saasrankedSoftware, ranked on the facts

Design, Video & Audio

Best podcast hosting platforms

Store your episodes, publish them to every podcast app, and take your show with you if you leave. 10 podcast hosts, ranked by points out of 100.

Facts checked 9 Oct 2026 · How we score podcast hosts

Not scored yet: Libsyn, Simplecast.

In short

  1. 1
    PodbeanCreators who want a free start, a low paid tier and a clear way to leave
    77/100
    $12/mocheapest paid plan
  2. 2
    CastosCreators who want no caps and a WordPress-friendly host
    77/100
    $15.83/mocheapest paid plan
  3. 3
    RSS.comCreators who want a free start and AI transcripts included
    72/100
    $15/mocheapest paid plan
  4. 4
    AcastCreators who want free hosting or plan to sell ads through the host's marketplace
    67/100
    $14.99/mocheapest paid plan
  5. 5
    PodigeeCreators who want video, private feeds and ad insertion in one host
    65/100
    $19.58/mocheapest paid plan
  6. 6
    SpreakerCreators who want a free start and a host with built-in ad insertion
    62/100
    $22.37/mocheapest paid plan
  7. 7
    Spotify for CreatorsNew podcasters who want free hosting and a documented way to leave later
    58/100
    $0cheapest paid plan
  8. 8
    BuzzsproutBeginners who publish a single show on a steady schedule
    55/100
    $15/mocheapest paid plan
  9. 9
    TransistorTeams and creators running several shows who want private podcasts and an API
    52/100
    $15.83/mocheapest paid plan
  10. 10
    CaptivateCreators who want private feeds and ad insertion without paying for a higher tier
    50/100
    $17/mocheapest paid plan

How the points add up

Points earned out of the points available in each part of the method.

ProductHosting limits
of 20		Publishing
of 28		Ads and stats
of 13		Your data
of 21		Price
of 18		Total
Podbean102713151277
Castos2027721277
RSS.com161813151072
Acast82113151067
Podigee10271315065
Spreaker8201313862
Spotify for Creators8110211858
Buzzsprout422621255
Transistor820715252
Captivate4201313050

Each podcast host in brief

1. Podbean

Podbean suits creators who want a free start and a low-cost paid plan with unmetered bandwidth. It documents importing a show, a 301 redirect out and API access. The catch: the cheapest paid plan covers one channel and caps uploads at 16 hours of audio a month, and private podcasts need the $99 Business plan.

Best for: Creators who want a free start, a low paid tier and a clear way to leave. Prices, facts and sources

2. Castos

Castos suits creators who want no limits on shows, episodes or downloads and plan to leave or arrive without losing listeners, since it documents import, a 301 redirect and file download. Transcripts and private feeds come with the entry plan, and paid plans can request dynamic ad insertion. The catch: there is no free plan, and video hosting and larger teams cost more.

Best for: Creators who want no caps and a WordPress-friendly host. Prices, facts and sources

3. RSS.com

RSS.com suits creators who want to start free and move to a low-priced paid plan with AI transcripts and a podcast website. Ad insertion (PAID) is listed on Plus, and video sits on Max. The catch: its API is still in beta, and its privacy page does not mention private podcasts.

Best for: Creators who want a free start and AI transcripts included. Prices, facts and sources

4. Acast

Acast suits creators who want a free start, a low-priced plan with unlimited shows, or ads sold through its marketplace. It states that its download counts are IAB 2.2 certified and offers an import tool and feed redirect. The catch: the pages do not state upload or download limits for paid plans, and private podcasts and file downloads are not documented.

Best for: Creators who want free hosting or plan to sell ads through the host's marketplace. Prices, facts and sources

5. Podigee

Podigee suits creators who want audio without upload limits, video distribution and a clear way to move in or out, all documented. Team seats, private feeds and ad insertion need Scale or higher. The catch: Starter allows one show, and the free Launch plan is limited to 60 minutes of audio.

