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Podcast & Audio Publishing · head to head

Fireside vs Libsyn

Fireside logo

Fireside

Podcast & Audio Publishing

Podcast hosting with community features

From
$20/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Libsyn logo

Libsyn

Podcast & Audio Publishing

The original podcast hosting platform since 2004

From
$5/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Fireside starter plan at $9 per month allows one podcast and 5 episodes per month; Libsyn basic plan at $12 per month allows only 3 hours of audio upload per month
  • They diverge on capability: Fireside covers Unlimited hosting, Libsyn covers Reliable hosting.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Fireside and Libsyn actually diverge.

Attributes where Fireside and Libsyn differ
AttributeFiresideLibsyn
Starting price$20/month$5/month
PlatformsWebWeb, Ios, Android
Founded20182004

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Podcast & Audio Publishing).

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 Fireside

  • Unlimited hosting
  • Community features
  • Distribution
  • Analytics
  • Listener engagement
  • Monetization
  • All podcast platforms
  • Email services

Only in Libsyn

  • Reliable hosting
  • Advanced analytics
  • Monetization platform
  • Distribution network
  • Custom website
  • Ad insertion
  • Apple Podcasts
  • Spotify

Both cover

  • Content protection
  • Web support

What people use each for

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

Fireside

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

Libsyn

  • Hosting podcast audio and distributing it to Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTubenot Fireside
  • Measuring audience with IAB certified download statisticsnot Fireside
  • Monetising shows through advertising on enterprise plansnot Fireside

Where each one falls short

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

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

Libsyn

  • Basic plan at $12 per month allows only 3 hours of audio upload per month
  • Advanced IAB verified stats require the $25 per month Advanced plan; Basic gets basic stats only
  • Spotify video distribution requires the Advanced or Max plan
  • Dynamic ad insertion sits on Professional and Enterprise plans that are quoted by sales with no published rate
  • The top published tier, Max at $150 per month, still caps audio uploads at 55 hours per month

Pricing, plan by plan

Fireside

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

Libsyn

$5/month
  • Classic 50$5/month
    • 50 MB monthly storage
    • Basic statistics
    • Podcast page
  • Classic 150$15/month
    • 150 MB monthly storage
    • Advanced statistics
    • Custom website
  • Advanced 400$20/month
    • 400 MB monthly storage
    • Premium analytics
    • Multiple shows
  • Advanced 800$40/month
    • 800 MB monthly storage
    • Full analytics suite
    • Priority support

Which should you pick?

Choose Fireside if

  • You need unlimited hosting.
  • You also want community features.
Fireside review

Choose Libsyn if

  • You need reliable hosting.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want advanced analytics.
Libsyn review

Questions people ask

Is Fireside or Libsyn better?
Neither clearly leads. Fireside starts at $20/month and Libsyn at $5/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Fireside or Libsyn?
Fireside starts at $20/month and Libsyn at $5/month.
Does Fireside or Libsyn run on more platforms?
Fireside runs on Web. Libsyn runs on Web, Ios, Android.
What is Fireside best used for?
Fireside is most often used for hosting a podcast together with a customisable podcast website, running several shows as a podcast network from one account, tracking episode download metrics and link clicks. Of those, hosting a podcast together with a customisable podcast website and running several shows as a podcast network from one account are not what Libsyn is typically brought in for.
What can Fireside do that Libsyn cannot?
Fireside covers Unlimited hosting, Community features, Distribution, Analytics. Libsyn covers Reliable hosting, Advanced analytics, Monetization platform, Distribution network. Both handle Content protection, Web support.
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