.jpeg)
Table of contents:
Key takeaways:
- Benefits of podcast hosting: Podcast hosting simplifies distribution, provides analytics, and helps store large media files securely, enhancing podcast performance and growth.
- Top free platforms: Popular free podcast hosting services include Spotify for Creators (unlimited uploads and advanced tools), Buzzsprout (detailed analytics, limited storage), and RedCircle (unlimited hosting and monetization options).
- Choosing a host: Key factors include storage and bandwidth limits, analytics capabilities, usability, and additional features like marketing tools or monetization options.
- Pros and cons: Free hosting is cost-effective and accessible but may have limitations like upload caps, third-party ads, and potential content ownership issues.
While hosting podcast files on your website is technically possible, doing so can make for a subpar experience for your listeners. Plus, why would you? Many podcast hosting services can simplify podcast distribution and enhance performance, allowing you to reach the most people possible - and some are entirely free!
Sounds great, right?
In this article, I’ll discuss my favorite free podcast hosting platforms so you can choose your own.
What is a podcast host?
A podcast host is a platform that stores your podcast’s media files, distributes them to podcast directories like Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Amazon Music, and ultimately delivers your podcast to your listeners.
Just create an account, create your show, and upload each episode. Your podcast host will provide an RSS feed that you can submit to each directory. Every time you add a new episode to your podcast hosting platform, voila! It’ll be available on all directories where you submitted your RSS feed.
Why do you need podcast hosting?
Using a podcast hosting site isn’t strictly necessary, but I would never recommend going without one. These services make podcasters’ lives easier - and we all need that, right? You can use them to:
Store large media files
Podcast recordings are typically huge files that require substantial storage space and bandwidth. Podcast hosting platforms are well-equipped to store your podcast’s media files. Most also provide automatic backups to ensure your content stays safe.
Simplify podcast distribution
Podcast hosts significantly streamline podcast distribution by providing you with an RSS feed. Without it, you’d have to upload each new episode to each podcast directory manually!
Monitor your podcast’s performance
Podcast hosting services provide podcast analytics that detail your podcast’s performance, how listeners are engaging with your content, and more. This information is essential for refining your content.
Grow your podcast
Most major podcast hosting sites have features to help you grow your podcast, including marketing tools and monetization options. While there are lots of ways to make money podcasting, it’s nice to have some simple, built-in options and analytics to get the ball rolling in terms of ideation and planning.
How to choose a free podcast hosting service
Not all hosting platforms are the same. Here are the factors to keep in mind when choosing between free (and even paid) podcast hosting services:
Bandwidth, Upload, and Storage Limits
Some free podcast hosting services limit your uploads and storage allowances. This could affect how many hours of audio you can upload or the length of your episodes.
Opt for a podcast hosting site that offers unlimited bandwidth and storage if you can. At the very least, look for one that gives you the option to upgrade and let's you immediately know what it will cost to do so. When it comes to podcasting, storage space is precious - so don’t overlook this.
File format
If you’re a stickler for audio quality (which most podcasters are), then be sure to check which file formats your chosen podcast host accepts. MP3 is the most universally supported format and is generally recommended. Some podcast hosts will also let you upload uncompressed WAV files. (Learn more in WAV vs MP3: What’s Different and What’s Better for Podcasters.)
Podcast Analytics
Podcast analytics can help you understand how people are responding to your show and how you can improve its performance. You should be able to easily access stats and data regarding listener engagement, as well as the performance of your content.
Look for stats that are IAB-certified and compliant. IAB stands for Interactive Advertising Bureau, an organization that sets globally consistent standards for metrics collected by the podcasting community.
Usability
You need a podcast host that you find easy to use. Look at the interface and dashboard design, whether you find the site clunky, and whether the features on offer are easy to implement. Also, consider how easy it is to distribute your podcast to other platforms. After all, this is a big reason to get a host in the first place!
Additional features
Depending on your podcast and goals, certain additional features may be valuable. Marketing tools, such as a website, embeddable player, or social sharing functionality, could be some options to look at.
Best Free Podcast Hosting Services
If you’re wondering where to host a podcast for free, you’re in the right place. Here are some of the best podcast hosting platforms (all free!) out there:
1. Spotify for Creators
Formerly Anchor, now Spotify for Creators, this free hosting platform is about making podcasting accessible. It offers audio and video podcasting, free hosting with unlimited uploads, advanced analytics, and monetization options—the works!
Spotify for Creators also provides content creation tools through Riverside. This means you can access all of Riverside’s features through the Spotify platform for free. Record your podcast in high quality, add captions, clean up audio, and more. Then, send that high-quality content straight to Spotify and other podcast directories.
Spotify for Creators features:
- Unlimited storage and no limit on the number of episodes you upload.
- Limited to one podcast per account.
