow your listenership with just a few clicks. 

  • It offers an embeddable podcast player. This feature allows you to share content on different pages that allow web player embedding. 

Pricing Plan

Simplecast offers three paid plans for individual podcasters that start at $15 per month or $13.50 per month if you choose to pay annually. All of these plans come with a 14-day free trial if you want to get the hang of how it works. 

For big networks and businesses, Simplecast offers two paid plans: the Professional Plan and the Enterprise Plan.

These plans are customizable, and the prices vary depending on the features you need.

captivate Podcast

Another podcast hosting platform that instantly caught our attention is Captivate.

If you are looking for where to host your podcast, Captivate is a great option. It's a new platform that focuses more on growing your podcast. 

They offer an unlimited number of podcasts, no limit on the number of team members, and marketing tools.

With the purchase of a paid plan, you will have access to a customizable website with mobile ergonomics as well as an integrated contribution tool. You can easily host your podcast there.

Key Features

  • It comes with built-in business features. If your podcast is linked to your business, this feature will help you boost sales even further.

  • It offers impressive promotional features. This feature guarantees a wide reach towards a targeted audience, and that will help your show grow over time. 
  • It offers advanced analytics. Monitoring your show’s statistics is crucial to its improvement, and the advanced analytics from Captivate will help display comprehensive data for easier understanding. 
  • It comes with a WordPress plugin. If you’re running your website on the world’s most popular CMS, then this feature comes in handy, allowing you to display your podcasts directly on your website without coding expertise. 

Pricing Plan

Captivate offers three paid plans starting with the Personal Plan at $19 per month if paid monthly or $17 per month if paid annually. For more monthly allowable downloads, you can opt for the Professional plan at $49 or the Business Plan at $99. 

All of its plans come with a 7-day free trial for those who want to get the hang of it first before making a purchase.

castos Podcast for WordPress

If you need a lot of space for your podcasts, then look no further than Castos. With its impressive offer of unlimited storage, unlimited bandwidth, and unlimited podcasts, this is a hosting platform that’s meant for podcast titans. 

Castos is also a WordPress extension for integrating your podcast into your existing website. You just go to the Castos website and start your free 14-day podcast hosting trial.

Next, you need to install the plugin on WordPress and add your episodes in the podcast section that will appear in your menu.

Key Features

  • It offers easy content migration. With just one click, content and other data from your old host is migrated to the Castos server. This makes transferring to a bigger host hassle-free, allowing for zero downtime when you opt to migrate. 

  • It allows Youtube republishing. Thanks to this feature, you can maximize the use of your content. Also, it's a great way to reach more audiences, especially since Youtube is home to over 2 billion global users. 

  • Reach can be boosted with SEO. This hosting platform offers SEO-ready services, and this is an effective marketing tool that will keep your podcasts on top of search engines. That will help improve your overall visibility, which will also help you attract more targeted listeners. 

  • It offers downloadable transcripts. For an added fee, you can have transcripts for every episode and have them readily available for download. This makes it more accessible for an audience who want further documentation, or for those who are reading-impaired. 

Pricing Plan

Castos offers three paid plans that start at $19 per month or $190 per year. To unlock more features, you might want to try the Growth Plan at 449 per month or $490 per year, or the Pro Plan at $99 per month or $990 per year. This podcast hosting site also offers a 14-day free trial.

Castos podcast pricing
Podcastics review

For those who are looking to host multiple podcasts but want to stay on budget, one of the best podcast hosting sites that we recommend is Podcastics.

With its reasonably-priced plans offering unlimited episodes and multiple podcasts, you’re sure to get the best bang for your buck with this host. 

Key Features

  • It has a clean and simple interface. Navigating through its dashboard is a breeze, thanks to its simple and intuitive interface. Even if you're new to podcasting, you won't have a hard time maximizing all of its features. 

  • It offers easy episode organization. This podcast hosting service allows podcasters to categorize their episodes, making it easy to organize all your content. It also has a duplicate detection feature, and that helps free up a lot of your allotted space and time. 

  • It offers live streaming. Thanks to this feature, you can freely interact with your audience in real-time. 

  • It comes with mobile-friendly tools. If you have to edit descriptions or manage your podcasts while on the go, this feature makes it possible. This is handy for the jet-setting podcasters out there. 

Pricing Plan

Podcastics offers a 1-month free trial to allow users to get a glimpse of how their interface operates.

Once this trial period expires, you can choose from three paid plans that start at an affordable $4 a month!

For bigger and better features, you can opt for the Pro Plan for $8 per month or the Max plan at $39 per month. 

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Fusebox Podcast player

One of the most versatile podcast hosts we’ve encountered is Fusebox. It features a podcast player that is compatible with most websites, making it convenient if you already have an existing website for your podcast. 

