Podcasting is a great way to get your thoughts and ideas out to the world. To start podcasting, you will need a high-quality hosting service to support your show and distribute each podcast episode to your audience.
Podbean and Libsyn are some of the top hosting platforms in the industry.
Our team of experts has spent months researching and using Podbean and Libsyn. In this article, we will give you an in-depth look at these hosting service options based on their features, pricing, and more, so you can choose one of the best podcast hosting platforms for your podcast.
Table Of Contents
Quick Summary
Libsyn was established in 2004 and is one of the largest platforms in the industry; however, it does come with a bit of a learning curve.- Podbean is a podcasting site that is ideal for beginners and offers comprehensive hosting services.
- Podbean and Lisbyn offer similar features, however, Podbean offers video podcasting and more monetization features.
Libsyn Overview
Libsyn is one of the largest podcasting platforms in the podcasting world. It was established in 2004. Libsyn is constantly updating with new tools and advanced features.
Libsyn isn’t necessarily the easiest platform to use and you will need some time to learn to navigate through it.
Even with the learning curve, Libsyn provides endless resources and support. It is a perfect host for those who want to grow their podcast and need unique features.
You just need one person to listen, understand your message, and then pass it on to someone else. Then, you’ve doubled your listening audience.
– Robert Gerrish, Host and Founder of Flying Solo Podcast
Libsyn Features
There are tons of great features that Libsyn offers to podcasters, including:
OnPublish
OnPublish is a unique publishing tool that, along with the Libsyn RSS feed, connects users to their audience on the most popular podcast directories.
The RSS feed makes getting your podcast out to a large audience simple. OnPublish features several tools to get to know new listeners and save time, including:
- Removal or addition of new content to the RSS feeds
- Customized delivery to third-party apps
- Advanced reporting and scheduled publishing
These features allow you to have control over your podcast distribution and analytics.
- Libsyn Podcast Player – The Libsyn embeddable player is easy to add to your podcast site or to play on a mobile device. The player allows users to create playlists, use direct playback, choose colors and start times.
- Libsyn Custom Apps – Libsyn allows podcast creators to make custom mobile apps to add to their podcast sites or premium podcasts. They offer podcast apps on any level, including end-user support, assistance through app building, and customization.
- Libsyn Directory – Users can also listen to podcasts hosted through the Libsyn podcast directories, which offer unique app options and premium podcasts.
- Libsyn Pro – The Libsyn Pro tools function as account management and advertising management tools for hosts. Pro enables unlimited uploads, phone support, private podcasting, and custom mobile apps. Libsyn Pro is ideal for brands and major networks.
- Libsyn Feed – One feature that stands out about Lisyn is its marketing and podcasting. They have their own podcast called The Feed, hosted by two podcast experts. This podcast is all about the tricks of podcasting and how to get ahead.
Libsyn Pricing
Libsyn offers three paid pricing plans, including:
- First Plan ($5 per month): Up to 3 hours of uploads per month for podcast hosts, 162 MB of monthly storage, basic stats, built-in audio recording, easy and fast publishing, basic social promotion, unlimited bandwidth, an ad-free podcast site, a custom podcast player, and podcast monetization.
- Second Plan ($15 per month): Includes everything from the previous plan plus 6 hours of uploads per month, 324 MB of monthly storage, and episode, daily, and all-time stats.
- Third Plan ($20 per month): Includes everything from the previous plans plus 10 hours of uploads per month, 540 MB of monthly storage, advanced stats for your podcast site, and remote podcast recording.
First Plan ($5 per month): - An expert brand
- Updated interface and tools
- Customer support is easily reached, friendly, helpful
- Cutting-edge posting features
- The learning curve for beginners
- Not self-explanatory; some terminology could be confusing
- No free plan
The learning curve for beginners
Is Libsyn A Good Overall Host?
Libsyn is a top choice in the podcasting world. It has a long presence in the industry as a leader, with new tools and features always being developed.
Libsyn is an excellent choice for those serious about podcasting and looking for a hosting service that they can grow with.
Many people listen to podcasts because they want to learn something new and be entertained along the way.
– Alex Blumberg, CEO of Gimlet Media
Podbean Overview
Podbean is a podcast site ideal for beginners because it offers comprehensive hosting services. Whether you are new to podcasting or looking to change your podcast site, Podbean is an excellent option.
Podbean is a hosting company that is simple to use but also offers features to attract new listeners, monetize featured podcasts, and build a new podcast website.
Podbean has been in the industry since 2006 and has helped to live stream over 7.5 million podcast episodes.
Podbean Features
Podbean offers several valuable features, including:
- Website Builder – When you use Podbean, they also include a free domain. You can build your website to showcase all the essential information about your featured podcasts. The builder doesn’t offer a large amount of customization but does allow you to choose a theme and make some style choices.
- SEO – Optimizing podcasts for search engines using search engine optimization is essential for marketing your podcast. By editing the title, description, and tags with Podbean, you can enhance your search position.
- Podbean App – The Podbean app is a highly-rated mobile app available for both iOS and Android. The Podbean podcast app has core publishing features for creators. You can also record your podcasts directly from the Podbean podcast app; however, the quality is usually lacking.
