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Acast vs Simplecast

Acast logo

Acast

Software

Enterprise podcast hosting and advertising

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Simplecast logo

Simplecast

Software

Hosting for professional podcast networks

From
$15/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; Simplecast basic plan at $15 per month includes only 20,000 monthly downloads and 2 team seats
  • They diverge on capability: Acast covers Enterprise hosting, Simplecast covers Unlimited hosting.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Acast and Simplecast actually diverge.

Attributes where Acast and Simplecast differ
AttributeAcastSimplecast
Starting priceOn request$15/month
Pricing modelquotesubscription

Identical on both: free tier (No), platforms (Web), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown), founded (2014).

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
  • Sponsorship platform
  • Monetization
  • Data protection

Only in Simplecast

  • Unlimited hosting
  • Distribution
  • Team collaboration
  • Access controls

Both cover

  • Dynamic ad insertion
  • Analytics
  • API access
  • All podcast platforms
  • Advertising networks
  • CMS systems
  • Enterprise security
  • SOC 2 compliant
  • 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 Simplecast
  • Monetising episodes through the Acast advertising marketplace and sponsorshipsnot Simplecast
  • Publishing video podcast episodes alongside audionot Simplecast

Simplecast

  • Hosting podcasts with per-episode analytics and audience metricsnot Acast
  • Distributing shows to Apple Podcasts, Spotify and other directoriesnot Acast
  • Monetising podcasts through dynamic ad insertion at the Professional tiernot 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

Simplecast

  • Basic plan at $15 per month includes only 20,000 monthly downloads and 2 team seats
  • Essential plan at $35 per month includes 50,000 monthly downloads and 4 team seats
  • Dynamic ad insertion and campaign management are only on the Professional plan, which is quoted by sales with no published rate
  • API access for publishing and campaign management is Enterprise only
  • Annual prepayment is required to get the 10 percent discount

Pricing, plan by plan

Acast

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

Simplecast

$15/month
  • Creator$15/month
    • Unlimited hosting
    • Analytics
    • Distribution
  • Studio$49/month
    • All Creator features
    • Dynamic ad insertion
    • Team access
  • Enterprise$undefined/month
    • Custom features
    • API access
    • Dedicated manager

Which should you pick?

Choose Acast if

  • You need enterprise hosting.
  • You also want sponsorship platform.
Acast review

Choose Simplecast if

  • You need unlimited hosting.
  • You also want distribution.
Simplecast review

Questions people ask

Is Acast or Simplecast better?
Neither clearly leads. Acast starts at On request and Simplecast at $15/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Acast or Simplecast?
Acast starts at On request and Simplecast at $15/month.
Does Acast or Simplecast 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 Simplecast is typically brought in for.
What can Acast do that Simplecast cannot?
Acast covers Enterprise hosting, Sponsorship platform, Monetization, Data protection. Simplecast covers Unlimited hosting, Distribution, Team collaboration, Access controls. Both handle Dynamic ad insertion, Analytics, API access, All podcast platforms.
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