Softwr

Podcast & Audio Publishing · head to head

Megaphone vs Podbean

Megaphone logo

Megaphone

Podcast & Audio Publishing

Enterprise podcast hosting and monetization

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Podbean logo

Podbean

Podcast & Audio Publishing

All-in-one podcast hosting with built-in monetization

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Podbean 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; Podbean upload allowance is monthly rather than cumulative, at 1 GB on the entry plan, so a heavy recording month is capped even with unlimited total storage
  • They diverge on capability: Megaphone covers Enterprise hosting, Podbean covers Unlimited hosting.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Megaphone and Podbean actually diverge.

Attributes where Megaphone and Podbean differ
AttributeMegaphonePodbean
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelquotefreemium
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWebWeb, Ios, Android
Founded20152006

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
  • Advertising networks
  • CMS systems

Only in Podbean

  • Unlimited hosting
  • Built-in monetization
  • Live streaming
  • Video podcasting
  • Podcast app
  • Premium content
  • Apple Podcasts
  • Amazon Music

Both cover

  • Spotify
  • 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 Podbean
  • Dynamic ad insertion and campaign management across a back cataloguenot Podbean
  • Podcast measurement and reporting for large teamsnot Podbean

Podbean

  • Hosting and distributing a podcast with an RSS feed and playernot Megaphone
  • Running multiple shows or a private internal podcastnot 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

Podbean

  • Upload allowance is monthly rather than cumulative, at 1 GB on the entry plan, so a heavy recording month is capped even with unlimited total storage
  • The Network plan at $99 a month meters bandwidth at 3 TB while cheaper plans are unmetered, so the middle tier is the only one with a bandwidth ceiling
  • Advanced analytics are excluded from every plan below Business
  • Private podcasting and live chat support are Business only
  • Team members are capped at 50 on Network despite being described as unlimited

Pricing, plan by plan

Megaphone

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

Podbean

Free
  • BasicFree
    • 5 hours total storage
    • 100 GB bandwidth
    • Basic analytics
  • Unlimited Audio$9/month
    • Unlimited storage
    • Unlimited bandwidth
    • Advanced analytics
  • Unlimited Plus$29/month
    • All audio features
    • Video podcasting
    • Live streaming
  • Business$99/month
    • All features
    • Team management
    • Enterprise security

Which should you pick?

Choose Megaphone if

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

Choose Podbean if

  • You need unlimited hosting.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want built-in monetization.
Podbean review

Questions people ask

Is Megaphone or Podbean better?
Neither clearly leads. Megaphone starts at On request and Podbean at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Megaphone or Podbean?
Podbean has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Megaphone and Free for Podbean.
Does Megaphone or Podbean run on more platforms?
Megaphone runs on Web. Podbean runs on Web, Ios, Android.
Can I use Podbean for free?
Yes. Podbean 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 Podbean is typically brought in for.
What can Megaphone do that Podbean cannot?
Megaphone covers Enterprise hosting, Dynamic ad insertion, Targeted advertising, Advanced analytics. Podbean covers Unlimited hosting, Built-in monetization, Live streaming, Video podcasting. Both handle Spotify, Web support.
ShareXLinkedInRedditWhatsAppEmail

Related pages

More on Megaphone

More on Podbean

Keep looking

Other head to heads