Podcast & Audio Publishing · head to head
Podbean vs Libsyn
Podbean
Podcast & Audio Publishing
All-in-one podcast hosting with built-in monetization
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
Libsyn
Podcast & Audio Publishing
The original podcast hosting platform since 2004
- From
- $5/month
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Only Podbean has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- 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; Libsyn basic plan at $12 per month allows only 3 hours of audio upload per month
- They diverge on capability: Podbean covers Unlimited hosting, Libsyn covers Reliable hosting.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Podbean and Libsyn actually diverge.
Identical on both: platforms (Web, Ios, Android), 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
- Social media
- Payment processors
Only in Libsyn
- Reliable hosting
- Advanced analytics
- Monetization platform
- Distribution network
- Custom website
- Ad insertion
- iHeart
- Advertising networks
Both cover
- Apple Podcasts
- Spotify
- Amazon Music
- SSL encryption
- Content protection
- 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 Libsyn
- Running multiple shows or a private internal podcastnot Libsyn
Libsyn
- Hosting podcast audio and distributing it to Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTubenot Podbean
- Measuring audience with IAB certified download statisticsnot Podbean
- Monetising shows through advertising on enterprise plansnot 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
Libsyn
- Basic plan at $12 per month allows only 3 hours of audio upload per month
- Advanced IAB verified stats require the $25 per month Advanced plan; Basic gets basic stats only
- Spotify video distribution requires the Advanced or Max plan
- Dynamic ad insertion sits on Professional and Enterprise plans that are quoted by sales with no published rate
- The top published tier, Max at $150 per month, still caps audio uploads at 55 hours per month
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
Libsyn
$5/month- Classic 50$5/month
- 50 MB monthly storage
- Basic statistics
- Podcast page
- Classic 150$15/month
- 150 MB monthly storage
- Advanced statistics
- Custom website
- Advanced 400$20/month
- 400 MB monthly storage
- Premium analytics
- Multiple shows
- Advanced 800$40/month
- 800 MB monthly storage
- Full analytics suite
- Priority support
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 Libsyn if
- You need reliable hosting.
- You work on Web, Ios, Android.
- You also want advanced analytics.
Questions people ask
- Is Podbean or Libsyn better?
- Neither clearly leads. Podbean starts at Free and Libsyn at $5/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Podbean or Libsyn?
- Podbean has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Podbean and $5/month for Libsyn.
- Does Podbean or Libsyn run on more platforms?
- Both run on Web, Ios, Android, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
- Can I use Podbean for free?
- Yes. Podbean has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Libsyn starts at $5/month.
- 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 Libsyn is typically brought in for.
- What can Podbean do that Libsyn cannot?
- Podbean covers Unlimited hosting, Built-in monetization, Live streaming, Video podcasting. Libsyn covers Reliable hosting, Advanced analytics, Monetization platform, Distribution network. Both handle Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, SSL encryption.