Podcast & Audio Publishing · head to head
Simplecast vs Cleanfeed
Simplecast
Podcast & Audio Publishing
Hosting for professional podcast networks
- From
- $15/month
- Rated
- -
Cleanfeed
Podcast & Audio Publishing
Cloud-based audio recording and calling
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Only Cleanfeed 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; Cleanfeed the free Lite plan is limited to 2 guests and 1 local audio source
- They diverge on capability: Simplecast covers Unlimited hosting, Cleanfeed covers Browser-based recording.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Simplecast and Cleanfeed actually diverge.
| Attribute | Simplecast | Cleanfeed |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $15/month | Free |
| Pricing model | subscription | freemium |
| Free tier | No | Yes |
| Founded | 2014 | 2015 |
Identical on both: platforms (Web), 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 Cleanfeed
- Browser-based recording
- Local recording
- Separate tracks
- Lossless quality
- Cloud backup
- Easy sharing
- Dropbox
- Google Drive
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 Cleanfeed
- Distributing shows to Apple Podcasts, Spotify and other directoriesnot Cleanfeed
- Monetising podcasts through dynamic ad insertion at the Professional tiernot Cleanfeed
Cleanfeed
- Recording remote interviews in the browser at broadcast audio qualitynot Simplecast
- Capturing isolated multitrack recordings of each remote guestnot Simplecast
- Live radio and broadcast contribution links between studiosnot 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
Cleanfeed
- The free Lite plan is limited to 2 guests and 1 local audio source
- Remote audio on the free Lite plan is mono; stereo requires Pro
- Multitrack recording with an isolated track per guest is a Pro only feature
- Audio repair modes, markers, clip playback and privacy controls are Pro only
- Business Pro seats are priced higher than individual seats for identical features
- The Cinema tier for video is $2,500 per year for the first seat, with extra seats charged separately
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
Cleanfeed
Free- FreeFree
- 30 min sessions
- Local recording
- 2 participants
- Standard$15/month
- Unlimited sessions
- Separate tracks
- 4 participants
Which should you pick?
Choose Cleanfeed if
- You need browser-based recording.
- You want to start without paying.
- You also want local recording.
Questions people ask
- Is Simplecast or Cleanfeed better?
- Neither clearly leads. Simplecast starts at $15/month and Cleanfeed at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Simplecast or Cleanfeed?
- Cleanfeed has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $15/month for Simplecast and Free for Cleanfeed.
- Does Simplecast or Cleanfeed run on more platforms?
- Both run on Web, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
- Can I use Cleanfeed for free?
- Yes. Cleanfeed 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 Cleanfeed is typically brought in for.
- What can Simplecast do that Cleanfeed cannot?
- Simplecast covers Unlimited hosting, Analytics, Dynamic ad insertion, Distribution. Cleanfeed covers Browser-based recording, Local recording, Separate tracks, Lossless quality. Both handle Web support.