Softwr

Software · head to head

Patreon vs Podcast.co

Patreon logo

Patreon

Software

Membership platform for creators

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Podcast.co logo

Podcast.co

Software

Professional podcast hosting and distribution

From
$19/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Patreon has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Patreon takes 10% of the income a creator earns on the platform; Podcast.co limited advanced podcast customization compared to enterprise solutions
  • They diverge on capability: Patreon covers Membership tiers, Podcast.co covers Unlimited hosting.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Patreon and Podcast.co actually diverge.

Attributes where Patreon and Podcast.co differ
AttributePatreonPodcast.co
Starting priceFree$19/month
Pricing modelfreemiumUnknown
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, Ios, AndroidWeb
Founded20132017

Identical on both: 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 Patreon

  • Membership tiers
  • Exclusive content
  • Private podcast feeds
  • Community features
  • Analytics
  • Payment processing
  • Discord
  • Podcast apps

Only in Podcast.co

  • Unlimited hosting
  • Podcast websites
  • Distribution
  • Advanced analytics
  • Team collaboration
  • Spotify
  • Apple Podcasts
  • Google Podcasts

Both cover

  • Social media
  • Web support

What people use each for

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

Patreon

  • Running a paid membership for fans of a creator or podcastnot Podcast.co
  • Selling recurring access to exclusive content and communitynot Podcast.co

Podcast.co

  • Podcast hostingnot Patreon
  • Corporate podcastingnot Patreon
  • Network hostingnot Patreon

Where each one falls short

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

Patreon

  • Takes 10% of the income a creator earns on the platform
  • Payment processing, currency conversion and payout fees are charged on top of that 10% and are not quantified on the pricing page
  • The total deduction is therefore not calculable from the pricing page alone, and requires reading a separate support article

Podcast.co

  • Limited advanced podcast customization compared to enterprise solutions
  • Transcription service costs extra at $20/month for only 10 hours
  • Download limits vary by plan; Lite tier caps at 15,000 monthly downloads

Pricing, plan by plan

Patreon

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Free membership page
    • Basic features
    • Community tools
  • ProFree
    • All free features
    • Analytics dashboard
    • Priority support
  • PremiumFree
    • All Pro features
    • Dedicated partner manager
    • Custom onboarding

Podcast.co

$19/month
  • Lite$19/month
    • 1 user
    • 15,000 monthly downloads
    • Basic podcast pages
  • Growth$49/month
    • 5 users
    • 75,000 monthly downloads
    • Advanced podcast pages
  • Premium$99/month
    • Unlimited users
    • 200,000 monthly downloads
    • Advanced podcast pages

Which should you pick?

Choose Patreon if

  • You need membership tiers.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want exclusive content.
Patreon review

Choose Podcast.co if

  • You need unlimited hosting.
  • You also want podcast websites.
Podcast.co review

Questions people ask

Is Patreon or Podcast.co better?
Neither clearly leads. Patreon starts at Free and Podcast.co at $19/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Patreon or Podcast.co?
Patreon has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Patreon and $19/month for Podcast.co.
Does Patreon or Podcast.co run on more platforms?
Patreon runs on Web, Ios, Android. Podcast.co runs on Web.
Can I use Patreon for free?
Yes. Patreon has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Podcast.co starts at $19/month.
What is Patreon best used for?
Patreon is most often used for running a paid membership for fans of a creator or podcast, selling recurring access to exclusive content and community. Of those, running a paid membership for fans of a creator or podcast and selling recurring access to exclusive content and community are not what Podcast.co is typically brought in for.
What can Patreon do that Podcast.co cannot?
Patreon covers Membership tiers, Exclusive content, Private podcast feeds, Community features. Podcast.co covers Unlimited hosting, Podcast websites, Distribution, Advanced analytics. Both handle Social media, Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Podcast.co: How many podcasts can I host?

All Podcast.co plans allow unlimited podcasts and unlimited episodes. You can create and manage multiple shows under one account, with the Growth and Premium plans offering team collaboration for managing different podcasts.

Source
Podcast.co: Which platforms does Podcast.co distribute to?

Podcast.co provides one-click distribution to Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, and other major podcast directories. The platform also offers scheduled publishing and custom episode artwork.

Source
Podcast.co: What analytics are included?

All plans include audience data showing most popular episodes, listener locations, and top-performing platforms. Growth and Premium plans include more advanced analytics with team insights and subscriber tracking for private podcasts.

Source
Podcast.co: Is transcription included?

Audio transcription is available as an add-on service at $20 per month for 10 hours of audio transcription. This helps repurpose podcast content into blog posts and social media snippets.

Source
Podcast.co: Can I monetize my podcast?

Growth and Premium plans support private podcasting with invite-only episodes for paying subscribers. Podcast.co integrates with billing systems to deliver exclusive content to the right subscribers.

Source
Podcast.co: Is there a free trial?

Podcast.co offers a 14-day free trial with no hidden fees, allowing you to test the platform before committing to a paid plan.

Source
ShareXLinkedInRedditWhatsAppEmail

Related pages

More on Patreon

More on Podcast.co

Keep looking

Other head to heads