Utilizing podcast hosting services streamlines the distribution of your podcast. This is why picking a trustworthy platform is essential for exposing your podcast to a wider audience.
A podcast host serves as both a place for you to store your episodes and a place for listening platforms to download new episodes that have been posted. While you may utilize a website instead for hosting, doing so needs more work and is more difficult to set up. It is advisable to select a dedicated podcast host with useful analytics tools and monetization capabilities. You may greatly increase the growth and revenue potential of your podcast with the help of an excellent hosting tool.
In order to assist you in making the best choice, we’ve reviewed the top 11 podcast hosting websites for 2023.
What Does Podcast Hosting Mean?
You may publish podcast content to podcast hosting websites, where listeners, sharers, and subscribers can access it. You won’t have to worry about investing the time, money, and other resources necessary to save your media files online yourself since a podcast host will keep them secure and accessible online.
Why Do I Need a Website for Podcast Hosting?
You may distribute your podcast on other platforms and directories, such as Apple Podcasts and Spotify, by using the RSS feed that podcast hosting providers give you.
They sidestep the storage capacity, upload, and playback speed concerns that you’d encounter if you hosted the program on your own website because they are specifically made to host your podcasts. There’s no need to compress your files and lose the high-quality audio you spent your valuable time recording using software like Riverside unless the podcast hosting platform’s pricing structure is based on storage capacity!
Look for These Features in a Podcast Hosting Site
There are numerous excellent podcast hosting services online, but you should make sure the host offers capabilities that fit the particular requirements of your program. Not to add, you shouldn’t spend for features you won’t utilize. Consider these crucial characteristics while searching for a platform to broadcast podcast episodes for your show:
- Storage: How much stuff you may upload to your hosting provider will depend on this. A platform with more storage is required if you regularly publish lengthier episodes.
- The amount of available bandwidth determines how many listeners may simultaneously access your podcast. You’ll want more bandwidth if your audience is greater.
- Using your listener and download metrics, you can evaluate the effectiveness of your podcasts and determine what is working and what needs to be changed.
- Easy to use: You need a podcasting platform that is straightforward and won’t leave you floundering.
- Distribution: The majority of podcast hosting allow you to submit your show to different podcast directories. Make sure the procedure is simple and that all the necessary directories are included.
10 Top Podcast Hosting Sites for Free and Money in 2024
Interested in seeing the best hosting platforms? The top 11 free and paid podcast hosting sites are listed after the video.
1. Buzzsprout
Buzzspout, a 2009 product that offers a free plan and is simple to use, is excellent for amateurs and new podcasters. It includes other features that may be purchased separately.
Features:
- utilize Buzzsprout to host your personalized website with a custom domain name, or utilize their player plugin for WordPress.
- automated podcast directories upload.
- Services for transcription are supplementary.
- A podcast editing option called Magic Mastering (extra cost) makes sure your audio files adhere to Apple Podcasts’ standards. In addition, it equalizes microphone levels and removes background noise, much what Riverside’s Editor does for nothing.
- Optimizing the episode: Buzzsprout automatically transforms file formats, bitrates, ID3 tags, etc.
- Add more pre-roll and post-roll content to any episode using dynamic content.
- Podcasts can be published right away or scheduled for later.
- modern analytics.
- using the affiliate market to monetize.
2. Podbean
Best for: Those seeking a comprehensive podcasting service.
One of the top podcast hosting services available is Podbean, which has over ten years of expertise and hosts more than half a million episodes.
Features
- Plans for unrestricted bandwidth podcast hosting.
- You may host your website with themes that you can customize or embed the player on a WordPress site.
- Tools for promoting podcasts include automated submission of your episodes to social media and the leading podcast directories.
- A marketplace for advertising that offers subscriptions and dynamic ad insertion as ways to monetize content.
Analytics. - own iOS and Android podcast app.
3. Blubrry
Advanced Analytics is ideal for
The finest podcast hosting platform is Blubrry, which stands out for its PowerPress plugin and IAB-certified podcast analytics. Blubrry is experienced and customer-focused.
