Podcast & Audio Publishing · head to head
Simplecast vs Buzzsprout
Simplecast
Podcast & Audio Publishing
Hosting for professional podcast networks
- From
- $15/month
- Rated
- -
Buzzsprout
Podcast & Audio Publishing
Simple and powerful podcast hosting made easy
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Only Buzzsprout 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; Buzzsprout upload hours do not carry over monthly; unused allocation lost
- They diverge on capability: Simplecast covers Unlimited hosting, Buzzsprout covers Audio optimization.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Simplecast and Buzzsprout actually diverge.
| Attribute | Simplecast | Buzzsprout |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $15/month | Free |
| Pricing model | subscription | freemium |
| Free tier | No | Yes |
| Platforms | Web | Web, Mobile |
| Founded | 2014 | 2009 |
Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Podcast & Audio Publishing).
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 Buzzsprout
- Audio optimization
- Automatic distribution
- Episode transcription
- Custom podcast website
- Analytics dashboard
- Magic Mastering
- Apple Podcasts
- Spotify
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 Buzzsprout
- Distributing shows to Apple Podcasts, Spotify and other directoriesnot Buzzsprout
- Monetising podcasts through dynamic ad insertion at the Professional tiernot Buzzsprout
Buzzsprout
- Podcast hostingnot Simplecast
- Audio and video podcast distributionnot Simplecast
- Transcription and show notes generationnot Simplecast
- Podcast analytics and monetisationnot 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
Buzzsprout
- Upload hours do not carry over monthly; unused allocation lost
- Overage charges apply at plan rate for additional uploads
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
Buzzsprout
FreeNo published plan breakdown. See the Buzzsprout review.
Which should you pick?
Choose Buzzsprout if
- You need audio optimization.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, Mobile.
- You also want automatic distribution.
Questions people ask
- Is Simplecast or Buzzsprout better?
- Neither clearly leads. Simplecast starts at $15/month and Buzzsprout at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Simplecast or Buzzsprout?
- Buzzsprout has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $15/month for Simplecast and Free for Buzzsprout.
- Does Simplecast or Buzzsprout run on more platforms?
- Simplecast runs on Web. Buzzsprout runs on Web, Mobile.
- Can I use Buzzsprout for free?
- Yes. Buzzsprout 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 Buzzsprout is typically brought in for.
- What can Simplecast do that Buzzsprout cannot?
- Simplecast covers Unlimited hosting, Analytics, Dynamic ad insertion, Distribution. Buzzsprout covers Audio optimization, Automatic distribution, Episode transcription, Custom podcast website. Both handle Web support.