---
title: Podbean
canonical: https://saasranked.com/software/podbean/
category: Podcast Hosting Platforms
points: 77
rank: 1 of 10
facts_checked: 2026-10-09
---

# Podbean

Podcast host with a free plan, unlimited storage and bandwidth on paid plans, and monthly upload allowances.

77 points out of 100. #1 of 10 podcast hosts. Vendor: Podbean. Website: https://www.podbean.com/

- The cheapest paid plan, Unlimited Audio, costs $12 a month billed yearly ($17 month to month) [1].
- Unlimited Audio has unlimited storage and unmetered bandwidth, with a 1GB (16 hours of audio) upload allowance each month [1].
- A free plan has 5 hours (500MB) of total storage [4].
- Video starts on Unlimited Plus ($29 a month billed yearly), a second channel too; team seats start on Network [1].
- Podbean says its podcast analytics are IAB certified [2].

Verdict: Podbean suits creators who want a free start and a low-cost paid plan with unmetered bandwidth [1][4]. It documents importing a show, a 301 redirect out and API access [7][8][9]. 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 [1]. Best for: Creators who want a free start, a low paid tier and a clear way to leave.

## Points

| Criterion | Line | Value | Points | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hosting limits | Unlimited episodes | Yes | 4/4 | Unlimited Audio lists unlimited storage; no total storage limit shown for it [1]. |
| Hosting limits | No monthly upload cap | No | 0/6 | Unlimited Audio allows 1GB (16 hours of audio) of uploads a month [1]. |
| Hosting limits | No download cap | Yes | 6/6 | Unlimited Audio lists unmetered bandwidth [1]. |
| Hosting limits | More than one show | No | 0/4 | Unlimited Audio covers 1 channel [1]. |
| Publishing | Directory submission guides | Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music | 3/4 | Help pages guide Apple Podcasts and one-click Spotify submission; features page names Amazon Music for distribution. YouTube Music is not named [3][5][6]. |
| Publishing | Private podcasts | Yes | 6/6 | Only the Business plan lists private podcast hosting, with 100 private members [1][14]. |
| Publishing | Video podcasts | Yes | 4/4 | Unlimited Plus and above host audio or video; help page covers auto-sharing episodes to YouTube [1][10]. |
| Publishing | Automatic transcripts | Yes | 3/3 | AI Content Assistant makes transcripts at 300 credits per hour of audio; Unlimited Audio includes 600 credits a month [1][11][13]. |
| Publishing | Team members | Yes | 4/4 | Network includes 50 team members and Business unlimited [1]. |
| Publishing | Public API | Yes | 3/3 | Public API docs cover publishing a new episode with a developer account [9]. |
| Publishing | Show website and player | Yes | 4/4 | Paid plans list a professional website and a customisable player [1]. |
| Ads and stats | Dynamic ad insertion | Yes | 7/7 | Dynamic ad insertion is billed at $1 per thousand impressions, and is free on Network [1][15]. |
| Ads and stats | IAB-certified downloads | Yes | 6/6 | Home page describes IAB-certified podcast analytics and shows an IAB Tech Lab Certified badge [2]. |
| Your data | Import from another host | Yes | 7/7 | Import tool takes an RSS feed URL and copies episodes; needs Unlimited Audio or higher [7]. |
| Your data | Redirect when you leave | Yes | 8/8 | Advanced Feed Settings has a 'Redirect to a New Feed' field that sets a 301 to the new host [8]. |
| Your data | Download your files | Not published | 0/6 | Not published on the vendor's help pages; only a generated-video download is described [12]. |
| Price | Free plan that publishes | Yes | 8/8 | Free account with a public feed of up to 20 episodes and 100GB monthly bandwidth; the Apple Podcasts guide lists no plan limit [4][5]. |
| Price | Cheapest paid plan | $12/mo | 4/10 | Unlimited Audio, $12 a month on annual billing ($17 month to month) [1]. |

## Plans

| Plan | Price | Per month (USD) |
|---|---|---|
| Free | Free [4] | $0 |
| Unlimited Audio | $12/month billed yearly ($17 monthly) [1] | $12 |
| Unlimited Plus | $29/month billed yearly ($39 monthly) [1] | $29 |
| Network | $79/month billed yearly ($99 monthly) [1] | $79 |
| Business | $99/month billed yearly ($129 monthly) [1] | $99 |

Yearly prices are the per-month figures shown for annual billing; monthly billing costs more [1].

