Software · head to head
Spreaker vs Castos
The short version
- Only Spreaker has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: Spreaker free plan allows only one podcast and retains statistics for 6 months; Castos transcripts are metered by tier, at 10 a month on Essentials and 100 on Pro
- They diverge on capability: Spreaker covers Podcast hosting, Castos covers Unlimited hosting.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Spreaker and Castos actually diverge.
Identical on both: 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
- Audio editing
- Social media
- Payment processors
- Privacy controls
- Ios support
Only in Castos
- Unlimited hosting
- WordPress integration
- Monetization
- Email marketing
- WordPress
- Email services
- WordPress security
- Wordpress support
Both cover
- Distribution
- Analytics
- All podcast platforms
- Content protection
- 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 Castos
- Monetising a show through programmatic ads, listener subscriptions or a supporters clubnot Castos
- Running a multi-show podcast network with collaboratorsnot Castos
Castos
- Podcast hosting with unlimited episodes and downloadsnot Spreaker
- Private and subscriber-only podcastsnot Spreaker
- Automatic transcription of episodesnot Spreaker
- Republishing episodes to YouTubenot Spreaker
- WordPress-integrated podcast publishingnot 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
Castos
- Transcripts are metered by tier, at 10 a month on Essentials and 100 on Pro
- Private podcast subscribers are capped, at 100 on Essentials and 500 on Pro
- Video hosting and the uptime SLA require the Pro tier at $99 a month
- SSO and a dedicated account manager are Premium only, from $499 a month
- Team seats are limited by tier, at 5 on Growth and 10 on Pro
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
Castos
$13/month- Podcaster$13/month
- Unlimited hosting
- Automatic distribution
- Basic analytics
- Professional$29/month
- All Podcaster features
- Advanced analytics
- Email marketing
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 Castos if
- You need unlimited hosting.
- You work on Web, Wordpress.
- You also want wordpress integration.
Questions people ask
- Is Spreaker or Castos better?
- Neither clearly leads. Spreaker starts at Free and Castos at $13/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Spreaker or Castos?
- Spreaker has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Spreaker and $13/month for Castos.
- Does Spreaker or Castos run on more platforms?
- Spreaker runs on Web, Ios, Android. Castos runs on Web, Wordpress.
- Can I use Spreaker for free?
- Yes. Spreaker has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Castos starts at $13/month.
- 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 Castos is typically brought in for.
- What can Spreaker do that Castos cannot?
- Spreaker covers Podcast hosting, Live streaming, Social network, Audio editing. Castos covers Unlimited hosting, WordPress integration, Monetization, Email marketing. Both handle Distribution, Analytics, All podcast platforms, Content protection.