Imagine you are an up and coming podcaster with a solid first episode on your hands. Perhaps even more than one episode, maybe a whole series filled to the brim with your hand-selected choice of handcrafted content. Whether it is rants about the injustices of life, commentary about movies with good friends or a brand new fictional audio drama, you will need a podcast hosting platform to store and share your episodes.
Behind any successful podcast is a reliable, manageable podcast hosting platform. From editing tools to file management, you will not be able to find success as a podcaster without a platform that clicks with your production methods, and before you can begin racking up the 5-star reviews, you will need to understand the schematics of RSS feeds, audio storage and file distribution.
The best and the worst part about podcast hosts is just how many there are, though. Digging through the sea of options can be overwhelming, but lucky for you, we’ve selected two of the most popular and will provide a full breakdown of the pros and cons of each.
Spreaker definitely knows how to grab your eye the second you show up to their website. The platform is bright, modern and inviting. In October 2020, iHeartMedia acquired Spreaker’s parent company Voxnest, and although the changes to the Spreaker platform itself have been minimal, this should also give you an extra sense of security that your episodes will be safe with Spreaker. You will also have the added promotional benefit of being part of such a large network.
While aspects of monetization, publishing or growing a podcast can be complicated or intimidating, Spreaker does a great job at presenting their tools and resources in an easy to understand way. Spreaker is working hard to be a one-stop shop that can be used by a newbie podcaster or an experienced host looking to transfer a large library of audio to a new, more modern or robust platform.
Spreaker’s Dynamic Ad Insertion is an industry leading feature that makes monetization simple and accessible. The tool allows for programmatic advertising, which lets podcasters easily and seamlessly integrate ads into their episodes without having to seek out individual sponsors or advertisers. Speaker has an entire marketplace of advertisers ready and willing to deliver targeted, relevant ads on podcasts hosted with their platform, and is set up for these ads to be inserted into an episode with the click of a button.
Not unlike Spreaker, Buzzsprout looks to be an easy to use, modern platform with a powerful offering of tools. Their free plan will allow your episodes to be accessible for ninety days with total series length limited to two hours every month. If you want to step up to $12 per month, it comes with a slew of benefits like unlimited storage and the ability to import podcasts for free.
The two platforms actually look very similar visually at the moment, but where Spreaker and Buzzsprout are differentiated is in regards to the features offered. For example, on their paid plans Buzzsprout offers a proprietary Magic Mastering tool to help you nail the perfect audio balance. They also have an option to have episodes automatically transcribed for an additional cost. On the other hand, Buzzsprout currently has less monetization tools available than Spreaker.
Many new podcasters will look at price first, and Spreaker and Buzzsprout are two of the best platforms available that still offer a free hosting option.
Spreaker’s tiered plan system is flexible and easy to understand, because you are paying for hours of storage rather than bandwidth or file size. Their most popular is the $20 per month “Broadcaster” plan, which will be more than sufficient for most new podcasters. This plan, and all of Spreaker’s plans for that matter, allows for easy uploading to Spotify, Apple Podcasts and iHeart Radio, and also provides users with advanced statistics and tools for monetization like paid subscriptions.
Buzzsprout’s plans are for storage per month, rather than total storage. Experienced, longtime will appreciate this, as it means they are not paying a big fee upfront for preexisting content that is being moved over. The most popular plans are $12 per month or $18 per month for 3 hours or 6 hours of storage respectively, plus the option to get Magic Mastering as an add on. With all Buzzsprout plans, more content can be uploaded for an additional cost if a plan maximum is exceeded.
In many cases, Spreaker will be the more affordable option. Your limitation comes from exceeding their total audio storage option, however newer podcasters will have plenty of room before hitting the storage caps, and when they do, there is the option to easily upgrade to a larger plan.
Read more: The 10 Best Podcast Hosting Services (for new & experienced podcasters)
Buzzsprout’s flagship tool is Magic Mastering, and they also offer things like Episode Transcription for $0.25 per minute and automatic episode optimization.
Magic Mastering defines itself as “an Instagram filter for your audio” and uses technology to adjust your files to sweeten and polish them. Audio engineers or experienced podcasters may not see the appeal, but if you are more interested in sharing ideas than dealing with levels and EQ, this might be a perk worth looking into.
Buzzsprout also offers most commonly desired features for podcasters, such as advanced statistics, podcast websites, and the ability to easily put your podcast on all of the top podcast directories. Their monetization tools are fairly limited, although they do offer an affiliate marketing program to generate some revenue.
Spreaker on the other hand has fully leaned into monetization as their specialty. They have an option to easily integrate programmatic ads into your show with their industry leading platform, allowing you to quickly monetize your episodes while still staying in control of your content. Spreaker also offers an affiliate program. Furthermore, their promotion tool, AdHub, allows you to promote your podcast within their platform and potentially gain new listeners overnight.
Another standout feature offered by Spreaker is the desktop and mobile Spreaker Studio app, which can make recording and uploading your episodes a breeze. While it does not have the “filter” effect of Magic Mastering, the Spreaker Studio App is another tool to look into if you are not tech-savvy and are looking to make the recording process as simple as possible.
Buzzsprout and Spreaker are both very capable podcast hosts with a generous supply of active users to vouch for them but their strengths come in two very different ways. Both hosts really understand the power behind statistics and storage, and if you are simply looking for a reliable host for basic podcasting, you will be in good hands with either. Overall, Buzzsprout has the best interests of the beginner in mind, while Spreaker has their eye on the consumer which can appeal to two spectrums depending on what specifically you’re looking for.
Buzzsprout aspires to be a beginners guide to all things podcast and comes equipped with tools that will come in handy in the long run, but Speaker builds on that by not only being understandable and modern and acknowledging the importance of making not just a podcast, but a profit. Buzzsprout is accessible but doesn’t approach podcasting with the business mindset, which is something Spreaker doesn’t seem that shy to discuss upfront with their customers.
When evaluating the two platforms, first decide how much storage you need and what price you are hoping to pay, and then evaluate between the pro features available. For some people, Buzzsprout’s Magic Mastering or Transcription may be a top desire, but if you are a podcaster with dreams of monetizing your side hustle (or just making enough to get a free coffee every now and then), there is no denying that Spreaker is the way to go.
The best news? Whichever solution you go with, we’ve got a discount code for you.
Spreaker — 90% off your first month with code: discoverpod
Buzzsprout — $20 Amazon gift card when you become a customer
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