Happy Valley

Podbean vs RSS.com

Podbean and RSS.com are both podcast & audio tools aimed at creators and small businesses. Podbean costs less, from $17/mo versus $19.99/mo for RSS.com. Both have a free plan.

Podbean

Podcast hosting with ads, fan support and private business podcasts

RSS.com

Podcast hosting with a free plan, AI transcripts and video publishing

PricingFreemium · $17Freemium · $20
Starting price$17/mo$19.99/mo
Free planYesYes
Free trial14 days—
Built forCreators, Small businesses, EnterpriseCreators, Small businesses, Freelancers
Platformsweb, ios, androidweb
CountryUS · 2006US · 2018
Rating——

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).

Choose RSS.com if

Independent podcasters and small networks who want unlimited hosting, transcripts and simple monetisation at a low price.

  • Genuine free plan with unlimited episodes and no expiry date
  • Clear, low pricing with 25% off on annual billing
  • Strong support for open standards like Podcasting 2.0 and Podping

Look elsewhere if: Companies that need private internal podcasts or advanced enterprise controls (Transistor, Captivate).

Podbean vs RSS.com pricing

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

RSS.com

  • Free$01 audio podcast, unlimited episodes; card needed for 2nd episode
  • Plus$19.99/mo$15/mo billed annually; AI transcripts, ads, up to 3 team members
  • Pro$34.99/mo$26/mo billed annually; up to 10 podcasts, unlimited team
  • Max$49.99/mo$37/mo billed annually; unlimited audio and video podcasts, API
  • CustomCustomDynamic ad insertion campaigns, video at scale, ad-free options

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

RSS.com · Key features

  • Unlimited episodes and storage on every plan, including Free
  • Automatic distribution to Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music and YouTube Music
  • AI-generated transcripts plus Podcasting 2.0 chapters and soundbites
  • PAID programmatic ads with pre, mid and post-roll insertion
  • IAB-certified analytics for downloads, apps, devices and locations
  • Free podcast website with web player, donations and Listen On buttons

Cons

  • Free plan needs a credit card before the second episode
  • No private or internal podcast feeds for company use
  • Team access and multiple shows require Plus or Pro

Podbean vs RSS.com: FAQ

Which is cheaper, Podbean or RSS.com?

Podbean starts at $17/mo and RSS.com at $19.99/mo. Both prices are checked on the vendors' own pricing pages.

Do Podbean and RSS.com have a free plan?

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

Not sure yet?