Fusebox offers a slightly different style of podcast hosting. This platform stands out mainly by the possibility of capturing the email of your listeners.

In addition, you can transcribe your podcast automatically on your site thanks to their extension.

Created in 2015 by podcaster Pat Flynn, Fusebox sets itself apart from its competition by offering podcast hosting at a very competitive price.

Key Features

  • It is compatible with multiple platforms. This feature guarantees that your content can be displayed on multiple platforms across the globe. That ensures a wide reach wherever you may be. 
  • It has a versatile podcast player. Fusebox offers a full-featured podcast player that allows you to customize what you want to display. You have full control over what your audience listens to – wherever it may be located on your website. 
  • It has a convenient WordPress plugin. If your website runs on WordPress, you can take advantage of its transcripts plugin to allow your audience to read along as they listen to you. 

Pricing Plan

Believe us when we say that Fusebox is a top contender for the best podcast hosting 2020 since it's one of the platforms that offer a free plan that's reliable and stable.

If you choose to go pro, you can avail of its paid plan at $19 per month or $15.83 per month if you choose to pay annually – that’s like getting two months for free. 

Podcast Websites for WordPress

If you want to maximize your podcast for WordPress, then the best podcast hosting option is Podcast Websites. This platform offers everything you need to transform your WordPress website into a podcasting powerhouse. 

By being a member, you receive digital marketing support to promote your podcast and add ads to it.

You will find a large community of beginners and advanced podcasters there to help you in your efforts. For example, you will have access to podcast tutorials as well as a discussion board to interact with people who are doing the same thing as you.

Key Features

  • It specifically caters to WordPress-powered websites. WordPress is the leading content management system around the globe, and knowing that the team is geared towards optimizing your WP website guarantees promotional success. 
  • It has a drag-and-drop interface. This feature allows you to create professional podcast-ready websites without any coding knowledge. It’s one of the simplest design interfaces around, making it hassle-free – even for beginners. 
  • It offers unlimited podcast hosting. You also get to enjoy unlimited and unmetered built-in podcast hosting along with your WordPress website.
  • It offers 24/7 support. One of the biggest features that this service is known for is its round-the-clock support availability. You'll never worry about downtimes again with this hosting provider. 

Pricing Plan

Podcast Websites offers two paid plans at $77 and $97 per month. The main difference between these two plans lies in the amount you’ll be paying for the unlimited and unmetered podcast hosting and RSS Feed support. 

Audioboom Podcast

Audioboom is a podcast hosting site that offers a simplified interface for users requiring different hosting tiers. Whether you’re new to the scene or someone who needs to expand, Audioboom aims to be with you every step of the way. 

Audioboom makes it easy for you to host your podcast and share it with your audience easily. This podcast hosting site primarily focuses on monetizing your podcast.

In fact, all you need to do is get 10,000 plays per episode and you will have access to their dynamic ad creation tools as well as sponsorship.

Key Features

  • Audioboom offers a user-friendly hosting service. Aside from giving us a place to upload our content, it also helps us migrate our content from previous hosting providers to make the move hassle-free. 

  • It offers easy podcast distribution. With partners such as Apple Podcast, iHeart, Spotify, Google Podcasts, and more, you know your podcasts are always visible to potential listeners. 

  • It comes with advanced analytics. This feature displays categorized data according to geographic region, apps used to listen to your podcast, and devices used to access your content. You can easily use this data to optimize and improve your content in the future. 

  • It offers social media integration. Reaching a targeted audience is made easier with social media integration. This feature allows you and the general public to share your podcasts with others via various social media. This is one of the fastest ways to get the word around about your podcast. 

Pricing Plan

Audioboom offers a retail plan for individual podcasters starting from $9.99 per month or $99 per year.

If you have already developed a large following with over 10,000 plays per episode, then the Podcast Pros plan would be more ideal.

The price of the latter plan varies, and it largely depends on the features you need. Thus, it’s best to contact Audioboom directly to get an accurate quote. 

Megaphone Podcast 2022

For those who are looking for a fully customizable plan, then Megaphone is your best bet.

This podcast hosting provider offers different features that you can take advantage of depending on what you truly need.

As such, you know you’re only paying for what you have to use, and that ensures great value for the money.

Key Features

  • It offers flexible plans. One of the best features of this platform is that it has highly customizable plans, so you know you’re only paying for the services and features that you truly need. 

  • Megaphone offers comprehensive analytics. Thanks to its state-of-the-art reporting, you get access to useful data and statistics about each episode’s activity. This gives you an idea of what you have to improve on in the next episodes. 

  • It gives users full control over campaigns and podcast distribution. Megaphone gives users access to an intuitive dashboard where they can track and monitor campaigns for easier promotion. It also allows you to distribute your content to various websites to ensure maximum reach. 

