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Podomatic is a podcast hosting that has been on the scene since 2005. With a podcast recording app and basic monetization features, Podomatic takes you from A to Z in your podcast creation journey. The platform brands itself as the easy way to start a podcast, referencing just how simple their features make it to start podcasting. In our Podomatic review and walkthrough, we take you through all its main features, assessing the platform through a critical lens to give you a good insight into whether it’s the right hosting service for you.
TL:DR
- Podomatic is an all-in-one podcast host with the ability to create, publish, monetize and distribute all from one place.
- There are four paid subscriptions and one free basic plan. But access to the majority of the platform's features is reserved to PRO plans.
- You can record from the browser or using the mobile Podcast Recorder App.
- You can monetize your podcast in three ways: advertising, patreon donations and merchandise.
How we’re reviewing Podomatic
When it comes to choosing podcast hosting platforms, we believe podcasters should know exactly what they’re buying into. That’s why we’ve come up with seven factors that we believe that most podcasters look for and that are integral to a strong hosting service:
Pricing
Regardless of your various criteria for choosing a hosting platform, price is definitely going to be one of them. Even if you’ve got an unlimited budget, value for money is extremely important. We measure this by looking at the variety of features you get access to at every subscription tier.
Analytics
Podcast analytics help creators to dive deeper into their podcasts and understand their audiences. Podcast hosting platforms should provide in-depth stats that podcasters can pro-actively use to manage, monitor and enhance their shows. We also look at how these analytics are laid out, what data podcasters get access to, and whether they’re accesible and easy to action.
Media Player
An embeddable media player allows podcasters to share their shows beyond the major listening platforms. This is particularly important if a creator is trying to build out their podcast website. We look not only at whether a platform offers this feature, but also how customizable and usable the media player itself is.
File Hosting
Podcasters that value audio quality should be looking for a platform that is compatible with lossy file formats. When it comes to listening experiences, some podcasters are a stickler for quality, and hosting services that only work with lossy file formats may let you down.
Distribution
One major aspect of a podcast hosting service is how easy it makes distributing your podcast. You should be able to publish your podcast to major listening platforms without a second thought.
Monetization
For beginner and pro podcasters alike, the ability to monetize your podcast is essential for harnessing the potential of your show. We look at whether a podcast hosting platform facilitates monetization through ad placements, and how integrated and streamlined these features are. We also take a note of how much of a cut they take from your earnings.
Useability and Additional Features
Finally, we look at how usable the platform is. On a fundamental level, the hosting service should be straightforward and functional. But we also value sleek and intuitive design, as well as any considerate features that actively improve the overall user experience.
Podomatic: Quick Takeaways
Brief look: Podomatic is a basic all-in-one podcasting solution. You can record, edit, publish, distribute and monetize your podcast through Podomatic in your browser or using the Podomatic mobile app.
Podomatic Pricing: Podomatic has four PRO pricing plans and a free Basic plan (more on these later)
Podomatic USPs:
- All-in-one solution. Easy to record, edit and publish all from one place.
- ‘Try before you buy’.
- Monetize in 3 ways.
- Podomatic app.
What is Podomatic?
Podomatic is a podcast hosting platform that launched in 2005. Since then it has branched out into catering for all steps in the podcasting journey, from creation, editing, publishing, and podcast management. Through partnerships with third-party platforms, it now also allows podcasters to monetize their content. It has a browser-based platform as well as android and iOS apps: Podomatic Podcast Player for listening and Podomatic Podcast Recorder for creation.
How much does Podomatic cost?
Basic - Free
A ‘no strings attached’ plan that does not expire unlike a free trial:
- 15GB bandwidth/month
- 500 MB storage
Pro - $2.49/month
- 100 GB Bandwidth/month
- 2 GB storage
Pro Plus - $8.32/month
- 200GB Bandwidth/Month
- 3GB Storage
Pro Platinum - $20.82 /month
- 500 GB Bandwidth/Month
- 5GB Storage
Broadcaster - $41.65/month
- Build a podcast website and host it with Weebly
- Unlimited Storage
- Unlimited Bandwidth
- Broadcaster support
- Pro design tools
- Free Podomatic Ads
- Broadcast advertising. Podomatic helps you to monetize your podcast and offers assistance with creating the ads themselves.
