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Apple Podcasts Connect vs Glow.fm

Apple Podcasts Connect logo

Apple Podcasts Connect

Software

Manage and distribute your podcast on Apple Podcasts

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Glow.fm logo

Glow.fm

Software

Premium podcast subscriptions made simple

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Apple Podcasts Connect requires an Apple account, and a show has to be claimed before it can be managed; 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: Apple Podcasts Connect covers Podcast submission, Glow.fm covers Private RSS feeds.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Apple Podcasts Connect and Glow.fm actually diverge.

Attributes where Apple Podcasts Connect and Glow.fm differ
AttributeApple Podcasts ConnectGlow.fm
Pricing modelfreetransaction
PlatformsWeb, Ios, MacosWeb
Founded19762019

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), 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 Apple Podcasts Connect

  • Podcast submission
  • Episode management
  • Subscription monetization
  • Show optimization
  • Multi-show management
  • RSS feeds
  • Hosting platforms
  • Apple ecosystem

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.

Apple Podcasts Connect

  • Submitting a new podcast to Apple Podcastsnot Glow.fm
  • Claiming an existing show so it is registered to your accountnot Glow.fm
  • Reviewing Apple Podcasts listener trends and analyticsnot Glow.fm
  • Managing show artwork and metadatanot Glow.fm

Glow.fm

  • Premium podcastsnot Apple Podcasts Connect
  • Subscriber contentnot Apple Podcasts Connect
  • Membership tiersnot Apple Podcasts Connect
  • Direct monetizationnot Apple Podcasts Connect

Where each one falls short

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

Apple Podcasts Connect

  • Requires an Apple account, and a show has to be claimed before it can be managed
  • Only reports listening that happens inside Apple Podcasts, so it is not a whole-audience view
  • Does not host audio; the show still needs a hosting provider elsewhere

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

Apple Podcasts Connect

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Podcast submission
    • Analytics dashboard
    • Episode management
  • Subscriptions Program$19.99/year
    • Premium subscriptions
    • Paid content
    • Subscriber management

Glow.fm

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

Which should you pick?

Choose Apple Podcasts Connect if

  • You need podcast submission.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Macos.
  • You also want episode management.
Apple Podcasts Connect 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 Apple Podcasts Connect or Glow.fm better?
Neither clearly leads. Apple Podcasts Connect 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, Apple Podcasts Connect or Glow.fm?
Apple Podcasts Connect starts at Free and Glow.fm at Free.
Does Apple Podcasts Connect or Glow.fm run on more platforms?
Apple Podcasts Connect runs on Web, Ios, Macos. Glow.fm runs on Web.
Can I use Apple Podcasts Connect for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Apple Podcasts Connect best used for?
Apple Podcasts Connect is most often used for submitting a new podcast to apple podcasts, claiming an existing show so it is registered to your account, reviewing apple podcasts listener trends and analytics, managing show artwork and metadata. Of those, submitting a new podcast to apple podcasts and claiming an existing show so it is registered to your account are not what Glow.fm is typically brought in for.
What can Apple Podcasts Connect do that Glow.fm cannot?
Apple Podcasts Connect covers Podcast submission, Episode management, Subscription monetization, Show optimization. Glow.fm covers Private RSS feeds, Any app support, Tiered subscriptions, Subscriber management. Both handle Analytics, Web support.
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Related pages

More on Apple Podcasts Connect

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