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Podcasting · head to head

Acast vs Podcast.co

Acast logo

Acast

Podcasting

Enterprise podcast hosting and advertising

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Podcast.co logo

Podcast.co

Podcasting

Professional podcast hosting and distribution

From
$19/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Acast has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: 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; Podcast.co limited advanced podcast customization compared to enterprise solutions
  • They diverge on capability: Acast covers Enterprise hosting, Podcast.co covers Unlimited hosting.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Acast and Podcast.co differ
AttributeAcastPodcast.co
Starting priceFree$19/month
Pricing modelfreemiumUnknown
Free tierYesNo
Founded20142017

Identical on both: platforms (Web), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Podcasting).

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 Acast

  • Enterprise hosting
  • Dynamic ad insertion
  • Sponsorship platform
  • Analytics
  • Monetization
  • API access
  • All podcast platforms
  • Advertising networks

Only in Podcast.co

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

Both cover

  • Web support

What people use each for

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

Acast

  • Podcast distribution and monetizationnot Podcast.co
  • Ad network managementnot Podcast.co
  • Listener analytics trackingnot Podcast.co
  • Multi-platform publishingnot Podcast.co

Podcast.co

  • Podcast hostingnot Acast
  • Corporate podcastingnot Acast
  • Network hostingnot Acast

Where each one falls short

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

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

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

Acast

Free
  • StarterFree
    • 1 show
    • 5 episodes (unlimited with monetization)
    • Basic podcast website
  • Essential$25/month
    • Unlimited shows
    • Unlimited episodes
    • All Starter features
  • Pro$40/month
    • Unlimited shows
    • Unlimited episodes
    • All Essential features
  • Video$50/month
    • Unlimited shows
    • Unlimited episodes
    • All Pro features

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 Acast if

  • You need enterprise hosting.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want dynamic ad insertion.
Acast review

Choose Podcast.co if

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

Questions people ask

Is Acast or Podcast.co better?
Neither clearly leads. Acast 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, Acast or Podcast.co?
Acast has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Acast and $19/month for Podcast.co.
Does Acast or Podcast.co run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use Acast for free?
Yes. Acast has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Podcast.co starts at $19/month.
What is Acast best used for?
Acast is most often used for podcast distribution and monetization, ad network management, listener analytics tracking, multi-platform publishing. Of those, podcast distribution and monetization and ad network management are not what Podcast.co is typically brought in for.
What can Acast do that Podcast.co cannot?
Acast covers Enterprise hosting, Dynamic ad insertion, Sponsorship platform, Analytics. Podcast.co covers Unlimited hosting, Podcast websites, Distribution, Advanced analytics. Both handle Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Acast: What is the minimum cost to publish a podcast on Acast?

Acast offers a free Starter plan that allows publishing 1 show with up to 5 episodes. To unlock unlimited episodes and multiple shows, the Essential plan starts at EUR 25 per month.

Source
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
Acast: How does Acast's annual billing discount work?

Annual plans are discounted versus monthly billing. Essential plan costs EUR 14.99 per month when billed yearly, Pro costs EUR 29.99 monthly when annual, and Video costs EUR 39.99 monthly when annual.

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
Acast: Which Acast plan includes team management and API access?

The Pro plan (EUR 40 per month) includes team management, prioritized support, and publishing API access. Pricing is for monthly billing.

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
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