Which podcast hosting platform is best for digital creators?

Have you ever dreamed of hosting your own podcast? There has never been a better time to start. 

Thousands of podcasts reach all different types of audiences, and once you grow a following, you can create income from advertisements, brand deals, merchandise, and more. 

But if you have no idea where to start, you may feel a little lost at the beginning of your podcast journey.

Luckily, many platforms on the market can make this process easier. 

Today, we will be comparing two podcast hosting platforms, Podbean and Libsyn, so you can decide which one is best for you. 

Podbean

What is PodBean?

PodBean is a free podcast hosting platform that helps host over 600,000 podcasts worldwide. The site has been providing hosting since 2007 and has since become a global platform. 

They are one of the leading podcast hosting platforms and are trusted by companies such as JPMorgan, Bank of America, Microsoft, and more.

How does PodBean work?

 PodBean strives to be an easy and simple platform that anyone can pick up, without needing prior podcasting experience. Once you sign up for an account, you can begin to either publish a podcast you have already created or import an existing podcast.

From there, you will be walked through step-by-step on how to either create a podcast from scratch or upload a file you have already made.

If you have never created a podcast before, your dashboard will look something like this.

Remember to name your podcast, create a description, upload your photo, and tag the podcast in a specific category, such as business or art.

You can also decide what time the podcast will upload, decide if the podcast will be in a series, and set where you’d like your show to be distributed. 

Manage everything easily from the dashboard, including statistics, podcast websites, apps, and more.

When you create and are ready to upload your podcast, PodBean helps make it simple with tools and features such as unlimited audio and video hosting, domain integration, scheduled posting, website builder, and more. 

You even gain access to important data such as your top 10 episodes based on ratings, downloads, and total watch time, as well as download trends for similar podcasts. 

And most important, PodBean helps you monetize your episodes so you can begin to make money off your work. This includes podcast advertising, dynamic ad insertion, and access to Patron.

How much does PodBean cost?

There are a few different plans you can choose from when choosing PodBean, including a free starter plan.

Basic – Free

With 5 hours of storage space and 100GB of storage monthly, this plan is definitely for beginners. However, you can still create your own podcast website, distribute to all the major podcast apps, and have access to basic analytics. However, you cannot monetize your podcasts or have multiple channels. 

Unlimited Audio – $9.00/mo

This plan allows you to create unlimited podcasts, as you have no restrictions on the amount of audio or storage you can upload. You gain access to advanced statistics and you can even create your own domain. You can join dynamic ad insertion as well as have multiple podcast channels. 

Unlimited Plus – $29.00/mo

Along with everything from the previous plan, you can also create video podcasts, have access to full custom designs and unlimited themes for your site and join the Patron program. This plan is best suited for podcast hosts who want to focus on video podcasts.

Network – $79.00/mo

The most expensive plan allows you to create unlimited podcast channels, as well as have up to 50 admins on your plan. This is best suited for large podcast networks. 

Libsyn

What is Libsyn?

Libsyn is an American podcast-hosting platform that was founded in Pennsylvania in 2004.  As of 2022, the site has been listed by Tech Radar as the best podcast hosting platform.

Libsyn hosts some of the most popular podcasts, including Joe Rogan’s controversial podcast, the Dave Ramsey show, National Public Radio, President Barack Obama, and more. 

There are currently over 7 million active episodes on their site.

How does Libsyn work?

If you are new to podcasting, Libsyn has a step-by-step guide on how to create a podcast for beginners. It is recommended that you read through this guide before joining the site.

Once you join, you will be asked to select a pricing plan before you have access to any of the sites’ features.

How much does Libsyn cost?

Unlike PodBean, there is no free plan available. 

All podcasting plans include access to distribute your podcast on apps such as Apple or Spotify, as well as access to monetization. 

For $5 a month, you can upload 3 hours of content a month and have 162 MB of storage. You gain access to a basic social promotion package, your site will be ad-free, and a custom podcast player.

For $15 a month, you can upload 6 hours of content a month and have 324 MB of storage monthly. You can also view basic statistics. 

For $20 a month, you can upload 10 hours of content a month with 540 MB of storage. You can even remotely record your podcast, and gain access to advanced analytics. This is the most popular plan.

Libsyn also offers 3 different video plans, specifically for if you want to publish a video podcast, which comes with all of the previous features. 

For $40/mo, you can upload 14 hours of video content a month with 800 MB of storage.

For $75/mo, you can upload 27 hours of video with 1500 MB of storage monthly. 

For $150/mo, you can upload 55 hours of video content a month along with 3000 MB of monthly storage.

Libsyn Features

What features does Libsyn offer?

1. Built-in recording

While you can always upload a podcast you’ve already recorded, Libsyn’s built-in audio feature allows you to record your entire podcast from their site. Their experts can walk you through adding royalty-free music, creating a teaser and opener, as well as help with publishing and editing.

2. Dynamic Ads

Choose and curate the ads that will be inserted into your podcast. You can also update these ads routinely to make sure everything is up to date. 

3. Libsyn Glows

A podcast subscription service, this feature allows you to earn money differently in addition to advertisements. Libsyn Glows allows you to create subscription plans for your most valued listeners so they can earn perks and gain access to more content. Listeners can support your work by joining your membership, and allows you to easily earn more income.

Your members can have access to ad-free episodes, bonus episodes, extended episodes, and more.

Which podcast hosting platform will you use?

As two of the most popular podcast hosting platforms, either host you choose will allow you to create and manage your podcasts effortlessly. Both offer key features such as the ability to distribute your podcast on major apps and the ability to frictionlessly monetize your shows. 

However, PodBean does have a free plan while Libsyn does not. Though, Libsyn is the most popular podcasting platform which may allow more people to find your show. 

Let us know what you choose below.