With podcasts getting popular all over the world, there is a sudden influx of platforms that help you host your media files online. The variety of options is not only daunting for people new to podcasting but even experienced podcasters wanting to switch to a different platform.
Selecting the best after a careful evaluation is a must if you want to ensure that you reach newer audiences, provide them a rewarding experience, and make podcast file management easier for yourself.
So, how do you pick the best?
To help make things easier, we have created a list of some of the top podcast hosting sites that you can consider.
What are the Best Podcast Hosting Platforms?
Here are our top picks for the best podcast hosting sites for 2022:
1. BuzzSprout
Some podcast hosting platforms have been around for a very long time and have an excellent reputation among podcasters. BuzzSprout is one such platform. It has been around since 2009 and is now trusted by more than 100,000 users. One of the biggest reasons for its widespread popularity is its user-friendly interface.
Be it uploading new episodes to multiple platforms like Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, etc., or tracking your growth with in-depth statistics, BuzzSprout makes all of this possible in the most hassle-free manner. It also allows you to create a free website for your podcasts, along with the option to link your WordPress website.
- Pricing
You can start using BuzzSprout to host your podcasts for free. But the free plan only allows you to upload podcasts of up to 2 hours in a month. Also, the episode will only be hosted for a maximum of 90 days.
The paid plan starts at $12/month. It allows you to upload podcasts of up to 3 hours in a month. Your podcasts will remain hosted indefinitely, and there will be no advertisements on your website. There are other more expensive paid plans available.
Top Features of BuzzSprout
- User-friendly interface
- Excellent customer support
- Multiple options to monetize your podcasts
2. PodBean
Next on this list of best podcast hosting sites is another veteran, PodBean. It has been into podcast hosting since 2006 and currently hosts more than 250,000 podcasts. Just like BuzzSprout, PodBean is your one-stop podcasting solution. With its intuitive interface, even people who are about to get into podcasting for the first time would be able to upload their files within minutes.
It also offers a free podcast website with free customizable themes to help you add your personal touch to your platform. You can also integrate any custom domain, schedule your podcasts, and even publish them through the Podbean mobile app.
- Pricing
Just like BuzzSprout, you can start using PodBean for free. The Basic free plan comes with up to 5 hours of total podcast storage with a monthly bandwidth of 100GB. You get basic podcast themes and basic podcast stats in the free plan. The paid plan starts with Unlimited Audio, which costs $9/month and comes with unlimited storage space and bandwidth.
There are other plans like Unlimited Plus ($29/month) and Business ($99/month) that offer features like support for video content, podcast advertising, multiple admins, multiple podcast channels, engagement intel, and no PodBean branding.
Top Features of PodBean
- Free website and subdomain
- Powerful monetization options
- Android and iOS mobile app
3. Podcast Websites
Joining the list of best podcast hosting websites is the very popular Podcast Websites. Just like BuzzSprout and PodBean, Podcast Websites has been around for a very long time. It is a one-stop-solution that allows you to create WordPress website, host your website, website security, daily backups, create podcasts, and much more.
In simple words, if you recently decided to start podcasting and have no resources, network, or website, Podcast Websites is all you need. It also offers 24×7 support to all of its customers to help them get instant answers to their queries. Moreover, it also connects you to professional podcasters so that you can get expert advice to grow your podcast.
- – Pricing
Rather than offering plans like most popular podcast hosting websites, Podcast Websites offers a single membership plan. The plan costs $97 if you pay monthly and $77/month if you go for the annual plan. Each member gets all the features offered by this platform.
You can add unlimited podcasts, create websites with unlimited pages, publish to multiple podcast directories, and more. For your website, you get free SSL, free hosting, daily backups, SEO tools, free domain, and built-in cookie consent.
Top Features of Podcast Websites
- One-stop-solution for launching podcasts
- Website hosting included with the membership
- Single membership plan offers access to every feature
4. Simplecast
If you have just started knowing about podcasting and the rate at which it is growing, you should know that even top brands like Facebook, HBO, and Nike have been using it successfully for some time now. And Simplecast is the podcast hosting service that these brands rely upon.
One of the biggest USPs of Simplecast has to be its analytics features. It has its own audio analytics platform known as Audience by Simplecast. It allows you to understand what your listeners like, their location, and even whether they like listening to your podcasts at home, work, or while traveling.
- Pricing
Simplecast has three different plans to choose from- Basic ($15/month), Essential ($35/month), and Growth ($85/month). The Basic plan comes with 2 team member seats, multiple episode management, customizable website, embeddable web player, email support, and up to 20,000 monthly downloads.
More expensive plans come with added features like in-depth analytics, chat support, unique listener reports, network analytics, and additional downloads limit.
Top Features of Simplecast
- Used by top brands like Nike, HBO, and Facebook
- Industry-first offerings like Recast
- Advanced analytics features
5. Captivate
If you already have your podcast up and running and now want to reach more people, Captivate can be an excellent option for you. It is created by Rebel Base Media which is also the name behind the above-listed Podcast Websites hosting platform. From advanced analytics, beautiful podcast players, to podcast marketing, Captivate offers everything that you will need to grow your podcast.
Moreover, to help you target more listeners and earn more from your podcasts, Captivate offers built-in CTA buttons. The CTA button can be used for collecting email addresses of your listeners and even generate new leads. All the plans come with a free, fully customizable, mobile-friendly website.
