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Podcasting · head to head

Buzzsprout vs Glow.fm

Buzzsprout logo

Buzzsprout

Podcasting

Simple and powerful podcast hosting made easy

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: Buzzsprout upload hours do not roll over monthly; overage fees apply at hourly rates; 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: Buzzsprout covers Audio optimization, 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 Buzzsprout and Glow.fm actually diverge.

Attributes where Buzzsprout and Glow.fm differ
AttributeBuzzsproutGlow.fm
Pricing modelsubscriptiontransaction
PlatformsWeb, MobileWeb
Founded20092019

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), 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 Buzzsprout

  • Audio optimization
  • Automatic distribution
  • Episode transcription
  • Custom podcast website
  • Analytics dashboard
  • Magic Mastering
  • Apple Podcasts
  • Spotify

Only in Glow.fm

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

Both cover

  • Web support

What people use each for

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

Buzzsprout

  • Podcast hostingnot Glow.fm
  • Audio and video podcast distributionnot Glow.fm
  • Transcription and show notes generationnot Glow.fm
  • Podcast analytics and monetisationnot Glow.fm

Glow.fm

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

Where each one falls short

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

Buzzsprout

  • Upload hours do not roll over monthly; overage fees apply at hourly rates
  • Free tier limited to 2 hours monthly uploads
  • Video features only on paid tiers, minimum $25/month

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

Buzzsprout

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 2 hours monthly uploads
    • 90-day episode hosting
    • No video distribution
  • Audio Podcast$15/month
    • 72 hours annual uploads
    • Unlimited episodes
    • Single podcast
  • Audio + Video$25/month
    • 72 hours annual uploads
    • Video publishing to Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube
    • 1080p video quality
  • Multi-Podcast$30/month
    • 180 hours annual uploads
    • 5-10 podcasts
    • Audio, video, or mixed media

Glow.fm

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

Which should you pick?

Choose Buzzsprout if

  • You need audio optimization.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Mobile.
  • You also want automatic distribution.
Buzzsprout 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 Buzzsprout or Glow.fm better?
Neither clearly leads. Buzzsprout 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, Buzzsprout or Glow.fm?
Buzzsprout starts at Free and Glow.fm at Free.
Does Buzzsprout or Glow.fm run on more platforms?
Buzzsprout runs on Web, Mobile. Glow.fm runs on Web.
Can I use Buzzsprout for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Buzzsprout best used for?
Buzzsprout is most often used for podcast hosting, audio and video podcast distribution, transcription and show notes generation, podcast analytics and monetisation. Of those, podcast hosting and audio and video podcast distribution are not what Glow.fm is typically brought in for.
What can Buzzsprout do that Glow.fm cannot?
Buzzsprout covers Audio optimization, Automatic distribution, Episode transcription, Custom podcast website. Glow.fm covers Private RSS feeds, Any app support, Tiered subscriptions, Subscriber management. Both handle Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Buzzsprout: Does Buzzsprout offer a free tier?

Yes, Buzzsprout's free plan includes 2 hours of monthly uploads with 90-day episode hosting. Video distribution and advanced features require a paid subscription starting at $15/month.

Source
Buzzsprout: What happens if I exceed my monthly upload limit?

Upload hours do not roll over each month. If you exceed your plan's upload allocation, overage fees apply at hourly rates.

Source
Buzzsprout: How many podcasts can I host on different plans?

The Free and Audio Podcast plans support a single podcast. The Multi-Podcast plan at $30/month supports 5-10 podcasts depending on configuration.

Source
Buzzsprout: Is video publishing included on all paid plans?

No. Video publishing to Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube (1080p) requires the Audio + Video plan at $25/month or higher.

Source
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