Are you hunting for the best podcast hosting platforms to host your podcast? If your answer is yes, you have landed on the right page!
Picking the best podcast hosting for starting your podcast is one of the most crucial steps.
Podcast hosting is typically different than regular web hosting as it offers podcast-specific features and tools for enhancing the user’s experience. Podcast hosting provides specific tools to store and deliver your media files.
Finding the right podcast hosting service with hundreds of options is yet another challenge. Selecting a non-reliable podcast hosting will only waste your time and money.
Therefore, in this article, we have hand-picked some of the most reliable podcast hosting services to make your search easier and quicker. Keep reading until the end to find which hosting services suit the best for your needs!
TL;DR: Cutting to the chase, if you want my recommendations here’s the thing, go with Libsyn, as it’s one the most user-friendly podcasting hosting for non-techy people. With Libsyn launching a podcast is hassle-free and it comes with free promotional tools. What’s more, you also get unlimited bandwidth & reach, with unparalleled customer support.
PS: All the DemandSage readers who signup using the link below, you'll get two months free with Libsyn.
What is The Best Podcast Hosting in February 2023?
So here is the list of the best podcast hosting platforms that are tried, tested, and suggested by professionals.
Premium Podcast Hosting
- Libsyn — For Beginners to Experts.
- BuzzSprout — Best Podcast Hosting Overall
- RSS.com — Best for Beginners & Affordable.
- Podbean — Easy to use Podcast Hosting.
- Transistor — Podcast hosting for brands & professionals.
- Simplecast — Podcast hosting, distribution & analytics.
Free Podcast Hosting (With Free Trial Offers)
- Libsyn
- Buzzsprout
- Podbean Free Hosting
- SoundCloud
- RedCircle Podcast Hosting
- Anchor Free Podcast Hosting
Let’s dive into details and check the mini-review of all the best podcast hosting platforms that we have listed.
Libsyn | BuzzSprout | RSS.com | Podbean | Transistor | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Overall Rating | 9.6/10 | 9.5/10 | 9.3/10 | 9.0/10 | 8.9/10 |
Best For | Beginners To Experts | Overall Best | Beginner Podcasters | Video Podcasters | Brands & Professionals |
Pricing | $5/mo | $12/mo | $8.25/mo | $9/mo | $19/mo |
Storage | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited |
Bandwidth | Unlimited | 20K plays/mo | Unlimited | Unlimited | 15K plays/mo |
Free Podcast Website | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
Custom Domain Connection | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
1. Libsyn (Overall Best)
Came into existence in 2004, Libsyn has been a reliable podcast hosting service, catering to hundreds of users’ needs, including some of the most influential people across the globe. The primary goal of Libsyn is to offer an easy-to-use platform, bringing your brand to the center and promoting your podcast across various channels with highly functional features.
Additionally, you can easily monetize your podcast with its feature and publish them from anywhere. Libsyn also allows integrations with multiple WordPress plugins and gives you the liberty to use its in-house plugin known as Libsyn Publisher Hub. If you need a reliable and easy-to-use solution with the cheapest pricing plan, Libsyn can be your right pick! Even you can have the option to have affiliate marketing integration.
Key Features
- Excellent statistics with daily, weekly, and monthly reports.
- Great podcast publishing tools.
- Custom podcast branding tools to promote your podcasts.
- A friendly crew with outstanding customer support to help you whenever you get stuck.
- Enterprise-level tools for experts and professionals who need additional support.
Pricing: The pricing starts at $5 per month.
2. BuzzSprout
If you are looking for easy-to-use podcast hosting services with excellent features, BuzzSprout is the right pick for you! All you need to do is upload your files, and the hosting services take care of the other things. As simple as it may sound, it also offers free learning materials to help you get started in no time. In addition, it provides multiple powerful tools to make the most of your podcast.
Another incredible feature of BuzzSprout is that it gives a free WordPress plugin. If you do not have your website yet, the hosting service can create one for you on which you can use your custom domain name and easily customize the design of your website. Lastly, it offers top-notch customer support, so if you are stuck, you know you have a team waiting to help you!
