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Podcasting · head to head

Fireside vs Simplecast

Fireside logo

Fireside

Podcasting

Podcast hosting with community features

From
$20/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Simplecast logo

Simplecast

Podcasting

Hosting for professional podcast networks

From
$15/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Fireside starter plan at $9 per month allows one podcast and 5 episodes per month; Simplecast basic plan at $15 per month includes only 20,000 monthly downloads and 2 team seats
  • They diverge on capability: Fireside covers Community features, Simplecast covers Dynamic ad insertion.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Fireside and Simplecast actually diverge.

Attributes where Fireside and Simplecast differ
AttributeFiresideSimplecast
Starting price$20/month$15/month
Founded20182014

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), free tier (No), platforms (Web), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Podcasting).

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 Fireside

  • Community features
  • Listener engagement
  • Monetization
  • Email services
  • Social media
  • Content protection
  • Privacy controls

Only in Simplecast

  • Dynamic ad insertion
  • Team collaboration
  • API access
  • Advertising networks
  • CMS systems
  • Enterprise security
  • SOC 2 compliant
  • Access controls

Both cover

  • Unlimited hosting
  • Distribution
  • Analytics
  • All podcast platforms
  • Web support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

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

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

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

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

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

Pricing, plan by plan

Fireside

$20/month
  • Creator$20/month
    • Unlimited hosting
    • Community features
    • Distribution
  • Network$50/month
    • Multiple shows
    • Team management
    • Advanced analytics

Simplecast

$15/month
  • Basic$15/month
    • Annual option: $13.50/month when prepaid
    • 2 team seats
    • Unlimited storage
  • Essential$35/month
    • Annual option: $31.50/month when prepaid
    • 4 team seats
    • Everything in Basic plus additional web players
  • Professional$null/custom
    • Contact sales for custom pricing
    • Dynamic ad insertion
    • Campaign management
  • Enterprise$null/custom
    • Contact sales for custom features
    • Everything in Professional plus API integration
    • White-labeled RSS

Which should you pick?

Choose Fireside if

  • You need community features.
  • You also want listener engagement.
Fireside review

Choose Simplecast if

  • You need dynamic ad insertion.
  • You also want team collaboration.
Simplecast review

Questions people ask

Is Fireside or Simplecast better?
Neither clearly leads. Fireside starts at $20/month and Simplecast at $15/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Fireside or Simplecast?
Fireside starts at $20/month and Simplecast at $15/month.
Does Fireside or Simplecast run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
What is Fireside best used for?
Fireside is most often used for hosting a podcast together with a customisable podcast website, running several shows as a podcast network from one account, tracking episode download metrics and link clicks. Of those, hosting a podcast together with a customisable podcast website and running several shows as a podcast network from one account are not what Simplecast is typically brought in for.
What can Fireside do that Simplecast cannot?
Fireside covers Community features, Listener engagement, Monetization, Email services. Simplecast covers Dynamic ad insertion, Team collaboration, API access, Advertising networks. Both handle Unlimited hosting, Distribution, Analytics, All podcast platforms.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Simplecast: How much does Simplecast cost?

Simplecast offers a 14-day free trial (no credit card required) followed by paid plans starting at $15/month for Basic ($13.50/month annual) and $35/month for Essential ($31.50/month annual). Professional and Enterprise plans require contacting sales for custom pricing.

Source
Simplecast: Can I change my Simplecast plan anytime?

Yes. Plan changes are allowed anytime with prorated adjustments. You can cancel anytime with no long-term contracts or penalties.

Source
Simplecast: What is included in the Basic plan?

The Basic plan ($15/month or $13.50/month annually) includes 2 team seats, unlimited storage, distribution to all platforms, basic analytics, custom domain website, and 20,000 downloads per month.

Source
Simplecast: What makes the Essential plan different from Basic?

The Essential plan ($35/month or $31.50/month annually) adds 2 more team seats (4 total), comparative analytics, location analytics, unique listener reports, and increases the monthly download allowance to 50,000.

Source
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