All Podomatic Pro plans get access to:
- PRO Design Tools for customizing your page with intuitive ‘drag and drop’ functionality
- Podomatic Support: Dedicated ‘PRO support’ customer service with access to priority email support and a customer hotline
- Spotlight in the Podomatic Featured Podcast area (on rotation)
- Ability to monetize using Patreon
- Ability to publish content in original, high-fidelity format for HQ downloads
- Detailed podcast analytics
Advantages of Podomatic
Easy to use
Podomatic is a straightforward and easy-to-use platform that you can get started with straightaway. The ability to record directly from your smartphone also makes podcasting on the go as simple as it should be.
All-in-one solution
For podcasters who value streamlined workflows, the all-in-one nature of Podomatic takes you straight from podcast creation all the way through to publication, distribution, and monetization. You can record both audio podcasts using podomatic.com or the Podomatic Podcast Recorder app.
Format checking
Podomatic has an automated feature that verifies the compatibility of your podcasts to ensure that it is both publishable and playable.
Affordable Pro Plans
Podomatic’s free plan gives podcasters the chance to ‘try before they buy’ without having to worry about their free trial ending. In addition, the Pro plan is a great affordable option for entry-level podcasters, though some creators may be put off by the monthly storage and bandwidth limits.
Podomatic player
PRO subscribers can choose between single-track and multitrack podcast players, as well as whether it streams video or audio playback. You can customize the color of your player to match your branding and the size to integrate seamlessly into your blog or website.
Dedicated customer service
PRO subscribers have access to dedicated customer helplines so that you can resolve any issues you encounter swiftly.
Ability to monetize
Although Podomatic’s monetization features are not its own, its partnerships with third-party platforms Podcorn, Patreon and What For Apparel make it easy to start making money from your podcast.
Analytics
Podomatic provides detailed analytics that break down your podcast’s performance into detailed stats about your audience, number of streams, downloads and more.
Supports video & audio podcasts
Podomatic supports both video and audio podcasts, which is not something that you’ll find in all podcast hosting services.
Control over your podcast
Podomatic ensures that PRO subscribers get the final say when it comes to their podcast. Choose where to distribute your podcast to, whether you want to monetize your content and how, and even decide how your media is transcoded.
Disadvantages of Podomatic
Lack of details on the website
If you’re looking to learn more about Podomatic and its features before you sign up, you may be left disappointed. There is limited information about the ins-and-outs of certain features or how the platform works, so you’ll have to sign up (or see our walkthroughs below) to get a good understanding of Podomatic.
No automated podcast migration
There is no information on Podomatic about how podcasters with existing shows can migrate their content from their existing host over to Podomatic. With a lot of competitors offering automated and streamlined migration functionality, this adds unnecessary complication.
Cannot Record Video Podcasts
Although you can record audio with the Podomatic browser and mobile app, unfortunately you can’t record video.
No multi-track recording
Though Podomatic.com and its mobile app Podomatic Podcast Recorder offer creation tools, they’re fairly basic. You’re not able to record multi-tracks which could pose a problem for more serious podcasters.
No recording with remote guests
Though you can record audio podcasts using Podomatic.com, you’re not able to record with remote guests. For podcasters looking to invite guest participants onto their show this might be a limiting factor.
Primitive recording and editing capacity
Podomatic allows you to trim and cut your recordings, and add music to your podcast ahead of publication. Beyond these basic features, though, there’s not many editing capabilities beyond that.
In addition, the interface and design is extremely simplistic. For podcasters who value cutting-edge and sleek UX/UI design, this may not be the platform for you.
Automatic conversion
If you’re on the basic plan, Podomatic automatically converts your podcast to a lossy format (Mp3).
Podcast website only available with Broadcaster plan
You are not able to create a podcast website through Podomatic unless you subscribe to their most expensive pricing plan. Other equivalent platforms include podcast websites as part of their most basic subscriptions, so if you’re looking to get more value for money, you might want to look elsewhere.
Cannot have more than one podcast associated with account
If you’re a pro podcaster, chances are you’re working on more than one show at a time. Unfortunately, you’re not able to have more than one show associated with your account which means that you have to pay per show and switch between accounts to manage each podcast.
No team members
In the same vein, you cannot add your team to your account to help manage your podcast. For creators with a production team the absence of this feature could be a real let down.
Key features of Podomatic
Podomatic Podcast Recorder App
Podomatic offers both an Android and iOS mobile app that allows you to record, publish, monitor and manage your podcast wherever you are.