  • It offers easy podcast monetization. If you opt to monetize your podcasts, Megaphone can help you in more ways than one. It even has a sophisticated system that ensures reach to a targeted set of audience. 

Pricing Plan

Since Megaphone specializes in customized hosting solutions, it’s best to keep in touch with the company to get a quote. 

blubrry Podcast

If you’re most concerned about your podcast’s statistics, we strongly recommend Blubrry for its impressively accurate analytics. It also offers seemingly hassle-free hosting for different levels of users, and that makes it a promising competitor.

That’s why we can vouch for its inclusion in this best podcast hosting platforms list.

Key Features

  • It offers accurate statistics. Knowing accurate data about how your podcast performs is crucial to your success. That’s why the people behind Blubrry have made it a point to deliver categorized data to help you understand your show's overall performance.

  • It offers easy content migration. If you’re planning to switch to a new host, Blubrry allows you to transfer all your data in the least stressful way. And the best part is that it's free – so you don't have to shell out extra money for every data transfer. 

  • It has partnered with all the major podcasting platforms. As a result, you’re bound to reach a wide audience from around the globe.  

  • It comes with the convenient Powerpress Plugin. This convenient feature allows you to take full control of your podcast player straight from your WordPress dashboard. 

Pricing Plan

Blubrry offers five paid hosting plans for you to enjoy. It starts with the Small plan that gives you 100MB of monthly storage for $12 per month. Up next is the medium plan that gives you 250MB of monthly storage for $20 per month. Then, we have the Large plan with 500MB of monthly storage for $40 per month. 

blubrry podcast pricing

If you need bigger monthly storage, you can opt for the Extra Large or the Pro Hosting plans which start at $80 per month for at least 1000MB of storage. 

Use promo Code aziz

Libsyn Podcast

Libsyn is one of the most comprehensive podcast hosting platforms we have ever encountered. 

With features such as its own Publisher Hub, superior analytics, customizable designs, and multiple file upload options, it’s easy to see why it’s such a crowd favorite. 

Key Features

  • It comes with the Libsyn WordPress Publishing Hub. For those whose websites are running on WordPress, this feature allows you to publish and manage your podcasts directly from your WP dashboard. 

  • It supports FTP. Aside from its browser-based uploading option, Libsyn is FTP-ready, so you can transfer large files faster and without fear of losing its progress in case of a minor setback. 

  • It has an intuitive File Manager interface. Thanks to this feature, you can manage all of your content in one organized system. Locating important files will no longer be a problem with this feature. 

  • It comes with multiple paid plans. Libsyn is one of the platforms that offer multiple tiers for users with varying needs. As a result, you can find the perfect plan for your podcast without spending too much on features you don’t need. 

Pricing Plan

For those needing humble storage options, you can start with the Classic 50 Plan that gives you 50MB for $5 per month or the Classic 250 Plan with 250MB for $15 per month. 

libsyn podcast pricing

For podcasters with more advanced needs, you can opt for the Advanced 400 Plan with 400MB of storage for $20 per month, the Advanced 800 Plan with 800MB at $40, the Advanced 1500 Plan with 1500MB at $75, and the Advanced 3000 Plan with 3000MB at $150 per month. 

SoundCloud Podcast

SoundCloud is the world leader in music and audio hosting. It started its hosting service in 2015 and has attracted over 175 million unique visitors per month.

Access millions of listeners and advanced statistics per episode to increase your fan base.

Easily post and share podcast episodes from SoundCloud, instantly connect with fans, and receive immediate feedback.

Key Features

  • It offers free uploads. Because of this feature, SoundCloud remains to be the best podcast hosting site for beginners and podcasters on a budget. 
  • It offers connectivity features. As a result, this feature will allow you to interact with your audience to give that personal touch to your podcasts. That will greatly improve your trust rating, which often results in higher listenership.  
  • Sharing content is made easy. SoundCloud offers hassle-free content hosting to ensure a wide reach. It can be shared through various platforms, and that ensures getting noticed by potential listeners from around the world. 

Pricing Plan

soundcloud Pricing (1) (1)

SoundCloud Basic is available for free.

To unlock more features such as scheduled releases, access to more in-depth statistics, and more, you might want to opt for SoundCloud Pro Unlimited at $12 per month.

OmnyStudio

For those who are looking for a host that specifically caters to enterprise podcasts, OmnyStudio is perfect for you.

It comes with advanced features that are meant to help you handle multiple podcasts without feeling overwhelmed. And for all that it offers, it surprisingly comes with budget-friendly pricing.

That’s why it’s easily one of the best podcast hosting platforms in the market. 

