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Podcasting · head to head

Acast vs Captivate

Acast logo

Acast

Podcasting

Enterprise podcast hosting and advertising

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Captivate logo

Captivate

Podcasting

Smart podcast hosting with AI insights

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Acast the free Starter tier is limited to 1 show and 5 episodes; unlimited episodes require making the show available in Acast's advertising marketplace; Captivate tiers are download ceilings and nothing else: 30,000 a month on Personal, 150,000 on Professional and 300,000 on Business
  • They diverge on capability: Acast covers Enterprise hosting, Captivate covers Unlimited hosting.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Acast and Captivate actually diverge.

Attributes where Acast and Captivate differ
AttributeAcastCaptivate
Pricing modelfreemiumsubscription
Founded20142016

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), platforms (Web), 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 Acast

  • Enterprise hosting
  • Dynamic ad insertion
  • Sponsorship platform
  • Analytics
  • API access
  • Advertising networks
  • CMS systems
  • Enterprise security

Only in Captivate

  • Unlimited hosting
  • AI analytics
  • Smart recommendations
  • Distribution
  • Audience insights
  • Social media
  • Email services
  • Content protection

Both cover

  • Monetization
  • All podcast platforms
  • Web support

What people use each for

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

Acast

  • Podcast distribution and monetizationnot Captivate
  • Ad network managementnot Captivate
  • Listener analytics trackingnot Captivate
  • Multi-platform publishingnot Captivate

Captivate

  • Podcast hosting with unlimited shows on any tiernot Acast
  • Distribution to the major podcast directoriesnot Acast
  • Audience analytics by episode and platformnot Acast
  • Running several podcasts under one subscriptionnot Acast

Where each one falls short

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

Acast

  • The free Starter tier is limited to 1 show and 5 episodes; unlimited episodes require making the show available in Acast's advertising marketplace
  • Multiple shows require the paid Influencer plan at $14.99 per month billed annually or $25 per month billed monthly
  • Team management, prioritised support and the Publishing API require the Pro plan at $29.99 per month billed annually or $40 per month monthly
  • Publishing video episodes to Apple Podcasts requires the Video plan at $39.99 per month billed annually or $50 per month monthly
  • The Video plan includes only 10,000 monthly video views
  • A payment card is required to sign up even for the free tier
  • The Creator Network tier is quote only with no published price

Captivate

  • Tiers are download ceilings and nothing else: 30,000 a month on Personal, 150,000 on Professional and 300,000 on Business
  • A show that exceeds its allowance for two consecutive months is expected to move up a tier
  • Above 300,000 downloads a month the plan is quote-only
  • Prices are quoted in euros at the yearly rate

Pricing, plan by plan

Acast

Free
  • StarterFree
    • 1 show
    • 5 episodes (unlimited with monetization)
    • Basic podcast website
  • Essential$25/month
    • Unlimited shows
    • Unlimited episodes
    • All Starter features
  • Pro$40/month
    • Unlimited shows
    • Unlimited episodes
    • All Essential features
  • Video$50/month
    • Unlimited shows
    • Unlimited episodes
    • All Pro features

Captivate

Free
  • Personal$17/month
    • up to 30,000 downloads/month
  • Professional$44/month
    • up to 150,000 downloads/month
  • Business$90/month
    • up to 300,000 downloads/month

Which should you pick?

Choose Acast if

  • You need enterprise hosting.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want dynamic ad insertion.
Acast review

Choose Captivate if

  • You need unlimited hosting.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want ai analytics.
Captivate review

Questions people ask

Is Acast or Captivate better?
Neither clearly leads. Acast starts at Free and Captivate at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Acast or Captivate?
Acast starts at Free and Captivate at Free.
Does Acast or Captivate run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use Acast for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Acast best used for?
Acast is most often used for podcast distribution and monetization, ad network management, listener analytics tracking, multi-platform publishing. Of those, podcast distribution and monetization and ad network management are not what Captivate is typically brought in for.
What can Acast do that Captivate cannot?
Acast covers Enterprise hosting, Dynamic ad insertion, Sponsorship platform, Analytics. Captivate covers Unlimited hosting, AI analytics, Smart recommendations, Distribution. Both handle Monetization, All podcast platforms, Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Acast: What is the minimum cost to publish a podcast on Acast?

Acast offers a free Starter plan that allows publishing 1 show with up to 5 episodes. To unlock unlimited episodes and multiple shows, the Essential plan starts at EUR 25 per month.

Source
Captivate: How much does Captivate cost?

Captivate pricing starts at EUR 17/month for the Personal plan (annual billing). Professional is EUR 44/month and Business is EUR 90/month, with higher monthly rates on monthly billing plans.

Source
Acast: How does Acast's annual billing discount work?

Annual plans are discounted versus monthly billing. Essential plan costs EUR 14.99 per month when billed yearly, Pro costs EUR 29.99 monthly when annual, and Video costs EUR 39.99 monthly when annual.

Source
Captivate: Is there a free trial for Captivate?

Yes, all Captivate plans include a 30-day free trial with access to all features; no credit card required to start.

Source
Acast: Which Acast plan includes team management and API access?

The Pro plan (EUR 40 per month) includes team management, prioritized support, and publishing API access. Pricing is for monthly billing.

Source
Captivate: What happens if I exceed my Captivate download limit?

Captivate will notify you after a second consecutive month over your limit; no overage fees apply if you temporarily exceed the monthly allowance.

Source
Captivate: Are podcasts and storage unlimited on all Captivate plans?

Yes, unlimited podcasts and storage are included across the Personal, Professional, and Business tiers; limits are only on monthly downloads.

Source
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