Best podcast hosting for beginners
A new show needs three things from a host: an RSS feed that the directories accept, a low and predictable bill, and limits you won't hit in your first year. Most first-year shows publish weekly and get hundreds, not tens of thousands, of downloads. So the limit that matters is usually upload time or price, not downloads.
Entry plans side by side
| Provider | Plan | Monthly billing | Per month, billed yearly | Downloads / month | Upload hours / month | Shows | Team seats | Video | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Podbean | Unlimited Audio | $17 | $12 | unmetered (fair use) | 16 | 1 | unverified | No | pricing page |
| Buzzsprout | Audio | not shown | $15 | not stated | 6 | 1 | Unlimited | No | pricing page |
| Captivate | Personal | not shown | $17 | 30,000 | Unlimited | Unlimited | unverified | unverified | pricing page |
| Transistor | Starter | $19 | $15.83 | 20,000 | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited | Yes | pricing page |
| Castos | Essentials | $19 | $15.83 | unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited | 1 | No | pricing page |
| RSS.com no affiliate | Free | Free | Free | unlimited | Unlimited | 1 | unverified | No | pricing page |
| Buzzsprout | Free | Free | Free | not stated | 2 | 1 | Unlimited | No | pricing page |
What to weigh
Lowest friction to try
- Free plan: 2 hours a month, but episodes disappear after 90 days, so it is a trial, not a home.
- Audio plan $15/mo billed yearly with 72 upload hours a year (~6 a month). A weekly 1-hour show fits.
- Extra hours are billed at the plan rate rather than blocking you.
- Transcripts included on paid plans.
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Generous download cap for the price
- Personal: $17/mo billed yearly, up to 30,000 downloads a month.
- Unlimited shows and storage; every feature on every plan.
- 30-day free trial, the longest we found.
- Monthly-billing price was not shown on the pricing page.
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Unlimited shows from day one
- Starter: $19/mo, or about $15.83/mo billed yearly (12 months for the price of 10).
- 20,000 downloads a month and unlimited team members.
- 14-day free trial.
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Flat rate, no counting
- Essentials: $19/mo or $190/yr with unlimited shows, episodes and downloads.
- Single user only (team members start on Growth).
- 14-day trial; a card is required up front.
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Cheapest yearly entry
- Unlimited Audio: $12/mo billed yearly ($17 monthly).
- About 16 hours of uploads a month (1 GB), audio only, one channel.
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Free with no expiry
- Free plan: unlimited episodes and downloads, one show, no time limit.
- Paid Plus from $15/mo yearly adds ads, transcripts and advanced stats.
Visit RSS.com No affiliate relationship: we earn nothing from this link.
Our take: if you want to spend nothing while you find your format, a permanent free tier (RSS.com, Podbean) beats a 90-day one. If you're ready to pay, check whether your show is limited by hours (Buzzsprout, Podbean) or downloads (Captivate, Transistor); for most new weekly shows, neither limit will bite.