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Podcasting · head to head

Captivate vs Headliner

Captivate logo

Captivate

Podcasting

Smart podcast hosting with AI insights

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Headliner logo

Headliner

Podcasting

Create social media content from audio

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Captivate tiers are download ceilings and nothing else: 30,000 a month on Personal, 150,000 on Professional and 300,000 on Business; Headliner free plan allows only one unwatermarked audiogram per month; everything else carries a Headliner watermark
  • They diverge on capability: Captivate covers Unlimited hosting, Headliner covers Audio to video conversion.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Captivate and Headliner actually diverge.

Attributes where Captivate and Headliner differ
AttributeCaptivateHeadliner
Pricing modelsubscriptionfreemium
Founded20162017

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 Captivate

  • Unlimited hosting
  • AI analytics
  • Smart recommendations
  • Distribution
  • Monetization
  • Audience insights
  • All podcast platforms
  • Privacy controls

Only in Headliner

  • Audio to video conversion
  • Animated waveforms
  • Automatic captions
  • Brand customization
  • Social media optimization
  • Batch processing
  • Podcast platforms

Both cover

  • Social media
  • Email services
  • Content protection
  • Web support

What people use each for

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

Captivate

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

Headliner

  • Turning podcast audio into captioned audiogram videos for social medianot Captivate
  • Auto transcribing episodes and burning captions into video clipsnot Captivate
  • Producing branded promotional clips from full length episodesnot Captivate

Where each one falls short

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

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

Headliner

  • Free plan allows only one unwatermarked audiogram per month; everything else carries a Headliner watermark
  • Basic plan at $9.99 per month caps unwatermarked audiograms at 10 per month
  • Free and Basic plans cap video length at 10 minutes at 1080p; 2 hour videos require the Pro plan
  • Custom watermarks and unlimited unwatermarked exports require the $25.99 per month Pro plan
  • Video upload storage is capped at 10GB on every plan including Pro

Pricing, plan by plan

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

Headliner

Free
  • Forever FreeFree
    • Ad-supported experience
    • Unlimited free video clips
    • Unlimited captioned videos
  • Basic$9.99/month
    • Ad-free experience
    • 10 unwatermarked audiograms/month
    • Unlimited captions (10 min/project)
  • Pro$25.99/month
    • All Basic features
    • Unlimited unwatermarked videos
    • Unlimited transcription

Which should you pick?

Choose Captivate if

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

Choose Headliner if

  • You need audio to video conversion.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want animated waveforms.
Headliner review

Questions people ask

Is Captivate or Headliner better?
Neither clearly leads. Captivate starts at Free and Headliner at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Captivate or Headliner?
Captivate starts at Free and Headliner at Free.
Does Captivate or Headliner run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use Captivate for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Captivate best used for?
Captivate is most often used for podcast hosting with unlimited shows on any tier, distribution to the major podcast directories, audience analytics by episode and platform, running several podcasts under one subscription. Of those, podcast hosting with unlimited shows on any tier and distribution to the major podcast directories are not what Headliner is typically brought in for.
What can Captivate do that Headliner cannot?
Captivate covers Unlimited hosting, AI analytics, Smart recommendations, Distribution. Headliner covers Audio to video conversion, Animated waveforms, Automatic captions, Brand customization. Both handle Social media, Email services, Content protection, Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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
Headliner: How much does Headliner cost?

Headliner offers Forever Free (ad-supported), Basic at $9.99/month (reduced from $14.99), and Pro at $25.99/month (reduced from $29.99).

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
Headliner: What is included in Headliner Pro?

Headliner Pro at $25.99/month includes unlimited unwatermarked videos, unlimited transcription, unlimited captions, custom watermarks, 1080p up to 2 hours, 4-hour audio files, and priority support.

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
Headliner: Does Headliner offer annual discounts?

Yes, annual billing offers up to 50% savings. Basic plan costs $7.99/month billed yearly, and Pro costs $19.99/month billed yearly.

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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