Key Features

  • It offers superior editing features. OmnyStudio offers a built-in editor for your audio that offers one-click enhancements. That results in professional-quality episodes without all the audio editing skills. Also, it has a drag-and-drop page builder that allows you to customize your website according to your brand’s image.

  • It has impressive analytics. This podcast hosting provider offers a live dashboard that allows you to monitor your statistics in real-time. 

  • It allows you to share content on different platforms and social media networks. Publishing your podcast won’t be a problem, and you’re guaranteed to reach audiences from around the world with this useful feature.

  • It allows you to organize your content seamlessly. This podcast hosting platform allows multiple podcasts which you can categorize into chapters. This makes it more organized – both for you and your audience.

Pricing Plan

Since OmnyStudio caters to big enterprises, it only offers paid plans that start at $29 per month. While there is no free plan, you can take advantage of the demo option to get an idea of what it’s like to be hosted on this service.

Tip .

I highly suggest you get started for free/small and then upgrade to any package you want based on how many hours of content you intend to upload a month and what your needs are.

 Resonaterecordings 1

Another top contender for the best podcast hosting platform is Resonaterecordings.

With its one-click publishing tool and detailed dashboard, it can easily be considered as one of the most user-centered platforms out there.

If you want a hassle-free host that caters to heavy-traffic podcasts, this is the perfect choice for you.

Key Features

  • It offers a one-click publishing system. Once you’re ready to publish your episodes, all it takes is one click to make it available to everyone. No need to publish all your podcasts individually on separate directories – and that can save you a lot of time in the long run.

  • It offers an easy content migration system. Aside from the one-click publishing system, Resonaterecordings also features a convenient migration system that allows you to transfer all your content and data from your previous host. No need for complicated file transfers and re-uploads because the host has got you covered.

  • It automatically creates a website for your podcast. To maximize your podcast’s visibility on the World Wide Web, you need a website to get things started. If you have zero coding experience, don’t worry – Resonaterecordings already creates it for you.

  • It allows you to embed a podcast player onto your website. The Resonate Podcast Player can be embedded on your website, so the audience can access it directly from there at no time and extra expense on your part.

Pricing Plan

You can choose from three of Resonaterecordings’ paid plans that start at $25 per month for the Basic Plan and $49 per month for the Premium Plan. Both of these plans offer a 14-day free trial. 

For those who want more features for their bigger audience, you might want to get a quote for their Premium Pro Plan.

Acast Podcast

Acast is among the best entry-level podcast hosting platforms in the market. It comes with versatile plans that are curated for different podcasters in different stages of their careers.

It also features some advanced features that can truly help you boost your distribution and help monetize your podcast. 

Key Features

  • It has a comprehensive free plan. Acast has one of the most comprehensive free plans we have encountered. Surprisingly, you already get your website, easy distribution, and basic analytics without spending a dime. That’s quite an impressive feat for a free hosting plan. 

  • Paid plans come with a highly customizable website. When you do decide to pay for its services, you get upgraded features, including customizable websites to help promote your podcast’s brand. 

  • It allows publication on multiple platforms. Thanks to this feature, you can distribute your content to the top podcast directories in the market to ensure a global reach. 

  • Paid plans support unlimited episodes and downloads. Acast can host unlimited episodes and downloads at reasonable prices. That makes it competitive, especially vis-à-vis its paid hosting partners. 

Pricing Plan

As previously mentioned, Acast has a Basic plan that comes for free. For experienced podcasters who would like to pay for its services, you can opt for the Influencer plan at $14.99 per month, or the Ace plan at $29.99 per month. Both paid plans come with a 14-day free trial. 

Fireside Podcast

Fireside is another top contender for the best podcast hosting platforms for this year.

This all-in-one platform provides you with reliable hosting, a customizable podcast player, professional tools, and more.

And with its straight-to-the-point price plans, you know you’ll find the perfect fit for your hosting needs.  

Key Features

  • It has a simple and easy-to-use interface. Fireside has one of the most intuitive user interfaces we’ve tried.

  • It is navigable, so using its tools and features won’t be a problem. The dashboard also contains easy-to-read and accurate data based on each episode’s performance. That makes monitoring a breeze as well. 

  • It comes with professional podcast management tools. Thanks to this feature, you get access to advanced distribution tools that will help you improve how you publish your podcasts. 

  • You get a website and blog for every podcast. Fireside provides you with a website and a blog to help you further promote your content on the World Wide Web. This is also a great way to provide additional information to your listeners beyond podcasting alone. 

  • It offers simplified files importation. Thanks to this feature, Fireside allows you to migrate to its servers in a hassle-free manner. Gone are the days when you have to manually download from an old host and re-upload your content to your new host. That will surely save you a lot of time and effort. 

Pricing Plan

Fireside Podcast Pricing (1) (1) (1) (1)

Fireside offers three comprehensive paid plans.

