7 Podcast Hosting Services to Get You Started

We all know that podcasting is on the rise, especially since the pandemic. Over 20% of people said they listened to podcasts more than usual — particularly on niche topics — since the global health crisis was declared. Many podcast companies saw spikes in listenership throughout the pandemic, including during typically slow periods. 

As a result, it makes sense for radio stations across the board to embrace the podcasting medium to stay connected with their audiences. It keeps their listeners engaged with their content whenever they’re not tuning into live radio programs. If you want to learn more, but it all seems so overwhelming, this article is going to give you seven podcast hosting services to help you get started. 

1. Buzzsprout

There are several podcast hosting services that can extend your radio station’s network.

Buzzsprout provides you with easy and powerful tools for your adventure into podcasting. You’re provided with everything you need to establish a plan, including easily understandable statistics, podcast directories that provide extensive listings, and promotional tools to help you push your podcast to wider audiences. 

They also provide several free resources to help your podcast stand out including:

• Podcasting Guides 
• Video Tutorials 
• Podcasting Courses 
• Industry Podcasts 

You can start for free by uploading two hours a month (although the episodes will only be hosted on Buzzsprout for 90 days.) Since you’re spending the time to create this content, it’s worth the investment to have the episodes hosted indefinitely.  Check out their reasonable prices.

2. Captivate

For each of its plans, Captivate includes a free seven-day trial. The trial allows you unlimited access to all features from the jump. That includes downloads ranging anywhere from 12,000 with its generic package to 150,000 with its business package. Plus, you get unlimited podcasts and upload capacity, as well as an extensive distribution list. 

Thanks to this platform, you can host your podcast pretty much anywhere, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, and Amazon. For more support on how to launch a successful podcast, you can access Captivate’s Facebook group, centered around podcasting education. 

3. Spreaker 

You can exercise your right to Free Speech with Spreaker’s free plan of the same name, or choose one of their reasonably priced plans, such as: On-Air Talent, Broadcaster, or Anchorman. The Broadcaster and Anchorman plans allow you the option to offer paid subscriptions and access a wide range of statistics. 

Not only can you manage your podcast and get all the tools you need to optimize it, but you also get a space to properly manage your podcasting network’s monetization and accurately analyze your audience to improve your advertising potential. 

4. Podbean 

Podbean offers all-in-one solutions to help you create professional podcasts in minutes and ensures all your content is mobile-friendly from the start. You get unlimited storage and bandwidth at a flat rate, while also getting customizable options to improve your branding. Its social sharing tools let you publish your podcast to iTunes and other outlets automatically, and there are several monetization opportunities ranging from advertising to crowdfunding. The crowdfunding platform allows you to turn your audience members into patrons, allowing you to bring in monthly income with the help of your listeners. 

5. Simplecast

Simplecast gives you comprehensive analytics and more.

Simplecast brands itself as the first and last word when it comes to analytics and management. It’s a modern independent platform that lets you publish to Apple, Spotify, or anywhere else your audience is with just one click. Simplecast hosts podcasts from several notable brands and networks, including Facebook, Harvard University, Kickstarter, and more. 

Simplecast offers a free 14-day trial for starters with streamlined workflows and templates for upcoming episodes to elevate podcast quality. It also has a strong infrastructure for audio streaming and provides analytics that show episode trends and which parts of your show are shared the most among listeners. 

6. Libsyn

Much like other podcast hosting services, Libsyn gives you the option to publish your podcast anywhere, gives you detailed stats about your audience, and access to monetization tools. It also provides a Podcast Page mini-site to help you manage things separately, plus apps unique to your radio brand, compatible with an Android or Apple phone. You get a full range of customizable options so you can publish content at your pace while ensuring all possible availability for your listeners. 

7. SquadCast 

What makes SquadCast such an attractive option is that it allows video recording to help make your podcast more appealing to audiences. It’s a platform that lets you record from remote locations with ease and simplifies the editing process, including uncompressed audio files to reduce post-production time. During the editing process, it separates audio clips and video footage so you can provide listeners with different ways to engage with your podcast content. Whether you’re an indie radio station, a professional, or operate out of a studio, SquadCast caters to everyone. 

If you use a podcast hosting service that’s not listed above, tell us about it in the comments, and if you have a podcast share the link below!