- You own the rights to all of your content.
- One-step distribution to Spotify and other major platforms.
- Detailed, IAB-certified metrics and engagement insights.
- Ability to monetize your podcast by including promotions and getting matched with viable sponsors.
- Ability to include full musical tracks from Spotify in your podcast to enhance your content.
- Seamless audio and video recording and editing through Riverside.
Read More: Riverside + Spotify: Everything You Need to Record, Edit, and Publish Your Podcast
2. Buzzsprout
For good reason, Buzzsprout is one of the most popular podcast hosting options. It's been around a long time and has some great features. You can store audio and video media, and the platform offers various podcast analytics. I really like the stats they offer you. The platform provides detailed analytics that are useful for helping you grow your show.
Although Buzzsprout's paid plans offer many more features, including a podcast website, the free plan is a good place to start. However, the free plan only allows you to add new episodes. If you have an existing content library you’d like to import, you’ll need a paid plan.
Buzzsprout’s Free Plan features:
- Upload 2 hours of content per month. Note that audio files are automatically removed after 90 days.
- Advanced, IAB-compliant analytics on your podcast’s performance.
- Unlimited team members for collaborative work.
- Accepts almost all file formats.
- WordPress plugin so that you can publish your podcast directly to your WordPress website.
- A mobile app where you can fix a typo, check analytics, or even publish a new episode.
Read More: Everything You Need to Know about Buzzsprout Podcast Hosting
3. Acast
For a free plan, Acast offers quite a lot of features. Thanks to its partnership with Podcastle, this includes higher quality recording and editing features than other competitors (besides Spotify for Creators - my favorite!), allowing you to do it all from one platform. This includes multitrack recording, unlimited editing and mixing, and advanced audio processing. And if you’re looking to switch podcast apps, Acast will let you move all your episodes over for free. You also get detailed analytics, just like the paid plans.
Acast’s Starter Plan features:
- One show, up to 5 episodes. (But you’ll get unlimited episodes if you make your show available in Acast’s advertising marketplace.)
- Unlimited bandwidth.
- Relatively detailed analytics that are fully IAB compliant.
- Basic podcast website.
- Embeddable web player.
4. RedCircle
.png)
RedCircle offers so much for free that it almost sounds too good to be true - but it’s the real deal! You get unlimited hosting and distribution, monetization, analytics, and more. This is because RedCircle’s business model is different. Rather than making money through subscriptions, it makes money through advertising and listener payment products. What you don’t get on RedCircle is video. This platform is audio only unless you upgrade to a paid plan. But if you don’t need video, RedCircle is an excellent option.
RedCircle’s Core Plan features:
- Unlimited hosting and distribution.
- Unlimited bandwidth and episodes.
- Ability to accept listener donations.
- RAP programmatic/host-read ads (but you can’t customize ad categories).
- Standard analytics.
- Podcast webpage (with “Related Shows” at the bottom.)
- Embeddable episode player.
- Customer support within 72 hours.
5.Pinecast
Pinecast is a lesser known podcast host, but it has solid features, and it’s committed to customer satisfaction. It allows you to create up to two shows for free on the platform, something I haven't seen in other free options. You also get unlimited storage and uploads. As a newer contender among podcast hosts, you won’t find as much information or reviews about it. But the price can’t be beaten for the features it offers. If your podcast is noncommercial in nature, Pinecast provides a free Community Plan as well. I say it’s definitely worth a try for new podcasters. Note that it does not support video podcasts.
Pinecast’s Free Plan features:
- Ability to create up to two podcasts, each with its own feed.
- Host up to 10 episodes for each podcast.
- Unlimited uploads, but individual episodes are capped at 48MB.
- Basic analytics, including listener statistics and trends.
- Monetization via a “tip jar” feature. (Individual tips are limited to $10, and a 30% service fee applies.)
- Customizable embeddable players for sharing your episodes.
- Free podcast website optimized for SEO.
6. Podbean
Another popular free podcasting platform is Podbean. Here, you can post audio and video content, get a reasonable amount of storage, and host a free podcast website. I don't like their analytics as much—they’re bare-bones on the free plan. However, Podbean does provide a free podcast website, which is a nice feature. Overall, Podbean is a solid all-in-one free podcast hosting platform with a lot of storage, a mobile app, and more.
Podbean’s Basic Plan features:
- 5 hours storage space per month; publish up to 3 episodes per day.
- 100GB monthly bandwidth.
- iOS and Android apps you can use to record, publish, and manage podcasts on the go.
- Embeddable player so you can include a podcast player on your podcast website.
- Dedicated podcast website and several themes (but with Podbean branding).
- Limited number of team members.