Key Features
- Incredible and real-time podcast analytics
- Easily add an episode chapter mark.
- Embeddable podcast player that works best for all screen sizes.
- Easily embed your podcast player to your website directly.
- Magic Mastering add-on to polish your audio.
- Dynamic ad insertion option available.
- Unlimited space hosting audio files.
- Reliable marketing tools are offered.
Pricing: You can try out BuzzSprout for free with its free plan. However, the free plan comes with limits. You can upgrade to the premium plan starting at $12 per month to break the limits. If you decide to upgrade to BuzzSprout premium plans, then you should check our exclusive BuzzSprout coupon here.
Note: If you are looking for a replacement for BuzzSprout, then you should definitely check our list of BuzzSprout alternatives here.
3. RSS.com
RSS.com is one of the fastest-growing podcast hosting companies and is known for its competitive pricing and features that podcasters need to grow their shows. With RSS.com, you’ll get everything you need to start, grow, and make money from your podcast for one low price.
In addition to sponsorship and monetization options, RSS.com provides podcasters with automatic distribution of their podcast to the major podcast directories, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Google Podcasts, making it easy to get your show in front of millions of new listeners. You can share your podcasts directly on multiple social media platforms with their social media integration tool. Rss submission is also available.
Key Features:
- A beautiful public website for your show that’s automatically updated as you release new episodes
- A user-friendly dashboard that allows you to launch your podcast in less than five minutes
- Sponsorships and other monetization options
- Unlimited episodes and storage
- Donation buttons that can connect your listeners to your donation platform
- Cross-platform analytics to get the insights needed to grow your show
- Automatic distribution to Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, Google, Samsung Podcasts, and more
- Embeddable podcast player
- Episode scheduling for enhanced productivity
- Award-winning customer support
- Reliable podcasting tools.
Pricing:
As we mentioned before, RSS.com has some of the best pricing available: the All-in-One Podcasting Plan at $12.99/month ($8.25/month when you choose annual billing) and the Student & NGO plan at $4.99/month
Use coupon code RSSFREEMONTH during sign-up and get 30 days of free podcast hosting.
Also, if you’re hosting with another provider and are looking to move, you can switch to RSS.com and you receive 6 months free!
4. Podbean
PodBean is one of the most reliable podcast hosting services that provides everything to deliver a successful podcast to your audience. One of the best parts about their services is that it makes it easier for newbies and professionals to get started. Another feature that makes PodBean different than other hosting services on the list is that it provides an affordable plan with unlimited bandwidth. Creating a podcast with Podbean is easy and straightforward.
Furthermore, the hosting service provides excellent designing tools, enabling you to host your website with creative and unique themes online. Besides the usual features of podcast hosts, it also allows users to host video podcasts! Overall, if you are searching for an affordable and best podcast hosting platform, PodBean may be the right solution! You can also embed these podcast links with your video podcasting. Even the podcast migration tools also comes in handy.
Key Features
- Excellent podcast promotion tool automatically submits your podcasts to reach a wider audience through promotion.
- Advertisement marketplace to monetize your podcast.
- Truly unlimited storage and bandwidth, upload media files.
- Comprehensive statistics to track your podcast’s progress.
- Mobile app for managing your podcasts from anywhere.
- Get more relevant podcasting tools
- Unlimited audio storage provided.
- You can also get your Podcast statistics data.
Price: PodBean offers a free plan with 5 hours of free storage and 100GB monthly bandwidth. Paid plans start at $9/month. Check these working Podbean coupons to save extra bucks on Podbean.
5. Transistor
Transistor is an easy-to-use podcast service with powerful features. Although it is a comparatively new service, it has enabled users to deliver a successful podcast with higher engagement and build a stronger audience online. One of the key reasons Transistor made it to our list is its robust analytical feature. Besides giving you detailed insights on your podcast, it also enables you to send your podcast to Spotify, Apple Podcast, and Google podcasts.
