What is the best podcast hosting platform?

Are you looking to start a new podcast? We can relate! We are in the process of launching our own podcast and at one point felt overwhelmed by the vast number of podcast websites and hosting providers. Through our research, we discovered there isn’t a ‘one-size-fits-all’ solution, because the concept of the best podcast website depends on your individual needs.

To help you prioritize your most important wants and needs from a podcast website, specifically for hosting and distribution, we gathered some of the most popular solutions, and organized them by their strengths. So, here’s our ultimate guide to finding the best podcast website — for you — depending on what matters to you most.

Getting started - what is a podcast hosting provider?

Before we get into the detailed comparison, let’s start with the basics. Hosting is the backbone of every successful podcast. It's where your podcast files are stored, usually in MP3 format, and from where they're automatically distributed to various podcast directories like Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and others. Choosing the right platform can enhance your podcast's reach, make it easy for your audience to access your content, and provide valuable analytics to help you understand your listeners better.

When you upload a new file, the provider generates (or updates) your site’s RSS feed. An RSS (Really Simple Syndication) feed details all the content a website has published, such as a post’s full content, a summary/excerpt, publication date, author and URL. The podcast provider automatically submits these RSS feed updates to podcast directories, such as Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts and others, so that listeners can find your podcast on those platforms, too.

Before we delve into our top picks, let's also quickly cover the criteria we've used to select these platforms. With podcasting hosting providers, it’s also common to see additional services, including audience insights and data, advertising, visual customization options and perhaps the ability to collaborate with team members through a shared data dashboard.

• Ease of use: How intuitive is the platform? Does it have a user-friendly interface?
• Distribution: Does the platform ensure distribution to all major podcast directories?
• Storage and bandwidth: Does the platform provide adequate storage and bandwidth?
• Customer support: How responsive and helpful is the platform's customer support team?
• Extra features: Does the platform offer additional features like podcast websites, monetization options, or advanced analytics?

We should also acknowledge that, as with everything, cost is an important factor in the decision-making process. If you are just starting out, you might want to minimize your expenditure and use a free hosting provider. There are a number of providers that don’t charge. But as your podcast grows in popularity and number of episodes, you’ll want to look into signing up to a premium service that offers more hosting/storage in return for a subscription fee.

All decent hosting providers offer monthly subscriptions and a discount if you pay for a year in advance. The average cost for the lowest level of premium hosting will cost between $10 to $20 a month, depending on the provider and the number of episodes uploaded or size of storage used.

The best podcast website for your individual needs

Let’s start looking in-depth at some options that might be most suitable to you. We’ve chosen a handful of podcasting services that are known for popular features, such data analytics, type of user and size of audience. It’s worth noting that many of these providers are great at a number of different services, so we’ve narrowed it down to what we believe to be the single best hosting provider in each category:

The best podcast hosting for monetization: Acast

Acast arguably created the modern world of commercial podcasting, thanks to its invention of the Acast Marketplace. This allows “dynamic commercial insertion” which lets advertisers and brands place up-to-date messaging, tailored to each listener, across the 40,000 podcasts that Acast hosts. It’s still easy to distribute to Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts and hundreds of other platforms.

The best podcast hosting for audience reach: (Anchor by) Spotify

Just about the most famous digital audio platform in the English-speaking world is Spotify. And they have a podcast-specific platform named Anchor, that promises to let you “create, distribute, and monetize your podcast—all for free.” The platform has built-in uploading, recording, and editing tools to let you create and publish episodes — and it’s hard to argue with access to over 389 million listeners across 187 markets worldwide.

The best podcast hosting for longevity: Libsyn

Libsyn, thanks to its well-established nature — it was founded back in 2004 originally as Liberated Syndication — has become the provider of choice for many people and media companies: it was the official podcast launch partner for Spotify, Pandora and more. The premium package offers unlimited bandwidth, monetization, audience analytics and distribution to Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts and many more, thanks to its Libsyn Publisher Hub plugin.

The best podcast hosting for a creative mindset: Soundcloud

Anyone who has ever hunted down an unsigned band or a brand new DJ will have used Soundcloud, the “world's largest online community of artists, bands, DJs, and audio creators”, which is currently home to 265 million tracks. As such, it’s easy to get started as a podcaster, too, with automatic distribution to iTunes, Google Podcasts, as well as audience insights and monetization features.

The best podcast hosting for customization: Fusebox

For the graphically minded, Fusebox puts huge focus on its customization options and mobile platform, and boasts “enhanced listener interface designs to improve engagement”. It even has three different options for the design of the podcast player: sticky, archive and track-by-track. But there’s still no compromise on distribution features as it integrates with Stitcher, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts and many more.

The best podcast hosting for analytics: Transistor

Transistor puts the focus on the numerical side of the business. It markets itself as “hosting for creatives, brands, professionals” and automatically generates website for your podcast in a number of designs. Transistor still allows wiggle room for testing: you can start as many podcasts as you like and distribute them to Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, as well as inviting your team members to see your stats.

