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Podcasting · head to head

Acast vs Zencastr

Acast logo

Acast

Podcasting

Enterprise podcast hosting and advertising

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Zencastr logo

Zencastr

Podcasting

Free podcast recording in your browser

From
Free
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; Zencastr the pricing page lists no dollar amount for any tier; the paid Enterprise tier is marked Custom and requires contacting sales
  • They diverge on capability: Acast covers Enterprise hosting, Zencastr covers Browser-based recording.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Acast and Zencastr actually diverge.

Attributes where Acast and Zencastr differ
AttributeAcastZencastr
Founded20142015

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (freemium), free tier (Yes), platforms (Web), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Podcasting).

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 Zencastr

  • Browser-based recording
  • Separate tracks
  • Automatic postproduction
  • Video recording
  • Lossless audio
  • Cloud storage
  • Dropbox
  • Google Drive

Both cover

  • Web support

What people use each for

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

Acast

  • Podcast distribution and monetizationnot Zencastr
  • Ad network managementnot Zencastr
  • Listener analytics trackingnot Zencastr
  • Multi-platform publishingnot Zencastr

Zencastr

  • Recording remote podcast interviews with separate local tracks per guestnot Acast
  • Recording video podcasts in the browser without guest software installsnot Acast
  • Publishing recorded episodes and clips from one workspacenot 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

Zencastr

  • The pricing page lists no dollar amount for any tier; the paid Enterprise tier is marked Custom and requires contacting sales
  • The free tier caps a session at 6 participants
  • The free tier caps video streaming quality at 1080p
  • The free tier is limited to 5 podcast shows and 4 seats

Pricing, plan by plan

Acast

Free
  • StarterFree
    • 1 show
    • 5 episodes (unlimited with monetization)
    • Basic podcast website
  • Essential$25/month
    • Unlimited shows
    • Unlimited episodes
    • All Starter features
  • Pro$40/month
    • Unlimited shows
    • Unlimited episodes
    • All Essential features
  • Video$50/month
    • Unlimited shows
    • Unlimited episodes
    • All Pro features

Zencastr

Free
  • HobbyistFree
    • 8 hours/month audio
    • MP3 quality
    • Up to 2 guests
  • Professional$20/month
    • Unlimited recording
    • WAV lossless quality
    • Video recording

Which should you pick?

Choose Acast if

  • You need enterprise hosting.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want dynamic ad insertion.
Acast review

Choose Zencastr if

  • You need browser-based recording.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want separate tracks.
Zencastr review

Questions people ask

Is Acast or Zencastr better?
Neither clearly leads. Acast starts at Free and Zencastr at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Acast or Zencastr?
Acast starts at Free and Zencastr at Free.
Does Acast or Zencastr run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use Acast for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Acast best used for?
Acast is most often used for podcast distribution and monetization, ad network management, listener analytics tracking, multi-platform publishing. Of those, podcast distribution and monetization and ad network management are not what Zencastr is typically brought in for.
What can Acast do that Zencastr cannot?
Acast covers Enterprise hosting, Dynamic ad insertion, Sponsorship platform, Analytics. Zencastr covers Browser-based recording, Separate tracks, Automatic postproduction, Video recording. Both handle Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Acast: What is the minimum cost to publish a podcast on Acast?

Acast offers a free Starter plan that allows publishing 1 show with up to 5 episodes. To unlock unlimited episodes and multiple shows, the Essential plan starts at EUR 25 per month.

Source
Zencastr: Is Zencastr free to use?

Zencastr offers a free plan called Vibecastr with the option to upgrade to Enterprise with custom pricing.

Source
Acast: How does Acast's annual billing discount work?

Annual plans are discounted versus monthly billing. Essential plan costs EUR 14.99 per month when billed yearly, Pro costs EUR 29.99 monthly when annual, and Video costs EUR 39.99 monthly when annual.

Source
Zencastr: What support level comes with Zencastr's free plan?

The free Vibecastr plan includes Producer-level support, while Enterprise plans offer custom support arrangements.

Source
Acast: Which Acast plan includes team management and API access?

The Pro plan (EUR 40 per month) includes team management, prioritized support, and publishing API access. Pricing is for monthly billing.

Source
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