Moreover, you can easily add every episode to your WordPress posts and pages within no time. Overall, it provides users with some of the robust tools to build your podcast audience and is the right pick if you are looking to reach a wider audience with your podcast.
Key Features
- Unlimited storage.
- Easy distribution of your podcast to major networks.
- Private podcasting to send your subscribers, team members, and more.
- Easily manage various users per account.
- Live customer support to help you in every aspect.
- Reliable podcast hosts.
Pricing: Transistor does not provide any free plan. The plans start at $19 per month.
6. SimpleCast
Last but not least on our list is SimpleCast. The hosting provider is popular for its industry-leading powerful features in affordable pricing. Whether you are a beginner with no experience or a professional who has been in the game for too long, SimpleCast makes it easier to publish and distribute your podcast across various channels.
Additionally, this popular hosting provider is widely used by some top brands such as Facebook, Nike, Medium, Twitter, and more. Unsurprisingly, the exceptional functionality and dynamic features have made it widely popular that the top brands are using it. The best part about SimpleCast is that it goes easier on your pockets!
Key features
- Advanced and in-depth analytical tool to track your podcast’s growth.
- Easy collaboration with multiple team members using a single account.
- Quick one-click publishing.
- Recast tool that enables you to schedule your posts.
- 14 days free trial to test the hosting services.
- You can also add callouts to build email lsit.
Pricing: The pricing plans start from $15 per month.
7. RedCircle
RedCircle is made for those beginner podcasters who want to create unique content for their audience, grow their podcasts, and make money along the way. With RedCircle, you can use your podcast to do ad promotions, receive money as donations, and do shows with podcasters from other platforms. It is our choice as one of the best podcast hosting platforms because it allows users to control their content in any way they want.
It also allows you to create & release your content whenever you like, and also, you can choose on which platforms you want to release it. There is no limit on how many podcasts you can create on RedCircle. The best part about this platform is that it has a free plan with no limitations, but it will show ads to keep your account going.
Key Features:
- All-in-one solution for podcasters to host unlimited podcasts
- It comes with a lot of amazing tools that can help you grow your audience
- Accept donations from your listeners to keep on creating great content for them
- Connect with shows from different platforms to broaden your reach
- Create a subscription model to sustain a revenue stream from your podcasts
Pricing: There is a free plan available on RedCircle. The growth plan costs $12/mo or $9/mo yearly. The pro plan costs $35/mo or $30/mo yearly. They also offer a 7-day free trial on the premium plans.
8. Captivate
Captivate is another best podcast hosting service is Captivate which focuses highly on building and growing your audience. The hosting service allows you to create unlimited podcasts and distribute them to monetize and build your brand. Additionally, Captivate is easy to use hosting service, making it easier for beginners to get started in no time.
Furthermore, it provides you easy access to a dashboard from which you can manage your podcast, check your insights, and plan things to stay ahead of time. Another perk of picking Captivate is that it does not restrict you on the number of uploads. No matter which plans you pick, you can enjoy truly unlimited uploads with exceptional features and tools of podcast hosting. However, the only downside of this hosting provider is that it does not offer free plans. Instead, you get a 7 -day free trial option.
Key Features
- Call to action button to insert in your podcast.
- Enables you to host private or members-only podcasts.
- Comprehensive analytics to track growth.
- Affordable pricing plans with excellent functionalities.
- No limits on downloads.
Pricing: The plans start from $17 per month.
9. Spreaker
Spreaker is an all-in-one solution that is specially designed to cater to the needs of all podcasters. This podcast hosting platform allows you to create, distribute, and monetize your podcasts easily. It comes with web and mobile apps as well, so you can seamlessly record and publish your podcasts from wherever you want & whenever you want. You can use the Spreaker studio from the app to record your podcasts.
The user interface of this platform is really smooth. Once you upload your podcast on Spreaker, it will automatically get published on all the podcast listening platforms. It comes with amazing features such as podcast distribution, monetization, analytics, & its podcast app. They also feature their popular podcasts on their website.
Key Features:
- It comes with a content management system that distributes your podcasts on multiple podcast apps.
