Software · head to head
Pocketcasts vs Acast
Pocketcasts
Software
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: Pocketcasts two paid tiers above the free app: Plus and Patron, but no figures are shown in the fetchable page content; Acast the free Starter tier is limited to 1 show and 5 episodes; unlimited episodes require making the show available in Acast's advertising marketplace
- They diverge on capability: Pocketcasts covers Podcast discovery, Acast covers Enterprise hosting.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Pocketcasts and Acast actually diverge.
| Attribute | Pocketcasts | Acast |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | Free | On request |
| Pricing model | freemium | quote |
| Free tier | Yes | No |
| Platforms | Ios, Android, Web, Windows, Macos | Web |
| Founded | 2010 | 2014 |
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 Pocketcasts
- Podcast discovery
- Variable speed playback
- Silence trimming
- Cross-device sync
- Custom filters
- Apple Watch
- Wear OS
- Sonos
Only in Acast
- Enterprise hosting
- Dynamic ad insertion
- Sponsorship platform
- Analytics
- Monetization
- API access
- All podcast platforms
- Advertising networks
Both cover
- Web support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Pocketcasts
- Podcast listeningnot Acast
- Audio content consumptionnot Acast
- Learning on the gonot Acast
Acast
- Hosting and distributing a podcast to all major listening appsnot Pocketcasts
- Monetising episodes through the Acast advertising marketplace and sponsorshipsnot Pocketcasts
- Publishing video podcast episodes alongside audionot Pocketcasts
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Pocketcasts
- Two paid tiers above the free app: Plus and Patron, but no figures are shown in the fetchable page content
Acast
- The free Starter tier is limited to 1 show and 5 episodes; unlimited episodes require making the show available in Acast's advertising marketplace
- Multiple shows require the paid Influencer plan at $14.99 per month billed annually or $25 per month billed monthly
- Team management, prioritised support and the Publishing API require the Pro plan at $29.99 per month billed annually or $40 per month monthly
- Publishing video episodes to Apple Podcasts requires the Video plan at $39.99 per month billed annually or $50 per month monthly
- The Video plan includes only 10,000 monthly video views
- A payment card is required to sign up even for the free tier
- The Creator Network tier is quote only with no published price
Pricing, plan by plan
Pocketcasts
Free- FreeFree
- Unlimited podcasts
- Cross-device sync
- Playback effects
- Plus$39.99/year
- Desktop apps
- Cloud storage 10GB
- Extra themes
Acast
On request- Enterprise$undefined/month
- Unlimited hosting
- Dynamic ad insertion
- Sponsorship marketplace
Which should you pick?
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 Pocketcasts or Acast better?
- Neither clearly leads. Pocketcasts starts at Free and Acast at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Pocketcasts or Acast?
- Pocketcasts has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Pocketcasts and On request for Acast.
- Does Pocketcasts or Acast run on more platforms?
- Pocketcasts runs on Ios, Android, Web, Windows, Macos. Acast runs on Web.
- Can I use Pocketcasts for free?
- Yes. Pocketcasts has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Acast starts at On request.
- What is Pocketcasts best used for?
- Pocketcasts is most often used for podcast listening, audio content consumption, learning on the go. Of those, podcast listening and audio content consumption are not what Acast is typically brought in for.
- What can Pocketcasts do that Acast cannot?
- Pocketcasts covers Podcast discovery, Variable speed playback, Silence trimming, Cross-device sync. Acast covers Enterprise hosting, Dynamic ad insertion, Sponsorship platform, Analytics. Both handle Web support.