The best podcast hosting for an all-in-one service: Castos

The team at Castos don’t just offer the necessities such as insights, sharing tools and audio transcriptions, but they help craft the podcast production from start to finish. The Castos team can assist with show notes, audio cuts, and the final mixdown, as well manage easy integration with Spotify, Apple Podcasts and Google Podcasts among others.

FAQs for finding the best podcast hosting provider

Are you still unsure about the best podcasting hosting provider? Check out these Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) to learn more:

Can I change my podcast hosting platform ater?

Yes, most platforms allow you to migrate your podcast. However, it's advisable to choose a platform carefully to avoid migration hassles.

Do I need to pay for podcast hosting?

While some platforms offer free hosting, paid plans often provide additional features and better support. Assess your needs before deciding.

What happens if I exceed my storage limit?

Exceeding storage limits may lead to additional fees or episodes being unavailable. Regularly monitor your storage usage to avoid surprises.

How do I promote my podcast on social media?

Utilize the sharing features of your hosting platform to post episodes on social media. Engage with your audience, ask for feedback, and collaborate with influencers.

Can I use multiple podcast hosting platforms for different shows?

Yes, you can use multiple platforms for various shows. This allows you to leverage the strengths of different platforms based on your show's requirements.

Conclusion: Who is the best podcast website or hosting provider?

Choosing the best podcast hosting provider depends on what you are looking for, from great customization to easy analytics or commercial opportunities, from a well-established team to a great audience reach. In case you’re curious, we chose Castos for our hosting provider because of the completeness of their offering, especially for audio mixing and editing.

We hope this post helps you narrow down your options and gives you a great head-start towards finding the best podcast hosting provider for you! Tell us on social media who you found to the best fit? You can find us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Reference table for the best podcast hosting platform

The table below shows how we started our research. We looked at every major podcast hosting provider on the market and made a comprehensive list of their key offerings, price, integrations and brand positioning. Then we chose the platforms with differentiating features that might be most suited to certain needs for users. Here’s what we found:

	Acast	PodBean	(Anchor by) Spotify	Castos	Blubrry	SoundCloud	SimpleCast	Transistor	LibSyn	BuzzSprout	Fusebox (Smart Podcast Player)
Slogan	Everything you need to start and distribute your podcast	Your Podcast Hosting and Monetizing Platform	Reach a world of new listeners	Public Podcasts to grow your audience / Private Podcasts for exclusive content	Makes podcast publishing easier with our smooth publishing platform and social sharing features	Join the world's largest online community of artists, bands, DJs, and audio creators.	The first and last word in podcast management and analytics.	Podcast hosting for creatives, brands, professionals.	Reach Your Audience Wherever They Listen to Podcasts	The easiest podcasting software for hosting, promoting, and tracking your podcast.	The podcast player built to extend the reach of your show
Key features or stats	40,000 podcasts, spanning every genre	More than 600,000 podcasters trust Podbean	Over 389 million listeners across 187 markets worldwide	Automates every aspect of building a successful podcast	Dedicated to providing the most essential podcast tools in the industry since 2005	East to get started — over 265 million tracks	For nearly 7 years, Simplecast has provided podcasters with publishing, distribution, analytics, and sharing tools.	Start as many podcasts as you'd like.	Well-established ‘first mover’.	Easy to use, free learning materials	Best visuals/customization options
Key differentiator	Acast Marketplace for advertising	-	Largest audience	Audio editing	-	Well established for musicians	-	Invite team members to see your podcast's stats	Popular with big players, e.g. Joe Rogan	-	Customizations, mobile platform
Submit to directories	Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, Samsung Free, and hundreds of others	Apple Podcasts/iTunes, Spotify, Google Play/Podcasts, iHeartRadio, YouTube, Pandora, Sticher, PlayerFM	One-click share to Spotify (and others)	Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Sticher, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, and a host of apps	Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, iHeart Radio, Pandora, Deezer	Stitcher, TuneIn, iTunes, Google Podcasts	One-click publishing to Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or “wherever your audience listens”.	Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts	Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts Amazon Music, TuneIn iHeart Radio, Pandora, Deezer	Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, iHeartRadio, TuneIn, Alexa, Overcast, PocketCasts, Castro, Castbox, and Podchaser	Stitcher, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts
Embed on WordPress	Yes	Embed directly into your WordPress posts and pages	Yes	No	PowerPress plugin	Yes — direct integration with WordPress block	No	Yes	Libsyn Publisher Hub plugin	Yes, via plugin	No
Standalone site	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes, with custom domain	Yes
Starting price	From $25/month	Free plans with limited storage, paid plans from $9/month with unlimited storage	Free — unlimited hosting, streamlined distribution	From $19/month	From $12/month with 100 MB storage each month	Free for up to 3 hours of uploads; from $6/month	From $15/month	From $19/month for up to 10,000 downloads	$5/month with 50MB monthly storage	Limited free plan for 90 days. Paid plans start at $12/month for 3 hours upload	From $8.09/month (billed annually)