The best podcast hosting platforms in 2026
Ten hosts compared on price, free plans, private podcasts and whether you can charge listeners. The right pick depends on what you want your show to do.
This guide is made by Hiro, and Hiro is one of the platforms in it. Prices were checked in November 2026 on each company's own site. Prices change, so check before you buy.
Quick answer: Buzzsprout is the easiest for beginners. Spotify for Creators is the best free host. Transistor is best if you run several shows. Hiro is best for selling private podcasts and audio courses. Supercast suits you if you'd rather pay per subscriber.
Best picks by need
Buzzsprout
Simple setup and a free plan to try it. Paid from $15/mo, billed yearly.
Spotify for Creators
Free hosting that publishes straight to Spotify.
Transistor
Many shows under one flat price, from $19/mo.
Hiro
Private feeds, sales pages and checkout with no cut of your sales. From $57/mo, or $67 lifetime offer.
Podbean
From $12/mo billed yearly, with its own listening app.
Castos
Private podcasts on every plan, from $19/mo.
Side-by-side comparison
| Platform | Lowest paid price | Free plan | Private podcasts | Charge listeners | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hiro | $57/mo ($67 lifetime offer) | No | Yes, every plan | Yes, built-in checkout, no cut | Selling private shows and audio courses |
| Buzzsprout | $15/mo, billed yearly | Yes | No | Yes, Subscriptions on paid plans | Beginners |
| Transistor | $19/mo | No (14-day trial) | Yes, every plan | Not stated | Several shows |
| Captivate | $17/mo, billed yearly | No (30-day trial) | Yes, every plan | Memberships and tipping | Growth and marketing tools |
| Podbean | $12/mo, billed yearly | Yes | Business plan only | Yes, via Apple Podcasts Subscriptions | Low price plus an app |
| RSS.com | $15/mo, billed yearly | Yes | Not stated | Apple Podcasts Subscriptions (Plus and up) | Simple hosting, free tier |
| Spotify for Creators | Free | Yes | Not stated | Memberships, with eligibility rules | Free hosting |
| Castos | $19/mo | No (14-day trial) | Yes, every plan | Donations | Private team shows, WordPress |
| Hello Audio | $14/mo, billed yearly | No (7-day trial) | Yes | Stripe on Starter | Private shows for coaches |
| Supercast | $0.59 per subscriber/mo plus Stripe fees | No | Yes | Yes | Paid subscriptions |
"Not stated" means the company's pricing page didn't say, so check with them.
The platforms, one by one
Hiro: best for selling private podcasts and audio courses
Hiro is built for coaches, course creators and authors who want to get paid for audio. Every listener gets their own private feed, which plays in the Hiro app on iPhone and Android or in the podcast app they already use. Sales pages and checkout are built in, and Hiro takes no cut of your sales. Episodes can unlock over time, access can expire, and Hiro can turn a book or PDF into episodes for you. You can also make a show public and send it to Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
- Paid shows, courses and programs
- Free shows that collect emails
- No cut of sales
- No free plan
- Built for private audio first, not ad-supported public shows
Buzzsprout: best for beginners
Buzzsprout is known for being easy. Paid plans start at $15 a month, billed yearly, and there's a free plan with 2 hours of uploads a month. Free episodes are kept for 90 days. Subscriptions let you sell premium content on paid plans.
- First-time podcasters
- Public shows
- No true private feeds: anyone with the feed address can download
- Free plan deletes episodes after 90 days
Spotify for Creators: best free host
Spotify for Creators (formerly Anchor) hosts your show for free and publishes it straight to Spotify. Memberships let you charge listeners, but your show needs 3+ episodes, 100+ listeners and 100+ hours listened in 30 days, and it's only in some countries.
- Starting with no budget
- Paid memberships have eligibility rules
Transistor: best for running several shows
Transistor starts at $19 a month and lets you host many shows under one flat price. Private podcasts are on every plan (50 subscribers on Starter). There's a 14-day trial, no free plan.
- Networks and businesses with more than one show
- Private subscriber limits by plan
Captivate: best for growth tools
Captivate starts at $17 a month, billed yearly, with a 30-day trial. It focuses on marketing and growth features, and lists private podcasts, memberships and tipping on its plans.
Podbean: best low price with a listening app
Podbean starts at $12 a month billed yearly ($17 monthly) and has a free plan and its own app. Private podcasts are on the Business plan only ($99 a month, billed yearly).
RSS.com: simple hosting with a free tier
RSS.com has a free plan and paid plans from $15 a month, billed yearly. Apple Podcasts Subscriptions are available from the Plus plan.
Castos: best for private team podcasts
Castos is $19 a month or $190 a year, with private podcasts on every plan (100 subscribers on Essentials) and a strong WordPress plugin. A private-subscriber app comes with the Growth plan and up.
Hello Audio: private podcasts for coaches
Hello Audio starts at $14 a month, billed yearly ($17 monthly), with a 7-day trial. Starter includes 1 private feed, Pro 3, and Powerhouse unlimited. Listeners use their usual podcast app.
Supercast: pay per subscriber
Supercast charges $0.59 per subscriber per month plus Stripe fees, with no flat monthly plan. It's built for selling monthly, yearly or lifetime podcast subscriptions.
How we compared them
We checked each company's own pricing page in November 2026. We compared the lowest paid price, whether there's a free plan, whether you can make a show private, and whether you can charge listeners. We didn't rate sound quality or support, because those vary by show and by person.
Questions people ask
What is the best podcast hosting platform?
It depends on your goal. Buzzsprout is easiest for beginners, Spotify for Creators is the best free option, Transistor suits several shows, and Hiro is best for selling private podcasts and audio courses.
What is the best free podcast hosting?
Spotify for Creators is free. Buzzsprout, Podbean and RSS.com also have free plans with limits. Buzzsprout's free plan keeps episodes for 90 days.
Which podcast host is best for private podcasts?
Hiro, Castos, Transistor, Captivate and Hello Audio all offer private podcasts. Hiro adds sales pages and checkout, so it fits paid shows and courses.
Which podcast host lets me sell my podcast?
Hiro has sales pages and checkout built in with no cut of sales. Supercast charges per subscriber. Buzzsprout, Podbean and RSS.com support paid subscriptions through their plans or Apple Podcasts.
Can I move my podcast to a different host?
Yes. Import your show into the new host, then set a 301 redirect on your old feed. Apple Podcasts and Spotify follow the redirect, so you keep your subscribers.