Best Podcast Hosting Platforms

In terms of value, Podbean is one of the best podcast hosting platforms available. Their free plan includes five hours of total storage and 100mb of bandwidth per month, while their paid plans offer unlimited storage and bandwidth starting at $9 per month. All plans include an embeddable player, mobile app, statistics and a website for your podcast. Higher tiers support video podcasts and add additional features like monetization via ads and patronage campaigns.

Podbean

Plans and pricing: Basic (free), Unlimited Audio ($9/mo.), Unlimited Plus ($29/mo.), Business ($99/mo.)

Ease of use is Buzzsprout’s main focus, evidenced by features like automatic file optimization, built-in monetization and handy tools for publishing and scheduling. There is a free plan available, but it’s fairly limited—you can only upload two hours of content per month, it’s only hosted for 90 days and contains ads.

Buzzsprout’s paid plans give you more hours and permanent storage, as well as 250mb of bandwidth, access to statistics and more. Buzzsprout also offers podcast transcription for 25 cents per minute, as well as a “Magic Mastering” service for an extra monthly fee.

Buzzsprout

Plans and pricing: 2 hours (free), 3 hours ($12/mo.), 6 hours ($18/mo.), 12 hours ($24/mo.)

Established at the dawn of podcasting back in 2004, Libsyn has been trusted for years by heavy hitters like Serial and The Adam Corolla Show. Certified by the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB), Libsyn offers comprehensive statistics and monetization options, making it a solid choice for serious podcasters.

Libsyn’s pricing is extremely flexible, making it easy to find the right plan for you and upgrade your subscription as your needs change. Storage-based plans range from $5 per month for 50mb to $150 per month for 3000mb, and extras like statistics and storage increases are available for additional fees.

Libsyn

Plans and pricing: Classic 50mb ($5/mo.), Classic 250mb ($15/mo.), Advanced 400mb ($20/mo.), Advanced 800mb ($40/mo.), Advanced 1500mb ($75/mo.), Advanced 3000mb ($150/mo.)

Blubrry is the second-oldest hosting service on this list, having been around since 2005. Along with Libsyn, Blubrry is one of the most popular podcast platforms today—in fact, they claim to have the largest podcast directory in the world.

Blubrry offers IAB-certified statistics and partners with Stagepass to provide monetization options. The makers of Blubrry also developed PowerPress, the #1 podcasting plugin for WordPress, which you can use independently or combine with their hosting service.

Blubrry

Plans and pricing: Small ($12/mo.), Medium ($20/mo.), Large ($40/mo.), Extra Large ($80/mo.), Professional (contact for pricing)

If you’re looking for a one-stop shop for podcast creation, distribution, consumption and even live streaming, Spreaker has it all. In addition to storage, statistics and monetization options, Spreaker boasts its own podcast creation and live streaming app called Spreaker Studio.

While not as fully-featured as most podcasting software, Spreaker Studio allows you to record and edit podcasts, add music and sound effects, and broadcast live shows to the Spreaker network.

Spreaker

Plans and pricing: Free Speech (free), On-Air Talent ($6/mo.), Broadcaster ($18/mo.), Anchorman ($45/mo.)

Beloved by independent musicians since 2007, SoundCloud has recently amped up its efforts to become a competitive platform for podcast hosting. Unique features include the ability for fans to comment at specific moments of a podcast (which can provide valuable feedback) and a “Spotlight” area on your page where you can make popular episodes easy to find. SoundCloud Pro provides deeper statistics and Pro Unlimited offers unlimited storage.

SoundCloud

Plans and pricing: Basic (free), Pro ($5.84/mo.), Pro Unlimited ($12/mo.)

While not as well-known as its competitors, Podiant is one of the best podcast platforms for growth. A convenient dashboard shows you important stats, provides tips for growing your audience and even helps you schedule recording times with co-hosts and guests. If you need production help, Podiant also provides services such as editing, mixing and adding chapters and show notes.

Podiant’s Indie plan starts with unlimited storage, while the Pro plan adds one-on-one tech support and website-building help. Podiant also offers four “Networks” plans which allow you to host anywhere from 3-20 podcasts.

Podiant

Plans and pricing: Indie ($12.99/mo.), Professional ($24.99/mo.), Networks (from $35.97/mo.)

Captivate bills itself as “the world’s only growth-oriented podcast host.” Its clean, streamlined design makes it easy for new podcasters to get started quickly, and creating your own site and customized web player is a cinch. Seasoned podcasters will enjoy free migration to Captive from other hosts, robust statistics and a WordPress plugin that syncs your podcast to your existing website.

Captivate

Plans and pricing: Podcaster ($19/mo.), Audio Influencer ($49/mo.), Podcast Brand ($99/mo.)

A technology company at heart, Simplecast claims to have “the industry's most robust audio streaming infrastructure” under the hood. They also offer advanced features like Audience, an IAB-compliant analytics platform that gives you in-depth insights like where and what time of day your audience are tuning in.

If you’re switching from a different host, SimpleCast Show Migrator makes it super easy to move all your episodes just by entering your show name and confirming ownership. Finally, you and your listeners can share custom clips of your episodes on social media with Recast.

Simplecast

Plans and pricing: Basic ($15/mo.), Essential ($35/mo.), Growth ($85/mo.)

Founded in 2015 and acquired by Spotify in 2019, Anchor has made a splash by not charging for subscriptions at all. Instead, Anchor takes a cut of any revenue earned from podcast monetization. Anchor also offers a streamlined podcast creation app, making it one of the best free podcast hosting options for beginners.

Anchor

Pricing: 30% of advertising revenue