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Software · head to head

Glow.fm vs SoundCloud

Glow.fm logo

Glow.fm

Software

Premium podcast subscriptions made simple

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
SoundCloud logo

SoundCloud

Software

Discover, stream, and share music

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Glow.fm the Internet Archive's capture of Glow's pricing page on 6 December 2021 listed Basic starting at $0/month plus $0.55 per listener per month or $2 per one-time purchase, and Professional starting at $300/month for unlimited listeners with podcast hosting capped at 150,000 downloads per month; card processing adds $0.30 plus 2.9% per transaction on both tiers.; SoundCloud the free tier plays tracks with ads
  • They diverge on capability: Glow.fm covers Private RSS feeds, SoundCloud covers Audio streaming.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Glow.fm and SoundCloud actually diverge.

Attributes where Glow.fm and SoundCloud differ
AttributeGlow.fmSoundCloud
Pricing modeltransactionfreemium
PlatformsWebWeb, Ios, Android, Desktop
Founded20192007

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), 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 Glow.fm

  • Private RSS feeds
  • Any app support
  • Tiered subscriptions
  • Subscriber management
  • Payment processing
  • Analytics
  • All podcast apps
  • Stripe

Only in SoundCloud

  • Audio streaming
  • Uploads
  • Discovery
  • Sharing
  • Social media
  • DJ software
  • Privacy settings
  • Content protection

Both cover

  • Web support

What people use each for

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

Glow.fm

  • Premium podcastsnot SoundCloud
  • Subscriber contentnot SoundCloud
  • Membership tiersnot SoundCloud
  • Direct monetizationnot SoundCloud

SoundCloud

  • Discovering tracks from emerging and independent artistsnot Glow.fm
  • Uploading your own music to reach listeners directlynot Glow.fm
  • Offline listening and ad-free playback on a paid tiernot Glow.fm

Where each one falls short

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

Glow.fm

  • The Internet Archive's capture of Glow's pricing page on 6 December 2021 listed Basic starting at $0/month plus $0.55 per listener per month or $2 per one-time purchase, and Professional starting at $300/month for unlimited listeners with podcast hosting capped at 150,000 downloads per month; card processing adds $0.30 plus 2.9% per transaction on both tiers.

SoundCloud

  • The free tier plays tracks with ads
  • Offline saving of tracks requires a SoundCloud Go or Go+ subscription
  • Premium Go+ tracks are locked behind the higher Go+ tier, so SoundCloud Go alone does not unlock the full catalogue
  • Exclusive DJ app integrations require Go+
  • The app is available in only eight languages: English, Brazilian Portuguese, Dutch, French, German, Italian, Spanish and Arabic
  • The iOS app requires iOS 16.4 or later

Pricing, plan by plan

Glow.fm

Free
  • StandardFree
    • Private RSS feeds
    • Any podcast app support
    • Subscription management

SoundCloud

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Limited uploads
    • Ads
  • Go$5.99/month
    • Ad-free
    • Offline
  • Go+$12.99/month
    • Full catalog
    • HQ audio

Which should you pick?

Choose Glow.fm if

  • You need private rss feeds.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want any app support.
Glow.fm review

Choose SoundCloud if

  • You need audio streaming.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android, Desktop.
  • You also want uploads.
SoundCloud review

Questions people ask

Is Glow.fm or SoundCloud better?
Neither clearly leads. Glow.fm starts at Free and SoundCloud at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Glow.fm or SoundCloud?
Glow.fm starts at Free and SoundCloud at Free.
Does Glow.fm or SoundCloud run on more platforms?
Glow.fm runs on Web. SoundCloud runs on Web, Ios, Android, Desktop.
Can I use Glow.fm for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Glow.fm best used for?
Glow.fm is most often used for premium podcasts, subscriber content, membership tiers, direct monetization. Of those, premium podcasts and subscriber content are not what SoundCloud is typically brought in for.
What can Glow.fm do that SoundCloud cannot?
Glow.fm covers Private RSS feeds, Any app support, Tiered subscriptions, Subscriber management. SoundCloud covers Audio streaming, Uploads, Discovery, Sharing. Both handle Web support.
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Related pages

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