The Starter Plan is available for $9 per month, the Standard Plan for more experienced users is available for $19 per month, and the Professional Plan for established podcasters is available for $49 per month.

All of these plans come with a 14-day trial, so you can test out its interface before you decide if it’s right for you. 

20. Firstory 

firstory podcast (1) (1)

Firstory is a freemium podcast hosting platform that offers the best free-forever plan suitable for beginners and paid plans that are packed with cutting-edge innovative tools and features. 

With all plans providing free unlimited storage and bandwidth, podcasters can freely grow their shows without limitations. 

Committed to improving the overall podcasting experience through unique audience engagement and promotion tools, Firstory empowers every creator to explore new possibilities. 

Key Features:

● Free unlimited storage and bandwidth for all plans. This comes at a price for most major hosting providers. 

● Benchmarking analytics, positioning your show against others in general and in the same category. This forms part of the stats and metrics on the dashboard which tells you exactly how well your show is performing. 

● Impressive audience engagement tools such as the cross-platform comment link and voicemail functionalities. Both are connected to the auto-generated podcast website, which improves searchability and branding. 

● FLink, the all-in-one promotion tool. This Firstory-exclusive innovation provides a universal, auto-generated link to all major directories your podcast is on, plus other links you manually include such as: Social media accounts, websites, e-commerce stores, monetization links, etc.

● Dynamic Insertion that allows you to easily swap, edit, and insert audio files into past, current, and future episodes. 

Pricing Plan:

Firstory aims to make the best podcast platform available to all podcasters. 

firstory Pricing

The free forever plan comes with every essential tool to get started with a great podcast.

The $19 per month ($15 when billed annually) Pro Plan unlocks exclusive features, while the $199 per month Enterprise Plan is a flexible bundle for brands, corporate accounts, and institutions. 

All plans come with unlimited storage and bandwidth, live support, core promotion tools, & more.

RedCircle Podcast

RedCircle is relatively new to the podcast hosting world, but it certainly is one of the most competitive. It allows users to partner with podcasters from the same platform to reach out to a like-minded audience, which instantly guarantees quality followership. It also boasts features that help make podcasting a lot easier, which is why we believe it deserves a spot on this list.  

Key Features

  • It offers cross-promotions. This is a feature that’s unique to RedCircle. It allows podcasters within the platform to reach out to each other to promote their content, inviting listeners who are sure to be interested in what the podcaster has to share. 

  • It has its standalone ad platform. RedCircle has an ad platform that allows you to gain full control of how to monetize your content. 

  • It has a user-friendly interface. While RedCircle specifically caters to more experienced podcasters, the interface is quite user-friendly that even beginners can navigate through its operations with ease. 

  • It helps with podcast distribution. RedCircle has partnered with most of the major podcast directories in the market, like Apple Podcasts, Youtube, Spotify, Google Podcasts, and more. That means hassle-free distribution to make your show’s presence known.   

Pricing Plan

RedCircle podcast hosting is free, which can come as a surprise considering its unlimited storage and full access to all of its features. 

What Podcast Platforms Should I Publish My Podcast On?

Aside from picking a reliable podcast host, you need to find a platform where you can publish your episodes to make sure it gets heard by potential subscribers.

With that in mind, here are the best platforms on where you should publish your podcasts on.

Spotify 

Spotify (1)

Without a doubt, Spotify is one of the most popular platforms where you can publish your podcasts. With over 350 million monthly users worldwide, you’re bound to reach your target audience through this platform. 

As of writing, it is revealed that around 25% of Spotify’s monthly users listen to podcasts – and that’s like having millions of potential listeners from different markets around the globe.

It also has a user-friendly platform, so getting your podcast onto Spotify’s directory can be done within minutes. 

To publish your podcast on this platform, you simply log in or register to Spotify, paste in your podcast’s RSS feed link, input the necessary details to make it more visible to the potential audience – and that's it! Just wait for a few moments and your podcast is up on Spotify. 

Also, this platform updates its data daily. If you made updates to your podcast’s data, expect to see the changes as soon as the next day. Thus, you know your content will always be up-to-date.

The best part about it is that Spotify allows users to publish podcasts for no fee until 2023. So if you’re on a tight budget, this platform is a good option for you.

TuneIn

TuneIn (1) (1) (1)

TuneIn is another top podcast directory that you might want to consider. What started as a free internet-based radio platform is now home to podcasts with millions of listeners.

Since users can access content for no fee, you are guaranteed a strong listenership of people who are looking for low-cost audio entertainment. 

Like Spotify, TuneIn also features a straightforward podcast publishing system.

It has a dedicated submissions page where you simply input your podcast’s details and submit them.

While the submission will be pending approval, it doesn’t take a lot of time to get it approved. 

