Softwr

Entertainment · head to head

Castbox vs Uscreen

Castbox logo

Castbox

Entertainment

Podcast & radio app for everyone

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Uscreen logo

Uscreen

Video Production

Membership video platform with branded mobile and TV apps for independent creators

From
$49/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Castbox has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Castbox app frequently crashes, requiring users to reload it to continue listening; Uscreen the per-subscriber fee means the bill grows with the audience, so a creator with several thousand members pays far more in subscriber charges than in plan fees, and the published plan price badly understates the real monthly cost.
  • They diverge on capability: Castbox covers Podcast app, Uscreen covers Branded apps.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Castbox and Uscreen actually diverge.

Attributes where Castbox and Uscreen differ
AttributeCastboxUscreen
Starting priceFree$49/month
Pricing modelUnknownPer month plus a per-subscriber fee
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsiOS, Android, Web, Radio, AudiobooksWeb, iOS, Android, Roku, Apple TV, Fire TV
CategoryEntertainmentVideo Production
Founded2016Unknown

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 Castbox

  • Podcast app
  • Radio
  • Discovery
  • Offline listening
  • Sync
  • Smart devices
  • Podcast services
  • Account security

Only in Uscreen

  • Branded apps
  • Membership paywall
  • Live streaming
  • Community
  • Marketing site
  • Email and automation
  • Analytics
  • App store submission

What people use each for

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

Castbox

  • Podcast listeningnot Uscreen
  • Radio streamingnot Uscreen

Uscreen

  • A fitness or yoga instructor with a paying membership who needs an Apple TV and Roku app because members watch on a television, not a laptop.not Castbox
  • A niche documentary or enthusiast channel moving off advertising revenue to a direct subscription because the platform algorithm stopped delivering.not Castbox
  • A dance or martial arts studio selling on-demand classes plus scheduled live sessions to the same members under one login.not Castbox
  • A faith organisation or membership body distributing recorded talks to a paying congregation with its own branded app rather than a public video channel.not Castbox

Where each one falls short

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

Castbox

  • App frequently crashes, requiring users to reload it to continue listening
  • Approximately half of saved podcasts do not automatically refresh or send notifications for new episodes
  • Free version displays unskippable minute-long ads that sometimes play as blank screens
  • Interface is described as cluttered with excessive focus on mainstream podcast recommendations
  • Tracking requirements for certain features like background playback limit privacy

Uscreen

  • The per-subscriber fee means the bill grows with the audience, so a creator with several thousand members pays far more in subscriber charges than in plan fees, and the published plan price badly understates the real monthly cost.
  • Video storage is capped in hours, 20 on Starter and 100 above it, which a creator with a large back catalogue exhausts quickly and then pays to extend.
  • Branded apps only appear on the 449 dollar plan and above, so the tier that makes the product distinct from a generic video host is out of reach for a small membership.
  • One-off sales carry a transaction fee of 10 per cent on Starter and 5 per cent on higher plans, on top of payment processing, which materially changes the maths for creators selling courses rather than subscriptions.
  • PSG Equity took a majority investment in 2025, so the platform whose revenue already scales with your subscriber count is now controlled by an investor with a return horizon, and pricing structure changes should be planned for rather than assumed away.

Pricing, plan by plan

Castbox

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 50+ million podcasts
    • On-demand radio
    • Audiobooks
  • Premium$undefined/custom
    • Ad-free listening
    • Advanced features
    • Contact for pricing

Uscreen

$49/month
  • Starter$49/month
    • Up to 100 subscribers
    • 20 hours of video storage
    • 1 admin seat
  • Growth$149/month
    • Unlimited subscribers
    • 1.99 USD per subscriber per month
    • 100 hours of video storage
  • App Essentials$449/month
    • Unlimited subscribers
    • 0.99 USD per subscriber per month
    • Two branded mobile apps for iOS and Android
  • Custom$undefined/month
    • 0.99 USD per subscriber per month
    • Five TV apps
    • Community features

Which should you pick?

Choose Castbox if

  • You need podcast app.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on iOS, Android, Web, Radio, Audiobooks.
  • You also want radio.
Castbox review

Choose Uscreen if

  • You need branded apps.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android, Roku, Apple TV, Fire TV.
  • You also want membership paywall.
Uscreen review

Questions people ask

Is Castbox or Uscreen better?
Neither clearly leads. Castbox starts at Free and Uscreen at $49/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Castbox or Uscreen?
Castbox has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Castbox and $49/month for Uscreen.
Does Castbox or Uscreen run on more platforms?
Castbox runs on iOS, Android, Web, Radio, Audiobooks. Uscreen runs on Web, iOS, Android, Roku, Apple TV, Fire TV.
Can I use Castbox for free?
Yes. Castbox has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Uscreen starts at $49/month.
What is Castbox best used for?
Castbox is most often used for podcast listening, radio streaming. Of those, podcast listening and radio streaming are not what Uscreen is typically brought in for.
What can Castbox do that Uscreen cannot?
Castbox covers Podcast app, Radio, Discovery, Offline listening. Uscreen covers Branded apps, Membership paywall, Live streaming, Community.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Castbox: Is Castbox free and does it have paid tiers?

Castbox offers a free version with ads and limited features. A premium subscription is available but details on pricing were not disclosed on the main site. Free tier includes access to 50+ million podcasts, radio programs, and audiobooks.

Source
Uscreen: What does Uscreen actually cost per month?

The plan price plus a per-subscriber fee: 1.99 US dollars per subscriber on Growth, 0.99 on App Essentials and Custom. Budget on your member count, not the tier.

Castbox: What languages and regions does Castbox support?

Castbox supports content in 70 languages from 175 countries, making it one of the most internationally accessible podcast platforms.

Source
Uscreen: Do I get real apps in the app stores?

Yes, branded apps published under your own name, with Uscreen handling submission. They start on the App Essentials plan at 449 US dollars per month.

Castbox: Can I search for specific content across all episodes with Castbox?

Yes, Castbox pioneered an in-audio search feature using natural language processing that lets listeners search for keywords and topics across more than 50 million episodes.

Source
Uscreen: Is there a storage limit?

Yes, 20 hours on Starter and 100 hours on Growth and App Essentials, with more available on request.

Castbox: What tools does Castbox offer for podcasters?

Castbox provides a Creator Studio with robust analytics for creators to measure subscribers, streams, and downloads. However, creators requiring comprehensive editing and production tools may find Castbox limited compared to specialized production software.

Source
Uscreen: Is there a transaction fee?

Yes on one-off sales: 10 per cent on Starter, 5 per cent on higher plans, separate from payment processing charges.

Uscreen: Who owns Uscreen?

PSG Equity took a 150 million dollar majority investment in 2025, so it is private-equity controlled.

Share

Related pages

More on Castbox

More on Uscreen

Keep looking

Other head to heads