A popular question that we always get from clients and beginner podcasters is: “How do I distribute my series?”

The simple answer: podcast hosting platforms. But it does not end there -- there are so many podcast distribution platforms that exist and it’s all about finding the one that works best for you and your series. 

In this article, we’ll make the process a little easier. We’ve compiled this year’s top 12 podcast hosting platforms and are giving you the rundown of each, so you can feel confident your show will get in front of the right eyes (and ears). 

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What are podcast hosting platforms?

Podcast hosting platforms are online services that store and distribute audio files for podcasts. They provide essential features like storage, bandwidth, RSS feed generation, analytics, and distribution to various podcast directories – like Apple Podcasts and Spotify. 

However, like most things, podcast hosting platforms aren’t created equal. These platforms offer a range of features and pricing plans to accommodate different needs, whether you're a hobbyist podcaster or a professional looking to scale your podcasting efforts. 

So without further ado, let’s jump into this year’s top podcast hosting platforms. 

1. CoHost

Created by the award-winning podcast agency, Quill, CoHost is a podcast analytics and audience insights tool that equips brands and agencies with the data and tools they need to measure podcast reach, growth, and impact. 

Trusted by leading brands and agencies, like PwC, Paramount, Expedia, and Interac, CoHost empowers users with in-depth insights and tools to understand who their audience is and how their podcast is performing. 

CoHost Prefix: 

We know you’re here to discover top podcast hosting platforms, but incase you’re unable (or unwilling) to shift your hosting setup, CoHost's Prefix allows brands and agencies to gain industry-leading analytics and audience insights from CoHost – regardless of your current hosting platform. 

Currently offering our B2B Analytics and Advanced Audience Demographics data in a prefix, you can tailor your content to listener preferences, drive growth by understanding listener behavior, and verify if your show is reaching your target audience.

Price: $35/month – custom enterprise pricing

Features: 

• Advanced Audience Demographics: Verify if podcasts are reaching your desired target audience by gaining insight into your listeners' age, gender, household income, family members, lifestyle, hobbies, social media habits, and more. 
• B2B Analytics: Discover which companies your listeners work at and their industry, size, location, and average revenue through an exportable list. Users can view this data on both a show and episode level. 
• Tracking Links: CoHost’s Tracking Links allow users to track clicks to downloads across multiple marketing channels all through one single link. Discover top download sources, individual link analytics, and a consolidated LinkTree style display. 
• In-Depth Analytics Dashboards: Dashboards including show and episode consumption rates, growth rates, top episode vs. latest episode insights, and downloads and unique listener data.
• Automatic Transcriptions: In-app AI-powered transcription tool for effortless editing, distribution, boosted SEO, and accessibility. This feature comes at no additional cost to your CoHost podcast hosting plan. 
• Hosting Capabilites: Including one-click publishing, multiple user permissions, custom media player, and multi-show management. 

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2. Simplecast 

With Simplecast, you not only get secure hosting but also access to Recast and a stunning web player, creating a captivating website for your show. Moreover, their analytics platform is one of the industry's most comprehensive, providing valuable insights into your listeners' demographics and locations.

Although on the pricier end, we highly recommend checking out the different Simplecast platforms and giving the 14-day free trial a try if you are unsure. Simplecast is a great distribution platform for more seasoned podcasters and their features (and prices) match that. 

Price: $15/month - custom enterprise plans

Features: 

• Podcast analytics: Get insight into your streams, retention rate, drop-offs, and consumption rate
• Podcast website: A customizable site that allows you to use your own branded domain
• Recast™ tool: Allows you to schedule and share clips of your podcast on social media
• Intelligent web player: Depending on your plan, there are three different types of web players available: Standard Simplecast Audio Player, Simplecast Mini Player, and Simplecast Show Player 
• Simplecast 2.0 API: With certain plans, you can create your own, custom podcast experience with your website, listening app, analytics dashboard, and more

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3. Podbean

With Podbean, users can share their own audio and video content on a single, user-friendly platform that guarantees simplicity and security. While this is a great option for beginners, if you are planning on really growing your series we suggest looking at the other platforms suggested. 

Price: $0 - $79/month

Although Podbean does not offer any free trials, you can always sign up for the free package or the cheaper options and upgrade if you decide you want more features.

Features: 

• Built-in monetization options: Including crowdfunding, Apple Podcasts subscriptions, a Patreon integration, and a marketplace for finding sponsors
• Embeddable players: Coming in different sizes, styles, and colors, embed your podcast into your blog or website
• Social media auto sharing: Connect your social platforms of choice to PodBean for automatic sharing. Plus, generate videos for Facebook, YouTube, and more
• Podbean AI: Leverage AI to help simplify noise reduction, transcriptions, cut-out filler words, and much more
• Unlimited hosting: No limits on downloads, episodes, or recording time
• Customizable podcast website and branded domains: Choose from a variety of professional themes that you can customize to fit your needs

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4. Buzzsprout 

Buzzsprout is another great, cost-effective option for podcasters that are a little less experienced. It’s easy to use and offers additional features that can assist with the production of your series such as transcriptions and Magic Mastering. If you’re a more seasoned podcaster, you may want to look into some of the other podcast hosting platforms we’ve broken down.

