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Anchor vs Castos

Anchor logo

Anchor

Software

Free podcast hosting and creation platform by Spotify

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Castos logo

Castos

Software

Simple podcast hosting for WordPress sites

From
$13/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Anchor has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Anchor no longer a standalone product. Spotify folded Anchor into its own podcaster tooling, and anchor.fm now redirects to creators.spotify.com; Castos transcripts are metered by tier, at 10 a month on Essentials and 100 on Pro
  • They diverge on capability: Anchor covers Unlimited podcast hosting, Castos covers Unlimited hosting.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Anchor and Castos actually diverge.

Attributes where Anchor and Castos differ
AttributeAnchorCastos
Starting priceFree$13/month
Pricing modelfreesubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, Ios, AndroidWeb, Wordpress
Founded20152016

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

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 Anchor

  • Unlimited podcast hosting
  • One-click distribution
  • Built-in recording
  • Episode scheduling
  • Monetization tools
  • Spotify
  • Apple Podcasts
  • Google Podcasts

Only in Castos

  • Unlimited hosting
  • WordPress integration
  • Distribution
  • Monetization
  • Email marketing
  • WordPress
  • All podcast platforms
  • Email services

Both cover

  • Analytics
  • Content protection
  • Web support

What people use each for

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

Anchor

  • Free podcast hosting and distributionnot Castos
  • Recording and basic editing from a phonenot Castos
  • Distributing an episode to Spotify and other directoriesnot Castos
  • Audience analytics for a shownot Castos

Castos

  • Podcast hosting with unlimited episodes and downloadsnot Anchor
  • Private and subscriber-only podcastsnot Anchor
  • Automatic transcription of episodesnot Anchor
  • Republishing episodes to YouTubenot Anchor
  • WordPress-integrated podcast publishingnot Anchor

Where each one falls short

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

Anchor

  • No longer a standalone product. Spotify folded Anchor into its own podcaster tooling, and anchor.fm now redirects to creators.spotify.com
  • Tying hosting to Spotify's platform means the analytics and monetisation follow Spotify's terms rather than a neutral host's

Castos

  • Transcripts are metered by tier, at 10 a month on Essentials and 100 on Pro
  • Private podcast subscribers are capped, at 100 on Essentials and 500 on Pro
  • Video hosting and the uptime SLA require the Pro tier at $99 a month
  • SSO and a dedicated account manager are Premium only, from $499 a month
  • Team seats are limited by tier, at 5 on Growth and 10 on Pro

Pricing, plan by plan

Anchor

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Unlimited hosting
    • Automatic distribution
    • Built-in recording tools

Castos

$13/month
  • Podcaster$13/month
    • Unlimited hosting
    • Automatic distribution
    • Basic analytics
  • Professional$29/month
    • All Podcaster features
    • Advanced analytics
    • Email marketing

Which should you pick?

Choose Anchor if

  • You need unlimited podcast hosting.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want one-click distribution.
Anchor review

Choose Castos if

  • You need unlimited hosting.
  • You work on Web, Wordpress.
  • You also want wordpress integration.
Castos review

Questions people ask

Is Anchor or Castos better?
Neither clearly leads. Anchor starts at Free and Castos at $13/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Anchor or Castos?
Anchor has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Anchor and $13/month for Castos.
Does Anchor or Castos run on more platforms?
Anchor runs on Web, Ios, Android. Castos runs on Web, Wordpress.
Can I use Anchor for free?
Yes. Anchor has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Castos starts at $13/month.
What is Anchor best used for?
Anchor is most often used for free podcast hosting and distribution, recording and basic editing from a phone, distributing an episode to spotify and other directories, audience analytics for a show. Of those, free podcast hosting and distribution and recording and basic editing from a phone are not what Castos is typically brought in for.
What can Anchor do that Castos cannot?
Anchor covers Unlimited podcast hosting, One-click distribution, Built-in recording, Episode scheduling. Castos covers Unlimited hosting, WordPress integration, Distribution, Monetization. Both handle Analytics, Content protection, Web support.
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