Acast vs Captivate
Acast and Captivate are both podcast & audio tools. Acast is aimed at creators and enterprise, while Captivate is aimed at creators and small businesses. Captivate costs less, from $19/mo versus $25/mo for Acast. Only Acast has a free plan.
| Pricing | Freemium · $25 | Paid · $19 |
| Starting price | $25/mo | $19/mo |
| Free plan | Yes | No |
| Free trial | — | 30 days |
| Built for | Creators, Enterprise | Creators, Small businesses |
| Platforms | web | web |
| Country | SE · 2014 | GB · 2019 |
| Rating | — | — |
Choose Acast if
Podcasters seeking ad revenue at scale.
- Strong monetization network
- Free starter plan
- Large advertiser reach
Look elsewhere if: Private or internal podcasts (Transistor).
Choose Captivate if
Podcasters focused on growing and monetizing.
- Strong growth features
- Unlimited shows
- Good analytics
Look elsewhere if: Casual hobbyists.
Acast vs Captivate pricing
Acast
- Starter$01 show, 5 episodes; ad monetization included
- Essential$25/mo$14.99/mo billed annually; multiple shows, unlimited episodes
- Pro$40/mo$29.99/mo billed annually; team management, publishing API
- Video$50/mo$39.99/mo billed annually; video to Apple Podcasts, 10k views/mo
Captivate
- Personal€17/moBilled yearly; 30,000 downloads/mo, unlimited podcasts
- Professional€44/moBilled yearly; 150,000 downloads/mo
- Business€90/moBilled yearly; 300,000 downloads/mo
Acast · Key features
- Free hosting and distribution
- Ad marketplace and dynamic insertion
- Acast+ subscriptions
- Analytics
- Sponsorship opportunities
- Podcast website
Cons
- Revenue share on ads
- Less control over ads
- Advanced features paid
Captivate · Key features
- Unlimited podcasts and team members
- Growth tools: smart links, CTAs
- Private and premium podcasts
- Dynamic ad insertion
- IAB-certified analytics
- Podcast websites
Cons
- Download-based tiers
- No free plan
- Smaller brand than Buzzsprout
Acast vs Captivate: FAQ
Which is cheaper, Acast or Captivate?
Captivate starts at $19/mo and Acast at $25/mo. Both prices are checked on the vendors' own pricing pages.
Do Acast and Captivate have a free plan?
Acast has a free plan. Captivate has no free plan, a 30-day free trial.
Which is better for small businesses, Acast or Captivate?
Captivate lists small businesses as a core audience, while Acast is aimed more at creators and enterprise.