What is a podcast hosting service?
Podcast hosting is a specialized service that provides storage and delivery of media files associated with podcasts.
Just as you need a website’s best podcast hosting services to store all your website files, podcasting services offer the same service for your podcast media files.
You might be wondering, can’t I use my website hosting to store podcast files as well?
You can do it, but it’s not good for your site or your audience.
Podcast episodes are large files. Serving them from the same server would require a lot of server resources.
This can slow down your website and even crash it under heavy load.
When multiple users initiate downloads at the same time, most shared podcast hosting services simply block the process of consuming server resources. This means users cannot download podcasts.
Why do you need a podcast hosting service?
Podcast hosting is a service that allows you to store and manage all your podcast episodes in one place. It’s also responsible for distributing episodes, allowing people to watch, download, subscribe, and even donate to support the project.
As with all good hosting services, the best podcast hosting companies usually offer a number of features to support your podcasts, including B. A podcast analysis tool, an audio transcription service, or even a podcast table of contents.
There are several reasons why you need a podcast hosting service to make your podcast successful.
• It provides the best storage
Disk space is one of the main reasons why you need a podcast service. Like website hosting, podcast hosting helps you store and serve podcast-related files.
Storing podcast audio files on your website is a no-brainer, but the average podcast episode length is around 30-60 minutes and the average file size is 33-55 MB.
One episode is not enough. Whereas, a popular podcast show has at least 14 episodes. Streaming also requires a lot of bandwidth and storage space, especially as your audience grows and more people watch your episodes. This can significantly slow down your website or even crash it.
To keep your website and podcasts running smoothly, we recommend using a podcast hosting service.
• Helps in deliver content
Podcast hosting services typically deliver episodes via RSS (Really Simple Syndication) feeds. This is a web feed submitted to popular podcast directories such as Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Deezer.
This makes the podcast easily accessible without having to manually upload the content to another website. Instead, your RSS feed will automatically update whenever you post a new episode.
• Improve your workflow
The best podcast services companies offer features that make it easy to start a podcast by doing most of the technical work for you.
They are responsible for maintaining and storing the audio files on their servers for listeners to access from various podcast directories thanks to their RSS feeds.
In addition, some platforms also allow media files to be uploaded in various formats and converted to MP3 or other supported formats.
Plus, with multiple providers, you can create team member accounts and assign roles to manage different shows and tasks.
Best podcast service provider
If you’re looking for the best podcast service provider, you already know that podcasts are a great way to spread your ideas and reach an audience.
Whether you host a podcast to promote brand awareness for your business or yourself, podcasts are one of the best ways to share your expertise with the world.
Regardless of your reason for starting a podcast, creating one takes some thought and planning. One of the most important decisions that will definitely impact the success of your podcast is choosing a podcast hosting provider.
However, it’s important to understand that choosing the best podcast hosting service is different from choosing the best web hosting service. That’s because a podcast host provides all the resources you need to store and distribute an engaging podcast.
Consider the following factors when choosing the best podcast hosting platform
- Storage. Each podcast hosting service has its own set of rules and limits regarding storage. Make sure you can upload episodes of the required length and frequency.
- Analysis. Listener data is vital to podcast development and engagement, helping you create valuable content that people love. It also helps us evaluate advertising campaigns and provide data to our sponsors.
- Monetization features. If you plan to make money from podcasting, you should check how your podcast hosting services handle monetization.
Some podcast hosting companies take a portion of the revenue, while others pay the full amount. Additionally, some of the best podcast hosting providers support premium memberships, dynamic ads, and even fan donations.
- Accessibility: Transcripts help make podcast content better for non-hearers. This website for podcasts provides screen-ready content for readers and also helps boost SEO ranking as it is easily found by new listeners.
Best Podcast Hosting Platforms
There are many companies that offer podcast hosting services. However, look for the one that is the easiest to use, offers the best tools and support, and of course flexibility in file size.
We have compiled a list of the best podcast hosting platforms here.
1. Podbean
Podbean is the premier podcast hosting platform. These provide unlimited time podcast hosting services with unlimited bandwidth.
It also includes a beautiful theme tool for hosting websites with customizable themes. You can easily add Podbean Podcast Player directly to the website or page.
Apart from that, there is also a podcast promotion tool that automatically submits episodes to all top podcast directories. This way, your audience can listen to and download your podcasts using their favorite tools.
Podbean also provides an advertising marketplace that gives podcasters the opportunity to monetize their content. There is also a huge community of podcasters already using his Podbean as their podcasting platform.
Pricing: Free plan with limited storage, paid plans with unlimited storage starting at $9/month.
2. BuzzSprout
BuzzSprout is one of the easiest podcast hosting platforms for beginners to use. They have been in business since 2009 and have built a strong community of podcasters, including some of the best.
If you’re just starting out, you’ll find it incredibly easy to use. Just upload your media files and the rest will be done automatically.
It also automatically submits your episodes to all top podcast directories to ensure your podcasts are available on your devices and apps. The embeddable podcast player works well on all screen sizes. You’ll see the cover art, social sharing buttons, skip forward/backward controls, and more.
They also offer a free WordPress plugin to make embedding even easier.
If you don’t want to create a website, BuzzSprout can do it for you. You can customize the theme to use your own custom domain name. The downside is that even the paid plans come with storage and bandwidth limits.
