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Podcasting · head to head

Castos vs Transistor

Castos logo

Castos

Podcasting

Simple podcast hosting for WordPress sites

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Transistor logo

Transistor

Podcasting

Professional podcast hosting for businesses and creators

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Castos transcripts are metered by tier, at 10 a month on Essentials and 100 on Pro; Transistor starter plan at $19 per month caps monthly downloads at 20,000
  • They diverge on capability: Castos covers Unlimited hosting, Transistor covers Unlimited podcasts.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Castos and Transistor actually diverge.

Attributes where Castos and Transistor differ
AttributeCastosTransistor
PlatformsWeb, WordpressWeb
Founded20162018

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (subscription), free tier (Yes), 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 Castos

  • Unlimited hosting
  • WordPress integration
  • Distribution
  • Analytics
  • Monetization
  • Email marketing
  • WordPress
  • All podcast platforms

Only in Transistor

  • Unlimited podcasts
  • Private podcasting
  • Advanced analytics
  • Team collaboration
  • Custom branding
  • API access
  • Apple Podcasts
  • Spotify

Both cover

  • Web support

What people use each for

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

Castos

  • Podcast hosting with unlimited episodes and downloadsnot Transistor
  • Private and subscriber-only podcastsnot Transistor
  • Automatic transcription of episodesnot Transistor
  • Republishing episodes to YouTubenot Transistor
  • WordPress-integrated podcast publishingnot Transistor

Transistor

  • Podcast hosting and distributionnot Castos
  • Audio content publishingnot Castos
  • Private subscriber managementnot Castos

Where each one falls short

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

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

Transistor

  • Starter plan at $19 per month caps monthly downloads at 20,000
  • Private podcast subscribers are capped at 50 on Starter and 500 on Professional
  • Dynamic ad insertion and auto-posting to YouTube require the $49 per month Professional plan or higher
  • Removing Transistor branding requires the $99 per month Business plan
  • Enterprise plans above 250,000 monthly downloads start at $199 per month and require contacting the vendor

Pricing, plan by plan

Castos

Free
  • Essentials$19/month
    • unlimited podcasts/episodes
    • 10 transcripts/month
  • Growth$49/month
    • advanced analytics
    • 25 transcripts/month
  • Pro$99/month
    • video hosting
    • 100 transcripts/month
  • Premium$499/month
    • unlimited transcripts
    • dedicated account management

Transistor

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 Castos if

  • You need unlimited hosting.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Wordpress.
  • You also want wordpress integration.
Castos review

Choose Transistor if

  • You need unlimited podcasts.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want private podcasting.
Transistor review

Questions people ask

Is Castos or Transistor better?
Neither clearly leads. Castos starts at Free and Transistor at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Castos or Transistor?
Castos starts at Free and Transistor at Free.
Does Castos or Transistor run on more platforms?
Castos runs on Web, Wordpress. Transistor runs on Web.
Can I use Castos for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Castos best used for?
Castos is most often used for podcast hosting with unlimited episodes and downloads, private and subscriber-only podcasts, automatic transcription of episodes, republishing episodes to youtube. Of those, podcast hosting with unlimited episodes and downloads and private and subscriber-only podcasts are not what Transistor is typically brought in for.
What can Castos do that Transistor cannot?
Castos covers Unlimited hosting, WordPress integration, Distribution, Analytics. Transistor covers Unlimited podcasts, Private podcasting, Advanced analytics, Team collaboration. Both handle Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Castos: How much does Castos cost?

Castos plans range from USD 19/month for Essentials to USD 499+/month for Premium, with annual billing offering 2 months free discount.

Source
Transistor: Does Transistor offer a free trial?

Yes, Transistor offers a 14-day free trial.

Source
Castos: Is there a free trial for Castos?

Yes, Castos offers a 14-day free trial on the Essentials plan with no credit card required to get started.

Source
Transistor: Can I save money by paying annually?

Yes, Transistor offers 12 months for the price of 10 when you pay yearly, representing a 17% discount.

Source
Castos: How many transcripts are included per plan?

Essentials includes 10 transcripts/month, Growth includes 25, Pro includes 100, and Premium includes unlimited transcripts.

Source
Castos: What are Castos add-ons and how much do they cost?

Add-ons include AI Assistant at USD 10/month and extra private subscribers at USD 50/month per 500 additional subscribers.

Source
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