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Podcasting · head to head

Headliner vs Simplecast

Headliner logo

Headliner

Podcasting

Create social media content from audio

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Simplecast logo

Simplecast

Podcasting

Hosting for professional podcast networks

From
$15/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Headliner has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Headliner free plan allows only one unwatermarked audiogram per month; everything else carries a Headliner watermark; Simplecast basic plan at $15 per month includes only 20,000 monthly downloads and 2 team seats
  • They diverge on capability: Headliner covers Audio to video conversion, Simplecast covers Unlimited hosting.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Headliner and Simplecast actually diverge.

Attributes where Headliner and Simplecast differ
AttributeHeadlinerSimplecast
Starting priceFree$15/month
Pricing modelfreemiumsubscription
Free tierYesNo
Founded20172014

Identical on both: 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 Headliner

  • Audio to video conversion
  • Animated waveforms
  • Automatic captions
  • Brand customization
  • Social media optimization
  • Batch processing
  • Podcast platforms
  • Social media

Only in Simplecast

  • Unlimited hosting
  • Analytics
  • Dynamic ad insertion
  • Distribution
  • Team collaboration
  • API access
  • All podcast platforms
  • Advertising networks

Both cover

  • Web support

What people use each for

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

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

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

Where each one falls short

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

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

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

Headliner

Free
  • Forever FreeFree
    • Ad-supported experience
    • Unlimited free video clips
    • Unlimited captioned videos
  • Basic$9.99/month
    • Ad-free experience
    • 10 unwatermarked audiograms/month
    • Unlimited captions (10 min/project)
  • Pro$25.99/month
    • All Basic features
    • Unlimited unwatermarked videos
    • Unlimited transcription

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 Headliner if

  • You need audio to video conversion.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want animated waveforms.
Headliner review

Choose Simplecast if

  • You need unlimited hosting.
  • You also want analytics.
Simplecast review

Questions people ask

Is Headliner or Simplecast better?
Neither clearly leads. Headliner starts at Free and Simplecast at $15/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Headliner or Simplecast?
Headliner has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Headliner and $15/month for Simplecast.
Does Headliner or Simplecast 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 Headliner best used for?
Headliner is most often used for turning podcast audio into captioned audiogram videos for social media, auto transcribing episodes and burning captions into video clips, producing branded promotional clips from full length episodes. Of those, turning podcast audio into captioned audiogram videos for social media and auto transcribing episodes and burning captions into video clips are not what Simplecast is typically brought in for.
What can Headliner do that Simplecast cannot?
Headliner covers Audio to video conversion, Animated waveforms, Automatic captions, Brand customization. Simplecast covers Unlimited hosting, Analytics, Dynamic ad insertion, Distribution. Both handle Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Headliner: How much does Headliner cost?

Headliner offers Forever Free (ad-supported), Basic at $9.99/month (reduced from $14.99), and Pro at $25.99/month (reduced from $29.99).

Source
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
Headliner: What is included in Headliner Pro?

Headliner Pro at $25.99/month includes unlimited unwatermarked videos, unlimited transcription, unlimited captions, custom watermarks, 1080p up to 2 hours, 4-hour audio files, and priority support.

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
Headliner: Does Headliner offer annual discounts?

Yes, annual billing offers up to 50% savings. Basic plan costs $7.99/month billed yearly, and Pro costs $19.99/month billed yearly.

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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