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Medium vs RedCircle

Medium logo

Medium

News

The best place to read and write stories on the internet

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
RedCircle logo

RedCircle

Podcasting

Free podcast hosting with sponsorship opportunities

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Medium unlimited access to stories requires a paid Medium membership; RedCircle the free Core plan is limited to 1 podcast; unlimited podcasts require the Growth plan at $14.99 per month
  • They diverge on capability: Medium covers Story publishing, RedCircle covers Unlimited hosting.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Medium and RedCircle actually diverge.

Attributes where Medium and RedCircle differ
AttributeMediumRedCircle
Pricing modelfreemiumfree
PlatformsWeb, MobileWeb, Ios, Android
CategoryNewsPodcasting
Founded20122015

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), 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 Medium

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

Only in RedCircle

  • Unlimited hosting
  • Distribution
  • Sponsorship marketplace
  • Analytics
  • Podcast website
  • Monetization
  • All podcast platforms
  • Social media

Both cover

  • Web support

What people use each for

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

Medium

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

RedCircle

  • Hosting and distributing podcasts with unlimited storage and downloadsnot Medium
  • Monetising a podcast through host-read and programmatic ad marketplacesnot Medium
  • Selling paid subscriptions and exclusive episodesnot Medium

Where each one falls short

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

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

RedCircle

  • The free Core plan is limited to 1 podcast; unlimited podcasts require the Growth plan at $14.99 per month
  • The free Core plan caps AI transcripts at 5 per month
  • The Core plan podcast webpage carries a Related Shows section that cannot be removed
  • Support on the Core plan is standard with a 72 hour response; 48 hour Advanced support starts on Growth
  • Team seats are not available on Core or Growth; Pro at $29.99 per month includes 5 seats and unlimited seats require Enterprise at $99.99 per month
  • Video file upload to episodes and one-click YouTube distribution require the Pro plan
  • Running your own ads and tracking URLs require the Pro plan
  • A dedicated account manager is Enterprise only
  • The trial is 7 days

Pricing, plan by plan

Medium

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

RedCircle

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Unlimited hosting
    • Automatic distribution
    • Sponsorship opportunities

Which should you pick?

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

Choose RedCircle if

  • You need unlimited hosting.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want distribution.
RedCircle review

Questions people ask

Is Medium or RedCircle better?
Neither clearly leads. Medium starts at Free and RedCircle at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Medium or RedCircle?
Medium starts at Free and RedCircle at Free.
Does Medium or RedCircle run on more platforms?
Medium runs on Web, Mobile. RedCircle runs on Web, Ios, Android.
Can I use Medium for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Medium best used for?
Medium is most often used for publishing articles without running your own blog, reading long-form writing across technology, culture and news, earning from writing through the medium partner program. Of those, publishing articles without running your own blog and reading long-form writing across technology, culture and news are not what RedCircle is typically brought in for.
What can Medium do that RedCircle cannot?
Medium covers Story publishing, Member program, Earning potential, Reading time estimates. RedCircle covers Unlimited hosting, Distribution, Sponsorship marketplace, Analytics. Both handle Web support.
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