Software · head to head
Spreaker vs Captivate
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Spreaker free plan allows only one podcast and retains statistics for 6 months; Captivate tiers are download ceilings and nothing else: 30,000 a month on Personal, 150,000 on Professional and 300,000 on Business
- They diverge on capability: Spreaker covers Podcast hosting, Captivate covers Unlimited hosting.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Spreaker and Captivate actually diverge.
Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (freemium), free tier (Yes), 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 Spreaker
- Podcast hosting
- Live streaming
- Social network
- Analytics
- Audio editing
- Payment processors
- Ios support
- Android support
Only in Captivate
- Unlimited hosting
- AI analytics
- Smart recommendations
- Monetization
- Audience insights
- Email services
Both cover
- Distribution
- All podcast platforms
- Social media
- Content protection
- Privacy controls
- Web support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Spreaker
- Hosting and distributing podcasts to Spotify, Apple Podcasts and iHeartRadionot Captivate
- Monetising a show through programmatic ads, listener subscriptions or a supporters clubnot Captivate
- Running a multi-show podcast network with collaboratorsnot Captivate
Captivate
- Podcast hosting with unlimited shows on any tiernot Spreaker
- Distribution to the major podcast directoriesnot Spreaker
- Audience analytics by episode and platformnot Spreaker
- Running several podcasts under one subscriptionnot Spreaker
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Spreaker
- Free plan allows only one podcast and retains statistics for 6 months
- Spreaker takes a 20 percent fee on Supporters Club listener payments on the free plan, dropping to 0 percent only on the $20 per month Broadcaster plan
- Subscription monetisation and Apple Podcasts subscriptions require the $20 per month Broadcaster plan
- Player colour customisation and collaborators require the $50 per month Anchorman plan
- Selling and managing your own ad campaigns requires the $250 per month Publisher plan
- Statistics retention is capped at 12 months below the Publisher plan, which extends it to 24 months
Captivate
- Tiers are download ceilings and nothing else: 30,000 a month on Personal, 150,000 on Professional and 300,000 on Business
- A show that exceeds its allowance for two consecutive months is expected to move up a tier
- Above 300,000 downloads a month the plan is quote-only
- Prices are quoted in euros at the yearly rate
Pricing, plan by plan
Spreaker
Free- FreeFree
- 2 hours storage
- Basic hosting
- Social network access
- Plus$5/month
- 50 hours storage
- Full distribution
- Live streaming
Captivate
Free- FreeFree
- 3 hours storage
- Basic hosting
- Limited analytics
- Professional$19/month
- Unlimited hosting
- AI analytics
- Full distribution
Which should you pick?
Choose Spreaker if
- You need podcast hosting.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, Ios, Android.
- You also want live streaming.
Choose Captivate if
- You need unlimited hosting.
- You want to start without paying.
- You also want ai analytics.
Questions people ask
- Is Spreaker or Captivate better?
- Neither clearly leads. Spreaker starts at Free and Captivate at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Spreaker or Captivate?
- Spreaker starts at Free and Captivate at Free.
- Does Spreaker or Captivate run on more platforms?
- Spreaker runs on Web, Ios, Android. Captivate runs on Web.
- Can I use Spreaker for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- What is Spreaker best used for?
- Spreaker is most often used for hosting and distributing podcasts to spotify, apple podcasts and iheartradio, monetising a show through programmatic ads, listener subscriptions or a supporters club, running a multi-show podcast network with collaborators. Of those, hosting and distributing podcasts to spotify, apple podcasts and iheartradio and monetising a show through programmatic ads, listener subscriptions or a supporters club are not what Captivate is typically brought in for.
- What can Spreaker do that Captivate cannot?
- Spreaker covers Podcast hosting, Live streaming, Social network, Analytics. Captivate covers Unlimited hosting, AI analytics, Smart recommendations, Monetization. Both handle Distribution, All podcast platforms, Social media, Content protection.