- Get detailed analytics of your podcasts
- Run ads on your podcasts to make money with it
- Collaborate with your team with enterprise podcasting
- It comes with customizable RSS feeds
Pricing: It has a free plan which gives you limited access to all the Spreaker’s tools. The on-air talent plan costs $8/mo. The broadcaster plan costs $20/mo. The anchorman plan costs $50/mo. The publisher plan costs $120/mo.
10. Podcastics
Podcastics is a relatively new option compared to other podcasting hosting platform on the list. But it is gaining popularity all because of its easy-to-use interface & competitive features. It comes with an intuitive dashboard similar to PodBean’s. To get started, you just need to enter your podcast details within a few clicks and set up user permissions as well.
If you have a podcast already, then it also allows you to import your podcasts directly from RSS feeds or Apple podcasts to Podcastics. They also allow you to create teams within the dashboard & manage all your podcasts accordingly. Some of its amazing features are podcast editing, RSS import, complete statistics, automated podcast descriptions, and so on.
Key Features:
- Publish unlimited episodes with any plan of Podcastics
- Manage multiple podcasts from a single dashboard
- Create seasons & episodes of your podcast to make it more interesting
- Schedule your podcast & get it published whenever you want
- Live stream a podcast with your audience
Pricing: Podcastics come with three pricing options. The premium plan costs $4/mo, the pro plan costs $8/mo, and the max plan costs $39/mo.
11. Castos
Castos is a fully-featured podcast plugin for WordPress. With their popular “Seriously Simple Podcasting” plugin, you will be able to upload new episodes and manage your feed right from your WordPress.
With Castos, you can record and publish as many podcasts as you want. There is no shortage of storage space with Castos, so you can record longer episodes or launch multiple shows at the same time. With each subscription plan of Castos, you will get a certain number of private subscribers that will help create momentum in building your followers list.
Key Features
- Automatic transcriptions to increase your SEO reach
- Unlimited bandwidth and storage
- Customizable podcast webpage
- One-click publishing
- 14-day free trial
Pricing: The pricing plan starts from $19 per month.
12. Firstory
Firstory is a user-friendly and best podcast hosting site suited for both beginner and professional podcasters. Firstly integrates with all major media streaming apps, and with its one-click automation, you can distribute your podcast episodes to all apps. The upcoming podcast uploads will also get updated to the list automatically.
With Firstory’s cross-platform comment space, you can effortlessly gather your audience’s feedback across all apps and increase your engagement rate. You can import your past episodes so you can avoid losing track of your milestones and progress. It includes a free plan with all the necessary features and tools that will help you become a podcaster.
Key Features
- Unlimited bandwidth, uploads, and storage
- Generate universal link automatically with Flink Sharing
- Cross-platform comment space
- Place ads between your podcasts to monetize your show
- Free plan available with unlimited features
Pricing: The pricing plan starts from $15 per month.
13. Podcast Websites
Podcast Websites is an all-in-one podcast hosting service that hosts user-friendly tools and features for podcasters. On this platform, podcasters can get access to built-in statistics, website hosting, daily backups, and security measures. The same team also runs Podcast Websites such as Captivate (mentioned earlier in the article).
Podcast Websites is one of the highest-priced podcast hosting services, but it also provides the best solution for your self-hosted WordPress website. With this platform, you can add powerful plugins to your WP site that will help boost audience engagement for your podcast show.
Key Features
- Easy-to-use user interface
- Drag and drop website builder
- Stunning WordPress themes for podcasting
- Robust website security
- Video tutorials and media base
Pricing: The pricing of the platform is $97/month, and if you pay annually upfront, it will cost you $77/month.
14. Podcast.co
Podcast.co is an intuitive platform that aims to ease up things for podcasters. The podcasting hosting platform offers all the essential features you need to upload your podcast online. It also offers growth, launch, and production services. So whenever you need any of the services, you can add them to your subscription.
