Software · head to head
Simplecast vs Captivate
The short version
- Only Captivate 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; Captivate tiers are download ceilings and nothing else: 30,000 a month on Personal, 150,000 on Professional and 300,000 on Business
- They diverge on capability: Simplecast covers Analytics, Captivate covers AI analytics.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Simplecast and Captivate actually diverge.
| Attribute | Simplecast | Captivate |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $15/month | Free |
| Pricing model | subscription | freemium |
| Free tier | No | Yes |
| Founded | 2014 | 2016 |
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
- Analytics
- Dynamic ad insertion
- Team collaboration
- API access
- Advertising networks
- CMS systems
- Enterprise security
- SOC 2 compliant
Only in Captivate
- AI analytics
- Smart recommendations
- Monetization
- Audience insights
- Social media
- Email services
- Content protection
- Privacy controls
Both cover
- Unlimited hosting
- Distribution
- All podcast platforms
- 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 Captivate
- Distributing shows to Apple Podcasts, Spotify and other directoriesnot Captivate
- Monetising podcasts through dynamic ad insertion at the Professional tiernot Captivate
Captivate
- Podcast hosting with unlimited shows on any tiernot Simplecast
- Distribution to the major podcast directoriesnot Simplecast
- Audience analytics by episode and platformnot Simplecast
- Running several podcasts under one subscriptionnot 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
Captivate
- Tiers are download ceilings and nothing else: 30,000 a month on Personal, 150,000 on Professional and 300,000 on Business
- A show that exceeds its allowance for two consecutive months is expected to move up a tier
- Above 300,000 downloads a month the plan is quote-only
- Prices are quoted in euros at the yearly rate
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
Captivate
Free- FreeFree
- 3 hours storage
- Basic hosting
- Limited analytics
- Professional$19/month
- Unlimited hosting
- AI analytics
- Full distribution
Which should you pick?
Choose Captivate if
- You need ai analytics.
- You want to start without paying.
- You also want smart recommendations.
Questions people ask
- Is Simplecast or Captivate better?
- Neither clearly leads. Simplecast starts at $15/month and Captivate at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Simplecast or Captivate?
- Captivate has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $15/month for Simplecast and Free for Captivate.
- Does Simplecast or Captivate run on more platforms?
- Both run on Web, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
- Can I use Captivate for free?
- Yes. Captivate 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 Captivate is typically brought in for.
- What can Simplecast do that Captivate cannot?
- Simplecast covers Analytics, Dynamic ad insertion, Team collaboration, API access. Captivate covers AI analytics, Smart recommendations, Monetization, Audience insights. Both handle Unlimited hosting, Distribution, All podcast platforms, Web support.