Acast vs Podbean
Acast and Podbean are both podcast & audio tools. Acast is aimed at creators and enterprise, while Podbean is aimed at creators and small businesses. Podbean costs less, from $17/mo versus $25/mo for Acast. Both have a free plan.
Hosting with built-in ad marketplace
Podcast hosting with ads, fan support and private business podcasts
| Pricing | Freemium · $25 | Freemium · $17 |
| Starting price | $25/mo | $17/mo |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | 14 days |
| Built for | Creators, Enterprise | Creators, Small businesses, Enterprise |
| Platforms | web | web, ios, android |
| Country | SE · 2014 | US · 2006 |
| 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 Podbean if
Independent podcasters and small networks that want hosting, distribution and several monetization paths in one plan.
- Many monetization options under one hosting fee
- Unlimited storage removes worry about back catalog size
- Free plan lets you test publishing before paying
Look elsewhere if: Brands that want the cleanest analytics and multi-show management or free Spotify-native hosting (Transistor, Captivate, Spotify for Creators).
Acast vs Podbean 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
Podbean
- Basic$05 hours total storage, 100 GB bandwidth per month
- Unlimited Audio$17/mo$12/mo billed annually; 1 audio show, 1 GB uploads/mo
- Unlimited Plus$39/mo$29/mo billed annually; 2 shows incl. video, 10 GB/mo
- Network$99/mo$79/mo billed annually; unlimited shows, 50 team members
- Business$129/mo$99/mo billed annually; unlimited private podcasts
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
Podbean · Key features
- Unlimited storage and unmetered bandwidth on most paid plans
- Distribution to Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music and more
- PodAds dynamic ad insertion and a sponsorship ads marketplace
- Patron fan support, premium episodes and Apple Podcasts Subscriptions
- AI audio cleanup, transcripts, show notes and chapter markers
- Mobile app for recording, remote guests and live streaming
Cons
- Dashboard and editor feel dated next to newer hosts
- Monthly upload caps still limit long or frequent episodes
- Free plan's 5 hours of total storage fill quickly
Acast vs Podbean: FAQ
Which is cheaper, Acast or Podbean?
Podbean starts at $17/mo and Acast at $25/mo. Both prices are checked on the vendors' own pricing pages.
Do Acast and Podbean have a free plan?
Yes, both Acast and Podbean have a free plan; paid plans add more usage and features.
Which is better for small businesses, Acast or Podbean?
Podbean lists small businesses as a core audience, while Acast is aimed more at creators and enterprise.