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Podcasting · head to head

RedCircle vs Simplecast

RedCircle logo

RedCircle

Podcasting

Free podcast hosting with sponsorship opportunities

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Simplecast logo

Simplecast

Podcasting

Hosting for professional podcast networks

From
$15/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only RedCircle has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: RedCircle the free Core plan is limited to 1 podcast; unlimited podcasts require the Growth plan at $14.99 per month; Simplecast basic plan at $15 per month includes only 20,000 monthly downloads and 2 team seats
  • They diverge on capability: RedCircle covers Sponsorship marketplace, Simplecast covers Dynamic ad insertion.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which RedCircle and Simplecast actually diverge.

Attributes where RedCircle and Simplecast differ
AttributeRedCircleSimplecast
Starting priceFree$15/month
Pricing modelfreesubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, Ios, AndroidWeb
Founded20152014

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 RedCircle

  • Sponsorship marketplace
  • Podcast website
  • Monetization
  • Social media
  • Content protection
  • Privacy controls
  • Ios support
  • Android support

Only in Simplecast

  • Dynamic ad insertion
  • Team collaboration
  • API access
  • CMS systems
  • Enterprise security
  • SOC 2 compliant
  • Access controls

Both cover

  • Unlimited hosting
  • Distribution
  • Analytics
  • All podcast platforms
  • Advertising networks
  • Web support

What people use each for

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

RedCircle

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

Simplecast

  • Hosting podcasts with per-episode analytics and audience metricsnot RedCircle
  • Distributing shows to Apple Podcasts, Spotify and other directoriesnot RedCircle
  • Monetising podcasts through dynamic ad insertion at the Professional tiernot RedCircle

Where each one falls short

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

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

Simplecast

  • Basic plan at $15 per month includes only 20,000 monthly downloads and 2 team seats
  • Essential plan at $35 per month includes 50,000 monthly downloads and 4 team seats
  • Dynamic ad insertion and campaign management are only on the Professional plan, which is quoted by sales with no published rate
  • API access for publishing and campaign management is Enterprise only
  • Annual prepayment is required to get the 10 percent discount

Pricing, plan by plan

RedCircle

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

Simplecast

$15/month
  • Basic$15/month
    • Annual option: $13.50/month when prepaid
    • 2 team seats
    • Unlimited storage
  • Essential$35/month
    • Annual option: $31.50/month when prepaid
    • 4 team seats
    • Everything in Basic plus additional web players
  • Professional$null/custom
    • Contact sales for custom pricing
    • Dynamic ad insertion
    • Campaign management
  • Enterprise$null/custom
    • Contact sales for custom features
    • Everything in Professional plus API integration
    • White-labeled RSS

Which should you pick?

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

Choose Simplecast if

  • You need dynamic ad insertion.
  • You also want team collaboration.
Simplecast review

Questions people ask

Is RedCircle or Simplecast better?
Neither clearly leads. RedCircle starts at Free and Simplecast at $15/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, RedCircle or Simplecast?
RedCircle has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for RedCircle and $15/month for Simplecast.
Does RedCircle or Simplecast run on more platforms?
RedCircle runs on Web, Ios, Android. Simplecast runs on Web.
Can I use RedCircle for free?
Yes. RedCircle has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Simplecast starts at $15/month.
What is RedCircle best used for?
RedCircle is most often used for hosting and distributing podcasts with unlimited storage and downloads, monetising a podcast through host-read and programmatic ad marketplaces, selling paid subscriptions and exclusive episodes. Of those, hosting and distributing podcasts with unlimited storage and downloads and monetising a podcast through host-read and programmatic ad marketplaces are not what Simplecast is typically brought in for.
What can RedCircle do that Simplecast cannot?
RedCircle covers Sponsorship marketplace, Podcast website, Monetization, Social media. Simplecast covers Dynamic ad insertion, Team collaboration, API access, CMS systems. Both handle Unlimited hosting, Distribution, Analytics, All podcast platforms.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Simplecast: How much does Simplecast cost?

Simplecast offers a 14-day free trial (no credit card required) followed by paid plans starting at $15/month for Basic ($13.50/month annual) and $35/month for Essential ($31.50/month annual). Professional and Enterprise plans require contacting sales for custom pricing.

Source
Simplecast: Can I change my Simplecast plan anytime?

Yes. Plan changes are allowed anytime with prorated adjustments. You can cancel anytime with no long-term contracts or penalties.

Source
Simplecast: What is included in the Basic plan?

The Basic plan ($15/month or $13.50/month annually) includes 2 team seats, unlimited storage, distribution to all platforms, basic analytics, custom domain website, and 20,000 downloads per month.

Source
Simplecast: What makes the Essential plan different from Basic?

The Essential plan ($35/month or $31.50/month annually) adds 2 more team seats (4 total), comparative analytics, location analytics, unique listener reports, and increases the monthly download allowance to 50,000.

Source
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