With Podcast.co, you can also host private podcasting services. Only members with a membership plan or your internal team members will be able to access your private podcasts. It is a nice add-on for generating revenue apart from free podcasts. Podcast.co also allows you to promote your podcast with engaging visual features to grow your follower base.
Key Features
- Unlimited podcast uploads
- One-click distribution to all media channels
- Auto transcription for converting audio to text
- Add visual effects with Audiograms
- 14-day free trial
Pricing: The pricing plan starts from $19 per month.
15. AudioBoom
AudioBoom is a famous podcast publisher helping thousands of podcasters publish podcasts globally. It integrates with significant media streaming channels such as Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Spotify, Google, etc. You can distribute your content to all channels with just one click.
With their creative advertising facility, you can reach passionate and engaged audiences within a short time. After hitting 10K play per episode, you can access premium advertisement tools to create ads and sponsorship.
Key Features
- Unlimited bandwidth, upload, and storage
- One-click distribution to multiple media streaming channels
- Monetize your show with a global advertising marketplace, Showcase
- Advanced analytics dashboard
- Embedded players for social media integration
Pricing: The pricing plan starts from $9.99 per month.
16. Squarespace
Squarespace is mainly an eCommerce website-building platform. Fortunately, it also offers a podcast hosting feature with all plans where you can easily create and publish your podcasts. Squarespace integrates with Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and many other streaming channels. You can publish your content on these channels with one click using your built-in RSS feeds.
You can create a blog page and use Squarespace’s auto transcriptor to publish popular lines of your podcasts. The in-built podcast hosting feature is best for online store owners who want to share their experiences through podcasts. You can also get 14 days free trial of Squarespace.
Key Features
- One-click distribution
- It supports all major streaming channels
- Podcast hosting feature included with every plan
- High-quality and customizable podcast templates
- Track listeners with data-driven analytics
Pricing: The pricing plan starts from $14 per month. Check these working Squarespace coupons to save a few extra bucks.
17. PodServe.fm
PodServe.fm is an all-in-one podcast hosting platform that provides you with crucial tools to navigate the podcasting world. The features are user-friendly and befit brand new and experienced podcasters. It supports integration with almost all major podcast networks, including Apple Podcasts, iTunes, and Spotify.
You can distribute your content on all supported platforms with just one click. After uploading the content, PodServe makes sure your podcast is seen by thousands of viewers. With its in-built analytics tools, you can track the data of your listeners and viewers.
Key Features
- Unlimited storage and 2000GB bandwidth each month
- No limits on uploading content
- Detailed analytics report
- Free podcast promotion
- 14-day free trial
Pricing: Podserve.fm subscription costs you $19/month.
18. Resonate
If you want a podcast hosting platform that can make editing & publishing podcasts easier for you, then Resonate is the one for you. It is an all-in-one solution for you to make professional podcasts in one place. They have already helped almost 13 shows reach #1 in Apple podcasts. You can also record your podcast remotely with your guest in studio quality.
With just one click, you can upload your podcast to all podcast directories like Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and so on. You also don’t need to worry about uploading, just record your podcast and it will automatically get uploaded everywhere. They also offer private podcast hosting where you can choose who listens to your podcast.
Key Features:
- Real-time chat support with their team of specialists
- Manage your podcast production from Resonate’s iOS app
- Detailed analytics of your podcasts
- Private Podcast hosting option is available
- 14-day free trial is also available
Pricing: Resonate has two pricing for podcast hosting. The basic plan costs $25/month, and the premium plan costs $49/month.
19. Fusebox
Fusebox is the genius creation of one of the podcasters, Pat Flynn, who has a famous podcast called Smart Passive Income. He is one of the best affiliate marketers, so he knows what he is doing. Fusebox has many amazing features and one distinctive email capture feature that most podcast players don’t have. It has a transcript plugin that automatically generates transcripts for your podcast.
It has plenty of third-party integrations to help you grow your reach. Using this podcast player is straightforward; you just need to install the Fusebox plugin to your WordPress website and then add your RSS feed to it. Enter the subscription URLs in Fusebox to publish your podcasts into all the major directories.
