On the surface, Podcast.co seems to tick all the boxes. If you’re searching for a podcast host, we wouldn’t be surprised if Podcast.co had made your final cut. However, with higher prices than competitor platforms and the inability to monetize directly through the platform, is it really worth it? This Podcast.co review dives beneath the surface, looking in detail at the platform’s features, how they work, and whether they really do deliver the value for money that you deserve.
TL:DR
- Podcast.co is a professional podcast platform for creators, brands, and publishers.
- Podcast.co starts at $19/month, though the Lite plan does come with limitations.
- Podcast.co is best for medium-sized podcasters with a budget and enterprise accounts that want to take a hands-off approach.
How we’re reviewing Podcast.co
We’ve come up with a framework of seven key criteria that helps us determine how well a podcast hosting service actually performs in comparison to other sites:
Pricing
First and foremost is how much a platform charges to use its services. We look at their pricing structures as well as the relative value for money that you receive at each subscription tier.
Analytics
Podcast analytics are absolutely essential in an increasingly data-driven and competitive space. We expect podcast hosting services to give an in-depth look at your show’s performance, allowing you to inspect granular aspects of your show's engagement. Ideally, these stats should be presented in an easy-to-understand and approachable way.
Media Player
A podcast host should provide an embeddable media player that allows users to share their podcast beyond the major listening platforms. We especially like it when these media players are customizable to some extent.
File Hosting
The type of files that a podcast host supports is a pretty critical question. We look for platforms that ideally are compatible with lossless file formats that conserve the quality of the original recording. We also look for platforms that support video files because of just how much video podcasting is growing.
Distribution
Distributing your podcast should be made quick and easy by your podcast host. You should be able to submit and publish your podcast to major directories in a single click.
Monetization
Being able to monetize your podcast from within your podcast host is not something that should be underestimated. Whether it’s through podcast advertising, subscriptions or donations, we look for platforms that at least offer you one of these options.
Useability and Additional Features
Finally, a podcast host should be fundamentally easy to use. We don’t believe in platforms that have a steep learning curve or are clunky and complicated. Instead, we think that podcast hosts should actively improve or enhance your overall experience without ever getting in the way. In the same vein, we always look for thoughtful or innovative extra features that are designed to transform the way you podcast.
Podcast.co: Quick Takeaways
Quick summary: Podcast.co is a professional podcast platform that provides users with hosting, management, and a few growth tools.
Price: Starting from $19/month
Podcast.co USPs:
- Transcriptions. Podcast.co offers its users (Growth and above) an hour of transcription per month.
- Third-party app integrations. Streamline your workflows with Podcast.co’s third-party integrations.
- Guest finder. If you’re struggling to find guests for your podcast, use Podcast.co’s guest-finder service MatchMaker.com
- Additional services. Podcast.co offers podcast production services to brands that want to take a hands-off approach to their podcast development.
What is Podcast.co?
Podcast.co promises its users ‘all the features they need to manage and distribute their podcast with ease’. They are a growth-focused podcast host, that caters to a diverse audience - both fledgling podcasters and enterprise accounts with big budgets and demands.
How much does Podcast.co cost?
Podcast.co has three pricing plans ranging from $19 to $99/month. Every single one comes with unlimited podcasts and episodes:
Lite - $19/month
- 1 user
- Up to 15,000 downloads per month
- Basic podcast pages
- Podcast player
- Podcast analytics
- Video clips
Growth - $49/month
- 5 users
- Up to 75,000 downloads per month
- Up to 500 private subscribers
- Advanced podcast pages
- Podcast player
- 1h of audio transcription per month
- Podcast analytics
- Video clips
- Intro/Outro Update
Premium - $99/month
- Unlimited users
- Up to 200,000 monthly downloads
- Up to 5000 private subscribers
- Advanced Podcast Pages
- Podcast player
- 1 h of audio transcription per month
- Podcast analytics
- Video clips
- Intro/Outro Update
Advantages of Podcast.co
Seamless distribution
Podcast.co makes it easy to upload and instantly distribute your podcast to the biggest listening platforms out there - all in one click.
Easy to use
Podcast.co is fundamentally easy to use, which shouldn’t be overlooked. You can start using the platform right away since there’s no learning curve or complicated workflows.
Private podcasts
You can create members-only content by creating exclusive private podcasts. You get total control over who can access your episodes whether that’s your team or paying subscribers.
Web player
With Podcast.co you have the freedom to embed your podcast player wherever you want, playing either a single episode or your whole podcast.
Transcriptions
The fact that Podcast.co comes with a podcast transcription feature is extremely unique and a huge plus, meaning podcasters can enjoy the SEO benefits and ensure their content is as inclusive as it should be.
