Softwr

Podcasting · head to head

Captivate vs Northbeam

Captivate logo

Captivate

Podcasting

Smart podcast hosting with AI insights

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Northbeam logo

Northbeam

Marketing

Marketing intelligence for growth brands

From
$1500/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Captivate has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • 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; Northbeam limited creative-level reporting focused on campaign and ad set rather than individual ad performance
  • They diverge on capability: Captivate covers Unlimited hosting, Northbeam covers Cross-platform attribution.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Captivate and Northbeam actually diverge.

Attributes where Captivate and Northbeam differ
AttributeCaptivateNorthbeam
Starting priceFree$1500/month
Pricing modelsubscriptionUnknown
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWebWeb, API
CategoryPodcastingMarketing
Founded20162020

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated).

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
  • Social media

Only in Northbeam

  • Cross-platform attribution
  • Media mix modeling
  • Creative analytics
  • Real-time dashboards
  • Incrementality testing
  • Customer journey
  • Cohort analysis
  • LTV predictions

Both cover

  • 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 Northbeam
  • Distribution to the major podcast directoriesnot Northbeam
  • Audience analytics by episode and platformnot Northbeam
  • Running several podcasts under one subscriptionnot Northbeam

Northbeam

  • Marketing attributionnot Captivate
  • Media optimizationnot Captivate
  • Creative testingnot Captivate
  • Budget allocationnot 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

Northbeam

  • Limited creative-level reporting focused on campaign and ad set rather than individual ad performance
  • Lack of transparency in attribution modeling methodology and how credit is assigned
  • Pageview-based pricing that can scale faster than perceived value for high-traffic, lower-conversion brands
  • Slower reporting cadence limits real-time feedback for teams requiring immediate performance data

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

Northbeam

$1500/month
  • Starter$1500/month
    • Multi-touch attribution
    • Media mix modeling
    • Up to 1M monthly pageviews
  • Professional$2500/month
    • All Starter features
    • Creative analytics
    • Export API access

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 Northbeam if

  • You need cross-platform attribution.
  • You work on Web, API.
  • You also want media mix modeling.
Northbeam review

Questions people ask

Is Captivate or Northbeam better?
Neither clearly leads. Captivate starts at Free and Northbeam at $1500/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Captivate or Northbeam?
Captivate has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Captivate and $1500/month for Northbeam.
Does Captivate or Northbeam run on more platforms?
Captivate runs on Web. Northbeam runs on Web, API.
Can I use Captivate for free?
Yes. Captivate has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Northbeam starts at $1500/month.
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 Northbeam is typically brought in for.
What can Captivate do that Northbeam cannot?
Captivate covers Unlimited hosting, AI analytics, Smart recommendations, Distribution. Northbeam covers Cross-platform attribution, Media mix modeling, Creative analytics, Real-time dashboards. Both handle 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
Northbeam: How is Northbeam priced?

Northbeam offers three tiers: Starter ($1,500/month), Professional ($2,500/month), and Enterprise (custom quote). Pricing is based on monthly pageviews and refreshed data frequency. There are no setup fees, free plan, or free trial.

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
Northbeam: What platforms does Northbeam integrate with?

Northbeam integrates with Shopify, Meta Ads, Google Ads, TikTok, Pinterest, Snapchat, YouTube, Klaviyo, Recharge, and others. It pushes attribution data to Meta CAPI, Google Conversion API, GA4, and TikTok Events API.

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
Northbeam: What does Northbeam measure?

Northbeam uses multi-touch attribution (MTA), media mix modeling (MMM), and Northbeam Apex to measure how paid media spend translates to revenue. Apex sends attribution data directly back to ad platforms for algorithm optimization.

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
Northbeam: Who should use Northbeam?

Northbeam is ideal for intermediate to advanced ecommerce operators at Shopify-based DTC brands generating $1M+ annual revenue and spending at least $1.5M yearly on paid media across multiple channels.

Source
Northbeam: What are Northbeam's main limitations?

Key limitations include a steep learning curve and complex interface, shallow creative-level reporting, lack of model transparency, pricing that can scale faster than value for high-traffic brands, and slower reporting cadence compared to real-time dashboards.

Source
Share

Related pages

More on Captivate

More on Northbeam

Keep looking

Other head to heads