Software · head to head
Auphonic vs Simplecast
The short version
- Only Auphonic has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: Auphonic the free tier covers 2 hours of processed audio a month; Simplecast basic plan at $15 per month includes only 20,000 monthly downloads and 2 team seats
- They diverge on capability: Auphonic covers Automatic loudness optimization, Simplecast covers Unlimited hosting.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Auphonic and Simplecast actually diverge.
| Attribute | Auphonic | Simplecast |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | Free | $15/month |
| Pricing model | freemium | subscription |
| Free tier | Yes | No |
| Founded | 2010 | 2014 |
Identical on both: platforms (Web), 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 Auphonic
- Automatic loudness optimization
- Noise reduction
- Audio restoration
- Intelligent processing
- API integration
- Auto-upload
- Podcast hosts
- Dropbox
Only in Simplecast
- Unlimited hosting
- Analytics
- Dynamic ad insertion
- Distribution
- Team collaboration
- API access
- All podcast platforms
- Advertising networks
Both cover
- Web support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Auphonic
- Automatic loudness levelling and noise reduction on podcast audionot Simplecast
- Batch processing an archive of recordingsnot Simplecast
- Generating transcripts and chapters from an episodenot Simplecast
- Producing consistent output across multiple formats from one uploadnot Simplecast
Simplecast
- Hosting podcasts with per-episode analytics and audience metricsnot Auphonic
- Distributing shows to Apple Podcasts, Spotify and other directoriesnot Auphonic
- Monetising podcasts through dynamic ad insertion at the Professional tiernot Auphonic
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Auphonic
- The free tier covers 2 hours of processed audio a month
- Billing is by audio duration with a 3 minute minimum per production, so many short clips cost more than the running time suggests
- Multilingual speech recognition, automatic chapters and show notes all require a paid plan
- Watch folders, batch productions and team accounts are paid features
- Free output carries an Auphonic jingle
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
Auphonic
Free- FreeFree
- 2 hours/month processing
- Basic mastering
- Download files
- Personal$10/month
- 50 hours/month
- Advanced mastering
- API access
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 Auphonic if
- You need automatic loudness optimization.
- You want to start without paying.
- You also want noise reduction.
Questions people ask
- Is Auphonic or Simplecast better?
- Neither clearly leads. Auphonic starts at Free and Simplecast at $15/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Auphonic or Simplecast?
- Auphonic has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Auphonic and $15/month for Simplecast.
- Does Auphonic or Simplecast run on more platforms?
- Both run on Web, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
- Can I use Auphonic for free?
- Yes. Auphonic has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Simplecast starts at $15/month.
- What is Auphonic best used for?
- Auphonic is most often used for automatic loudness levelling and noise reduction on podcast audio, batch processing an archive of recordings, generating transcripts and chapters from an episode, producing consistent output across multiple formats from one upload. Of those, automatic loudness levelling and noise reduction on podcast audio and batch processing an archive of recordings are not what Simplecast is typically brought in for.
- What can Auphonic do that Simplecast cannot?
- Auphonic covers Automatic loudness optimization, Noise reduction, Audio restoration, Intelligent processing. Simplecast covers Unlimited hosting, Analytics, Dynamic ad insertion, Distribution. Both handle Web support.
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