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Podcast & Audio Publishing · head to head

Acast vs Buzzsprout

Acast logo

Acast

Podcast & Audio Publishing

Enterprise podcast hosting and advertising

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Buzzsprout logo

Buzzsprout

Podcast & Audio Publishing

Simple and powerful podcast hosting made easy

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Buzzsprout has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Acast the free Starter tier is limited to 1 show and 5 episodes; unlimited episodes require making the show available in Acast's advertising marketplace; Buzzsprout upload hours do not carry over monthly; unused allocation lost
  • They diverge on capability: Acast covers Enterprise hosting, Buzzsprout covers Audio optimization.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Acast and Buzzsprout actually diverge.

Attributes where Acast and Buzzsprout differ
AttributeAcastBuzzsprout
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelquotefreemium
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWebWeb, Mobile
Founded20142009

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Podcast & Audio Publishing).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Acast

  • Enterprise hosting
  • Dynamic ad insertion
  • Sponsorship platform
  • Analytics
  • Monetization
  • API access
  • All podcast platforms
  • Advertising networks

Only in Buzzsprout

  • Audio optimization
  • Automatic distribution
  • Episode transcription
  • Custom podcast website
  • Analytics dashboard
  • Magic Mastering
  • Apple Podcasts
  • Spotify

Both cover

  • Web support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Acast

  • Hosting and distributing a podcast to all major listening appsnot Buzzsprout
  • Monetising episodes through the Acast advertising marketplace and sponsorshipsnot Buzzsprout
  • Publishing video podcast episodes alongside audionot Buzzsprout

Buzzsprout

  • Podcast hostingnot Acast
  • Audio and video podcast distributionnot Acast
  • Transcription and show notes generationnot Acast
  • Podcast analytics and monetisationnot Acast

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Acast

  • The free Starter tier is limited to 1 show and 5 episodes; unlimited episodes require making the show available in Acast's advertising marketplace
  • Multiple shows require the paid Influencer plan at $14.99 per month billed annually or $25 per month billed monthly
  • Team management, prioritised support and the Publishing API require the Pro plan at $29.99 per month billed annually or $40 per month monthly
  • Publishing video episodes to Apple Podcasts requires the Video plan at $39.99 per month billed annually or $50 per month monthly
  • The Video plan includes only 10,000 monthly video views
  • A payment card is required to sign up even for the free tier
  • The Creator Network tier is quote only with no published price

Buzzsprout

  • Upload hours do not carry over monthly; unused allocation lost
  • Overage charges apply at plan rate for additional uploads

Pricing, plan by plan

Acast

On request
  • Enterprise$undefined/month
    • Unlimited hosting
    • Dynamic ad insertion
    • Sponsorship marketplace

Buzzsprout

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Buzzsprout review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Acast if

  • You need enterprise hosting.
  • You also want dynamic ad insertion.
Acast review

Choose Buzzsprout if

  • You need audio optimization.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Mobile.
  • You also want automatic distribution.
Buzzsprout review

Questions people ask

Is Acast or Buzzsprout better?
Neither clearly leads. Acast starts at On request and Buzzsprout at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Acast or Buzzsprout?
Buzzsprout has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Acast and Free for Buzzsprout.
Does Acast or Buzzsprout run on more platforms?
Acast runs on Web. Buzzsprout runs on Web, Mobile.
Can I use Buzzsprout for free?
Yes. Buzzsprout has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Acast starts at On request.
What is Acast best used for?
Acast is most often used for hosting and distributing a podcast to all major listening apps, monetising episodes through the acast advertising marketplace and sponsorships, publishing video podcast episodes alongside audio. Of those, hosting and distributing a podcast to all major listening apps and monetising episodes through the acast advertising marketplace and sponsorships are not what Buzzsprout is typically brought in for.
What can Acast do that Buzzsprout cannot?
Acast covers Enterprise hosting, Dynamic ad insertion, Sponsorship platform, Analytics. Buzzsprout covers Audio optimization, Automatic distribution, Episode transcription, Custom podcast website. Both handle Web support.
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Related pages

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