This is also an assurance that your podcast will be among the quality content on this directory. 

Also, it’s worth knowing that Alexa takes content from TuneIn. This partnership instantly guarantees a dedicated potential listenership for your podcasts. 

Google Play 

Google Play Podcast

Of course, this list wouldn’t be complete without one of the biggest tech giants in it.

While Google Podcasts is relatively new to the podcast directory scene, its predecessor, Google Play Music, has been around for decades. As such, you know that this platform knows its way around the World Wide Web. 

Being connected to the world’s largest search engine, uploading your podcast to this platform ensures visibility – even on search results.

With the proper campaign strategies, you might easily find yourself at the top of Google searches that relate to your content. And that’s how you can be confident about reaching a targeted audience. 

Submitting your podcast is also quite simple. However, you have to verify ownership of the podcast, and that’s the part that can take a lot of time – depending on where you are around the world. 

But once your podcast is verified, you instantly gain access to all the management tools you need to boost your podcast’s performance.

it also has a clean dashboard that displays the data based on each episode. That helps you make the necessary changes and improvements to keep your show relevant.  

Apple Podcasts

Apple Podcasts (1) (1)

Aside from Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts is another great option from a similar tech giant. 

What used to be part of iTunes is now a standalone Apple service, which only goes to show the increasing demand for podcasts. 

Apple Podcasts has become such a big name that people believe that you have to be listed here if you want to make it big.

And with millions of Apple subscribers around the world, success is easily within reach. 

While submitting your show to this platform can be a bit complicated at first, you’ll easily get the hang of it. But if you’ve been a long-time Apple user, publishing your podcast will be a breeze. 

After submitting and validating your podcast details, simply wait for Apple’s email to confirm the approval of your podcast. The approval waiting time only takes around 48 hours at most, which is not that long of a wait anyway. 

Stitcher

Stitcher (1)

Stitcher is one of the longest-running podcast directories in the market. It launched in 2008, and the fact that it still thrives today shows us how great a following it has created through the years. 

While its following is not as large as the previous platforms, you can be assured that those using the app are looking for quality content. And when you deliver what they're looking for, they'll surely recommend you to a like-minded audience. 

With Stitcher’s compatibility with most of today’s operating systems, you can easily publish and listen to podcasts on this platform.

Since it’s also a dedicated podcast directory, you know that the people on this platform are specifically looking for what you have to offer.

However, submitting your podcast to Stitcher requires you to go through a tough verification process to ensure its authenticity.

Once you do pass the process, you’re bound to reap all of its benefits. 

iHeartRadio

IHeartRadio (1) (1)

And finally, we have iHeartRadio. This platform was also launched in 2008 and is considered one of the largest online radio platforms in the country.

Since then, it has expanded to countries outside the United States with notable listenership in Canada, Mexico, Australia, and New Zealand.

With over 120 million users and its compatibility with around 250 devices, you can be assured of a decent following when you opt to publish your podcast on this platform.

We’re not emphasizing the availability on various devices, either – since you can access its content even from gaming consoles. 

Now that’s how you make your podcasts accessible to everyone. 

Also, this platform makes recommendations to its users, so you're bound to get listeners who are truly interested in what you have to offer. 

Submitting your podcast to iHeartRadio is also quite simple – as long as you have already proven that you’ve met the platform’s podcast requirements. 

How to Start a Successful Podcast

how to start a podcast (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1) (1)

Even if you have a lot of ideas to share with your audience, the first step will always be the hardest.

While you already know which platforms to trust with your podcast, there are still a lot of steps for you to take to make it successful.  

Don’t worry, we’re here to guide you. As long as you faithfully follow what we will lay down in this guide, you’re bound to have a successful podcasting career. 

  • Identify your topic.

But, remember that the key here is to choose something that you’re truly passionate about.

You will have to work on your content for hours on end, and that requires a lot of patience.

If you don’t like what you’re doing, you could easily lose patience and give up on it altogether.

  • Create a plan

Once you have your topic ready, the next step is to create a plan.

This is the fun part where you visualize what you want for your podcast – its concept, what it’s going to be called, the format, and all other goals you have for your podcast. 

  • Invest in podcasting equipment

You want your listeners to enjoy a quality program, and to achieve that, you need to invest in good-quality podcasting equipment.

We’ll discuss more on this later. 

  • Choose the best podcast hosting platform

With your plan and equipment ready, the next step is to find the ideal podcast hosting platform for your content.

You can choose from among the 20 options we have listed above if you need further guidance on this subject. 

The podcast hosting platform serves as your podcast’s virtual home, so it’s a crucial element to your success.

As much as possible, choose one that’s reliable with low downtime to make sure your content is always accessible. 

Factors to consider when choosing a podcast hosting : 

factor to consder while choosing a podcast hosting (1) (1)
  • Start Recording.

