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Zencastr vs Castos

Zencastr logo

Zencastr

Software

Free podcast recording in your browser

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Castos logo

Castos

Software

Simple podcast hosting for WordPress sites

From
$13/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Zencastr has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Zencastr the pricing page lists no dollar amount for any tier; the paid Enterprise tier is marked Custom and requires contacting sales; Castos transcripts are metered by tier, at 10 a month on Essentials and 100 on Pro
  • They diverge on capability: Zencastr covers Browser-based recording, Castos covers Unlimited hosting.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Zencastr and Castos actually diverge.

Attributes where Zencastr and Castos differ
AttributeZencastrCastos
Starting priceFree$13/month
Pricing modelfreemiumsubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWebWeb, Wordpress
Founded20152016

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 Zencastr

  • Browser-based recording
  • Separate tracks
  • Automatic postproduction
  • Video recording
  • Lossless audio
  • Cloud storage
  • Dropbox
  • Google Drive

Only in Castos

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

Both cover

  • Web support

What people use each for

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

Zencastr

  • Recording remote podcast interviews with separate local tracks per guestnot Castos
  • Recording video podcasts in the browser without guest software installsnot Castos
  • Publishing recorded episodes and clips from one workspacenot Castos

Castos

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

Where each one falls short

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

Zencastr

  • The pricing page lists no dollar amount for any tier; the paid Enterprise tier is marked Custom and requires contacting sales
  • The free tier caps a session at 6 participants
  • The free tier caps video streaming quality at 1080p
  • The free tier is limited to 5 podcast shows and 4 seats

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

Zencastr

Free
  • HobbyistFree
    • 8 hours/month audio
    • MP3 quality
    • Up to 2 guests
  • Professional$20/month
    • Unlimited recording
    • WAV lossless quality
    • Video recording

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 Zencastr if

  • You need browser-based recording.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want separate tracks.
Zencastr review

Choose Castos if

  • You need unlimited hosting.
  • You work on Web, Wordpress.
  • You also want wordpress integration.
Castos review

Questions people ask

Is Zencastr or Castos better?
Neither clearly leads. Zencastr 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, Zencastr or Castos?
Zencastr has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Zencastr and $13/month for Castos.
Does Zencastr or Castos run on more platforms?
Zencastr runs on Web. Castos runs on Web, Wordpress.
Can I use Zencastr for free?
Yes. Zencastr has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Castos starts at $13/month.
What is Zencastr best used for?
Zencastr is most often used for recording remote podcast interviews with separate local tracks per guest, recording video podcasts in the browser without guest software installs, publishing recorded episodes and clips from one workspace. Of those, recording remote podcast interviews with separate local tracks per guest and recording video podcasts in the browser without guest software installs are not what Castos is typically brought in for.
What can Zencastr do that Castos cannot?
Zencastr covers Browser-based recording, Separate tracks, Automatic postproduction, Video recording. Castos covers Unlimited hosting, WordPress integration, Distribution, Analytics. Both handle Web support.
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