Price: $0 - $24/month

Buzzsprout also offers a free 90-day trial on all packages so you can test out which package is right for you and if the platform fits with your series. You’ll have to choose a package more on the number of hours that they come with rather than the features provided which can be an inconvenience to some podcasters. 

Features: 

• Embeddable podcast player: The interface looks great and works well on all screen sizes
• Built-in transcription integration: This feature allows you to attach a transcript to any episode within your podcast and then automatically display it on your Buzzsprout site
• In-depth episode analytics: This includes the average number of plays and information about what device your listeners tuned in on and which listening platform they used
• Show analytics over time: These reports include your most popular episodes by plays. They also feature the number of plays your show has gotten in the last 7 days, 30 days, 90 days – and even over the lifetime of your podcast
• Visual assets for distribution and promotion: Buzzsprout lets you create short videos quickly and easily using sound clips from your podcast
• Magic Mastering feature: This tool streamlines the audio editing process and is great for creators and brands who do not have audio engineering experience

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5. Blubrry

Blubrry is a podcast hosting platform that has been around for quite some time and is a platform that is more fitting for podcasters who have been in the space for a while. For some, Blubrry can seem a little confusing but through iterations, they have cleaned up their platform and made it more user friendly. 

Price: $12 - $100/month 

Features: 

• Listener Analytics: With the option of purchasing advanced statistics for $5 a month which gives you insights into full downloads, plays, and partials 
• Long tail podcasting: A service where you can go back in time to edit past podcasts without it taking up more of your data storage. You may want to use this to add ads or change intros
• Private podcasting: Perfect for brands creating internal podcasts
• PowerPress plugin: Which includes a customizable WordPress webpage
• ID3 tagging: Which includes embedding artwork, titles, and more
• Pro Production Service: An audio mastering service to clean up your sound 

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6. Libsyn

Libsyn is one of the most widely known and popular hosting platforms among podcasters. With plans available for every level of podcaster, Libsyn is a safe and trusted option for most. On top of hosting capabilities, their platform helps you understand your audience and optimize podcast promotion strategies with interactive maps, charts, and insights about fan-favorite apps, players, and destinations. 

Price: $5 - $150/month

Libsyn offers 6 different pricing packages that are mainly dependent on storage with some added special features as you get higher in price. Their plans include audio and the top three plans include video podcast hosting. All plans include a free podcast import.  

Libsyn does not offer any free trials or free plans so it’s a platform that you’d have to invest some money into to be able to try out. They do, however, allow you to cancel any time. 

Features: 

• ONPUBLISH: Offers integrated publishing options to over 20 of the most popular listening apps 
• Podcast subscriptions with GLOW: This integration allows users to easily build subscription membership programs including ad-free content, early access, a members-only newsletter, exclusive videos and courses, and more
• Integrates with Headliner: This integration helps users create short videos to promote their content across social media 
• Video publishing options: This allows users to publish their video content without changing hosting providers
• Podcast analytics: For those on the advanced plan, you can access episode-specific data, geographic insights, and day, week, and month stats 

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7. Captivate 

Since 2013, the Captivate team has been working to help creators grow their audience and monetize their shows. Created by indie podcasters, their goal is to “bring the innovation, quality, and technology only previously available to "big" podcasters to everyone.”

Price: $17 - $90/month

Captivate does offer a free trial if you want to try out their packages to see if it’s a good fit for you and what you’re looking for. The main difference between the packages is the number of downloads per month. 

These range from 30K to 300K downloads per month so the package you choose is very much based on your audience and projected growth.

Features: One unique and nice thing about Captivate is that all of their packages have the exact same features. The only thing that sets their packages apart is the number of downloads. 

• No limitations: Unlimited podcasts, unlimited uploads/storage, unlimited team 
• Monetization options: Including member only podcasts, listener tips, exclusive and bonus content, early-access content, and one-click media kit
• Dynamic show notes builder: Captivate automatically constructs show notes and publish them with your podcast episodes
• Extensive integrations: Including Mailchimp, WordPress, Descript, Squadcast, and Zapier
• Private podcasting: Designed for internal corporate podcasts
• Access to Captivate Growth Labs: Get feedback from other podcasters, learn more about the industry, and ask questions

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8. Transistor 

Since 2018, Transistor has grown to serve 26,000 podcasts of all different types. This podcast hosting platform offers good features for indie podcasters, small businesses, and enterprise companies alike. Their plans also support a high number of listeners per month, so it’s easy for independent podcasters to fit into the cheapest package. 

