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ElevenLabs vs Podbean

ElevenLabs and Podbean are both podcast & audio tools. ElevenLabs is aimed at creators and developers, while Podbean is aimed at creators and small businesses. ElevenLabs costs less, from $6/mo versus $17/mo for Podbean. Both have a free plan.

ElevenLabs

Realistic AI voices, dubbing and speech-to-text

Podbean

Podcast hosting with ads, fan support and private business podcasts

PricingFreemium · $6Freemium · $17
Starting price$6/mo$17/mo
Free planYesYes
Free trial—14 days
Built forCreators, Developers, EnterpriseCreators, Small businesses, Enterprise
Platformswebweb, ios, android
CountryUS · 2022US · 2006
Rating——

Choose ElevenLabs if

Creators, developers and businesses needing high-quality synthetic voice.

  • Most natural voices available
  • Broad product surface: TTS, STT, dubbing, agents
  • Developer-friendly API

Look elsewhere if: Occasional users who can use built-in TTS in their OS or editor.

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).

ElevenLabs vs Podbean pricing

ElevenLabs

  • Free$010k credits/mo
  • Starter$6/mo30k credits, commercial license; $5/mo yearly
  • Creator$22/mo121k credits, pro voice cloning; first month $11
  • Pro$99/mo600k credits, 44.1kHz PCM via API
  • Scale$299/mo1.8M credits, 3 seats

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

ElevenLabs · Key features

  • Text to speech with expressive multilingual models
  • Instant and professional voice cloning
  • Dubbing with translation and lip sync
  • Conversational AI agents for voice calls
  • Sound effects and music generation
  • Scribe speech-to-text and audio isolation

Cons

  • Credits deplete quickly for long-form content
  • Voice cloning ethics and consent requirements
  • Attribution needed on free tier

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

ElevenLabs vs Podbean: FAQ

Which is cheaper, ElevenLabs or Podbean?

ElevenLabs starts at $6/mo and Podbean at $17/mo. Both prices are checked on the vendors' own pricing pages.

Do ElevenLabs and Podbean have a free plan?

Yes, both ElevenLabs and Podbean have a free plan; paid plans add more usage and features.

Which is better for small businesses, ElevenLabs or Podbean?

Podbean lists small businesses as a core audience, while ElevenLabs is aimed more at creators and developers.

Not sure yet?

ElevenLabs vs Podbean (2026): Pricing and Features