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Video Production · head to head

Anchor vs Glow.fm

Anchor logo

Anchor

Video Production

Free podcast hosting and creation platform by Spotify

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Glow.fm logo

Glow.fm

Podcasting

Premium podcast subscriptions made simple

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • 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; Glow.fm the Internet Archive's capture of Glow's pricing page on 6 December 2021 listed Basic starting at $0/month plus $0.55 per listener per month or $2 per one-time purchase, and Professional starting at $300/month for unlimited listeners with podcast hosting capped at 150,000 downloads per month; card processing adds $0.30 plus 2.9% per transaction on both tiers.
  • They diverge on capability: Anchor covers Unlimited podcast hosting, Glow.fm covers Private RSS feeds.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Anchor and Glow.fm actually diverge.

Attributes where Anchor and Glow.fm differ
AttributeAnchorGlow.fm
Pricing modelfreetransaction
PlatformsWeb, Ios, AndroidWeb
CategoryVideo ProductionPodcasting
Founded20152019

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated).

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 Glow.fm

  • Private RSS feeds
  • Any app support
  • Tiered subscriptions
  • Subscriber management
  • Payment processing
  • All podcast apps
  • Stripe
  • Email platforms

Both cover

  • Analytics
  • Web support

What people use each for

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

Anchor

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

Glow.fm

  • Premium podcastsnot Anchor
  • Subscriber contentnot Anchor
  • Membership tiersnot Anchor
  • Direct monetizationnot 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

Glow.fm

  • The Internet Archive's capture of Glow's pricing page on 6 December 2021 listed Basic starting at $0/month plus $0.55 per listener per month or $2 per one-time purchase, and Professional starting at $300/month for unlimited listeners with podcast hosting capped at 150,000 downloads per month; card processing adds $0.30 plus 2.9% per transaction on both tiers.

Pricing, plan by plan

Anchor

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

Glow.fm

Free
  • StandardFree
    • Private RSS feeds
    • Any podcast app support
    • Subscription management

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 Glow.fm if

  • You need private rss feeds.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want any app support.
Glow.fm review

Questions people ask

Is Anchor or Glow.fm better?
Neither clearly leads. Anchor starts at Free and Glow.fm at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Anchor or Glow.fm?
Anchor starts at Free and Glow.fm at Free.
Does Anchor or Glow.fm run on more platforms?
Anchor runs on Web, Ios, Android. Glow.fm runs on Web.
Can I use Anchor for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
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 Glow.fm is typically brought in for.
What can Anchor do that Glow.fm cannot?
Anchor covers Unlimited podcast hosting, One-click distribution, Built-in recording, Episode scheduling. Glow.fm covers Private RSS feeds, Any app support, Tiered subscriptions, Subscriber management. Both handle Analytics, Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Anchor: Does Spotify for Creators charge a fee for podcasters?

No pricing information is published on the main Spotify for Creators page. The site focuses on features like growth tools, monetization, and customization.

Source
Anchor: How do I find pricing for Spotify for Creators?

Pricing details would need to be found in the sign-up flow, help center, or by contacting Spotify support directly.

Source
Anchor: What monetization features does Spotify for Creators include?

The site mentions monetization as a feature but does not specify details, rates, or minimum thresholds for creators to earn revenue.

Source
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