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Podcasting · head to head

Fireside vs Transistor.fm

Fireside logo

Fireside

Podcasting

Podcast hosting with community features

From
$20/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Transistor.fm logo

Transistor.fm

Podcasting

The podcast host built for professional broadcasters

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Transistor.fm has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Fireside starter plan at $9 per month allows one podcast and 5 episodes per month; Transistor.fm add-on pricing for transcription services is listed but actual prices omitted from display
  • They diverge on capability: Fireside covers Unlimited hosting, Transistor.fm covers Unlimited episodes.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Fireside and Transistor.fm actually diverge.

Attributes where Fireside and Transistor.fm differ
AttributeFiresideTransistor.fm
Starting price$20/monthFree
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWebWeb, Mobile
Founded20182016

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), 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 Fireside

  • Unlimited hosting
  • Community features
  • Distribution
  • Analytics
  • Listener engagement
  • Monetization
  • All podcast platforms
  • Email services

Only in Transistor.fm

  • Unlimited episodes
  • Automatic transcription
  • Advanced analytics
  • Custom player
  • Email newsletters
  • White-label options
  • Apple Podcasts
  • Spotify

Both cover

  • Web support

What people use each for

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

Fireside

  • Hosting a podcast together with a customisable podcast websitenot Transistor.fm
  • Running several shows as a podcast network from one accountnot Transistor.fm
  • Tracking episode download metrics and link clicksnot Transistor.fm

Transistor.fm

  • Podcast hosting and distributionnot Fireside
  • Video podcast publishingnot Fireside
  • AI transcriptionnot Fireside
  • Dynamic ad insertionnot Fireside
  • Private podcast networksnot Fireside

Where each one falls short

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

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

Transistor.fm

  • Add-on pricing for transcription services is listed but actual prices omitted from display
  • Enterprise pricing lacks specificity and requires direct contact
  • Private subscriber limits appear restrictive for scaling large networks
  • No transparent usage overage costs shown

Pricing, plan by plan

Fireside

$20/month
  • Creator$20/month
    • Unlimited hosting
    • Community features
    • Distribution
  • Network$50/month
    • Multiple shows
    • Team management
    • Advanced analytics

Transistor.fm

Free
  • Starter$19/month
    • 20K monthly downloads
    • 50 private subscribers
    • Unlimited podcasts
  • Professional$49/month
    • 100K monthly downloads
    • 500 private subscribers
    • Dynamic ads
  • Business$99/month
    • 250K monthly downloads
    • 3K private subscribers
    • Branded removal
  • Enterprise$199/month
    • Custom limits exceeding 250K downloads or 3K private subscribers

Which should you pick?

Choose Fireside if

  • You need unlimited hosting.
  • You also want community features.
Fireside review

Choose Transistor.fm if

  • You need unlimited episodes.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Mobile.
  • You also want automatic transcription.
Transistor.fm review

Questions people ask

Is Fireside or Transistor.fm better?
Neither clearly leads. Fireside starts at $20/month and Transistor.fm at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Fireside or Transistor.fm?
Transistor.fm has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $20/month for Fireside and Free for Transistor.fm.
Does Fireside or Transistor.fm run on more platforms?
Fireside runs on Web. Transistor.fm runs on Web, Mobile.
Can I use Transistor.fm for free?
Yes. Transistor.fm has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Fireside starts at $20/month.
What is Fireside best used for?
Fireside is most often used for hosting a podcast together with a customisable podcast website, running several shows as a podcast network from one account, tracking episode download metrics and link clicks. Of those, hosting a podcast together with a customisable podcast website and running several shows as a podcast network from one account are not what Transistor.fm is typically brought in for.
What can Fireside do that Transistor.fm cannot?
Fireside covers Unlimited hosting, Community features, Distribution, Analytics. Transistor.fm covers Unlimited episodes, Automatic transcription, Advanced analytics, Custom player. Both handle Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Transistor.fm: Does Transistor.fm offer a free trial?

Yes, Transistor offers a 14-day free trial with no credit card required.

Source
Transistor.fm: What's the least expensive plan?

The Starter plan costs $19 per month USD and includes 20K monthly downloads, 50 private subscribers, unlimited podcasts, and unlimited collaborators.

Source
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