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Podcast & Audio Publishing · head to head

Acast vs Fireside

Acast logo

Acast

Podcast & Audio Publishing

Enterprise podcast hosting and advertising

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Fireside logo

Fireside

Podcast & Audio Publishing

Podcast hosting with community features

From
$20/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • 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; Fireside starter plan at $9 per month allows one podcast and 5 episodes per month
  • They diverge on capability: Acast covers Enterprise hosting, Fireside covers Unlimited hosting.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Acast and Fireside actually diverge.

Attributes where Acast and Fireside differ
AttributeAcastFireside
Starting priceOn request$20/month
Pricing modelquotesubscription
Founded20142018

Identical on both: free tier (No), platforms (Web), 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
  • API access
  • Advertising networks
  • CMS systems
  • Enterprise security
  • SOC 2 compliant

Only in Fireside

  • Unlimited hosting
  • Community features
  • Distribution
  • Listener engagement
  • Email services
  • Social media
  • Content protection
  • Privacy controls

Both cover

  • Analytics
  • Monetization
  • All podcast platforms
  • 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 Fireside
  • Monetising episodes through the Acast advertising marketplace and sponsorshipsnot Fireside
  • Publishing video podcast episodes alongside audionot Fireside

Fireside

  • Hosting a podcast together with a customisable podcast websitenot Acast
  • Running several shows as a podcast network from one accountnot Acast
  • Tracking episode download metrics and link clicksnot 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

Fireside

  • Starter plan at $9 per month allows one podcast and 5 episodes per month
  • Custom domain with SSL requires the $19 per month Standard plan; Starter sites sit on a Fireside subdomain
  • Additional podcasts beyond the one included on Standard cost $8 per month each
  • Bandwidth is capped at 1TB per month on Standard and 5TB per month on Professional
  • Advanced download metrics and click tracking require the $49 per month Professional plan

Pricing, plan by plan

Acast

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

Fireside

$20/month
  • Creator$20/month
    • Unlimited hosting
    • Community features
    • Distribution
  • Network$50/month
    • Multiple shows
    • Team management
    • Advanced analytics

Which should you pick?

Choose Acast if

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

Choose Fireside if

  • You need unlimited hosting.
  • You also want community features.
Fireside review

Questions people ask

Is Acast or Fireside better?
Neither clearly leads. Acast starts at On request and Fireside at $20/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Acast or Fireside?
Acast starts at On request and Fireside at $20/month.
Does Acast or Fireside run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
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 Fireside is typically brought in for.
What can Acast do that Fireside cannot?
Acast covers Enterprise hosting, Dynamic ad insertion, Sponsorship platform, API access. Fireside covers Unlimited hosting, Community features, Distribution, Listener engagement. Both handle Analytics, Monetization, All podcast platforms, Web support.
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