Podcast Hosting
AcastvsSimplecast
Compare Acast and Simplecast side by side. See pricing, features, and which is right for your podcast.
Pricing Comparison
| Tier | Acast | Simplecast |
|---|---|---|
| Free Tier | Starter: 1 show, 5 episodes, or unlimited episodes with ads enabled | — |
| Starting Price | Free | $15/mo |
| Pricing Model | freemium | subscription |
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Acast | Simplecast |
|---|---|---|
| Unlimited Storage | ||
| Unlimited Bandwidth | ||
| Dynamic Ad Insertion | ||
| Transcription | ||
| Video Support | ||
| Analytics | ||
| Monetization | ||
| Custom Website | ||
| Team Members | ||
| API Access |
Acast Pros & Cons
Pros
- Free Starter plan with advanced analytics included
- Yearly billing cuts Essential to $14.99/month and Pro to $29.99/month
- Global infrastructure and support
Cons
- Free Starter plan stops at 5 episodes unless you enable ads
- Transcriptions require Essential or above, not the free plan
- Acast does not publish its ad revenue split on its pricing pages
Simplecast Pros & Cons
Pros
- IAB 2.0 certified analytics
- AdsWizz integration for enterprise monetization
- Professional publishing workflow
Cons
- No free tier
- Per-podcast pricing (separate subscription per show)
- No automatic transcription
The Verdict
Acast is best for:
- →Shows seeking premium advertising deals
- →International podcasters
- →Creators wanting transcription included
Simplecast is best for:
- →Professional podcasters and networks
- →Enterprise clients needing AdsWizz
- →Data-driven content creators
Frequently asked questions
- Which is cheaper: Acast or Simplecast?
- Simplecast is the cheaper way in: its Basic plan is $15/month, against $25/month for Acast's Essential.
- Do Acast and Simplecast have free versions?
- Only Acast, which offers Starter: 1 show, 5 episodes, or unlimited episodes with ads enabled. Simplecast has no free plan. The cheapest way into Simplecast is Basic at $15/month.
- What is the main difference between Acast and Simplecast?
- Acast covers Unlimited Bandwidth, Transcription, and Video Support, which Simplecast does not. Nothing on the compared feature list goes the other way.