Features
- PowerPress, the top plugin for podcasters, is used on a free WordPress website.
- optimization for social media and leading directories.
- IAB-certified statistics.
- Telephone customer service
4. Fusebox (formerly Smart Podcast Player)
websites that offer podcasts
Fusebox is the greatest option for individuals who just want a nice-looking podcast player integrated on their website because it was developed by podcasters (namely Pat Flynn of Smart Passive Income) for other podcasters.
Features
- embedding on a website with many player choices.
- Transcript plugin that automatically adds podcast transcripts to your website and has SEO-friendly live text.
- makes major directories aware of your podcast.
5. Anchor
Best suited for: Novices and enthusiasts
Given that Anchor is free, it provides a wide range of features and tools. The platform is user-friendly for beginners and offers a very simple user interface. It has a remote recording program that allows users to record podcasts while they are on the road and is accessible on both computers and mobile devices. The best part is that Anchor and Riverside are integrated for a smooth workflow with video podcasts. Simply use Riverside to create professional-quality video podcasts, then use Anchor to publish your program to Spotify and other listening destinations. You may read more about podcasting here or start your own to discover how it works.
Features
- Podcast audience and performance analytics
- Tools for monetization: ad-read tools, podcast subscriptions, and contributions
- Using the Sponsor Podcast creation software in conjunction with the Anchor Ambassador Ads, you may record audio with distant guests.
- episode pieces can be arranged using a simple editing tool.
- music integration with Spotify
- tool for creating cover art
- Integration of Riverside for a fluid workflow
6. Sounder.fm
Best for: Growth & Discoverability
For podcasters who desire a single platform to build gorgeous podcast and episode webpages, host each episode, distribute to key podcasting platforms, and monetise their podcast, Sounder’s was developed. The primary goal of Sounder is discoverability, which is seen in its effective SEO features.
Features
- Audio In-stream audio search and SEO.
- Make shareable soundbites from each episode.
- Free transcripts of episodes.
- Episode and podcast websites.
- Analytics.
- collaboration amongst several users.
- Opportunities for earning money include dynamic ad inserts, which connect you with sponsors for host-read commercials and spare you the time-consuming task of sponsor research.
- Automatic YouTube upload (not a free plan).
- Schedule of episodes (not a free plan).
7. RedCircle
Best for: Financial gain
RedCircle, which is promoted as a free podcast hosting service, offers a variety of options to let you monetise your program (which is how they make their money!).
Features
- Free, unlimited streaming and uploading for everyone.
- Organize several podcasts on a single dashboard.
- Post to all influential directories.
- Internal app marketplace for cross-promotion.
- Dynamic ad placement with brand and category management.
- Customizable subscription and contribution features a la Patreon.
- Simple bank payouts with Stripe.
8. Captivate
Best for: Financial gain
For podcasters wishing to monetize their program, the UK-based Captivate platform is one of the more recent podcast hosting services.
Features
- Advanced analytics that are simple to grasp.
- Built-in CTAs to guide users anywhere you want.
- numberless team members.
- Private podcasting is monetized on each package.
- podcasting planning.
- integration of their own plugin with WordPress.
- Simple to create PDF sponsorship package for podcasts.
9. Transistor
Best for: Networks and professionals
Transistor is a more recent platform for hosting podcasts and is suitable for podcasters who wish to run several episodes on one website. Popular podcasts like Indie Hackers and Cards Against Humanity, which are recorded with Riverside, use it as their host of choice.
Features
- On all price tiers, there is unlimited podcast hosting.
- modern analytics.
- WordPress embedding or hosting your website there.
- Organize a number of podcasts.
- multiple user logins, such as those of editors and producers.
10. Libsyn
Best for: Networks and Businesses
Libsyn, one of the first podcast hosts on the market, is well-liked by businesses and podcast networks in addition to being a longtime favorite of experienced podcasters.
Features
- Reports on basic analytics.
- Options for premium material at higher subscription levels
- creation of RSS links and publication of podcasts on all directories and platforms.
- (Only for higher plans) Their own app.
- oriented at businesses.