Podcast Website (only with the Broadcaster plan)
Podomatic partners with Weebly to allow podcasters to create their very own podcast website. Don’t worry though, although your site is hosted by Weebly, you can access and manage your website through your Podomatic dashboard.
You can integrate an e-commerce store (to sell your merch) and a blog, alongside your embeddable player to really enhance your listeners' experience.
The Weebly interface is built to be easy-to-use, so you can build your site using an intuitive drag-and-drop system which requires no code. Podomatic also offers four ‘Podomatic Themes’ which are pre-designed website templates that you can choose from.
Podomatic is Best for Beginners
With Podomatic’s free basic plan, it makes the platform an attractive option for podcasters who are just starting out on their content creation journey. You can try before you buy and benefit from 15GB of monthly bandwidth and 500MB storage (although you may find that you run out of storage space fairly quickly).
Pro podcasters are likely to find Podomatic’s offering too rudimentary with alternative platforms boasting far more functionality (often for a better price).
First look at Podomatic.com
Once you’ve been through the signup and setup process, this is what your dashboard looks like. On the left, you have all the various tabs to manage your podcast. You can record straight from the browser in your recording booth, and view your podcast’s analytics in the ‘Stats’ page.
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How to get started with Podomatic (desktop)
1. When you first sign up on desktop, you’ll be met by an onboarding page that walks you through the first three simple steps to getting set up.
2. Next, you’ll be invited to ‘create a tagline’ or an elevator pitch about your podcast show.
3. And a description
4. Next, you can upload your cover art.
- And choose your podcast’s category, language, country and city.
6. Finally add some tags for your podcast relating to your subject matter or theme.
7. Once you’ve entered all your details you can choose to start recording or to skip straight to publishing if you’ve already got your podcast recording ready to go.
8. Press the ‘click here to record’ button
9. If you’ve already got a recording that is ready to publish, head to your dashboard and click on your media library. Click ‘add new’ and drag and drop the audio files you want to upload.
- Once uploaded, click the three dots and hit ‘publish as an episode’.
How to record your podcast with Podomatic.com
- From your dashboard, navigate to your ‘Recording Booth’ and click ‘lets do this’
- Do a mic check or skip this step. Ensure to give Podomatic.com permission to access your mic.
- Click the red mic icon to start recording. Add sound effects during your recording if you want to.
- When you’ve finished recording, hit the square ‘stop’ button, then click ‘Finish’
- Playback your recording before hitting ‘Save’
- Choose whether to save your recording to your media library or publish it. If you click publish, Podomatic will process and encode your recording and then upload it to your Podomatic account.
- Once it’s finished processing your recording, you can fill out your episode’s details including the title, description, cover art and when you want to publish it (now or at a later date). When you’re happy, click ‘Publish Immediately’
How to record your podcast with Podomatic Podcast Recorder app
Step 1: Download the Podomatic Podcast Recorder from the Apple App Store or the Google Play Store.
Step 2: Navigate to the ‘Record’ tab and tap the red ‘RECORD’ button.
Step 3: Give Podomatic access to your microphone .
Step 4: When you’ve finished recording, tap the red ‘Stop’ button.
Step 5: Listen to it back and then click the small ‘Publish’ button .
Step 6: Give your recording a title and description and upload your cover art.
Step 7: You can add tags under ‘More settings’.
Step 8: Tap ‘Publish’ when you’re ready.
Step 9: You can then find your published episode in the ‘Episodes’ tab.
How to migrate your podcast to Podomatic
While Podomatic has an import function, this doesn’t work for all hosting platforms. Instead, you might have to contact Podmatic’s support team to migrate your podcast for you. This can take up to a few days and still requires you to request a 301 redirect from your previous platform. This is a permanent redirect link from your old RSS feed link to your new one.
PRO Broadcaster members get access to migration and domain name assistance.
How to distribute your podcast using Podomatic
Step 1: Head to ‘settings’ in the left-hand column of your dashboard.
Step 2: You’ll see a list of different directories with the option to ‘Submit’.
Step 3: If you click ‘submit’ to Spotify, for example, you’ll be taken to a dedicated page with a checklist specific to the Spotify submission requirements.
Step 4: Follow the instructions and make sure that you fulfill all the checklist requirements.
How to monetize your podcast using Podomatic
Podomatic’s monetization capabilities are not native, but are made possible through partnerships with three external platforms: Patreon, Podcorn and What For Apparel.
