Podcast & Audio Publishing · head to head
Podbean vs Chartable
Podbean
Podcast & Audio Publishing
All-in-one podcast hosting with built-in monetization
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
Chartable
Podcast & Audio Publishing
Podcast analytics and attribution platform
- 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; Chartable shut down on 12 December 2024. Spotify, which acquired Chartable in February 2022, announced the closure on 27 September 2024 and folded parts of it into Spotify for Podcasters
- They diverge on capability: Podbean covers Unlimited hosting, Chartable covers Download analytics.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Podbean and Chartable actually diverge.
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
- Apple Podcasts
- Spotify
Only in Chartable
- Download analytics
- Chart rankings
- SmartLinks tracking
- Attribution
- SmartPromos
- Cross-promotion analytics
- 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.
Podbean
- Hosting and distributing a podcast with an RSS feed and playernot Chartable
- Running multiple shows or a private internal podcastnot Chartable
Chartable
- Podcast analyticsnot Podbean
- Marketing attributionnot Podbean
- Chart trackingnot Podbean
- Growth measurementnot 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
Chartable
- Shut down on 12 December 2024. Spotify, which acquired Chartable in February 2022, announced the closure on 27 September 2024 and folded parts of it into Spotify for Podcasters
- The tracking prefixes no longer function, and shows still carrying one need it removed
- chartable.com now redirects to Spotify's Megaphone site
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
Chartable
Free- FreeFree
- Chart tracking
- Basic analytics
- 1 podcast
- Indie$20/month
- Advanced analytics
- SmartLinks
- Attribution
- Team$100/month
- Multiple podcasts
- SmartPromos
- Team access
- Enterprise$undefined/month
- Unlimited podcasts
- Custom integrations
- API access
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 Chartable if
- You need download analytics.
- You want to start without paying.
- You also want chart rankings.
Questions people ask
- Is Podbean or Chartable better?
- Neither clearly leads. Podbean starts at Free and Chartable at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Podbean or Chartable?
- Podbean starts at Free and Chartable at Free.
- Does Podbean or Chartable run on more platforms?
- Podbean runs on Web, Ios, Android. Chartable runs on Web.
- 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 Chartable is typically brought in for.
- What can Podbean do that Chartable cannot?
- Podbean covers Unlimited hosting, Built-in monetization, Live streaming, Video podcasting. Chartable covers Download analytics, Chart rankings, SmartLinks tracking, Attribution. Both handle Web support.