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Podcast & Audio Publishing · head to head

Castos vs Emby

Castos logo

Castos

Podcast & Audio Publishing

Simple podcast hosting for WordPress sites

From
$13/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Emby logo

Emby

Media & Entertainment

Your personal entertainment server

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Emby has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Castos transcripts are metered by tier, at 10 a month on Essentials and 100 on Pro; Emby hardware accelerated transcoding requires Emby Premiere, so a server GPU sits unused without a subscription
  • They diverge on capability: Castos covers Unlimited hosting, Emby covers Personal media server.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Castos and Emby actually diverge.

Attributes where Castos and Emby differ
AttributeCastosEmby
Starting price$13/monthFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionfreemium
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, WordpressWeb, Ios, Android, Smart-tv, Desktop
CategoryPodcast & Audio PublishingMedia & Entertainment
Founded20162014

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 Castos

  • Unlimited hosting
  • WordPress integration
  • Distribution
  • Analytics
  • Monetization
  • Email marketing
  • WordPress
  • All podcast platforms

Only in Emby

  • Personal media server
  • Streaming
  • Library management
  • Sync
  • Remote access
  • Smart TVs
  • Streaming devices
  • Mobile devices

Both cover

  • Web support

What people use each for

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

Castos

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

Emby

  • Running a personal media server for films, television and musicnot Castos
  • Streaming a home library to phones, tablets and televisionsnot Castos

Where each one falls short

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

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

Emby

  • Hardware accelerated transcoding requires Emby Premiere, so a server GPU sits unused without a subscription
  • The mobile, Fire TV, Xbox and PlayStation apps need Premiere for full access, with only basic playback unlockable per app
  • Offline downloads to phones and tablets are Premiere only
  • Premiere is $4.99 a month or $54 a year, with a lifetime option at $119

Pricing, plan by plan

Castos

$13/month
  • Podcaster$13/month
    • Unlimited hosting
    • Automatic distribution
    • Basic analytics
  • Professional$29/month
    • All Podcaster features
    • Advanced analytics
    • Email marketing

Emby

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Media server
    • Local streaming
  • Premiere$4.99/month
    • Cloud sync
    • Remote access
    • Sync to devices

Which should you pick?

Choose Castos if

  • You need unlimited hosting.
  • You work on Web, Wordpress.
  • You also want wordpress integration.
Castos review

Choose Emby if

  • You need personal media server.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android, Smart-tv, Desktop.
  • You also want streaming.
Emby review

Questions people ask

Is Castos or Emby better?
Neither clearly leads. Castos starts at $13/month and Emby at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Castos or Emby?
Emby has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $13/month for Castos and Free for Emby.
Does Castos or Emby run on more platforms?
Castos runs on Web, Wordpress. Emby runs on Web, Ios, Android, Smart-tv, Desktop.
Can I use Emby for free?
Yes. Emby has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Castos starts at $13/month.
What is Castos best used for?
Castos is most often used for podcast hosting with unlimited episodes and downloads, private and subscriber-only podcasts, automatic transcription of episodes, republishing episodes to youtube. Of those, podcast hosting with unlimited episodes and downloads and private and subscriber-only podcasts are not what Emby is typically brought in for.
What can Castos do that Emby cannot?
Castos covers Unlimited hosting, WordPress integration, Distribution, Analytics. Emby covers Personal media server, Streaming, Library management, Sync. Both handle Web support.
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