Network & Collaborators
With Podcast.co, you don’t need to go it alone. You can add collaborators to your account, toggle permission and access levels, and manage a number of shows under the same account.
Disadvantages of Podcast.co
Does not support lossless file formats
Podcast.co currently only supports MP3 and M4A files, which means if one of your criteria for a podcast host is lossless file compatibility, Podcast.co may not be for you.
Analytics
Though Podcast.co does offer its users podcast analytics, they’re a little lacking. Podcasters that are used to a 360 view of their content’s performance may be disappointed by the surface-level stats that are included with a Podcast.co subscription.
No video podcasts
In the same vein, if you’re looking for a host that supports your video podcasts, you’ll have to look elsewhere.
Expensive
Although Podcast.Co’s Lite plan is $19/month, this still comes with its limitations. Realistically, to make the most of the platform, you’re going to need to shell out for the $49/month Growth Plan which may be a stretch too far for some podcasters.
No Advertising
Podcast.co allows podcasters to monetize through private content for subscribers. However, there’s currently no advertising management feature so if you want to start making money from your podcast in that way, you’ll have to find a different host.
Key features of Podcast.co
Intro & Outro Placement
Available on the Growth and Premium plans, the intro and outro placement feature means that you can keep your back-catalog evergreen and fresh by updating the audio that plays at the beginning and end of your content. This is also an effective tool for placing and replacing time-sensitive campaigns throughout your whole catalog of episodes.
Private podcasts
As we mentioned above, you can create private and exclusive podcasts for paying subscribers or simply for your business team, for example.
Podcast.co integrates directly with your billing system so that the right exclusive content gets delivered to the right people. You can also manually add subscribers, bulk CSV or simply whitelisting your domain, for example. Your subscribers can subscribe on the platform of their choice - so there’s no need to download a specific app or access your content through one dedicated platform.
Podcast website
A podcast website page is automatically generated according to your published episodes.
Video Clips
Podcast.co’s audiogram tool helps you to create social-ready video clips that make for great highlights and promotional material. It works by converting short audio files into video clips that you can then share on your socials to generate a buzz around your podcast. This is all made possible by Podcast.co’s integration with Headliner.
Transcriptions
Podcast.co’s transcription feature helps you to create detailed show notes and reuse your content for blogs, for example. This also means you can reap all the SEO benefits and maximize the discoverability of your podcast. The Growth and Premium plans both include an hour of transcription per month, anything above this incurs an additional charge.
Third-party app integration
Podcast.co isn’t an isolated podcasting platform but interconnects with other critical tools to streamline your workflows as far as possible. This includes Slack, Twitter, Google Drive, WordPress, and more. This is all made possible with their Zapier integration.
Additional Services
Beyond their core features, Podcast.co also has a full-service podcast agency called Cue that helps podcasters with everything from planning and production to promotion. Their expertise helps you to produce a well-planned and produced podcast that really makes your brand shine. You’ll need to get in touch with them to find out how much all this costs.
Additionally, if you’re looking to hire studio space or equipment to record and produce your podcast, Podcast.co can make that happen with their Studio Partners and production support services. This is available in Amsterdam, London, Manchester, and New York.
Podcast Guest Finder
Podcast.co’s MatchMaker.fm helps you to find guests for your podcast. It’s totally free to use and browse. With over 40,000 users so far, you’re bound to be able to find someone that fits the bill.
Podcast.co is best for Medium Podcasters with a Budget or Enterprise Accounts
Since you can only really get the full effect with Podcast.co’s Growth or Premium plans, you’re looking at a minimum of $49/month to use the platform. Bearing in mind that these plans also come with download limits, Podcast.co is probably best suited to medium-sized podcasters who won’t grow beyond their allowance yet.
That being said, some podcasters may feel that it’s just not worth the money. Which is why Podcast.co also pitches itself at enterprise or business accounts that have big budgets to spend and don’t want to get involved in the podcasting process.
First look at Podcast.co
Your Podcast.co dashboard gives you a quick overview of your podcast and features that are available to you. You’ll see a quick look at stats, be able to navigate to the Podcast.co help center, and more.
You can navigate to your Episodes, Analytics, Settings, and publication tabs, as well as manage your account and podcast settings.
How to Get Started with Podcast.co
How to add a podcast on Podcast.co
Step 1: When you first sign up, click on ‘Create a new podcast’
Step 2: On the next page, fill out your podcast’s details including the name of your show, its category and description.
Step 3: Next, choose our podcast link.
Step 4: Then upload your podcast art.
Step 5: Next, you’ll see a pop-up that’ll ask you whether you want to handle distributing your podcast yourself or leave it to the Podcast.co team.
Step 6: Once you’ve completed all these steps, you’ll land on your dashboard.
