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Top 10 Podcast Hosting Platforms

The podcast hosts that store your episodes, publish your feed to Apple Podcasts and Spotify and help you earn, ranked by how many podcasters or podcasts each one says it hosts.

Libsyn250,000+ podcasters 2

Acast140,000+ podcasts 3

Podbean114,365+ active podcasts

Quick answer

Libsyn is the largest podcast hosting platform, the chosen home for 250,000+ podcasters, with plans from $12 a month. Acast is second with more than 140,000 podcasts and a free Starter plan built around ad revenue, and Podbean is third with 114,365+ active podcasts and unlimited storage from $12 a month billed yearly. For beginners, Buzzsprout (111,713+ podcasters) offers a free plan and the easiest setup.

How it's ranked: Podcasters or podcasts each host says it serves, as published on its own website (read November 2026). Libsyn and Buzzsprout count podcasters; Acast, Podbean, Castos and Transistor count podcasts. Captivate, RSS.com, Simplecast and Fireside publish no count, so they are ranked last (value 0) in no particular order of size. Counts are each company's own claims and are measured differently, so treat them as a guide to scale, not an audit.

Libsyn

Libsyn · Audio and video podcast hosting with monetization

250,000+ podcasters

The biggest and longest-running independent host.

Libsyn says it is the chosen home for 250,000+ podcasters and 400+ ad sponsors, the biggest count on this list, and it has been trusted since 2004. Its monetization side has paid $112,264,325 to creators since 2017. Every plan includes audio and video hosting, multi-user access, IAB verified analytics, a customizable website and monetization options. Plans start at $12 a month for Basic with 3 hours of audio uploads a month, $25 for Advanced with 10 hours, and $150 for Max with 55 hours, and all plans include video uploads up to 100GB a month. There is also an $8 plan for the bare essentials, plus custom Professional and Enterprise plans with dynamic ad insertion and API access. New users get their first 30 days free on every plan.

Best forEstablished shows that want a long-running host with built-in ad deals

Skip it ifYou want a free plan to start

Source: libsyn.com/ ; https://libsyn.com/pricing/

Acast

Acast · Podcast hosting, distribution and advertising marketplace

140,000+ podcasts

Best for making money from ads.

Acast says it powers more than 140,000 podcasts globally and has paid out $730,000,000 to its creators since launching. It pitches itself as the all-in-one platform to grow and monetize a podcast across Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube and beyond, with multiple ad formats, control over ad placements, one-click distribution and real-time analytics and revenue dashboards. The free Starter plan covers 1 show and 5 episodes, and you get unlimited episodes if you make your show available in its advertising marketplace. Essential costs $25 a month, or $14.99 a month billed yearly, and adds multiple shows and sponsorships. Pro is $40 ($29.99 yearly) with team management and a publishing API, and Video is $50 ($39.99 yearly) for video episodes on Apple Podcasts.

Best forCreators who want to earn from ads as early as possible

Skip it ifYou never plan to run ads

Source: www.acast.com/ ; https://www.acast.com/pricing

Podbean

Podbean · Podcast hosting with AI tools, apps and monetization

114,365+ active podcasts

The best value for unlimited storage.

Podbean's homepage counter shows 114,365+ active podcasts, 16,302,336+ episodes and more than 16.1 billion downloads, and it says more than 600,000 podcasters have trusted it over 10 years; its pricing page says 71,000+ podcasters. You can start with a free account. Paid plans billed yearly run $12 a month for Unlimited Audio, $29 for Unlimited Plus, $79 for Network and $99 for Business, with unlimited storage on every paid plan and unmetered bandwidth on all but Network. Every hosting plan gets IAB-certified analytics and a free podcast website. AI tools handle noise reduction, leveling, filler-word removal, titles, show notes, chapters and transcripts, and monetization includes an Ads Marketplace, dynamic ad insertion and Apple Podcasts Subscriptions.

Best forBudget-minded podcasters who want unlimited storage and a free start

Skip it ifYou need the simplest possible dashboard

Source: www.podbean.com/ ; https://www.podbean.com/podcast-hosting-pricing

Buzzsprout

Buzzsprout · Beginner-friendly audio and video podcast hosting

111,713+ podcasters

The easiest place to start.