Price: Free plan for 90 days only. Paid plans start at $12/month for 3-hour uploads.
3. Blubrry
Blubrry offers good and flexible podcast hosting services for new and experienced podcasters alike. They offer a popular WordPress podcasting plugin called PowerPress that allows you to easily manage your podcasts from your WordPress website.
Blubrry on PowerPress makes it easy to upload podcast episodes directly to your podcast hosting provider. You can also easily submit your podcasts to Apple Podcasts (formerly iTunes) and Google Podcasts.
This makes the podcasts easily discoverable in his Google Home, Assistant, and Google Podcasts apps on Android devices. Blubrry also offers monetization options, podcast stats, social sharing features, and more.
Pricing: Starting at $12/month, includes 100MB/month of storage.
4. Transistor
Transistor is a powerful and easy-to-use podcast hosting service for professionals and beginners alike. They offer unlimited podcast hosting plans. That means They don’t charge you for hours of uploads as other hosts do.
It makes uploading and publishing your podcast media super easy. It also offers podcast analytics, so you can see how each episode progressed.
Their embed code makes it easy to add any episode to your WordPress posts and pages. If you don’t have a website, you can create one in no time.
One thing to note is that the number of downloads is limited by plan. This means you’ll need to update your plan as your podcast grows.
Pricing: Starting at $19/month for up to 10,000 downloads/month,
5. Smart Podcast Player
Regardless of the best podcast hosting platform you choose, you’ll need a media player to properly embed and view your podcasts on your website.
Podcast companies may or may not have their own built-in player. The problem is that it doesn’t look as good as the Smart Podcast Player and doesn’t have the same customization options.
Smart Podcast Player is the best media player for your podcast website.
You can display a beautiful media player on your website. Can be displayed on individual episode pages of the podcast or on the home page. Users can browse episodes, use on-screen controls, and share podcasts.
This podcast service looks great on all device’s screen sizes. You can also customize the colors to match your website and pin them to the top or bottom.
Not only will it help you find new listeners, but it will also help you grow your mailing list and increase the number of repeat visitors to your website. Used by top podcasters around the world, this tool was developed by Pat Flynn’s team.
Pricing: Starting at $8.09/month (billed annually)
6. Libsyn
Libsyn is another reliable podcast service provider. They provide an easy-to-use platform that helps you bring your brand to the fore and promote your podcast across different platforms, apps, and devices.
Founded in 2004, Libsyn is one of the first podcast hosting service providers. Created by podcasters for other podcasters and has a large user community including the most influential podcasters.
They offer podcast hosting plans with different monthly storage limits, but unlimited bandwidth. They offer monetization options, in-depth analytics, and WordPress integration with a plugin called Libsyn Publisher Hub.
Pricing: Starting at $5/month for 50MB/month storage.
7. SoundCloud
Soundcloud is a popular music and podcast hosting service, provider. The good news is that you can embed SoundCloud podcast episodes by simply placing the URL anywhere on your WordPress post or page.
SoundCloud is free to upload for up to 3 hours. Their free plan provides a good starting point for beginners who want to test the waters first.
Their paid plans offer more storage, bandwidth, advanced stats, monetization, and distribution options. Easy to use, but not the most flexible and customizable podcast hosting plan.
Price: Free plan with a 3-hour upload limit. Paid plans start at $6/month.
Which podcast hosting service is best for you?
When it comes to reviewing the best podcast service provider, we have to consider a few key factors before making a choice.
The first is cost. Podcast files can be very large, depending on the length of your show and your choice of an audio encoder. So, to ensure you have enough storage space for your podcasts, we’ve analyzed the pricing of each podcast hosting service with different bandwidth and upload plans in mind.
There are also built-in analytics features to consider, especially when it comes to measuring the success of your show. Just like your website, a proper analysis will give you the feedback you need to identify weaknesses and blind spots in your content coverage. All good podcast hosting services offer tailored analytics to help you extract the most useful information about your podcasts, so you can make better decisions based on your listeners’ preferences. Additional monetization features were also compared.
Finally, as with anything hosted on the internet these days, security is paramount. Different types of files require different types of protection. To make sure your podcasts are protected from online security threats so you can focus on your podcasts, we have to look at what each podcast services offer.
As you can see, many podcast hosting services offer similar plans with features to match. Some limit storage space and others limit downloads.
- With these factors in mind, we recommend Podbean as the best overall podcast hosting service. Their plans include unlimited storage and bandwidth with an incredibly easy-to-use platform. It also makes it easy to promote your podcasts across various services.
- Our second recommendation is BuzzSprout. This is one of the easiest podcast hosting services, perfect for beginners to get started.
How much does podcast hosting cost?
Thousands of dollars can be used to start a show. Alternatively, you can start the show with nothing. There are many factors to consider for podcast hosting costs.
Still, we recommend spending at least $200-$400 on basic specs that make the show more enjoyable for your audience.
One thing I want to make clear is that podcast services can start on any budget. You probably already have the basic tools at hand. Like Computers, Headphones, and Devices with Microphones.
A device specifically designed for podcasting can help and definitely add production value to your show, but it’s not required. Don’t let that stop you from creating your own content. We recommend that you start creating now and improve over time as you become a more comfortable podcaster or earn income from broadcasting. In early episodes of some popular shows, you can see that there is actually a difference in production value.