Listener donations through Patreon
PRO subscribers of Podomatic can connect their Patreon account to begin receiving donations from their listeners.
Podcast merch with What For Apparel
You can create branded merchandise to sell to your audience through Podomatic’s partnership with What For Apparel.
What For Apparel fulfills orders on demand, so you don’t have to make any big up-front payments or manage substantial inventory . Customize your merchandise store and choose from a variety of different products to sell. Podomatic takes no commissions on sales you make so you get to keep all profits.
Podcast advertising with Podcorn
Podomatic partners with Podcorn to allow podcasters to monetize their shows using advertising. Connect easily with brands looking to advertise to a niche audience and earn revenue from a choice of host-read ads, brand interviews, custom content or brand sponsorships.
You retain full control over how ads are integrated into your content, which brands you work with, and your pricing. You can manage all your brand partnerships with full oversight through the Podcorn dashboard.
Podcorn charges brands as soon as you start working together so that you are guaranteed payment on time. 100% of ad commissions goes directly to you.
Podomatic podcast analytics
Podomatic offers its PRO subscribers access to their show statistics. You’ll find this in your ‘stats’ tab on your dashboard.
You’ll gain insights into:
- Geographical locations of your audience
- Number of plays, likes, embeds
- Number of times your content has been added to playlists
- New follows, comments, visits, and downloads
Podomatic ensures that your data is digestible and accessible, even if you’re not a numbers person. You’ll find charts, maps and tables that display your analytics in an easy to understand way.
Podomatic vs other podcast hosting platforms
Podomatic vs Anchor
The most blatant difference between Anchor and Podomatic is value for money. Anchor is totally free, but all creators get unlimited storage and access to a huge array of creation, publication, distribution and monetization features that proactively enhance your experience as a podcaster. In addition, with Anchor you can livestream and ‘Record with Friends’ remotely, which instantly broadens your horizons as a creator.
By contrast, although Podomatic does offer a free plan, this gives you access to limited bandwidth, storage, and features. If you’re weighing up between the two, Anchor is definitely the winner.
Podomatic vs Soundcloud
When comparing Podomatic and Soundcloud, the biggest factor is the fact that Podomatic is designed specifically with podcasters in mind whereas Soundcloud caters to all kinds of creators.
If you’re looking for a one-stop-shop where you can record, publish and manage your podcast, then choose Podomatic.
Plus, Soundcloud’s creator subscription plans Pro Unlimited and Repost by Soundcloud may not give podcasters everything they are looking for, compared to Podomatic’s podcaster specific features.
Podomatic vs Buzzsprout
Buzzsprout is one of the biggest names out there when it comes to podcast hosting. Similar to Podomatic, Buzzsprout’s pricing plans start at a free basic plan and rise incrementally up to $24/month with increasing levels of storage, bandwidth, and added features.
One major difference is that Buzzsprout does not have any creation features. However, on the other hand, Buzzsprout accommodates professional podcasters far better with its assisted migration and the ability to have team members associated with your account.
If you’re serious about podcasting, chances are you can give Podomatic’s more basic creation suite a miss any way. In which case, Buzzsprout is a great choice.
Podomatic vs Podbean
Podbean and Podomatic pitch themselves fairly equally. They both cater to podcast creation, publication, distribution, management and monetization. From a financial standpoint, Podbean is the obvious choice. For only $9/month you get unlimited storage and unmetered bandwidth, as well as access to the full suite of monetization features.
Final thoughts on Podomatic
Podomatic is an ideal hosting platform for entry level podcasters who are looking for a service that is straightforward and simple, whilst still offering a taste of the full package.
The creation capabilities that come with both the online recording booth and mobile app, though basic, are convenient and help to streamline the process if you’re a sole creator. Though podcasters looking to venture into the world of remote podcasting would need to look elsewhere. Additionally, the ability to monetize your podcast in three different ways is an added bonus that will help podcasters who are just starting out to create new revenue streams.
For professional podcasters, however, Podomatic just doesn’t offer the necessary high-level functionality. At this price point, you would be better off looking elsewhere.
FAQs about Podomatic
Is Podomatic free?
Podomatic has a basic subscription that is completely free. Bear in mind though, that it comes with limited bandwidth, storage and functionality.
How do you use Podomatic?
Using Podomatic is straightforward. Simply create an account, open up your dashboard, upload your pre-recorded content or head to the recording booth (or mobile app) to record.
Want to read more on podcast hosting platforms? Check out our other reviews:
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