Best for: Creators who want video, private feeds and ad insertion in one host. Prices, facts and sources

6. Spreaker

Spreaker suits creators who want a free plan and a paid tier with unlimited shows and episodes. It documents an RSS importer, episode download and an API. The catch: its plan pages give no download or upload figures, and transcripts come from outside services.

Best for: Creators who want a free start and a host with built-in ad insertion. Prices, facts and sources

7. Spotify for Creators

Spotify for Creators suits people who want to host for free and keep the option to move later: it offers an import tool, a 301 redirect and audio downloads. Video episodes are supported on Spotify. The catch: downloads are one at a time, and ad income needs 1K audience members in four countries.

Best for: New podcasters who want free hosting and a documented way to leave later. Prices, facts and sources

8. Buzzsprout

Buzzsprout suits one-show podcasters who want simple tools, automatic transcripts and a documented way out: it has an import tool, a dashboard 301 redirect and a bulk audio download. The catch: the Audio plan caps uploads at 72 hours a year and covers one podcast, and a private feed is not offered.

Best for: Beginners who publish a single show on a steady schedule. Prices, facts and sources

9. Transistor

Transistor suits creators and teams who run several shows and want private feeds, a public API and a built-in website without paying per show. Plans differ mainly by monthly downloads, from 20,000 on Starter. The catch: there is no free plan, transcripts cost extra, and video hosting is not generally available yet.

Best for: Teams and creators running several shows who want private podcasts and an API. Prices, facts and sources

10. Captivate

Captivate suits creators who run several shows or want private feeds and ad insertion included, because every plan has the same features. Pricing starts at $17 a month billed yearly, and downloads are capped by tier. The catch: there is no free plan, and its redirect guide covers moving to Captivate rather than leaving it.

Best for: Creators who want private feeds and ad insertion without paying for a higher tier. Prices, facts and sources

Every fact, side by side

Each row is one rule of the method and the points it is worth. "–" means the vendor does not publish it, which earns nothing.

Rule (points)PodbeanCastosRSS.comAcastPodigeeSpreakerSpotify for CreatorsBuzzsproutTransistorCaptivate
Unlimited episodes (4)YesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYes–
No monthly upload cap (6)NoYesYes–Yes––No––
No download cap (6)YesYesYes–––––NoNo
More than one show (4)NoYesNoYesNoYesYesNoYesYes
Directory submission guides (4)3 of 43 of 43 of 43 of 43 of 43 of 43 of 44 of 43 of 43 of 4
Private podcasts (6)YesYes––YesYes–NoYesYes
Video podcasts (4)YesYesYesYesYes–YesYesNoNo
Automatic transcripts (3)YesYesYesYesYesNo–YesNo–
Team members (4)YesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYes
Public API (3)YesYesNoYesYesYes–YesYesYes
Show website and player (4)YesYesYesYesYesYes–YesYesYes
Dynamic ad insertion (7)YesYesYesYesYesYes––YesYes
IAB-certified downloads (6)YesNoYesYesYesYes–Yes–Yes
Import from another host (7)YesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYes
Redirect when you leave (8)YesYesYesYesYes–YesYesYes–
Download your files (6)–Yes–––YesYesYes–Yes
Free plan that publishes (8)YesNoYesYes–YesYes–NoNo
Cheapest paid plan (10)$12/mo$15.83/mo$15/mo$14.99/mo$19.58/mo$22.37/mo$0$15/mo$15.83/mo$17/mo

Head to head

We read each vendor's own pages, record every fact with its source and date, and score it by the rules on how we score podcast hosts. A tie goes to the lower price. Hosting services for creators and small teams who publish their own show, used in a web browser on Windows. Enterprise and quote-only plans, podcast apps, ad marketplaces and recording tools are left out. A line that reads "on at least one plan" counts only plans with a public price or a free plan; paid add-ons sold separately do not count. Vendor claims about speed or quality are shown on product pages but never scored. Prices are in US dollars before tax.