Podcast & Audio Publishing · head to head
Libsyn vs Pocketcasts
Libsyn
Podcast & Audio Publishing
The original podcast hosting platform since 2004
- From
- $5/month
- Rated
- -
Pocketcasts
Podcast & Audio Publishing
The powerful podcast player for serious listeners
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Only Pocketcasts has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: Libsyn basic plan at $12 per month allows only 3 hours of audio upload per month; Pocketcasts two paid tiers above the free app: Plus and Patron, but no figures are shown in the fetchable page content
- They diverge on capability: Libsyn covers Reliable hosting, Pocketcasts covers Podcast discovery.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Libsyn and Pocketcasts actually diverge.
| Attribute | Libsyn | Pocketcasts |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $5/month | Free |
| Pricing model | subscription | freemium |
| Free tier | No | Yes |
| Platforms | Web, Ios, Android | Ios, Android, Web, Windows, Macos |
| Founded | 2004 | 2010 |
Identical on both: 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 Libsyn
- Reliable hosting
- Advanced analytics
- Monetization platform
- Distribution network
- Custom website
- Ad insertion
- Apple Podcasts
- Spotify
Only in Pocketcasts
- Podcast discovery
- Variable speed playback
- Silence trimming
- Cross-device sync
- Custom filters
- Apple Watch
- Wear OS
- Sonos
Both cover
- Web support
- Ios support
- Android support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Libsyn
- Hosting podcast audio and distributing it to Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTubenot Pocketcasts
- Measuring audience with IAB certified download statisticsnot Pocketcasts
- Monetising shows through advertising on enterprise plansnot Pocketcasts
Pocketcasts
- Podcast listeningnot Libsyn
- Audio content consumptionnot Libsyn
- Learning on the gonot Libsyn
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
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
Pocketcasts
- Two paid tiers above the free app: Plus and Patron, but no figures are shown in the fetchable page content
Pricing, plan by plan
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
Pocketcasts
Free- FreeFree
- Unlimited podcasts
- Cross-device sync
- Playback effects
- Plus$39.99/year
- Desktop apps
- Cloud storage 10GB
- Extra themes
Which should you pick?
Choose Libsyn if
- You need reliable hosting.
- You work on Web, Ios, Android.
- You also want advanced analytics.
Choose Pocketcasts if
- You need podcast discovery.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Ios, Android, Web, Windows, Macos.
- You also want variable speed playback.
Questions people ask
- Is Libsyn or Pocketcasts better?
- Neither clearly leads. Libsyn starts at $5/month and Pocketcasts at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Libsyn or Pocketcasts?
- Pocketcasts has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $5/month for Libsyn and Free for Pocketcasts.
- Does Libsyn or Pocketcasts run on more platforms?
- Libsyn runs on Web, Ios, Android. Pocketcasts runs on Ios, Android, Web, Windows, Macos.
- Can I use Pocketcasts for free?
- Yes. Pocketcasts has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Libsyn starts at $5/month.
- What is Libsyn best used for?
- Libsyn is most often used for hosting podcast audio and distributing it to apple podcasts, spotify and youtube, measuring audience with iab certified download statistics, monetising shows through advertising on enterprise plans. Of those, hosting podcast audio and distributing it to apple podcasts, spotify and youtube and measuring audience with iab certified download statistics are not what Pocketcasts is typically brought in for.
- What can Libsyn do that Pocketcasts cannot?
- Libsyn covers Reliable hosting, Advanced analytics, Monetization platform, Distribution network. Pocketcasts covers Podcast discovery, Variable speed playback, Silence trimming, Cross-device sync. Both handle Web support, Ios support, Android support.
Related pages
More on Pocketcasts
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