Acast vs Spotify for Creators

Acast is a podcast hosting and monetization company founded in Stockholm, Sweden, and listed on Nasdaq First North. Its core job is to host shows, distribute them to Apple Podcasts, Spotify and every other directory, and then turn listens into revenue through one of the largest podcast advertising marketplaces in the world.

The free Starter plan covers hosting and distribution. Paid tiers (Essential, Pro and Video) add multiple shows, unlimited episodes, team management, a publishing API and video publishing to Apple Podcasts. Acast inserts dynamic ads sold by its own sales teams and programmatic partners into back catalog episodes, so older episodes keep earning. Acast+ lets creators sell premium subscriptions with bonus or ad-free episodes, and sponsorship tools connect shows with brands directly.

Acast fits independent and network podcasters for whom advertising is the business model and who want access to advertisers they could not reach alone. The trade-off is a revenue share on ads and less control over which ads appear. Transistor is a better choice for companies running private or branded shows, Buzzsprout is simpler for hobbyists, and Spotify for Creators offers free hosting tied closely to Spotify. For shows with real audiences that want to be paid, Acast remains one of the strongest options.

Spotify for Creators is Spotify's free podcast hosting and creator platform. It grew out of Anchor, the podcast startup Spotify acquired in 2019, which became Spotify for Podcasters and was renamed Spotify for Creators in late 2024 as Spotify pushed further into video podcasts.

Creators can upload audio or video episodes, publish them to Spotify and distribute everywhere else through an RSS feed, including Apple Podcasts and other apps. On Spotify, video episodes, interactive polls, Q&A, comments and detailed audience analytics are available, along with episode scheduling and simple recording and editing tools in the mobile app. Monetization options include ads, paid subscriptions in eligible markets and the Spotify Partner Program, launched in early 2025 in a limited set of countries including the US and UK, which pays qualifying video podcasters based on Premium engagement. Hosting is free with unlimited episodes and storage.

It is the easiest way to start a podcast at no cost, especially for creators whose audience listens on Spotify or who want to grow a video podcast there. Many advanced features only work inside Spotify, monetization programs have eligibility rules and country limits, and businesses needing private feeds, dynamic ad insertion across platforms or multiple shows under one team usually prefer Buzzsprout, Transistor or Captivate. YouTube is the main alternative for creators focused on video podcast reach.