Key Features:
- Use the sticky player to show your podcast to every page of your website
- Archive player to show your entire podcast directory on one page
- Show one specific episode for every blog post with the track player
- Display your podcast transcripts on your WordPress website
- Integrate with all your favorite podcasting tools
Pricing: Fusebox comes with two pricing options. The starter plan costs $9/mo or $7.50/mo, paid annually, and the pro plan costs $19/mo or $15.83/mo, paid annually.
20. Blubrry
Blubrry is one of the oldest podcast-hosting platforms, which has been helping podcasters since 2005. It is one of the first platforms to receive an IAB certification. Currently, over 125K podcasters use Blubrry to record and publish their podcast episodes. Since the arrival of platforms like Libsyn, Buzzsprout, Podbean, and others, Blubrry is not as famous as it once was, but it is still an amazing platform.
Nowadays, everyone knows about Blubrry through its WordPress podcast plugin called Powerpress. With this plugin, anyone can turn their normal website into a podcast website. This plugin allows you to record your podcast episodes and then upload those episodes directly from your website to the Podcast directory you want.
Key Features:
- Create video podcasts and upload them to all podcast directories
- With every Blubrry, you get a free WordPress website
- Formal podcast training to help you get started
- Monetize your podcasts with programmatic
- Podcast media kit to help you market your podcasts
Pricing: There are two pricing options available on Blubrry. The standard plan costs $12/month or $10/month paid yearly, and the advanced plan costs $20/month or $17/month paid yearly. There is a 30-day free trial available on the advanced plan.
21. OmnyStudio
OmnyStudio is a podcast hosting solution for enterprises. This podcast hosting is also great for those whose audience is growing and whose normal podcast hosting can’t handle their requirements anymore. It is a perfect podcast hosting for scalability. One of the best features of OmnyStudio is their drag & drop feature, where you can upload multiple episodes at once.
It is a complete audio management solution for radio stations and podcasters. You can also manage multiple podcasts from just one dashboard. You can automatically capture and store your podcast episodes and archive all your content to the cloud. You can easily publish your podcasts on your website and share them on your social media profiles in just one click.
Key Features:
- Embed your Twitter & Facebook profile and share the episodes with your audience.
- Monetize your podcast with multiple monetization options.
- All the basic editing tools for podcasting.
- On-demand audio management.
- Cut out short clips from your podcasts.
- Follower analytics and more on the live dashboard
Pricing: To know the pricing of OmnyStudio, you need to contact them and fill out a form for your requirements, and they will contact you and give you a quote based on your requirements.
Which is the best free podcast hosting service?
Here are some of the best free podcast hosting service providers you can find on the internet.
1) Buzzsprout Free Podcast Hosting
If you’re looking for the best and all-in-one podcast hosting solutions, there is no better platform than Buzzsprout. The free podcast hosting provider offers you robust tools and free learning materials that will help you start your podcast show from scratch.
Buzzsprout is compatible with major media directories such as Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and many more. Its unique “Magic Mastering” tool polishes up your content automatically before being published so viewers can hear the crystal clear voices of the hosts. The free plan allows you to upload 2 hours’ worth of content every month. But if you want to purchase a subscription plan, you will get a free $20 Amazon gift card.
2) Podbean Free Hosting
Podbean is another popular free podcast hosting service provider after Buzzsprout. The all-in-one platform offers every crucial tool, such as unlimited storage, unmetered bandwidth, advanced statistics, etc., that will help you increase your popularity among podcast listeners.
It also integrates with all major media streaming apps, so your audience will always find your content as soon as it is uploaded. You don’t need any technical knowledge to operate Podbean’s hosting tools—just create high-quality podcast files and distribute them on all platforms with one click. With Podbean’s free plan, you can upload 5 hours of content every month.
Libsyn is a famous all-in-one podcast hosting service provider that focuses on helping new podcasters and also those who are looking to monetize their content. Libsyn has been working with thousands of podcasters since the early days of podcasting.