Read More: How to Upload Video Podcasts to Podbean
7. Podomatic
.png)
Podomatic is a great basic platform for beginners. It allows you to record and publish episodes from your desktop or mobile device and efficiently distribute them to major platforms. One thing that stands out about Podomatic for me is its social sharing features. You can easily share directly from the platform to your social media. What you don’t get on Podomatic is video - or any stats or analytics. It’s pretty bare bones, but the platform is simple and easy to use - and it’s free!
Podomatic’s Basic Plan features:
- Up to 500 MB/10 episodes of storage.
- 15GB of outbound bandwidth per month.
- Podcast app allows you to record and publish from your device.
8. Spreaker
Spreaker is a podcast hosting platform from iHeartRadio. It offers tools for more than just podcast hosting, including tools for creation, live podcasting, ads, and more. Most notably, its free plan now includes the ability to monetize with programmatic ads. This is relatively rare for free podcast hosting—I would have jumped at something like this when I was starting out!
That said, Spreaker’s free plan is a bit limited in terms of uploads. The free plan analytics are also limited, providing only downloads and listener statistics. But if you’re just starting, this could be enough for you.
Spreaker’s Free Speech Plan features:
- Online recording studio.
- Ability to upload unlimited episodes and store up to 5 hours of content at a time.
- Unlimited bandwidth.
- Free podcast app where you can create and publish podcasts.
- Basic podcast statistics.
- Monetization through programmatic ads.
Free podcast hosting pros and cons
Free podcast hosting services can be an excellent solution for creators on a budget. But there are disadvantages too. Let’s take a look at the pros and cons.
Advantages:
- Affordability: You can’t beat free! A lack of upfront costs makes podcasting accessible to hobbyists and new podcasters.
- Easy setup: Limited features typically mean a streamlined experience. You can have a podcast up and running in minutes.
- Exposure opportunity: By allowing your podcast to appear in major podcast directories, you automatically increase its exposure.
- Community support: Many free platforms have active communities or forums where beginners can interact with other podcasters and learn from their experiences.
- Ability to upgrade: Although most free podcast hosting has limits on storage and bandwidth, you can always upgrade to a paid plan if your needs change. That means you don't need to move as long as you like your host!
Disadvantages:
- Lack of choice. Opting for a free hosting platform means choosing from the small selection of hosting services that offer a free plan.
- Upload limits: These are common on free plans and may restrict the amount of content you can upload.
- Episode duration limits: Some podcast hosts limit the length of your audio, which can be frustrating or even a dealbreaker.
- Third-party ads. Some free hosting services advertise your content without compensating you for the ad space.
- Copyright issues: Always read the fine print. Some podcast hosts stipulate ownership claims over the content stored on their servers.
Despite the drawbacks, free podcast hosting offers the essentials and great flexibility (not to mention affordability). Most allow you to upgrade, so go for a service you think you can live and grow with for a while.
FAQs about free podcast hosting
Still need information? Here are the answers to some frequently asked questions.
Can you podcast for free?
Absolutely. The beauty of podcasting is that you can get started by recording your first episode with just your phone if you want to. Podcasting costs as much or as little as you want it to. So, if you’re on a tight budget, don’t worry; you can easily start a podcast for free.
Does it cost money to host a podcast?
Strictly speaking, no. As we’ve seen in this article, plenty of free podcast hosts offer all the functionality you need. That said, ambitious podcasters may find they outgrow their free podcast hosting service after a while.
If you think this is the case for you, some podcast hosts, such as Libsyn, offer extensive services for a very nominal fee. Alternatively, you could give some more premium podcast hosting sites a test run using their free trial period. For example, Transistor has a 14-day free trial, and Captivate has a 30-day free trial.
What is the best free podcast hosting site?
There’s no single best podcast host site, but I think Spotify for Creators offers a pretty sweet deal! You get free hosting, unlimited storage, monetization opportunities, advanced analytics, and the ability to use Riverside to record and edit your podcasts. It’s a great fit for a lot of creators! You can even listen to podcasts on Spotify for free (as long as you’re OK with the occasional ad.)
Is Podbean really free?
Yes and no. Podbean offers a Basic Free plan that is free to access and includes 5 hours of storage space and 100GB of monthly bandwidth. If you require more storage or bandwidth, you can consider upgrading to one of their paid plans.
Is Buzzsprout free?
Buzzsprout offers a free pricing plan. However, uploads are limited to 2 hours per month, and files are automatically deleted after 90 days.
Is it free to host a podcast on SoundCloud?
Yes! SoundCloud has a free plan that you can use to host your podcast. But it’s limited because it only lets you upload 3 hours of audio. Because Soundcloud isn’t strictly a podcast hosting platform, setting up your RSS feed to share your podcast to popular directories is also more of a hassle than on other podcast hosts. I’d recommend looking elsewhere if you’re looking for a free platform.
-Need-to-Know-About-Podcast-Hosting-Sites.png)
.png)