- Video Podcasting – Podbean supports video podcasting in addition to audio support. Not all podcast hosting companies offer video podcasting, and it isn’t necessary for every podcast. If you are looking to host video podcast episodes and build a personal brand with a loyal following, video podcasting is a good addition.
- Advertising And Monetization Options – Those looking to host multiple podcasts or use promotion features for their podcast show can benefit from advertising and monetization. With the marketing and monetization that Podbean offers, you can collect earnings from your podcast with features such as automatic social media integration, advertisements, and embedding.
- Analytics – Podbean offers in-depth listener analytics based on your podcast’s performance. You can view data such as how many downloads were completed each day plus listener retention rate. You can also use the Google Analytics plugin to connect your Podbean account for further data.
Podbean Pricing
Libsyn offers a free plan and three paid pricing plans, including:
- Podcast Starter ($0 per month): Up to 5 hours of monthly uploads, 100 GB of monthly bandwidth, Podbean podcast app, embeddable player, podcast site, distribution to major networks such as Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, and basic stats.
- Unlimited Audio ($9 per month): Includes everything from the previous Plan plus unlimited uploads, video podcasts, unlimited bandwidth, advanced custom design, map your own domain, monetization options such as an ad marketplace, premium sales, and pod ads.
- Unlimited Plus ($29 per month): Includes everything from the previous plans, complete custom design, and a patron program.
- Network ($79 per month): Includes everything from the previous plans plus 3 TB of monthly bandwidth, unlimited hosting for multiple podcast channels, up to 50 admins, a professional network page, live chat support, and the ability to remove Podbean branding.
- Simple to publish content
- Great for beginners
- User-friendly setup
- Free podcast hosting service available
- No uptime guarantee
- Limited security features
Is Podbean A Good Overall Host?
Podbean is an excellent choice for those who want to start a podcast for free. It’s simple to create your own domain and podcast and send it to those who want to hear it. They offer a user-friendly interface, monetization tools, and helpful analytics.
Podbean Vs Libsyn: Comparison
While Podbean and Libsyn offer similar features as podcast hosts, they do have some distinct differences, including:
- Distribution – Libsyn distributes through an RSS feed and podcast pages. Podbean can distribute to a specific website, RSS, or network page.
- Storage Limits – Libsyn offers storage limits between 50 MB and 1500 MB monthly and doesn’t offer unlimited storage. Podean offers storage limits between 100MB and unlimited storage monthly.
- Benefits – ibsyn can publish to multiple platforms at once and has flexible pricing. Podbean offers unlimited hosting, a personal podcast page, and a simple interface to manage your podcast.
- Price – Libsyn doesn’t offer free plans and has packages that start at $5 per month. Podbean offers a fee-limited package and unlimited hosting with paid plans starting at $9 per month.
FAQs
What Are The Limitations Of Podbean’s Free Version?
The limitation of Podbean’s free version include that you can only publish up to 3 podcast episodes daily, the max file size is 100 MB, and you own have 5 hours of storage space and 100GB of bandwidth monthly.
Can I Have Multiple Podcasts On Podbean?
Yes, you can have multiple podcasts on Podbean. You can host multiple podcasts on a single account with the Unlimited Plan and up.
Can I Use My Own Podcast Website With Podbean?
Yes, you can use your own podcast website with Podbean. If you already have your own registered domain, you need to set it up through Podbean with DNS record mapping for your domain.
Can I Have Multiple Podcasts On Libsyn?
Yes, you can have multiple podcasts on Libsyn. Libsyn allows you to host more than one podcast under the same login.
How Long Will It Take Libsyn To Publish Podcasts?
It can take up to a month for Libsyn to publish your podcast if you are starting a new podcast. Apple typically takes between 24 hours to a week to approve your podcast, and it can take another week before your podcast is entirely searchable.
Does Podbean Show You Who Listens To Episodes?
Yes, Podbean shows you who listen to episodes. Their analytics can show you the number of listeners and the percentage of retained listeners over a seven-week period.
What Are Some Of The Main Benefits Of Podbean?
The main benefits of Podbean are that they help businesses to create and publish podcasts, promote their marketing campaigns, and live stream audio. They also offer a customizable custom website.
Podbean Vs. Libsyn: Which Is Better?
Podbean and Libsyn are some of the best podcast host options in the industry. The pricing and features of these platforms vary, but both platforms allow you to manage all the aspects of your podcast, including podcast statistics, promotion, and more.
Choose Podbean if you want unlimited storage and hosting at a reasonable price. They also offer ways to monetize your podcast, track analytics for multiple episodes, and more. Libsyn’s advanced features are great if you already have an existing podcast and know how much storage you need. Libsyn is excellent for professionals and businesses with podcasts.
Which podcast host you choose depends on several factors, including budget, storage, third-party integrations, user-friendly nature, and more. Still, you can be sure both Podbean and Libsyn are great options.
Our #1 Recommendation: Podbean
Features
Support
Pricing
Storage
Distribution
