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Podcast & Audio Publishing · head to head

Captivate vs Squadcast

Captivate logo

Captivate

Podcast & Audio Publishing

Smart podcast hosting with AI insights

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Squadcast logo

Squadcast

Video & Audio Production

Professional remote recording for podcasters

From
$12/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; Squadcast free plan limited to 1 recording hour per editor per month and exports capped at 720p with watermarks
  • They diverge on capability: Captivate covers Unlimited hosting, Squadcast covers Local recording.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Captivate and Squadcast actually diverge.

Attributes where Captivate and Squadcast differ
AttributeCaptivateSquadcast
Starting priceFree$12/month
Pricing modelfreemiumsubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWebWeb, Desktop
CategoryPodcast & Audio PublishingVideo & Audio Production
Founded20162017

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 Squadcast

  • Local recording
  • Progressive upload
  • Video recording
  • Screen sharing
  • Dolby audio
  • Cloud storage
  • Descript
  • Dropbox

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

Squadcast

  • Remote podcast recording with per-editor hour-based billingnot 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

Squadcast

  • Free plan limited to 1 recording hour per editor per month and exports capped at 720p with watermarks
  • Hobbyist plan monthly price of $24 per person rises to $35 per person if paid monthly instead of annually
  • Recording hour rollover is capped at twice the plan's monthly hour allotment

Pricing, plan by plan

Captivate

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 3 hours storage
    • Basic hosting
    • Limited analytics
  • Professional$19/month
    • Unlimited hosting
    • AI analytics
    • Full distribution

Squadcast

$12/month
  • Indie$12/month
    • 5 hours recording
    • Audio only
    • Up to 3 guests
  • Creator$20/month
    • 10 hours recording
    • Audio + Video
    • Up to 5 guests
  • Studio$44/month
    • 25 hours recording
    • All features
    • Up to 9 guests

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 Squadcast if

  • You need local recording.
  • You work on Web, Desktop.
  • You also want progressive upload.
Squadcast review

Questions people ask

Is Captivate or Squadcast better?
Neither clearly leads. Captivate starts at Free and Squadcast at $12/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Captivate or Squadcast?
Captivate has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Captivate and $12/month for Squadcast.
Does Captivate or Squadcast run on more platforms?
Captivate runs on Web. Squadcast runs on Web, Desktop.
Can I use Captivate for free?
Yes. Captivate has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Squadcast starts at $12/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 Squadcast is typically brought in for.
What can Captivate do that Squadcast cannot?
Captivate covers Unlimited hosting, AI analytics, Smart recommendations, Distribution. Squadcast covers Local recording, Progressive upload, Video recording, Screen sharing. Both handle Web support.
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