- – Pricing
Captivate has three plans to choose from- Podcaster ($19/month), Audio Influencer ($49/month), and Podcast Brand ($99/month). All the features and benefits are the same across all the plans except the total number of monthly downloads.
With the Podcaster plan, you get 12,000 downloads per month, and with the Audio Influencer and Podcast Brand plans you get 60,000 downloads and 150,000 downloads respectively. All the plans come with a 7-days free trial.
Top Features of Captivate
- Excellent features to grow your audience
- Advanced analytics that can be accessed anywhere and anytime
- Automatic podcast website
6. Transistor
If you are a professional podcaster, you are sure to be impressed with the advanced features and user-friendliness of Transistor. In fact, the hosting platform is already used by a number of popular podcasters, including Ashley Baxter, Lew Later, Colleen Pellissier, and more.
From uploading unlimited episodes, launching multiple podcasts, to distributing them over popular podcast platforms, Transistor offers everything you’ll need. It also has powerful analytics features that help you track the total number of downloads, subscribers, trending podcast apps, and more.
- Pricing
There are three plans- Starter ($19/month), Professional ($49/month), and Business ($99/month). The Starter plan comes with 2 additional users and up to 10,000 monthly downloads, along with all the basic features. But note that the private subscribers feature is not available in the Basic plan.
Apart from private subscribers, you get more additional users and more downloads in Professional and Business plans. Also, only in the Business plan you can remove the Transistor branding.
Top Features of Transistor
- Everything you need for growing your podcast
- Built-in podcast website in every plan
- Advanced analytics
7. Spreaker
Spreaker is slightly different from the hosting platforms listed here as it not only allows you to host podcasts but also promotes them. It is a popular platform among people who listen to podcasts and often discover new podcasters here. Simply visit the homepage of Spreaker, and you will see a list of popular podcasts created with the help of this platform.
It has a powerful CMS for creating and uploading podcasts, and you can reach millions of listeners through all the popular podcast directories. It also has a fantastic monetization program to help you earn more from your podcast uploads in a way that best suits you.
- Pricing
Spreaker offers four plans- Free, On-Air Talent ($5.50/month), Broadcaster ($16.50/month), and Anchorman ($41.25/year). The Free plan only comes with up to 5 hours of podcast uploads, and each upload could only be up to 15 minutes in duration.
The Basic plan comes with no such limitations and a host of additional features, including customizable RSS feed and programmatic monetization features. With Broadcaster and Anchorman plans, you get more storage with additional features such as limited access podcasts, advanced statistics, customizable player colors, and more.
Top Features of Spreaker
- Create podcasts and get them promoted by Spreaker
- Real-time IAB Tech Lab-certified statistics
- Excellent monetization options
8. Smart Podcast Player
Podcaster Pat Flynn, the man behind the very popular Smart Passive Income, is the creator of Fusebox, a platform that offers multiple podcast tools, like the Smart Podcast Player. As it is created by an experienced podcaster, you can expect the platform to provide everything that you’d need to produce and host your podcasts.
The platform focuses on helping you encourage your listeners to binge listen, drive conversions, add transcripts, and do much more. In fact, it is the only podcast hosting platform that offers the innovative email capture feature to encourage your listeners to sign-up for your newsletter.
- Pricing
Smart Podcast Player only has two plans- Free and Pro ($8/month). With the Free plan, you will only get access to a few limited features of the podcast player. You get a site-wide sticky player, light and dark theme options, SEO-friendly live text, downloadable PDFs, and a few other features.
With the Pro plan, you get all the features available for the Smart Podcast Player. This includes full player, single-track player, email capture, speed control download option, volume control, timestamps, host migration, help center, email support, and more.
Top Features of Smart Podcast Player
- Email capture feature to grow your audience
- Podcast transcripts
- Podcast download option
9. Audioboom
Audioboom is a three-in-one platform for podcasters, advertisers, and listeners. For podcasters, it allows you to start hosting your podcasts or import your existing podcasts through RSS. Your podcasts can be distributed across podcast directories and the embedded player could be added to your website for your listeners.
You get detailed insights into your podcasts and listeners to help you grow your platform. You can also invite other podcasters to collaborate on your show and offer something unique to your listeners. Moreover, if your podcasts get an average of more than 10,000 plays, Audioboom will also help you with its monetization.
- Pricing
For new podcasters, the Podcaster plan of Audioboom costs $9.99/month. It allows you to upload unlimited episodes, access advanced analytics, and use embeddable podcast player. If you do get more than 10,000 plays on your podcasters, you can get in touch with Audioboom regarding their Podcast Pros plan.
The platform will then help you monetize your podcasts through advertisements and sponsorships. This plan comes with unlimited podcast uploads, unlimited plays, host endorsements and live reads, sponsorships, and more.
Top Features of Audioboom
- Create new podcast or import existing podcasts
- Advanced analytics
- Monetization options if average plays per episode are above 10,000
Selecting the Best Podcast Hosting Platforms of 2022
If you are looking to get your podcasts hosted, these are some of the best options that you can consider. Understand the features and benefits of each of the hosting website to select one that best suits your needs and budget.
The type of podcast you will be creating, their length, upload frequency, type of audience you cater to, etc. should also be taken into consideration while making the decision.
