Softwr

Podcasting · head to head

Fireside vs RedCircle

Fireside logo

Fireside

Podcasting

Podcast hosting with community features

From
$20/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
RedCircle logo

RedCircle

Podcasting

Free podcast hosting with sponsorship opportunities

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only RedCircle has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Fireside starter plan at $9 per month allows one podcast and 5 episodes per month; RedCircle the free Core plan is limited to 1 podcast; unlimited podcasts require the Growth plan at $14.99 per month
  • They diverge on capability: Fireside covers Community features, RedCircle covers Sponsorship marketplace.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Fireside and RedCircle actually diverge.

Attributes where Fireside and RedCircle differ
AttributeFiresideRedCircle
Starting price$20/monthFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionfree
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWebWeb, Ios, Android
Founded20182015

Identical on both: 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 Fireside

  • Community features
  • Listener engagement
  • Email services

Only in RedCircle

  • Sponsorship marketplace
  • Podcast website
  • Advertising networks
  • Ios support
  • Android support

Both cover

  • Unlimited hosting
  • Distribution
  • Analytics
  • Monetization
  • All podcast platforms
  • Social media
  • Content protection
  • Privacy controls
  • Web support

What people use each for

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

Fireside

  • Hosting a podcast together with a customisable podcast websitenot RedCircle
  • Running several shows as a podcast network from one accountnot RedCircle
  • Tracking episode download metrics and link clicksnot RedCircle

RedCircle

  • Hosting and distributing podcasts with unlimited storage and downloadsnot Fireside
  • Monetising a podcast through host-read and programmatic ad marketplacesnot Fireside
  • Selling paid subscriptions and exclusive episodesnot Fireside

Where each one falls short

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

Fireside

  • Starter plan at $9 per month allows one podcast and 5 episodes per month
  • Custom domain with SSL requires the $19 per month Standard plan; Starter sites sit on a Fireside subdomain
  • Additional podcasts beyond the one included on Standard cost $8 per month each
  • Bandwidth is capped at 1TB per month on Standard and 5TB per month on Professional
  • Advanced download metrics and click tracking require the $49 per month Professional plan

RedCircle

  • The free Core plan is limited to 1 podcast; unlimited podcasts require the Growth plan at $14.99 per month
  • The free Core plan caps AI transcripts at 5 per month
  • The Core plan podcast webpage carries a Related Shows section that cannot be removed
  • Support on the Core plan is standard with a 72 hour response; 48 hour Advanced support starts on Growth
  • Team seats are not available on Core or Growth; Pro at $29.99 per month includes 5 seats and unlimited seats require Enterprise at $99.99 per month
  • Video file upload to episodes and one-click YouTube distribution require the Pro plan
  • Running your own ads and tracking URLs require the Pro plan
  • A dedicated account manager is Enterprise only
  • The trial is 7 days

Pricing, plan by plan

Fireside

$20/month
  • Creator$20/month
    • Unlimited hosting
    • Community features
    • Distribution
  • Network$50/month
    • Multiple shows
    • Team management
    • Advanced analytics

RedCircle

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Unlimited hosting
    • Automatic distribution
    • Sponsorship opportunities

Which should you pick?

Choose Fireside if

  • You need community features.
  • You also want listener engagement.
Fireside review

Choose RedCircle if

  • You need sponsorship marketplace.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want podcast website.
RedCircle review

Questions people ask

Is Fireside or RedCircle better?
Neither clearly leads. Fireside starts at $20/month and RedCircle at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Fireside or RedCircle?
RedCircle has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $20/month for Fireside and Free for RedCircle.
Does Fireside or RedCircle run on more platforms?
Fireside runs on Web. RedCircle runs on Web, Ios, Android.
Can I use RedCircle for free?
Yes. RedCircle has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Fireside starts at $20/month.
What is Fireside best used for?
Fireside is most often used for hosting a podcast together with a customisable podcast website, running several shows as a podcast network from one account, tracking episode download metrics and link clicks. Of those, hosting a podcast together with a customisable podcast website and running several shows as a podcast network from one account are not what RedCircle is typically brought in for.
What can Fireside do that RedCircle cannot?
Fireside covers Community features, Listener engagement, Email services. RedCircle covers Sponsorship marketplace, Podcast website, Advertising networks, Ios support. Both handle Unlimited hosting, Distribution, Analytics, Monetization.
Share

Related pages

More on Fireside

More on RedCircle

Keep looking

Other head to heads