Podcast & Audio Publishing · head to head
Podbean vs Buzzsprout
Podbean
Podcast & Audio Publishing
All-in-one podcast hosting with built-in monetization
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
Buzzsprout
Podcast & Audio Publishing
Simple and powerful podcast hosting made easy
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Each has a real cost: 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; Buzzsprout upload hours do not carry over monthly; unused allocation lost
- They diverge on capability: Podbean covers Unlimited hosting, Buzzsprout covers Audio optimization.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Podbean and Buzzsprout actually diverge.
| Attribute | Podbean | Buzzsprout |
|---|---|---|
| Platforms | Web, Ios, Android | Web, Mobile |
| Founded | 2006 | 2009 |
Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (freemium), free tier (Yes), 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 Podbean
- Unlimited hosting
- Built-in monetization
- Live streaming
- Video podcasting
- Podcast app
- Premium content
- Amazon Music
- Payment processors
Only in Buzzsprout
- Audio optimization
- Automatic distribution
- Episode transcription
- Custom podcast website
- Analytics dashboard
- Magic Mastering
- Google Podcasts
- WordPress
Both cover
- Apple Podcasts
- Spotify
- Social media
- SSL encryption
- Privacy controls
- Web support
- Ios support
- Android support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Podbean
- Hosting and distributing a podcast with an RSS feed and playernot Buzzsprout
- Running multiple shows or a private internal podcastnot Buzzsprout
Buzzsprout
- Podcast hostingnot Podbean
- Audio and video podcast distributionnot Podbean
- Transcription and show notes generationnot Podbean
- Podcast analytics and monetisationnot Podbean
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
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
Buzzsprout
- Upload hours do not carry over monthly; unused allocation lost
- Overage charges apply at plan rate for additional uploads
Pricing, plan by plan
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
Buzzsprout
FreeNo published plan breakdown. See the Buzzsprout review.
Which should you pick?
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.
Choose Buzzsprout if
- You need audio optimization.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, Mobile.
- You also want automatic distribution.
Questions people ask
- Is Podbean or Buzzsprout better?
- Neither clearly leads. Podbean starts at Free and Buzzsprout at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Podbean or Buzzsprout?
- Podbean starts at Free and Buzzsprout at Free.
- Does Podbean or Buzzsprout run on more platforms?
- Podbean runs on Web, Ios, Android. Buzzsprout runs on Web, Mobile.
- Can I use Podbean for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- What is Podbean best used for?
- Podbean is most often used for hosting and distributing a podcast with an rss feed and player, running multiple shows or a private internal podcast. Of those, hosting and distributing a podcast with an rss feed and player and running multiple shows or a private internal podcast are not what Buzzsprout is typically brought in for.
- What can Podbean do that Buzzsprout cannot?
- Podbean covers Unlimited hosting, Built-in monetization, Live streaming, Video podcasting. Buzzsprout covers Audio optimization, Automatic distribution, Episode transcription, Custom podcast website. Both handle Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Social media, SSL encryption.