Podbean vs Simplecast
Podbean and Simplecast are both podcast & audio tools aimed at creators and small businesses. Simplecast costs less, from $15/mo versus $17/mo for Podbean. Only Podbean has a free plan.
Podcast hosting with ads, fan support and private business podcasts
Podcast hosting with IAB-certified analytics and AdsWizz monetization
| Pricing | Freemium · $17 | Paid · $15 |
| Starting price | $17/mo | $15/mo |
| Free plan | Yes | No |
| Free trial | 14 days | 14 days |
| Built for | Creators, Small businesses, Enterprise | Creators, Small businesses, Enterprise |
| Platforms | web, ios, android | web |
| Country | US · 2006 | US · 2013 |
| 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 Simplecast if
Growing podcasts and networks that want IAB-certified analytics and a path to ad revenue through SiriusXM's AdsWizz.
- Certified analytics that advertisers and networks trust
- Direct path to programmatic ad revenue through AdsWizz
- Unlimited storage, no per-hour upload limits
Look elsewhere if: Hobby podcasters or beginners on a tight budget (Buzzsprout, Transistor, Captivate).
Podbean vs Simplecast 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
Simplecast
- Basic$15/mo$13.50/mo prepaid annually; 20K downloads/mo, 2 seats
- Essential$35/mo$31.50/mo prepaid annually; 50K downloads/mo, 4 seats
- ProfessionalCustomDynamic ad insertion, AdsWizz marketplace, ad-free feeds
- EnterpriseCustomAPI, white-label RSS, high bitrate audio, success manager
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
Simplecast · Key features
- Unlimited audio storage and uploads on every plan
- Multiple shows under one account with per-show team permissions
- IAB Tech Lab certified download and listener analytics
- Location, app, browser and unique listener reports on Essential
- Automatic show website with themes and custom domain
- Embeddable episode and show players with drop-off analytics
Cons
- Download caps make costs rise quickly as a show grows
- Dynamic ad insertion requires a sales-led plan
- Only two team seats on the Basic plan
Podbean vs Simplecast: FAQ
Which is cheaper, Podbean or Simplecast?
Simplecast starts at $15/mo and Podbean at $17/mo. Both prices are checked on the vendors' own pricing pages.
Do Podbean and Simplecast have a free plan?
Podbean has a free plan. Simplecast has no free plan, a 14-day free trial.