Podcasting Tools
Podcast Distributor Selector
4 questions. Your top hosting platforms ranked. Takes 30 seconds.
Featured Partner
Captivate
Growth-focused podcast hosting for serious creators
Growth & Marketing Suite
All-Inclusive Content Management
Production Efficiency (Time Savers)
Industry-Leading Analytics & Monetization
Knowledge Base
How to Use the Podcast Distributor Finder
The Podcast Distributor Finder recommends podcast hosting and distribution services based on your show size, budget, and desired features. Use this to compare submitting to Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and other platforms.
What Is a Podcast Distributor?
A distributor aggregates your RSS feed and submits it to platforms (Apple, Spotify, YouTube, Amazon Music, etc.). Without a distributor, you'd submit to 20+ platforms individually. Distributors handle this automatically, monitor submissions, and provide analytics.
Popular Distributors
- Anchor (Free): Owned by Spotify. Free hosting and distribution. Perfect for beginners.
- Buzzsprout: User-friendly, free tier available. Popular with creators new to podcasting.
- Podbean: Full-featured, monetization options. Good middle ground.
- Transistor: Professional platform with excellent analytics and listener data.
- Riverside: Built-in recording and editing. Ideal for solo or co-hosted shows.
- Captivate: Advanced analytics, marketing tools, sponsorship support.
What to Consider
Hosting Limits: How much audio storage? (Unlimited or capped?)
Analytics: Do you see listener numbers, country data, listening platforms?
Monetization: Does the platform offer sponsorship matching or dynamic ad insertion?
Support: Is customer service available 24/7 or during business hours?
FAQ
Q: Can I switch distributors later?
A: Yes, but you lose download history. Plan ahead but don't overthink the choice.
Q: Do I need my own website for a podcast?
A: No. Your distributor provides a show page. A website is optional for extra credibility.
Every podcast host compared
The picker above recommends one host from your answers. This table lists all of them with the same figures the picker uses, so you can check its reasoning or shortlist your own.
| Name | Tagline | Pricelabel | Pricefree | Price | Url | Strengths | Weaknesses | Exp | Budget | Priority | Freq | Promonote |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Riverside.fm | Remote recording studio with built-in hosting and distribution | Free plan / from $29/mo | Yes | 29 | https://riverside.sjv.io/c/7337527/2183832/28064 | Local recording eliminates internet quality issues, Separate 4K video + 48kHz audio per guest, Built-in transcription and editing tools, Podcast hosting and RSS distribution included | Hosting/analytics less mature than dedicated hosts, Overkill if you only need hosting, not remote recording | {'new': 5, 'early': 8, 'growing': 9, 'pro': 8} | {'free': 8, 'low': 4, 'mid': 16, 'any': 14} | {'simple': 6, 'analytics': 5, 'money': 5, 'multi': 7} | {'rare': 6, 'weekly': 9, 'often': 9, 'daily': 7} | |
| Spotify for Podcasters | Free forever, directly integrated with Spotify | Free | Yes | 0 | https://podcasters.spotify.com | Completely free — no storage limits, Native Spotify distribution & data, Listener subscription monetisation, Fast, guided setup | Analytics less deep than paid rivals, Spotify ecosystem lock-in | {'new': 10, 'early': 8, 'growing': 4, 'pro': 1} | {'free': 20, 'low': 14, 'mid': 8, 'any': 3} | {'simple': 9, 'analytics': 3, 'money': 7, 'multi': 1} | {'rare': 8, 'weekly': 8, 'often': 7, 'daily': 5} | |
| Buzzsprout | The friendliest onboarding in podcasting | Free plan / from $15/mo | Yes | 15 | https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=2551002 | Best beginner experience on the market, Clean, detailed analytics, Magic Mastering audio polish included, Distributes to all major platforms | Free plan removes episodes after 90 days, No multi-show support at base tier | {'new': 10, 'early': 9, 'growing': 7, 'pro': 4} | {'free': 12, 'low': 18, 'mid': 14, 'any': 8} | {'simple': 10, 'analytics': 8, 'money': 4, 'multi': 2} | {'rare': 9, 'weekly': 9, 'often': 7, 'daily': 4} | Get about $20 credit when you sign up with this link |