Start Recording. At this point, you’re now ready to start recording. But before you do so, you might want to write a script to make sure you don’t miss out on details. 

This is especially true if you’re fairly new to podcasting.

To make your content sound natural and professional, we recommend trying some breathing techniques to help you relax during the recording.

It also helps to do a practice recording first so you can take notes on what you have to improve on. 

  • Edit Your Recording

Edit Your Recording. Once you’re satisfied with your recording, it’s not time to start editing to make it publish-worthy.

This is the stage where you add effects and other elements to make it more appealing to your listeners.

While it’s ideal for you to have audio editing experience, you’d be surprised that some podcast hosting platforms come with a built-in editor.

That feature will have your podcast ready for publishing with just a few clicks.

Editing doesn’t have to be anything complicated. We suggest you start off with trimming out unwanted sections and crafting your podcast into a smooth storyline. You'll then want to add an intro and outro, sound effects, and some background music before focusing on finetuning and mastering your audio.

If you are a complete beginner who's not searching to invest any money, but has some extra time to study the basics of podcast editing, you can read this podcast editing guide that takes you through all you need to know. 

  • Upload the Recording

Once you’re satisfied with the outcome of your editing, it’s now time to upload it to your hosting platform.

The length of time you have to wait for it to be a success varies largely on the size of the audio file. 

  • Publish the Podcast

Publish the Podcast. With the podcast now uploaded to your chosen host, the next step is to publish it to well-known podcast directories like Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, and Spotify.

To do so, simply look for the RSS Feed link generated by your host and input the same on these directories. It’s that easy. 

  • Make it Attractive.

Now that the podcast is published in the directory, it's your job to make it attractive to potential listeners.

You can do so by adding creative cover art, a catchy description, and make sure that it's filed under the proper category.

Otherwise, the platform’s users won’t be able to find your content. 

  • Market Your Podcast.

And finally, you’re now ready to market your podcast. 

You can do this by maximizing campaigns, including promoting the podcast's website, sharing the links to multiple directories, sharing on social media, and so much more. 

But, to be successful in the world of podcasting, you have to make your content attractive, high quality, and easy to understand.

You should also commit to publishing new content regularly. Otherwise, you may be easily overshadowed in this highly competitive industry. 

Besides all these strategies, you can also try the following solutions:

  • Interview an influencer on your podcast
  • Stream a set of 3 to 5 episodes on the day you launch your podcast
  • Create promos and buzz for your next episode
  • Create social media groups and polls to discuss similar topics and opinions about people and add these stats to your podcast and share on social media
  • Tag your friends and listeners on social media when you share an episode

Benefits of Podcast Hosts and Why Do You Need One?

benefits of podcasts (1) (1) (1) (1)

Now that you know which podcast platforms are the best and where it's best to publish them, you might be curious to know why it's important for you to have one.

To satisfy your curiosity, here are the benefits, and reasons why you should consider investing in a podcast host.

1. Storage that can be accessed from anywhere in the world. The podcast host serves as your podcast’s online storage.

Being a virtual space, it allows access to your podcast regardless of where your listener is around the globe. This is crucial to obtaining a large following. 

2. Easy podcast distribution. These podcast hosts help users generate the RSS Feed link they need to distribute their content on various directories. They offer a hassle-free generation system, which can be quite complicated if you have to do so on your own. 

3. Simplified content management. Podcast hosts do not only serve as an online storage service for your podcasts.

They also offer professional tools that you can take advantage of to maximize how you deliver your content.

This includes file management tools, analytics support, and so much more. These features vary from one host to another. 

4. Easily track podcast statistics. Most of today’s podcast hosts come with a dashboard that displays your podcast’s statistics.

Depending on how advanced their system is, you can display and categorize data for easier viewing. And as a result, you can use that information to improve your podcast in the future. 

5. Reliable support. Podcast hosts are companies composed of multiple teams to ensure a guaranteed uptime.

As such, they offer a solid support system that can help you with your every concern, so you can get back to podcasting after a setback.

You can’t get that kind of support if you’re hosting the podcast on your own. 

Is it great as a method of marketing strategy? 

In a content creation strategy, launching a podcast is as important as launching a website, blog, or even a Youtube channel.

The implementation of podcasts in a marketing strategy will allow reaching a new audience: people who consume "portable" content in an audio format.

With a podcast marketing strategy, you can reach a new audience, new customers.

Nowadays, consumers are above all looking for people, relationships, personalization, proximity to brands, the podcast is proving to be the right tool.

You promote exchanges and interactions with listeners: you can give your listeners a voice by asking them questions via the podcast and inviting them to respond on the networks using a especially created for the occasion .

Here are some tips to engage and retain listeners through your audio content ...

