Acast vs Castos
Acast and Castos are both podcast & audio tools. Acast is aimed at creators and enterprise, while Castos is aimed at creators and small businesses. Castos costs less, from $19/mo versus $25/mo for Acast. Only Acast has a free plan.
Hosting with built-in ad marketplace
Podcast hosting with private feeds and a WordPress plugin
| Pricing | Freemium · $25 | Paid · $19 |
| Starting price | $25/mo | $19/mo |
| Free plan | Yes | No |
| Free trial | — | 14 days |
| Built for | Creators, Enterprise | Creators, Small businesses, Enterprise |
| Platforms | web | web, ios, android |
| Country | SE · 2014 | US · 2017 |
| 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 Castos if
Businesses and creators who need private or members-only podcasts, or WordPress publishers who want hosting tied to their site.
- Private podcasting is included on every plan, not an add-on
- No download caps or per-show fees
- Deep WordPress integration through a well-used plugin
Look elsewhere if: Hobbyists who want free hosting or podcasters focused only on public shows on a budget (Spotify for Creators, Buzzsprout).
Acast vs Castos 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
Castos
- Essentials$19/moUnlimited shows and downloads, 100 private subscribers
- Growth$49/mo250 private subscribers, YouTube republishing; $490/yr
- Pro$99/mo500 private subscribers, video hosting, 10 team members
- PremiumFrom $499/moSSO, unlimited team, custom contracts; from $4,990/yr
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
Castos · Key features
- Unlimited podcasts, episodes and downloads on every plan
- Private and hybrid feeds with revocable per-listener access
- Seriously Simple Podcasting plugin to publish from WordPress
- YouTube republishing and video podcast hosting on higher tiers
- IAB-compliant analytics for listens, apps, locations and followers
- Dynamic ad insertion, Castos Ads and sponsor Campaigns on old episodes
Cons
- No free plan, unlike Spotify for Creators
- Private subscriber caps rise only with plan or $50 per 500 add-on
- Video hosting requires the $99 Pro plan
Acast vs Castos: FAQ
Which is cheaper, Acast or Castos?
Castos starts at $19/mo and Acast at $25/mo. Both prices are checked on the vendors' own pricing pages.
Do Acast and Castos have a free plan?
Acast has a free plan. Castos has no free plan, a 14-day free trial.
Which is better for small businesses, Acast or Castos?
Castos lists small businesses as a core audience, while Acast is aimed more at creators and enterprise.