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Podcast & Audio Publishing · head to head

Megaphone vs Pocketcasts

Megaphone logo

Megaphone

Podcast & Audio Publishing

Enterprise podcast hosting and monetization

From
On request
Rated
-
Pocketcasts logo

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: Megaphone there is no free tier; the entry Professional plan starts at $99 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: Megaphone covers Enterprise hosting, Pocketcasts covers Podcast discovery.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Megaphone and Pocketcasts actually diverge.

Attributes where Megaphone and Pocketcasts differ
AttributeMegaphonePocketcasts
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelquotefreemium
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWebIos, Android, Web, Windows, Macos
Founded20152010

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 Megaphone

  • Enterprise hosting
  • Dynamic ad insertion
  • Targeted advertising
  • Advanced analytics
  • Network management
  • API access
  • Spotify
  • Advertising networks

Only in Pocketcasts

  • Podcast discovery
  • Variable speed playback
  • Silence trimming
  • Cross-device sync
  • Custom filters
  • Apple Watch
  • Wear OS
  • Sonos

Both cover

  • Web support

What people use each for

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

Megaphone

  • Enterprise podcast hosting and distribution for publishers and networksnot Pocketcasts
  • Dynamic ad insertion and campaign management across a back cataloguenot Pocketcasts
  • Podcast measurement and reporting for large teamsnot Pocketcasts

Pocketcasts

  • Podcast listeningnot Megaphone
  • Audio content consumptionnot Megaphone
  • Learning on the gonot Megaphone

Where each one falls short

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

Megaphone

  • There is no free tier; the entry Professional plan starts at $99 per month
  • The Enterprise plan is custom priced and requires requesting a quote
  • Access to the Megaphone API and the Metrics Export Service is Enterprise only
  • Live chat support on the Professional plan is limited to 4am to 9pm Monday to Friday Eastern Time
  • Monetisation runs through the Spotify Audience Network rather than an open marketplace

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

Megaphone

On request
  • Enterprise$undefined/month
    • Unlimited hosting
    • Dynamic ad insertion
    • Advanced analytics

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 Megaphone if

  • You need enterprise hosting.
  • You also want dynamic ad insertion.

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 Megaphone or Pocketcasts better?
Neither clearly leads. Megaphone starts at On request and Pocketcasts at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Megaphone or Pocketcasts?
Pocketcasts has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Megaphone and Free for Pocketcasts.
Does Megaphone or Pocketcasts run on more platforms?
Megaphone runs on Web. 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. Megaphone starts at On request.
What is Megaphone best used for?
Megaphone is most often used for enterprise podcast hosting and distribution for publishers and networks, dynamic ad insertion and campaign management across a back catalogue, podcast measurement and reporting for large teams. Of those, enterprise podcast hosting and distribution for publishers and networks and dynamic ad insertion and campaign management across a back catalogue are not what Pocketcasts is typically brought in for.
What can Megaphone do that Pocketcasts cannot?
Megaphone covers Enterprise hosting, Dynamic ad insertion, Targeted advertising, Advanced analytics. Pocketcasts covers Podcast discovery, Variable speed playback, Silence trimming, Cross-device sync. Both handle Web support.

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