3) Libsyn Hosting
Libsyn offers easy-to-use features that help you automate your workflow, whether it is the distribution to multiple media streaming channels or giving detailed reports of audience statistics. You can also pre-schedule your podcast episode, or if you need, you can upload episodes in batches. With a built-in Canva button, you can also design each podcast with creative artwork. Unfortunately, Libsyn is not free but offers one of the lowest hosting solutions (starting from $5).
4) SoundCloud Free Podcast Hosting
If you are concerned about growing your follower list, SoundCloud is the best option you have got. SoundCloud is known as the world’s biggest music and audio hosting website. More than 175 million listeners visit every month, and 12 hours of unique content is uploaded every minute.
SoundCloud’s free plan allows you to upload 3 hours’ worth of audio content every month. But if you want to monetize your content quickly, SoundCloud Premium is the right choice. With this plan, you will get automation tools, embed controls, and scheduled releases that you won’t get with the free plan.
5) RedCircle Free Hosting
RedCircle is an all-in-one and truly free podcast hosting service provider. RedCircle not just offers you standard features to publish podcasts but also provides you with cross-platform promotional materials so you can monetize your show as soon as possible.
With RedCircle, you can also accept one-time donations and build membership subscriptions to ensure long-term success. Bigger brands and agencies can also get tailored solutions and advertising options to reach larger audiences. However, free hosting also comes with unlimited storage and unmetered bandwidth. But if you want to publish a video-based podcast, you can start with RedCircle’s Growth plan.
6) Anchor Free Hosting
Anchor is a podcast publishing platform that is run by Spotify. With this free podcast hosting platform, you will get built-in recording, editing, and uploading tools so you can easily create content and distribute it to multiple listening channels.
Anchor allows you to set subscriptions and sponsorships so you can monetize your podcasts as your listeners’ list grows. You can also join a private community of podcasters where you can get tips, stories, and news regarding podcasting. Anchor’s free plan has no limitations — you will get unlimited storage and bandwidth with no additional costs.
What is Podcast Hosting? (The Explanation)
A podcast hosting provider stores your audio files online and distributes them to media streaming apps and podcast directories. A podcast hosting platform usually integrates with podcast directories such as Spotify, iTunes, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, Stitcher, etc.
An ideal podcast host stores a series of sound or audio files bundled in a single file. So you don’t need too much space to save all the files separately. Once you distribute your podcast on directories, listeners can either listen to the podcast or download it to listen to later. After publishing the content, whenever the directory detects something new from the user, it displays the latest episode to the subscribers and recommends it as new to other listeners.
How to choose the right podcast hosting for your podcast?
Selecting the right podcast hosting provider usually depends on the podcaster’s experience and level of popularity. If you’re a beginner or going to start from scratch, you can choose a platform that offers you unlimited bandwidth and guaranteed listeners. If you’re slightly low on budget, you can also try a free podcast hosting provider that offers similar services but limited access to advanced features.
Professional podcasters who are looking to monetize their content can try paid hosting providers. However, podcasters can consider asking a few questions before starting a podcast hosting service.
- How much audio storage do you need?
- How many podcasts are you going to upload in a month?
- Do you own a WordPress website? (Find yourself a WordPress podcast plugin like Castos)
- Do you also want to upload video podcasts?
- Do you need advertisement tools for podcast promotions?
- What type of analytics and reports do you need?
- What is your budget?
Once you find answers to those questions, you can finalize a podcast hosting service to publish your podcasts frequently.
A quick guide to starting and hosting your podcast?
If you’re going to start a podcast show from scratch, you follow a quick guide to jump-start your process.
- Find a strong podcast idea depending on your niche (such as marketing, eCommerce, etc.)
- Do competitive research in your niche (like listening to other podcasters)
- Get your podcast equipment (such as a microphone, headphones, webcam, audio mixing tools, etc.)