| Transistor | Professional multi-show hosting with beautiful analytics | From $19/mo | No | 19 | https://transistor.fm | Unlimited shows on every plan, IAB-certified analytics dashboard, Private podcast & subscriber support, Clean embeddable player | No free plan, No built-in monetisation tools | {'new': 1, 'early': 4, 'growing': 9, 'pro': 10} | {'free': -1, 'low': -1, 'mid': 14, 'any': 18} | {'simple': 5, 'analytics': 10, 'money': 2, 'multi': 10} | {'rare': 6, 'weekly': 9, 'often': 10, 'daily': 9} | |
| Podbean | All-in-one platform with the strongest monetisation | Free plan / from $12/mo billed yearly | Yes | 12 | https://www.podbean.com | Dynamic ad insertion marketplace, Built-in patron subscriptions, Live streaming support, Unlimited storage on paid plans | Interface feels dated, Free plan limited to 5 hrs storage | {'new': 5, 'early': 8, 'growing': 8, 'pro': 7} | {'free': 10, 'low': 18, 'mid': 14, 'any': 8} | {'simple': 5, 'analytics': 6, 'money': 10, 'multi': 4} | {'rare': 7, 'weekly': 8, 'often': 8, 'daily': 7} | |
| Libsyn | The industry veteran — trusted since 2004 | From $7/mo | No | 7 | https://libsyn.com | Oldest and most battle-tested host, IAB-certified analytics, Dynamic ad insertion, Widest platform distribution reach | Dated, complex interface, Storage-based pricing (not episode count), No free plan | {'new': 1, 'early': 3, 'growing': 7, 'pro': 10} | {'free': -1, 'low': 16, 'mid': 12, 'any': 10} | {'simple': 2, 'analytics': 8, 'money': 7, 'multi': 6} | {'rare': 5, 'weekly': 7, 'often': 9, 'daily': 10} | |
| Captivate | Growth analytics and unlimited shows for serious podcasters | From 17 euro/mo billed yearly | No | 17 | https://www.captivate.fm/signup?ref=yjzlymn | Growth forecasting and subscriber analytics, Unlimited shows on all plans, Team member access controls, Built-in website per show | No free plan, Steeper learning curve than beginner hosts | {'new': 1, 'early': 4, 'growing': 10, 'pro': 9} | {'free': -1, 'low': -1, 'mid': 14, 'any': 18} | {'simple': 4, 'analytics': 9, 'money': 5, 'multi': 10} | {'rare': 5, 'weekly': 9, 'often': 9, 'daily': 8} | |
| Acast | The largest podcast ad marketplace | Free plan / from $14.99/mo | Yes | 14.99 | https://www.acast.com | World's largest podcast ad network, IAB-certified analytics, Free tier available, Dynamic ad insertion on all plans | Revenue share taken on free plan, Can be complex for beginners | {'new': 3, 'early': 5, 'growing': 9, 'pro': 9} | {'free': 10, 'low': 8, 'mid': 14, 'any': 16} | {'simple': 3, 'analytics': 8, 'money': 10, 'multi': 5} | {'rare': 5, 'weekly': 8, 'often': 9, 'daily': 8} | |
| Castos | WordPress-native hosting with unlimited shows | From $19/mo | No | 19 | https://castos.com | Best WordPress integration (Seriously Simple Podcasting), Unlimited shows and storage, YouTube auto-republishing, Private subscriber support | No free plan, Key advantages need a WordPress site | {'new': 2, 'early': 4, 'growing': 8, 'pro': 8} | {'free': -1, 'low': -1, 'mid': 14, 'any': 15} | {'simple': 3, 'analytics': 6, 'money': 4, 'multi': 9} | {'rare': 6, 'weekly': 8, 'often': 8, 'daily': 7} | |
| RSS.com | Simple and affordable with unlimited storage | From $4.99/mo | No | 4.99 | https://rss.com/?via=b6888f | Most affordable paid option, Unlimited episodes and storage, Includes a podcast website, Simple, no-fuss dashboard | Basic analytics, Limited advanced features | {'new': 7, 'early': 9, 'growing': 5, 'pro': 2} | {'free': -1, 'low': 20, 'mid': 12, 'any': 5} | {'simple': 8, 'analytics': 3, 'money': 3, 'multi': 2} | {'rare': 10, 'weekly': 8, 'often': 5, 'daily': 4} | |
| Spreaker | Live broadcasting and ad monetisation in one platform | Free plan / from $8/mo | Yes | 8 | https://www.spreaker.com | Live podcast broadcasting / streaming, Built-in ad marketplace, Free plan available, Dynamic ad insertion | Free plan limited to 5 hrs storage, Analytics less refined than rivals | {'new': 5, 'early': 6, 'growing': 7, 'pro': 6} | {'free': 8, 'low': 16, 'mid': 12, 'any': 8} | {'simple': 5, 'analytics': 4, 'money': 9, 'multi': 3} | {'rare': 5, 'weekly': 7, 'often': 8, 'daily': 9} |