Price: $19 - $199+/month 

Transistor does not offer any free packages but they do have a 14-day free trial if you want to test out their platform to see if it’s right for you. 

Features: 

• Custom embeddable podcast player: Embed a playlist of episodes, your most recent episode, or feature a specific episode from your backlog to your existing website with your preferred branding
• Hosting features: unlimited podcasts, add multiple users and permissions, and advanced analytics included
• YouTube auto-posting: Transistor will automatically upload your podcast episodes to YouTube by converting audio files to video files along with a background image
• Podcast website builder: Includes a homepage, a landing page for each of your episodes, an "About" page, and a subscribe page that automatically links to all listening apps
• Robust integrations: Including Riverside.fm, MailChimp, Hubspot, and Drip
• Private podcast hosting: Built for internal podcasts

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9. Megaphone

Megaphone by Spotify is a highly exclusive podcast hosting platform geared toward professional podcasters and enterprise publishers/networks with over 20,000 downloads per episode. We recommend looking into some of the alternative options that we’ve listed if you’re just getting into podcasting. 

Price: Contact for pricing

Features: 

• Podcast hosting: Designed for publishers and networks that work with advertisers 
• Monetization: Users have access to the Spotify Audience Network to sell advertising slots in their shows
• Dynamic ad insertion: Includes flexible ad points to maximize revenue and ensure a seamless transition between ads and your content
• Advanced targeting: Megaphone leverages Nielsen to target and measure listeners by purchase intent and demographic down to their zipcode
• Downloads and ad delivery: Filtered by country, region, state, city, and app 
• Enterprise-specific features: Technical Account Manager, 24/7 support, access to the Megaphone API and Metrics Export Service, and more

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10. Spotify for Podcasters (Formally Anchor)

Spotify for Podcasters (formally Anchor) is a podcasting platform that has made waves over the last few years. They offer tools to create as well as distribute your podcast. If you’re just wanting to test out podcasting, this can be a great free resource but if you’re a brand or a more seasoned podcaster, we recommend checking out some of the other distribution platforms we’ve listed. That’s because while Spotify for Podcasters does offer some great features, it just doesn’t match up to some of the others out there that require payment for their services.

Price: Free

Spotify for Podcasters is completely free to use -- there’s no cost to create or distribute your podcast. Their mission is to support creators free of charge so that anyone that wants a podcast can have one. 

Features: 

• Listener analytics: Including episode drop-off, location, demographics, listening platform, and more
• Sponsorships: Available only to US users to monetize their podcast
• Video capabilities: Podcast video uploads to Spotify
• Audience engagement tools: Including Q&As and polls
• Listener support: Provides listeners the option to donate to your series

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11. Spreaker

Whether you’re just starting out in the podcast space or you’re a podcasting pro, Spreaker has plans and features to meet your needs. With Spreaker, users can create, host, distribute, and monetize their podcasts on one easy-to-use platform. 

Price: $0 - $250/month 

Features: 

• Live stream recordings: Including A chatbox for listeners during live streams
• Listener analytics: Including listening sources, devices, location, and more
• Ad revenue sharing;
• Ad Exchange: You choose where you want the ads to be placed and the platform will automatically fill the spot with one of their ad partners. 
• The Supporters Club: Provides listeners with the option of activate a monthly paid subscription that supports your series 
• Free Speech subscription: Allows you to upload unlimited podcast episodes

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12. Castos

Castos is an easy-to-use podcast publishing platform that caters to both newbies, pro podcasters, and everyone in between. They have a great Wordpress integration and option for outsourcing your podcast editing to Castos Productions.  On top of that, they specialize in tools for private or premium podcasts, so they’re a great option to look into if you’re looking to produce exclusive content.

Price: $29 - $699 / month

Castos offers a 14-day free trial so you can try out the platform and see if it’s a good fit for you. Plus, they do not limit the amount of downloads you can have on any plan.

Features:

• Custom podcast website: Includes unique website links for each podcast and a WordPress Integration
• Video capabilities: Including video republishing to YouTube and video file hosting
• Automatic podcast transcriptions: Between 10-100 free transcriptions a month depending on your plan
• Monetization opportunities: Including one-time and recurring listener donations
• Podcast analytics: Including episode-specific, device, location, and app-based insights
• Private podcasting: Perfect for members-only and exclusive content

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What podcast hosting platform is right for you? 

Ultimately, choosing the right podcast hosting platform for your show depends on you as a podcaster and what you’re looking for, whether it’s price, number of downloads, storage, hours, etc. 

As your podcast develops and grows, you may find yourself switching platforms as you learn more about what’s important for you. That's okay and completely expected! Don’t be afraid to try out different platforms whether it’s through their free trials or free packages. 

If you have any further questions about podcast hosting or want to learn more about the options available, get in touch with our team!