## Strengths

- Unlimited Audio has unlimited storage and unmetered bandwidth [1].
- A 301 redirect field in Advanced Feed Settings sends listeners to a new host [8].
- Free import from a previous host is on every paid plan [1][7].
- Public API docs cover publishing new episodes [9].
- Podbean says its analytics are IAB certified [2].

## Limits

- Unlimited Audio caps uploads at 1GB (16 hours of audio) a month [1].
- Unlimited Audio covers one channel; two channels start on the $29 plan [1].
- Private podcasts are listed only on the Business plan, $99 a month billed yearly [1].
- Dynamic ad insertion costs $1 per thousand plays on most plans [1].
- One-click Spotify submission is for paid users only [6].

## Vendor claims (not scored)

- Podbean says its podcast analytics are IAB certified [2].

## Sources

1. [Podcast hosting pricing](https://www.podbean.com/podcast-hosting-pricing), Podbean, accessed 2026-10-09
2. [Podbean home page](https://www.podbean.com/), Podbean, accessed 2026-10-09
3. [Podcast hosting features](https://www.podbean.com/podcast-hosting-features), Podbean, accessed 2026-10-09
4. [Basic Free Plan Features](https://help.podbean.com/support/solutions/articles/25000019893-basic-free-plan-features), Podbean Help, accessed 2026-10-09
5. [Submit Podcast to Apple Podcasts](https://help.podbean.com/support/solutions/articles/25000004811-submit-podcast-to-apple-podcasts), Podbean Help, accessed 2026-10-09
6. [Submitting Your Audio Podcast to Spotify](https://help.podbean.com/support/solutions/articles/25000014128-submitting-your-audio-podcast-to-spotify), Podbean Help, accessed 2026-10-09
7. [How to Move Your Existing Podcast to Podbean](https://help.podbean.com/support/solutions/articles/25000004791-how-to-move-your-existing-podcast-to-podbean), Podbean Help, accessed 2026-10-09
8. [Moving to a New Host?](https://help.podbean.com/support/solutions/articles/25000013419-moving-to-a-new-host-), Podbean Help, accessed 2026-10-09
9. [Publishing a New Podcast Episode via Podbean API](https://help.podbean.com/support/solutions/articles/25000008051-publishing-a-new-podcast-episode-via-podbean-api), Podbean Help, accessed 2026-10-09
10. [How to Share Your Video Podcast to YouTube](https://help.podbean.com/support/solutions/articles/25000008740-how-to-share-your-video-podcast-to-youtube), Podbean Help, accessed 2026-10-09
11. [Podbean AI Credits](https://help.podbean.com/support/solutions/articles/25000035002-podbean-ai-credits), Podbean Help, accessed 2026-10-09
12. [Podbean Help solutions index](https://help.podbean.com/support/solutions), Podbean Help, accessed 2026-10-09
13. [Podbean AI Content Assistant](https://help.podbean.com/support/solutions/articles/25000034998-podbean-ai-content-assistant), Podbean Help, accessed 2026-10-09
14. [Setting Up a Private Podcast](https://help.podbean.com/support/solutions/articles/25000027946-setting-up-a-private-podcast), Podbean Help, accessed 2026-10-09
15. [How Billing Works for Dynamic Ad Insertion](https://help.podbean.com/support/solutions/articles/25000032555-how-billing-works-for-dynamic-ad-insertion), Podbean Help, accessed 2026-10-09