Software · head to head
Simplecast vs Fireside
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Simplecast basic plan at $15 per month includes only 20,000 monthly downloads and 2 team seats; Fireside starter plan at $9 per month allows one podcast and 5 episodes per month
- They diverge on capability: Simplecast covers Dynamic ad insertion, Fireside covers Community features.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Simplecast and Fireside actually diverge.
| Attribute | Simplecast | Fireside |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $15/month | $20/month |
| Founded | 2014 | 2018 |
Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), free tier (No), 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
- Dynamic ad insertion
- Team collaboration
- API access
- Advertising networks
- CMS systems
- Enterprise security
- SOC 2 compliant
- Access controls
Only in Fireside
- Community features
- Listener engagement
- Monetization
- Email services
- Social media
- Content protection
- Privacy controls
Both cover
- Unlimited hosting
- Analytics
- 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 Fireside
- Distributing shows to Apple Podcasts, Spotify and other directoriesnot Fireside
- Monetising podcasts through dynamic ad insertion at the Professional tiernot Fireside
Fireside
- Hosting a podcast together with a customisable podcast websitenot Simplecast
- Running several shows as a podcast network from one accountnot Simplecast
- Tracking episode download metrics and link clicksnot 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
Fireside
- Starter plan at $9 per month allows one podcast and 5 episodes per month
- Custom domain with SSL requires the $19 per month Standard plan; Starter sites sit on a Fireside subdomain
- Additional podcasts beyond the one included on Standard cost $8 per month each
- Bandwidth is capped at 1TB per month on Standard and 5TB per month on Professional
- Advanced download metrics and click tracking require the $49 per month Professional plan
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
Fireside
$20/month- Creator$20/month
- Unlimited hosting
- Community features
- Distribution
- Network$50/month
- Multiple shows
- Team management
- Advanced analytics
Which should you pick?
Choose Simplecast if
- You need dynamic ad insertion.
- You also want team collaboration.
Questions people ask
- Is Simplecast or Fireside better?
- Neither clearly leads. Simplecast starts at $15/month and Fireside at $20/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Simplecast or Fireside?
- Simplecast starts at $15/month and Fireside at $20/month.
- Does Simplecast or Fireside run on more platforms?
- Both run on Web, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
- 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 Fireside is typically brought in for.
- What can Simplecast do that Fireside cannot?
- Simplecast covers Dynamic ad insertion, Team collaboration, API access, Advertising networks. Fireside covers Community features, Listener engagement, Monetization, Email services. Both handle Unlimited hosting, Analytics, Distribution, All podcast platforms.