How Much Does Podcast Hosting Cost?

Understanding the Three Pricing Models

Here's the thing about podcast hosting: not all platforms charge the same way. Some count downloads, others measure storage, and a few offer unlimited everything. Knowing which model fits your show can save you hundreds of dollars a year.

Download-Based Pricing: Pay for Popularity

Platforms like Transistor, Captivate, and Simplecast charge based on how many times your episodes get downloaded each month.

How it works:

• Transistor: $19/mo for 10K downloads, $49/mo for 25K, $99/mo for 50K
• Captivate: $17/mo for 30K downloads, $44/mo for 150K, $90/mo for 300K
• Simplecast: $15/mo for 20K downloads, $35/mo for 50K

Best for: New podcasters who aren't sure how big their audience will get. You start cheap and only pay more as you grow.

Watch out: A single viral episode can push you into a higher tier overnight. Most platforms won't charge overage fees. They'll just stop serving your episodes until you upgrade.

Storage-Based Pricing: Pay for What You Upload

Platforms like Buzzsprout, Podbean, and Libsyn charge based on your monthly upload allowance (how much audio you can upload each month, regardless of downloads).

How it works:

• Buzzsprout: $19/mo for 4 hours of uploads, $39/mo for 15 hours, $79/mo for 35 hours
• Podbean: $14/mo for 10GB uploads, $39/mo for 20GB
• Libsyn: $7/mo for 162 MB, $15/mo for 324 MB, $20/mo for 540 MB

Best for: Shows with consistent publishing schedules. If you release weekly 45-minute episodes, you can calculate exactly which tier you need.

Real-world example: Publishing 4 episodes per month at 45 minutes each (high quality at 128 kbps) uses approximately 169 MB. That fits Libsyn's $7/mo tier with room to spare.

Pro tip: Use the "Compare by Monthly Uploads" calculator above to see exactly how many MB you need. Just enter your episodes per month and average length. We'll show you the storage calculation in real-time.

Unlimited Pricing: One Price, No Surprises

Platforms like VNYL, Castos, Spreaker, and RedCircle charge a flat monthly or annual fee with no download or storage caps.

How it works:

• VNYL: $13/mo with unlimited downloads and storage
• Castos: $19/mo (Starter), $49/mo (Growth), $99/mo (Pro)
• Spreaker: $20/mo (Broadcaster), $50/mo (Anchorman), $250/mo (Publisher)
• RedCircle: Free (1 podcast), $14.99/mo (unlimited podcasts), $29.99/mo (Pro)

Best for: Creators who want predictable budgeting or expect rapid growth. You'll never worry about hitting limits or upgrading mid-month.

Worth noting: If you're publishing more than 25,000 downloads per month, unlimited plans typically cost less than tiered alternatives.

What Happens If You Hit Your Limit?

Most download-based platforms don't charge overage fees. Instead, they do something worse: your episodes stop loading.

Here's what that means for you:

• New listeners can't download episodes until next month's reset
• Your show effectively goes offline mid-growth
• Viral episodes or marketing campaigns hit a wall right when they're working
• You scramble to upgrade, often paying pro-rated fees for rush processing

Storage-based platforms handle this differently. If you run out of monthly upload space, you can't publish new episodes, but your existing catalog stays online.

The Hidden Costs Nobody Mentions

The advertised price isn't always what you'll actually pay. Here's what to watch for:

Bandwidth Caps

Some "unlimited downloads" plans have fine print about "fair use." If your show goes viral, you might face bandwidth throttling or surprise charges.

Storage Rollover Policies

Storage-based hosts often don't let you bank unused uploads. If you skip a week, you lose that space. It doesn't roll over to next month.

Team Collaboration Fees

Want to add a co-host, editor, or producer? Many platforms charge $10-30/month per additional user seat.

Feature Paywalls

Advanced analytics, custom branding, private podcasting, and priority support often require jumping to higher-tier plans, sometimes doubling your monthly cost.

Annual Commitment Traps

Platforms advertise "20% off annual billing!" but lock you into a tier for 12 months. If you outgrow it in month 3, you're stuck paying for a plan that no longer fits.

How to Pick the Right Platform for Your Show

Your ideal host depends on where you are now and where you're headed:

Starting out? (Under 10K downloads/month)

Almost any platform works at this stage. Consider:

• Do you know your publishing schedule? → Go storage-based (predictable costs)
• Still figuring things out? → Start with download-based (pay as you grow)
• Planning to scale fast? → Jump straight to unlimited (avoid tier-hopping)

Growing steadily? (10K-50K downloads/month)

This is where pricing models start to diverge. Run the numbers:

• If you're publishing weekly 30-45 minute episodes, storage-based might save you money
• If your downloads are climbing 15-20% monthly, unlimited plans become cost-effective
• If growth is unpredictable, download-based gives you flexibility (but watch for spikes)

Scaling up? (50K+ downloads/month)

At this level, unlimited pricing almost always wins. Compare:

• Transistor at 50K downloads: $99/mo ($1,188/year)
• Captivate at 150K downloads: $44/mo ($528/year)
• VNYL unlimited: $13/mo ($156/year)

Key insight: Use the calculator above to project costs at different growth levels. Input where you are today, then try 2x and 5x your current downloads to see which pricing model scales best for you.

Making Sense of Storage Calculations

If you're considering storage-based platforms, here's how to estimate your monthly needs:

The formula:

MB per month = episodes × minutes × 60 × 128 ÷ 8 ÷ 1024

Breaking that down:

• Episodes × minutes = total minutes of audio per month
• × 60 = convert to seconds
• × 128 = apply bitrate (128 kbps is high quality)
• ÷ 8 = convert bits to bytes
• ÷ 1024 = convert kilobytes to megabytes

Quick reference:

• 1 weekly 30-min episode = ~85 MB/month → Libsyn $7/mo tier works
• 1 weekly 60-min episode = ~169 MB/month → Libsyn $15/mo tier
• 2 weekly 45-min episodes = ~338 MB/month → Podbean $14/mo tier (10GB)
• Daily 15-min episodes = ~1,013 MB/month → Libsyn $40/mo tier

Or just use the calculator above. It does the math for you.

Frequently Asked Questions

How accurate is this pricing data?

We verify pricing directly from each platform's website quarterly. Last updated: October 30, 2025. All prices shown are monthly rates (not discounted annual pricing).

Why isn't [Platform X] included?

We focus on platforms with transparent, public pricing suitable for independent podcasters. Enterprise-only services (like Megaphone, which starts at $99/mo) aren't included because they target networks and organizations, not individual creators.

Can I switch hosts later?

Yes. Most platforms let you migrate your RSS feed without losing subscribers. You'll typically export your feed, point it to your new host, and update your podcast directories. The process takes a few hours to propagate.

Do free plans have catch?

Usually. Free tiers often include platform ads in your episodes (Spreaker), limited episode history (Buzzsprout's free tier deletes episodes after 90 days), or reduced features (basic analytics only). Read the fine print before committing.

Should I pay monthly or annually?

It depends. Annual billing saves 10-20% but locks you in. If you're confident in your platform choice and usage tier, annual makes sense. If you're testing or expecting rapid growth, stick with monthly for flexibility.

What if my downloads vary month to month?

Download-based platforms tier you based on your highest month. So if you hit 30K downloads once, you'll likely need to stay in that tier even if you drop to 20K the next month. Unlimited plans solve this volatility problem.