Buzzsprout says it is trusted by over 111,713 podcasters and has helped over 400,000 podcasters launch their shows since 2009. It cites over 3,600 5-star reviews. It is built for beginners: audio and video hosting, statistics, and distribution to Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube, plus Magic Mastering to clean up audio and Cohost AI to write show notes, transcripts, titles and chapters. The free plan includes 2 hours of uploads each month, and episodes stay hosted for 90 days. Paid plans billed annually are $15 a month for Audio and $25 for Audio + Video, each with up to 72 hours of uploads a year, and $30 for Multi-Podcast with up to 180 hours. It also offers listener subscriptions and ads.

Best forFirst-time podcasters who want the easiest setup

Skip it ifYou upload many hours of audio every month

Source: www.buzzsprout.com/ ; https://www.buzzsprout.com/pricing

Castos

Castos · Podcast hosting with private podcasts and WordPress publishing

42,000+ podcasts

Best for private and business podcasts.

Castos says it is home to 42,000+ podcasts, and it was founded in 2017. Every plan includes unlimited shows, episodes and downloads with no overage fees, plus public, private and members-only episodes, which makes it a strong fit for companies running internal or paid shows. One upload goes to 8 directories, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Amazon Music, and analytics follow IAB standards. Transcripts and chapters are generated automatically with monthly credits on every plan, and an AI Assistant costs $10 a month extra. Its Seriously Simple Podcasting plugin is active on 30,000+ WordPress sites. Plans are $19 a month for Essentials, $49 for Growth (which adds YouTube republishing) and $99 for Pro, with a 14-day free trial and two months free on annual billing.

Best forBusinesses that want private, members-only or WordPress podcasts

Skip it ifYou want a free plan

Source: castos.com/

Transistor

Transistor · Multi-show podcast hosting with private feeds

40,000+ podcasts

Best for running several shows.

Transistor says it serves over 40,000 podcasts of all types. It was started by Jon Buda and Justin Jackson, who launched it on August 1, 2018, and it is run by a team of five. Every plan includes unlimited podcasts, so you can run several shows on one bill. Starter costs $19 a month with 20,000 monthly audio downloads and 50 private podcast subscribers. Professional is $49 with video publishing, 100,000 downloads, 500 GB of storage, 500 private subscribers and dynamic ads. Business is $99 with 250,000 downloads, 1 TB of storage, 3,000 private subscribers and Transistor branding removed. Yearly billing saves 17%, and there is a 14-day free trial.

Best forPeople running several shows from one account

Skip it ifYour show gets huge download numbers on a small budget

Source: transistor.fm/ ; https://transistor.fm/about/

Captivate

Captivate · Growth-focused podcast hosting with IAB-certified analytics

No podcast count published

Best for growth-minded podcasters.

Captivate does not publish how many podcasts it hosts, so it ranks after the hosts that do. Its homepage counter shows 2,174,707 podcast episodes, and its team says it has been podcasting since 2013. Every plan allows unlimited podcasts, and the site says there are no limits on uploads or storage, so plans are priced by downloads instead. Paid yearly, Personal is $17 a month for up to 30,000 downloads, Professional is $44 for up to 150,000 and Business is $90 for up to 300,000, with a 30-day free trial. Analytics are IAB-certified on every plan, and it says it was the first host certified under IAB Tech Lab 2.2. Memberships, tips, Podcasting 2.0 feeds and its Creator Suite are included on all plans.

Best forPodcasters focused on growing and monetizing a show

Skip it ifYou want a free plan

Source: www.captivate.fm/ ; https://www.captivate.fm/pricing

RSS.com

RSS.com · Free podcast hosting with paid upgrades

No podcaster count published

The best truly free plan.

RSS.com does not publish a podcaster count, only 3,100+ reviews with a 4.95-star rating, so it ranks after the hosts that publish one. Its pitch is podcast hosting that is actually free: the $0 plan includes unlimited episodes, audio and downloads, a free website, distribution to Apple Podcasts and Spotify, and listener donations. Plus costs $15 a month and adds ads from as few as 10 downloads, Apple Podcasts subscriptions and AI transcripts. Pro is $26 a month for up to 10 podcasts with unlimited team members, and Max is $37 a month for unlimited audio and video podcasts with one upload to Apple Podcasts and YouTube. Creators keep 70% of eligible ad revenue, analytics are IAB Tech Lab-certified, and Podcasting 2.0 features like chapters and transcripts are supported.

