Software · head to head
Podtrac vs Acast
The short version
- Only Podtrac has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: Podtrac the Publisher Plans & Pricing page names four tiers, Getting Started, Grow Your Show, Grow Your Show Plus and Enterprise, but publishes no figure for any paid tier and offers no contact sales button, only a registration link; 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: Podtrac covers IAB-certified measurement, Acast covers Enterprise hosting.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Podtrac and Acast actually diverge.
Identical on both: platforms (Web), 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 Podtrac
- IAB-certified measurement
- Download analytics
- Industry rankings
- Audience demographics
- Trend analysis
- Custom reporting
- All podcast hosts
- Advertising platforms
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.
Podtrac
- Podcast measurementnot Acast
- Industry rankingsnot Acast
- Advertiser reportingnot Acast
- Audience analysisnot Acast
Acast
- Hosting and distributing a podcast to all major listening appsnot Podtrac
- Monetising episodes through the Acast advertising marketplace and sponsorshipsnot Podtrac
- Publishing video podcast episodes alongside audionot Podtrac
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Podtrac
- The Publisher Plans & Pricing page names four tiers, Getting Started, Grow Your Show, Grow Your Show Plus and Enterprise, but publishes no figure for any paid tier and offers no contact sales button, only a registration link
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 $50 per month monthly
- The Video plan includes only 10,000 monthly video views
- A payment card is required to sign up even for the free tier
- The Creator Network tier is quote only with no published price
Pricing, plan by plan
Podtrac
Free- PublisherFree
- Podcast measurement
- Download analytics
- Industry rankings
- Premium$undefined/month
- Advanced demographics
- Custom reporting
- API access
Acast
On request- Enterprise$undefined/month
- Unlimited hosting
- Dynamic ad insertion
- Sponsorship marketplace
Which should you pick?
Choose Podtrac if
- You need iab-certified measurement.
- You want to start without paying.
- You also want download analytics.
Questions people ask
- Is Podtrac or Acast better?
- Neither clearly leads. Podtrac 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, Podtrac or Acast?
- Podtrac has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Podtrac and On request for Acast.
- Does Podtrac or Acast run on more platforms?
- Both run on Web, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
- Can I use Podtrac for free?
- Yes. Podtrac has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Acast starts at On request.
- What is Podtrac best used for?
- Podtrac is most often used for podcast measurement, industry rankings, advertiser reporting, audience analysis. Of those, podcast measurement and industry rankings are not what Acast is typically brought in for.
- What can Podtrac do that Acast cannot?
- Podtrac covers IAB-certified measurement, Download analytics, Industry rankings, Audience demographics. Acast covers Enterprise hosting, Dynamic ad insertion, Sponsorship platform, Analytics. Both handle Web support.