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Podcasting · head to head

Fireside vs Medium

Fireside logo

Fireside

Podcasting

Podcast hosting with community features

From
$20/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Medium logo

Medium

News

The best place to read and write stories on the internet

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Medium has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Fireside starter plan at $9 per month allows one podcast and 5 episodes per month; Medium unlimited access to stories requires a paid Medium membership
  • They diverge on capability: Fireside covers Unlimited hosting, Medium covers Story publishing.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Fireside and Medium actually diverge.

Attributes where Fireside and Medium differ
AttributeFiresideMedium
Starting price$20/monthFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionfreemium
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWebWeb, Mobile
CategoryPodcastingNews
Founded20182012

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 Fireside

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

Only in Medium

  • Story publishing
  • Member program
  • Earning potential
  • Reading time estimates
  • Clap reactions
  • Highlighting & annotations
  • Story recommendations
  • Following system

Both cover

  • 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 Medium
  • Running several shows as a podcast network from one accountnot Medium
  • Tracking episode download metrics and link clicksnot Medium

Medium

  • Publishing articles without running your own blognot Fireside
  • Reading long-form writing across technology, culture and newsnot Fireside
  • Earning from writing through the Medium Partner Programnot 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

Medium

  • Unlimited access to stories requires a paid Medium membership
  • Audio versions of stories are a member-only feature
  • Earning money from writing requires joining the Medium Partner Program rather than being automatic
  • The iOS app requires iOS 17.0 or later

Pricing, plan by plan

Fireside

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

Medium

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Unlimited reading
    • Publishing platform
    • Story drafts
  • Medium Membership$5/month
    • Unlimited access
    • Exclusive stories
    • Member earnings

Which should you pick?

Choose Fireside if

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

Choose Medium if

  • You need story publishing.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Mobile.
  • You also want member program.
Medium review

Questions people ask

Is Fireside or Medium better?
Neither clearly leads. Fireside starts at $20/month and Medium at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Fireside or Medium?
Medium has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $20/month for Fireside and Free for Medium.
Does Fireside or Medium run on more platforms?
Fireside runs on Web. Medium runs on Web, Mobile.
Can I use Medium for free?
Yes. Medium has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Fireside starts at $20/month.
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 Medium is typically brought in for.
What can Fireside do that Medium cannot?
Fireside covers Unlimited hosting, Community features, Distribution, Analytics. Medium covers Story publishing, Member program, Earning potential, Reading time estimates. Both handle Web support.
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