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Podcasting · head to head

Castos vs Fireside

Castos logo

Castos

Podcasting

Simple podcast hosting for WordPress sites

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Fireside logo

Fireside

Podcasting

Podcast hosting with community features

From
$20/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Castos 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; Fireside starter plan at $9 per month allows one podcast and 5 episodes per month
  • They diverge on capability: Castos covers WordPress integration, Fireside covers Community features.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Castos and Fireside actually diverge.

Attributes where Castos and Fireside differ
AttributeCastosFireside
Starting priceFree$20/month
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, WordpressWeb
Founded20162018

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), 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 Castos

  • WordPress integration
  • Email marketing
  • WordPress
  • WordPress security
  • Wordpress support

Only in Fireside

  • Community features
  • Listener engagement
  • Social media
  • Privacy controls

Both cover

  • Unlimited hosting
  • Distribution
  • Analytics
  • Monetization
  • All podcast platforms
  • Email services
  • Content protection
  • 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 Fireside
  • Private and subscriber-only podcastsnot Fireside
  • Automatic transcription of episodesnot Fireside
  • Republishing episodes to YouTubenot Fireside
  • WordPress-integrated podcast publishingnot Fireside

Fireside

  • Hosting a podcast together with a customisable podcast websitenot Castos
  • Running several shows as a podcast network from one accountnot Castos
  • Tracking episode download metrics and link clicksnot 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

Fireside

  • Starter plan at $9 per month allows one podcast and 5 episodes per month
  • Custom domain with SSL requires the $19 per month Standard plan; Starter sites sit on a Fireside subdomain
  • Additional podcasts beyond the one included on Standard cost $8 per month each
  • Bandwidth is capped at 1TB per month on Standard and 5TB per month on Professional
  • Advanced download metrics and click tracking require the $49 per month Professional plan

Pricing, plan by plan

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

Fireside

$20/month
  • Creator$20/month
    • Unlimited hosting
    • Community features
    • Distribution
  • Network$50/month
    • Multiple shows
    • Team management
    • Advanced analytics

Which should you pick?

Choose Castos if

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

Choose Fireside if

  • You need community features.
  • You also want listener engagement.
Fireside review

Questions people ask

Is Castos or Fireside better?
Neither clearly leads. Castos starts at Free and Fireside at $20/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Castos or Fireside?
Castos has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Castos and $20/month for Fireside.
Does Castos or Fireside run on more platforms?
Castos runs on Web, Wordpress. Fireside runs on Web.
Can I use Castos for free?
Yes. Castos has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Fireside starts at $20/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 Fireside is typically brought in for.
What can Castos do that Fireside cannot?
Castos covers WordPress integration, Email marketing, WordPress, WordPress security. Fireside covers Community features, Listener engagement, Social media, Privacy controls. Both handle Unlimited hosting, Distribution, Analytics, Monetization.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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
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
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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