Best forAnyone who wants truly free hosting with no episode limit

Skip it ifYou need a big-name ad network

Source: rss.com/ ; https://rss.com/pricing/

Simplecast

Simplecast (by AdsWizz) · Podcast hosting, analytics and ad monetization

No podcast count published

Best for ad-backed shows and networks.

Simplecast does not publish how many podcasts it hosts, so it ranks after the hosts that do. It says it has offered podcasting tools for over 10 years, and it is now part of AdsWizz, whose marketplace it says is where 80% of the world's demand goes to buy podcast ads. Publishing is one click to Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pandora and more, and its Audience analytics platform is IAB certified. Basic costs $15 a month, or $13.50 prepaid annually, with 20K downloads a month, unlimited storage and uploads, and a show website with custom domain. Essential is $35 a month ($31.50 annually) with 50K downloads and unique listener reports. Professional, priced on request, adds dynamic ad insertion, campaign management and ad-free feeds, and it offers migration help 7 days a week.

Best forShows and networks that want ad tools backed by a big ad marketplace

Skip it ifYou want a free plan

Source: www.simplecast.com/ ; https://www.simplecast.com/pricing

Fireside

Fireside · Simple podcast hosting with websites and private podcasts

No podcast count published

The best low-cost indie host.

Fireside does not publish how many podcasts it hosts, so it ranks last alongside the other hosts without a count. It has been running since 2016 and keeps its plans simple. Starter costs $9 a month or $99 a year for 1 podcast, 500GB of monthly bandwidth and 2 collaborators. Standard is $19 a month or $209 a year with 1TB of bandwidth and 5 collaborators, and Professional is $49 a month or $539 a year with 2 podcasts, 5TB of bandwidth and 10 collaborators; extra podcasts cost $8 a month each. Every plan includes unlimited episodes, distribution, advanced analytics, a podcast website, an embeddable player, private podcasts and Patreon and sponsor support. A Hiatus option keeps a show online for $5 a month while you are not publishing, and there is a 14-day free trial.

Best forIndependent podcasters who want a low price and a clean website

Skip it ifYou want built-in ad sales

Source: fireside.fm/

Questions people ask

What is the best podcast hosting platform?

Libsyn is the largest, the chosen home for 250,000+ podcasters since 2004. Acast, with more than 140,000 podcasts, is the best for earning from ads, and Buzzsprout is the easiest for beginners.

Which podcast hosts have a free plan?

RSS.com has a $0 plan with unlimited episodes. Acast's free Starter plan covers 1 show and 5 episodes, Buzzsprout's free plan includes 2 hours of uploads a month with episodes hosted for 90 days, and Podbean lets you sign up for a free account.

What is the cheapest paid podcast host?

Fireside Starter is $9 a month, Libsyn has an $8 plan for the bare essentials and Basic at $12, and Podbean Unlimited Audio is $12 a month billed yearly with unlimited storage.

Which host is best for several podcasts or private podcasts?

Transistor and Captivate include unlimited podcasts on every plan, and Castos includes unlimited shows plus public, private and members-only episodes on every plan.

How were these podcast hosts ranked?

By the number of podcasters or podcasts each host publishes on its own website. These are the companies' own claims; hosts that publish no count are listed last.

How we ranked

Podcasters or podcasts each host says it serves, as published on its own website (read November 2026). Libsyn and Buzzsprout count podcasters; Acast, Podbean, Castos and Transistor count podcasts. Captivate, RSS.com, Simplecast and Fireside publish no count, so they are ranked last (value 0) in no particular order of size. Counts are each company's own claims and are measured differently, so treat them as a guide to scale, not an audit. Every number on this page comes from the source linked under each pick, and every photo shows the actual product. Brands can't pay to be on this list.

List source: libsyn.com/ · Updated 2026-11-14