Podcast & Audio Publishing · head to head
Spreaker vs Fireside
Spreaker
Podcast & Audio Publishing
Podcast hosting with social network features
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
Fireside
Podcast & Audio Publishing
Podcast hosting with community features
- From
- $20/month
- Rated
- -
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; Fireside starter plan at $9 per month allows one podcast and 5 episodes per month
- They diverge on capability: Spreaker covers Podcast hosting, Fireside covers Unlimited hosting.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Spreaker and Fireside actually diverge.
Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Podcast & Audio Publishing).
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
- Payment processors
- Ios support
- Android support
Only in Fireside
- Unlimited hosting
- Community features
- Listener engagement
- Monetization
- Email services
Both cover
- Distribution
- Analytics
- 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 Fireside
- Monetising a show through programmatic ads, listener subscriptions or a supporters clubnot Fireside
- Running a multi-show podcast network with collaboratorsnot Fireside
Fireside
- Hosting a podcast together with a customisable podcast websitenot Spreaker
- Running several shows as a podcast network from one accountnot Spreaker
- Tracking episode download metrics and link clicksnot 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
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
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
Fireside
$20/month- Creator$20/month
- Unlimited hosting
- Community features
- Distribution
- Network$50/month
- Multiple shows
- Team management
- Advanced analytics
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.
Questions people ask
- Is Spreaker or Fireside better?
- Neither clearly leads. Spreaker starts at Free and Fireside at $20/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Spreaker or Fireside?
- Spreaker has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Spreaker and $20/month for Fireside.
- Does Spreaker or Fireside run on more platforms?
- Spreaker runs on Web, Ios, Android. Fireside runs on Web.
- Can I use Spreaker for free?
- Yes. Spreaker has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Fireside starts at $20/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 Fireside is typically brought in for.
- What can Spreaker do that Fireside cannot?
- Spreaker covers Podcast hosting, Live streaming, Social network, Audio editing. Fireside covers Unlimited hosting, Community features, Listener engagement, Monetization. Both handle Distribution, Analytics, All podcast platforms, Social media.