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Castro vs Transistor

Castro logo

Castro

Software

Podcast app with episode inbox

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Transistor logo

Transistor

Software

Professional podcast hosting for businesses and creators

From
$19/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Castro has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Castro iOS/Apple-only, no Android support; Transistor starter plan at $19 per month caps monthly downloads at 20,000
  • They diverge on capability: Castro covers Podcast app, Transistor covers Unlimited podcasts.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Castro and Transistor actually diverge.

Attributes where Castro and Transistor differ
AttributeCastroTransistor
Starting priceFree$19/month
Pricing modelUnknownsubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsiOS, Apple Watch, iPadWeb
Founded20132018

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

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 Castro

  • Podcast app
  • Inbox system
  • Triage view
  • Playback
  • Discovery
  • Podcast services
  • Apple services
  • Account security

Only in Transistor

  • Unlimited podcasts
  • Private podcasting
  • Advanced analytics
  • Team collaboration
  • Custom branding
  • API access
  • Apple Podcasts
  • Spotify

Both cover

  • Web support

What people use each for

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

Castro

  • Podcast managementnot Transistor
  • Listeningnot Transistor

Transistor

  • Hosting and distributing multiple podcasts from one accountnot Castro
  • Running private, subscriber-only podcast feedsnot Castro
  • Publishing podcast websites and inserting dynamic audio adsnot Castro

Where each one falls short

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

Castro

  • iOS/Apple-only, no Android support
  • No unified inbox for managing multiple podcast accounts
  • Recent ownership change (2024) may affect long-term development

Transistor

  • Starter plan at $19 per month caps monthly downloads at 20,000
  • Private podcast subscribers are capped at 50 on Starter and 500 on Professional
  • Dynamic ad insertion and auto-posting to YouTube require the $49 per month Professional plan or higher
  • Removing Transistor branding requires the $99 per month Business plan
  • Enterprise plans above 250,000 monthly downloads start at $199 per month and require contacting the vendor

Pricing, plan by plan

Castro

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Core podcast management
    • Inbox/queue/archive
    • CarPlay support
  • Castro Plus$24.99/year
    • Custom per-podcast settings
    • Trim Silence
    • Enhance Voices

Transistor

$19/month
  • Starter$19/month
    • Unlimited podcasts
    • 10,000 downloads/month
    • Basic analytics
  • Professional$49/month
    • Unlimited podcasts
    • 50,000 downloads/month
    • Advanced analytics
  • Business$99/month
    • Unlimited podcasts
    • 150,000 downloads/month
    • Full analytics
  • Enterprise$199/month
    • Unlimited everything
    • 300,000+ downloads
    • Priority support

Which should you pick?

Choose Castro if

  • You need podcast app.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on iOS, Apple Watch, iPad.
  • You also want inbox system.
Castro review

Choose Transistor if

  • You need unlimited podcasts.
  • You also want private podcasting.
Transistor review

Questions people ask

Is Castro or Transistor better?
Neither clearly leads. Castro starts at Free and Transistor at $19/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Castro or Transistor?
Castro has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Castro and $19/month for Transistor.
Does Castro or Transistor run on more platforms?
Castro runs on iOS, Apple Watch, iPad. Transistor runs on Web.
Can I use Castro for free?
Yes. Castro has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Transistor starts at $19/month.
What is Castro best used for?
Castro is most often used for podcast management, listening. Of those, podcast management and listening are not what Transistor is typically brought in for.
What can Castro do that Transistor cannot?
Castro covers Podcast app, Inbox system, Triage view, Playback. Transistor covers Unlimited podcasts, Private podcasting, Advanced analytics, Team collaboration. Both handle Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Castro: How much does Castro cost?

Castro 3 is free to download with optional Castro Plus subscription at $24.99/year (includes one-week free trial).

Source
Castro: What platforms does Castro support?

Castro is available on iPhone with an Apple Watch app and is expanding to iPad (launched August 4, 2025). There is no Android version.

Source
Castro: What are the key features of Castro Plus premium subscription?

Castro Plus adds custom per-podcast settings including Episode Limit, Trim Silence, Enhance Voices, Mono Mix, Skip Intros, and variable playback speed.

Source
Castro: How does Castro organize podcasts?

Castro uses an inbox/queue/archive split system where the inbox contains notifications of new episodes and the queue serves as an active playlist.

Source
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Related pages

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