The best podcast hosting platform - podcast hosting service comparison

We help you to find your podcast hosting provider! With our comparison you will find the provider that is perfect for your podcasting project.

Have you recorded and edited a podcast and are ready to upload it? Great! Then let’s move on to publishing it. There are many podcast hosting providers on the internet. That’s why in this comparison we’ll show you the best podcast hosting providers and what you should look out for. So that you can publish your podcast quickly and easily.

Why do you need a podcast hosting service?

You cannot upload your podcast directly to popular streaming platforms such as Spotify, Apple Podcasts and Amazon Music. There is no direct upload button.

However, there are service providers who will upload and distribute your podcast and each new episode to all these platforms via RSS feed. This service is called podcast hosting. All but Spotify for Podcasters work with RSS feeds.

You can upload your podcast once to the desired provider with all the information and they will then “distribute” the information to all podcast platforms. You also have the advantage that you can publish your episodes on a scheduled basis and have an overview of your statistics and analytics. Most of the Hosting Platforms will let you Upload your episodes to podcast directories, as well as to your own podcast website, which they will host aswell.

You can also enter show notes, episode name, cover and other information once and use it again and again. That saves a lot of time!

But which provider is the right host for you? We look at which is the cheapest, which is the best and which combines price and performance. We do the podcast hosting comparison for you.

Comparison of the best podcast hosting sites - What to look for in a podcast host

1 Spotify for Podcasters (previously Anchor.fm)

You are currently viewing a placeholder content from YouTube. To access the actual content, click the button below. Please note that doing so will share data with third-party providers.

More Information

Unblock content Accept required service and unblock content

Spotify is the largest streaming platform for music, but also for podcasts. There are countless Spotify Original podcasts, which also shows how important this area is for the green giant. And it is precisely for this reason that Spotify tries to make it as easy as possible for podcasters and users to upload or consume content.

The company’s own podcast host is clearly laid out and well suited as a first introduction to the subject.

Advantages: Hosting is free of charge. It focuses on the essential functions and is quickly understandable and accessible for beginners. The recordings can even be edited using an app, and everything is designed to be fairly intuitive.

However, not all platforms are supported. (Supported are: Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Breaker, Radio Public, Overcasts and Pocket Casts). Spotify for Podcasters only accepts file sizes up to 250MB.

This service is obviously for beginners to get familiar with the medium. But as a start for podcasting you learn a lot here, for example about the important function of monetization, so that you can earn money with your work. You can set this up right from the start and get started. Plus, you get great insights and podcast analytics! You can reach your podcast network with postings and feedback forms on the podcasting platform Spotify.

Here you can find a list of the functions of Spotify for Podcasters

Conclusion

If you really want to offer your podcast to everyone, podcasters.spotify.com is not the right podcast host for you, because here you only get a limited selection of streaming services. At least you can cover the major podcast streamers.

2 PodBean.com

The cloud-based hoster scores particularly well with its free YouTube upload, but also with distribution and advertising for iTunes, Google Play, Spotify and all other important apps.

You can start here for free with 5 hours of content per month. Limited to 100 GB bandwidth and a basic package of statistics. If you want to use PodBean’s full range of functions, you can do so with the three different upgrade models.

PodBean is also equipped with video podcast options from 29$. Plus, they have a podcast app, which will let you record podcasts on the go.

Click here for the price list of PodBean.com*

Conclusion:

PodBean.com* is a good alternative to Libsyn, offering a free plan with limited functions. This makes it a good provider that has everything from a free to premium hosting plans with all the necessary additional functions.

3 Libsyn.com

Libsyn is one of the market leaders in the international sector, and there are reasons for this. Because Libsyn offers several advantages over the competition. The $20 package even includes software for remote recording! There is a small package for 5$, where you get all the necessary functions. Monetization options are included with every package!

Libsyn.com* offers a lot for the money, so if you speak English well or are planning an international project in English anyway, you’re in good hands here.

What stands out positively is the possibility to upload video podcasts. Other providers rarely offer this.

Here you can find the price list of Libsyn.com*

Conclusion:

Libsyn.com* is a great provider if you want a solid podcast hosting service. The functions are super scalable, even up to the video podcast option.

4 Buzzsprout

Buzzsprout* also has a free version and is relatively comparable to Libsyn and PodBean. But Buzzsprout has a catch for us: the uploads are converted to 96kps. This means that the data rate is reduced and the audio file becomes smaller. Good for the Buzzsprout servers, but relatively bad for the audio quality.

Despite the free version and otherwise solid impression, we have to advise against this provider.

Click here for the price list of Buzzsprout.com*

Conclusion

We do not recommend Buzzsprout.com*. This is because the upload of the episodes is converted to 96kps, which affects the quality of your podcast episode. This is the case with all packages. Nevertheless: If you would like to open a Buzzsprout account, you will receive a 20$ discount if you use the affiliate link.

Free Podcast Hosting comes with limitations

If you are just starting out with your project and want to try it out first, we recommend that you choose the free option from the price models. Many hosters also offer free service outside of the trial period. This way, you don’t spend a lot of money at a point where you don’t yet know which services you really need. Even if these free models come with some restrictions. The amount of data you can upload is usually limited to one episode per week. Depending on the service provider, downloads of the episode may also be limited, or the episodes may only be online for a few months. But as mentioned, if this is your first step, you usually won’t reach the limits anyway and can first develop a feeling for what you really need from your service provider.

Providers with free packages:

Podcasters.spotify.com (previously: Anchor.fm)
PodBean.com*
Buzzsprout.com*

Can I host my podcast myself?

Just as you have to create your own podcast, you could technically also host your podcast yourself. However, this requires you to be very familiar with the technology and take a lot of extra steps that are generally not worthwhile. You also have a lot of disadvantages compared to the websites presented. So if you want to publish your podcast as easily as possible, you shouldn’t host it yourself.

The providers we suggest are podcast hosting platforms that fulfill all your wishes for a monthly or annual fee. There are often also benefits, such as podcast players, which you can integrate into your website.

You want to start a podcast? Check out our podcasting blog

If you plan to launch a successful podcast, you should check out the best podcast microphones for you, before you start the podcast recording! Also, check out our 10 steps to start a podcast and our guide to podcast headphones

Links marked with * are affiliate links. There are no additional costs for you, some of these links have an automatic discount for you. We mark these links for transparency and would never recommend bad products!