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Podcasting · head to head

Acast vs Castos

Acast logo

Acast

Podcasting

Enterprise podcast hosting and advertising

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Castos logo

Castos

Podcasting

Simple podcast hosting for WordPress sites

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; Castos transcripts are metered by tier, at 10 a month on Essentials and 100 on Pro
  • They diverge on capability: Acast covers Enterprise hosting, Castos covers Unlimited hosting.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Acast and Castos actually diverge.

Attributes where Acast and Castos differ
AttributeAcastCastos
Pricing modelfreemiumsubscription
PlatformsWebWeb, Wordpress
Founded20142016

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), 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
  • API access
  • Advertising networks
  • CMS systems
  • Enterprise security
  • SOC 2 compliant

Only in Castos

  • Unlimited hosting
  • WordPress integration
  • Distribution
  • Email marketing
  • WordPress
  • Email services
  • Content protection
  • WordPress security

Both cover

  • Analytics
  • 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 Castos
  • Ad network managementnot Castos
  • Listener analytics trackingnot Castos
  • Multi-platform publishingnot Castos

Castos

  • Podcast hosting with unlimited episodes and downloadsnot Acast
  • Private and subscriber-only podcastsnot Acast
  • Automatic transcription of episodesnot Acast
  • Republishing episodes to YouTubenot Acast
  • WordPress-integrated podcast publishingnot 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

Castos

  • Transcripts are metered by tier, at 10 a month on Essentials and 100 on Pro
  • Private podcast subscribers are capped, at 100 on Essentials and 500 on Pro
  • Video hosting and the uptime SLA require the Pro tier at $99 a month
  • SSO and a dedicated account manager are Premium only, from $499 a month
  • Team seats are limited by tier, at 5 on Growth and 10 on Pro

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

Castos

Free
  • Essentials$19/month
    • unlimited podcasts/episodes
    • 10 transcripts/month
  • Growth$49/month
    • advanced analytics
    • 25 transcripts/month
  • Pro$99/month
    • video hosting
    • 100 transcripts/month
  • Premium$499/month
    • unlimited transcripts
    • dedicated account management

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 Castos if

  • You need unlimited hosting.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Wordpress.
  • You also want wordpress integration.
Castos review

Questions people ask

Is Acast or Castos better?
Neither clearly leads. Acast starts at Free and Castos at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Acast or Castos?
Acast starts at Free and Castos at Free.
Does Acast or Castos run on more platforms?
Acast runs on Web. Castos runs on Web, Wordpress.
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 Castos is typically brought in for.
What can Acast do that Castos cannot?
Acast covers Enterprise hosting, Dynamic ad insertion, Sponsorship platform, API access. Castos covers Unlimited hosting, WordPress integration, Distribution, Email marketing. Both handle Analytics, 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
Castos: How much does Castos cost?

Castos plans range from USD 19/month for Essentials to USD 499+/month for Premium, with annual billing offering 2 months free discount.

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
Castos: Is there a free trial for Castos?

Yes, Castos offers a 14-day free trial on the Essentials plan with no credit card required to get started.

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
Castos: How many transcripts are included per plan?

Essentials includes 10 transcripts/month, Growth includes 25, Pro includes 100, and Premium includes unlimited transcripts.

Source
Castos: What are Castos add-ons and how much do they cost?

Add-ons include AI Assistant at USD 10/month and extra private subscribers at USD 50/month per 500 additional subscribers.

Source
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