- Make your podcast exciting and engaging to listen
- Pre-record your first few episodes
- Decide the format of your podcast (audio or video)
- Create your podcast’s description
- Select multiple podcast directories to publish
- Plan your podcasts for publishing
- Distribute your podcasts to multiple directories
- Plan your marketing and monetization strategies
- Create a podcast website to attract listeners
- Create multiple social accounts to promote your content and show
- Use auto transcriptions to highlight the best lines of your podcast on your social media profiles
- Keep rocking your show
If you make an infographic structure for your podcast show so no matter if you’re experienced or not, you will definitely get success with your chosen podcast host.
Which Podcast hosting is best?
All the podcast hosting providers mentioned in the list above work best for beginners and professionals. However, we would highly recommend trying out BuzzSprout and PodBean. Both podcast hosting providers enable you to publish your podcast and distribute them across multiple channels to grow your audience. From integrations to excellent tools, both podcast hosting providers offer similar features that other providers lack.
BuzzSprout gives a unique feature where it allows users to polish their audio before going live, improving your audio quality. Similarly, PodBean makes publishing your podcasts easier. Furthermore, both hosting providers offer a beginner-friendly interface with real-time analytics to track your growth.
Is Podcast Hosting necessary?
You must be wondering why can’t you go with normal web hosting for your podcasts. Well, the answer is simple. Shared web hosting may work for your podcast websites, but it will affect the user experience. Podcast hosting services are designed especially for podcasts to store and upload files. When you upload podcasts from your shared hosting, it will take up higher server resources affecting your website’s loading time.
Additionally, it can also result in your website crashing when you upload your files. What is worse is that if multiple users try to download your podcast at the same time, your regular hosting service will block the process, meaning your audience won’t be able to download your podcast. Therefore, it is necessary to have podcast hosting.
Wrapping Up — Which is The Best Podcast Platform for 2023?
And that’s a wrap to our list of best podcast hosting services in 2023 start!
Now that you have made it through the entire list, you must have noticed most of the hosting providers offer similar features with just a difference in storage and bandwidth.
However, some podcasts hosting providers excel in a specific feature while other shines in a different feature. If you are still confused about which hosting provider you should pick for your podcasts, we would suggest choosing the one that fits your budget and needs.
Once you understand your needs and budget, you will be able to figure out the best hosting provider for yourself in no time!
Here’s the official recommendation of DemandSage:
- Libsyn — Libsyn is our #1 recommendation for starting your podcast.
- BuzzSprout Hosting — The #2 podcast hosting for starting, managing, and growing podcasts.
- RSS.com — A reliable podcast hosting within a budget and with great features.
Either way, you will not be disappointed with any hosting services you pick from the list above. Over to you. Which hosting provider are you selecting from the list? Let us know in the comments section below!
FAQs on Podcast Hosting!
If you are into podcasting for the first time, you can try beginner-friendly free podcast hosting providers such as BuzzSprout, Podbean, SoundCloud, etc. If you want advanced features, you can try paid hosting services such as Libsyn or AudioBoom.
Yes, you can absolutely host podcasts for free. You can find a number of free podcast hosting providers that offer unlimited storage and bandwidth. You can host a podcast show and earn money through private subscriptions and donations with no limits to publishing on multiple directories.
In order to host a podcast show, you will need a podcast hosting service where you can upload your audio files and publish your content on podcast directories. If you own a WordPress website, you can also find a podcast plugin to host your podcast episodes.
It totally depends on the show host to set the frequency of podcast publishing. Some new podcasters release episodes several times a week, while other podcasters like to publish new episodes in a week or two.
If you’re going to start a podcast, it’s crucial to have a website for your podcast. It acts like a central hub where listeners can know about your show and what the podcast is about. You can also upload your free podcast episodes so listeners can download and listen to your podcast for free.
Podcasters usually earn between $18 to $45 per hour on average 30-second and 60-second CPM. Once you get past a specific listen count on each episode, you can also monetize your podcasts. You can also set automated revenue streams to earn passive income from your podcasts quickly.
Apple Podcasts and Spotify are the two most prominent names in the podcast directories. But with a podcast hosting provider, you can stream or publish your content on multiple podcast directories such as Stitcher, Google Podcasts, Audible, Amazon Music, and many others.