Happy Valley

Podbean vs Spreaker

Podbean and Spreaker are both podcast & audio tools aimed at creators and small businesses. Podbean costs less, from $17/mo versus $20/mo for Spreaker. Both have a free plan.

Podbean

Podcast hosting with ads, fan support and private business podcasts

Spreaker

iHeartMedia podcast hosting with built-in ad and listener monetisation

PricingFreemium · $17Freemium · $20
Starting price$17/mo$20/mo
Free planYesYes
Free trial14 days—
Built forCreators, Small businesses, EnterpriseCreators, Small businesses, Enterprise
Platformsweb, ios, androidweb, ios, android
CountryUS · 2006US
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 Spreaker if

Independent podcasters and small networks that want free hosting with built-in ad and listener monetisation from the start.

  • Monetisation is available even on the free plan
  • Backed by iHeartMedia's audio advertising demand
  • Fixed monthly prices with no hidden fees

Look elsewhere if: Beginners wanting the simplest workflow or shows seeking premium sponsorship sales (Buzzsprout, Acast, Transistor).

Podbean vs Spreaker 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

Spreaker

  • Free Speech$01 podcast, unlimited episodes, ads, 6 months of stats
  • Broadcaster$20/moUnlimited podcasts, subscriptions, 0% Supporters Club fee
  • Anchorman$50/moFull stats, custom player colours, unlimited collaborators
  • Publisher$250/moAd Campaign Manager, sell your own ads, 24 months of stats

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

Spreaker · Key features

  • Unlimited episodes and automatic distribution to major podcast apps
  • Programmatic ad monetisation through iHeartMedia's ad network
  • Supporters Club for monthly listener payments
  • Private podcasts and Apple Podcasts Subscriptions on paid plans
  • Ad Campaign Manager to sell and traffic your own ads on Publisher
  • Customizable RSS feeds and embeddable web player

Cons

  • Free plan keeps statistics for only six months
  • Interface and editor feel dated next to newer hosts
  • No annual billing discount listed

Podbean vs Spreaker: FAQ

Which is cheaper, Podbean or Spreaker?

Podbean starts at $17/mo and Spreaker at $20/mo. Both prices are checked on the vendors' own pricing pages.

Do Podbean and Spreaker have a free plan?

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

Not sure yet?