The first step is to optimize SEO. Indeed, your podcast must be easily identifiable and accessible on the web. Make sure the podcast title and description describe the content with targeted keywords.

Next, you need to create interactions between your brand and listeners. Certainly, the more comments you have under your podcast the more you send the message that you are being followed and that you are engaging. You appear in the eyes of listeners as essential content.

Your podcasts should be integrated into your overall content strategy. 

Even though podcasting will bring you a new target, you still need to coordinate this podcasting strategy with your overall marketing strategy so you don't lose customers.

Every podcast has to be a show! You must not neglect any of them. The goal is to stay on top of the trends. Deliver content that matters, is useful and can improve the lives of your listeners. You have to be inspiring.

Best Podcast Tools

Best Podcast Tools (1) (1) (1)

To get started on your podcasting journey, you need the right tools to help you deliver quality episodes to your audience.

That’s why I’m sharing my best podcast tools with you to make sure you’re prepared for what lies ahead.

A computer. 

One of the most important tools you need to get started with podcasting is a reliable computer.

It doesn’t have to be the most powerful one around, but it should be able to help you record, upload, and manage your podcasts without constantly freezing. 

A recording software. 

This software will help make recording a breeze.

While most computers already come with built-in recording software, one that specifically caters to recording podcasts offers better tools to help you get started on recording. 

May be a logic Pro, an apple audio editing software Or Anchor.fm

A microphone. 

Micropone for podcasting 5 (1) (1)

Shure SM 7 B

You also need to invest in a separate microphone that connects to your computer via a USB port.

While your computer or laptop already has its built-in microphone, the audio quality will not always be at par, as opposed to a standalone microphone that’s specifically marketed for recording purposes. 

A windscreen. 

When we say certain words, our mouths tend to emit more air than usual.

Unfortunately, that much air can interfere with the audio quality of your recording.

To make sure that it doesn’t happen, it’s best to invest in a windscreen that filters out this kind of noise. 

A shock mount. 

If you have a highly sensitive microphone, there’s a big chance that it can detect the slightest of vibrations.

Unfortunately, these vibrations can be heard on your recording, and that can be distracting to your listeners. With this equipment, you can cancel out these vibrations and background noise to keep the audio clean and audible. 

A pair of headphones. 

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Audio-Technica ATH-M50X Studio Monitor Professional Headphones

This equipment will help you listen to yourself as you record. You may think that it’s unnecessary, but the fact that it picks up all the sound around you helps a lot in preventing retakes.

That's a good investment if you want to save time in the recording. 

An audio mixer. 

A mixer will help you control the various audio levels of your input to make it more audible for your listeners.

As a result, you can deliver high-quality raw audio that needs very little editing magic later on. 

An editing software. 

Some recording software already comes with editing software. That comes in handy for beginners.

But for more experienced podcasters who learned a skill or two on editing, standalone audio editing software will give you full control of its features to help you produce top-quality audio content. 

Backup storage. 

Aside from storing your finished product on your computer, we also recommend keeping a backup on a separate device.

Depending on the size of your recording, this can be an SD Card, a portable hard disk drive, or you can even try cloud storage. 

Podcast host. 

Once you’re done with the production stage, the next tool you’ll need is the perfect podcast host where you can upload your content.

This platform will also make your podcast readily available for publishing in your chosen directory or website. 

Podcast Hosting FAQ

Which is the best podcast hosting platform?

Out of all these options, we have to admit that it’s tough to pick the best podcast hosting platform, especially considering the different needs of each user. 

Nevertheless, we think BuzzSprout is the best of the best. With its intuitive interface, advanced features, and reasonable pricing, you can’t go wrong with this podcast host.

Is anchor a good podcast host?

Anchor is a good podcast host, especially if you’re looking for a beginner-friendly platform. But if you prefer a host with more premium features, Anchor may feel very limiting.

Is it free to upload podcasts to Spotify?

Currently, Spotify allows podcasters to upload their content for no fee until 2023. Beyond that time, Spotify will charge a certain percentage per episode.

Final Thoughts

Starting a podcast is a big leap in anyone's career. It can be both scary and exciting at the same time. 

But as long as you’re armed with the right equipment coupled with the best podcast hosting service, you’re bound to succeed in such a competitive world. 

Lucky for you, we have already discussed the best podcast hosting platforms, so you know which ones to trust. And that’s a guaranteed step closer to your goals.

All things considered, we wish you luck and success on your podcast journey. We hope everything we discussed in this article will help you make it big in this tough industry.

My recommendation for beginners is to get started with Buzzsprout

Further Reading 

Affiliate Disclosure

This article may contain affiliate links: means , if you click on one of  these links and make a purchase ( which we appreciated ), then I'll receive a small commission without affecting the original price ( without costing you anything extra ).

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