Software · head to head
Simplecast vs Auphonic
The short version
- Only Auphonic has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: Simplecast basic plan at $15 per month includes only 20,000 monthly downloads and 2 team seats; Auphonic the free tier covers 2 hours of processed audio a month
- They diverge on capability: Simplecast covers Unlimited hosting, Auphonic covers Automatic loudness optimization.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Simplecast and Auphonic actually diverge.
| Attribute | Simplecast | Auphonic |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $15/month | Free |
| Pricing model | subscription | freemium |
| Free tier | No | Yes |
| Founded | 2014 | 2010 |
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 Simplecast
- Unlimited hosting
- Analytics
- Dynamic ad insertion
- Distribution
- Team collaboration
- API access
- All podcast platforms
- Advertising networks
Only in Auphonic
- Automatic loudness optimization
- Noise reduction
- Audio restoration
- Intelligent processing
- API integration
- Auto-upload
- Podcast hosts
- Dropbox
Both cover
- Web support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Simplecast
- Hosting podcasts with per-episode analytics and audience metricsnot Auphonic
- Distributing shows to Apple Podcasts, Spotify and other directoriesnot Auphonic
- Monetising podcasts through dynamic ad insertion at the Professional tiernot Auphonic
Auphonic
- Automatic loudness levelling and noise reduction on podcast audionot Simplecast
- Batch processing an archive of recordingsnot Simplecast
- Generating transcripts and chapters from an episodenot Simplecast
- Producing consistent output across multiple formats from one uploadnot Simplecast
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
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
Auphonic
- The free tier covers 2 hours of processed audio a month
- Billing is by audio duration with a 3 minute minimum per production, so many short clips cost more than the running time suggests
- Multilingual speech recognition, automatic chapters and show notes all require a paid plan
- Watch folders, batch productions and team accounts are paid features
- Free output carries an Auphonic jingle
Pricing, plan by plan
Simplecast
$15/month- Creator$15/month
- Unlimited hosting
- Analytics
- Distribution
- Studio$49/month
- All Creator features
- Dynamic ad insertion
- Team access
- Enterprise$undefined/month
- Custom features
- API access
- Dedicated manager
Auphonic
Free- FreeFree
- 2 hours/month processing
- Basic mastering
- Download files
- Personal$10/month
- 50 hours/month
- Advanced mastering
- API access
Which should you pick?
Choose Auphonic if
- You need automatic loudness optimization.
- You want to start without paying.
- You also want noise reduction.
Questions people ask
- Is Simplecast or Auphonic better?
- Neither clearly leads. Simplecast starts at $15/month and Auphonic at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Simplecast or Auphonic?
- Auphonic has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $15/month for Simplecast and Free for Auphonic.
- Does Simplecast or Auphonic run on more platforms?
- Both run on Web, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
- Can I use Auphonic for free?
- Yes. Auphonic has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Simplecast starts at $15/month.
- What is Simplecast best used for?
- Simplecast is most often used for hosting podcasts with per-episode analytics and audience metrics, distributing shows to apple podcasts, spotify and other directories, monetising podcasts through dynamic ad insertion at the professional tier. Of those, hosting podcasts with per-episode analytics and audience metrics and distributing shows to apple podcasts, spotify and other directories are not what Auphonic is typically brought in for.
- What can Simplecast do that Auphonic cannot?
- Simplecast covers Unlimited hosting, Analytics, Dynamic ad insertion, Distribution. Auphonic covers Automatic loudness optimization, Noise reduction, Audio restoration, Intelligent processing. Both handle Web support.