How to add an episode on Podcast.co
Step 1: When you’ve created or imported your podcast, head to the podcast page. And click ‘Upload Episode’. Alternatively, you can simply drag and drop your recording file into the episodes area and this will quick off the upload process.
Step 2: Fill out your episode’s information including its name, description, cover art, type, episode, and season number etc.
Step 3: Select whether it’s a public, scheduled, or unlisted podcast, and then click ‘Publish Episode’.
How to Migrate your Podcast to Podcast.co
Moving your podcast over to Podcast.co is easy. And to make it even easier, Podcast.co has created dedicated instructions for the migration process from most mainstream hosts.
Step 1: When you first log in, click ‘Import podcast settings’.
Step 2: Copy and paste your podcast’s RSS feed into the box and click Submit.
Step 3: Sit back and wait whilst your podcast imports
How to Distribute your Podcast using Podcast.co
Step 1: To distribute your podcast, you need to have a trailer or one episode live on your podcast first. Then, head to ‘Share and Publish’ in your dashboard.
Step 2: You can either choose to manually distribute to the platforms of your choice or automate it using Podcast.co.
Step 3: If you click on the blue ‘Distribute my podcast!’ button, your podcast will be sent over to the Podcast.co submissions team who will get to work immediately. You’ll be able to track the progress as they work.
Step 4; Alternatively, if you choose ‘I’d prefer to manage this myself’, you’ll see all the various directory links where you can start to submit your podcast yourself.
How to Monetize Your Podcast using Podcast.co
The only way to monetize your podcast with Podcast.co is with private podcasts. As we saw earlier, you can connect Podcast.co to your billing system so that any new subscribers are added automatically.
Step 1: To create a private podcast for your subscribers, upload your episode as normal (follow our instructions above).
Step 2: Ensure not to click distribute. Instead, share the link to your podcast page with your subscribers.
Podcast.co Podcast Analytics
Podcast.co’s focus on growth and scalability means that you get in-depth analytics that helps you to understand exactly how your podcast is performing.
From your dashboard, head to the Analytics tab. Here you’ll be able to see:
- Total and unique downloads
- Breakdown of your performance including your best-performing episodes, top locations, and top clients
Podcast.co Alternatives
Podcast.co vs Fireside.fm
The first difference to note is price. Whilst Fireside.fm is available starting at $9/month, Podcast.co costs a minimum of $19/month.
Both platforms offer limited monetization abilities. Whilst Podcast.co facilitates the creation of private podcasts (and not much else), Fireside.fm lets users manage Sponsorships and connect to their Patreon account. Depending on what you’re looking for, this could be a big deciding factor.
Another key difference is that with Podcast.co you can have unlimited podcasts for no additional cost. Whereas Fireside.fm charges you per podcast. If you’re a podcast production network, for example, this will make a huge difference.
Podcast.co vs Captivate.fm
Though both platforms offer unlimited podcasts, Captivate.fm goes above and beyond by also placing no cap on the number of team members you’re able to have on your account.
Captivate.fm is definitely more emphatically focused on podcast growth and marketing, and is committed to scaling with your show. This is especially palpable in terms of how in-depth their podcast analytics are. Since both platforms cost around the same per month, Captivate.fm is definitely the most logical option.
Podcast.co vs Acast
As we’ve seen Podcast.co doesn’t offer its users the ability to monetize from within the platform. By contrast, Acast offers dynamic ad insertion, podcast subscriptions, and listener donations as native features. If you’ve been looking to monetize through your podcast host, the choice is obvious. Plus, Acast starts off for free and then costs $14.99 per month.
Final thoughts on Podcast.co
Podcast.co is a strong service that appears to offer a lot on the surface. However, its subscription plans are pretty pricey and are also limited by certain download caps and a maximum number of collaborators, for example. Additionally, the lackluster analytics and the inability to properly monetize from within the platform are likely to pose a challenge to podcasters who are serious about growing their show.
FAQs about Podcast.co
What is Podcast.co?
Podcast.co is a ‘professional podcast platform for creators, brands, and publishers.’ It provides podcast hosting services, as well as additional consultancy services that help brands build out their podcast effortlessly.
Does Podcast.co support video?
Podcast.co does not support video podcasts. The only file formats that it is compatible with are MP3 and M4a.
Is Podcast.co free to use?
No, Podcast.co starts at $19 per month.
Want to read more on podcast hosting platforms? Check out our other reviews:
- Spreaker
- Simplecast
- Transistor.fm
- Libsyn
- Acast
- Megaphone
- AudioBoom
- Podomatic
- Podbean
- Anchor.fm
- RedCircle
- Captivate
- Blubrry
- Sounder.fm
- Resonate Recordings
- Castos
- Buzzsprout
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