Software · head to head
Simplecast vs Headliner
The short version
- Only Headliner 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; Headliner free plan allows only one unwatermarked audiogram per month; everything else carries a Headliner watermark
- They diverge on capability: Simplecast covers Unlimited hosting, Headliner covers Audio to video conversion.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Simplecast and Headliner actually diverge.
| Attribute | Simplecast | Headliner |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $15/month | Free |
| Pricing model | subscription | freemium |
| Free tier | No | Yes |
| Founded | 2014 | 2017 |
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
- Unlimited hosting
- Analytics
- Dynamic ad insertion
- Distribution
- Team collaboration
- API access
- All podcast platforms
- Advertising networks
Only in Headliner
- Audio to video conversion
- Animated waveforms
- Automatic captions
- Brand customization
- Social media optimization
- Batch processing
- Podcast platforms
- Social media
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 Headliner
- Distributing shows to Apple Podcasts, Spotify and other directoriesnot Headliner
- Monetising podcasts through dynamic ad insertion at the Professional tiernot Headliner
Headliner
- Turning podcast audio into captioned audiogram videos for social medianot Simplecast
- Auto transcribing episodes and burning captions into video clipsnot Simplecast
- Producing branded promotional clips from full length episodesnot 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
Headliner
- Free plan allows only one unwatermarked audiogram per month; everything else carries a Headliner watermark
- Basic plan at $9.99 per month caps unwatermarked audiograms at 10 per month
- Free and Basic plans cap video length at 10 minutes at 1080p; 2 hour videos require the Pro plan
- Custom watermarks and unlimited unwatermarked exports require the $25.99 per month Pro plan
- Video upload storage is capped at 10GB on every plan including Pro
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
Headliner
Free- FreeFree
- Create clips
- Watermarked videos
- Limited exports
- Creator$15/month
- Unlimited exports
- No watermarks
- Captions
Which should you pick?
Choose Headliner if
- You need audio to video conversion.
- You want to start without paying.
- You also want animated waveforms.
Questions people ask
- Is Simplecast or Headliner better?
- Neither clearly leads. Simplecast starts at $15/month and Headliner at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Simplecast or Headliner?
- Headliner has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $15/month for Simplecast and Free for Headliner.
- Does Simplecast or Headliner run on more platforms?
- Both run on Web, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
- Can I use Headliner for free?
- Yes. Headliner 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 Headliner is typically brought in for.
- What can Simplecast do that Headliner cannot?
- Simplecast covers Unlimited hosting, Analytics, Dynamic ad insertion, Distribution. Headliner covers Audio to video conversion, Animated waveforms, Automatic captions, Brand customization. Both handle Web support.