Platforms for Hosting Podcasts | Audio Editing and Publishing

Platforms for Hosting Podcasts | Audio Editing and Publishing

Digital media has grown exponentially during the course of this pandemic, and while it was thriving before it as well, lock-downs and home isolation have given them an immense boost. Podcasting is one such media that has garnered humongous popularity during this time, and has become a household term owing to its convenience. Although podcasts have been around since way before the pandemic itself, its prevalence has only strengthened recently.

What are Podcasts?

Podcasting is making an audio file available on the internet for download. The audio file can be downloaded in any format, mp3 being the most prevalent, and then played on any device such as a computer or a phone. Users can subscribe to a podcast using RSS (Really Simple Syndication) with a podcatching software, and every time new content is uploaded, it can be streamed or downloaded.

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Podcasting is getting more popularity by the second, and is indeed going to be in demand in the near future. This is where platforms for hosting podcasts come in. For creating and uploading a podcast, and making sure your content has a good reach, you need a podcast hosting and audio editing platform. So below we compare the best platforms for podcasting and audio editing and publishing, to help you make your pick.

Anchor
Castup
Simplecast
Descript
Transistor
Conclusion

Anchor

Anchor Podcasting Platform
Anchor Podcasting Platform

Anchor by Spotify is a platform that you can leverage to create, distribute, and monetize your podcasts without coding or spending a dime. Anchor comes with built-in tools for recording, editing, and publishing episodes as well as distribution to all listening applications. It also lets you host unlimited content and even use sponsorship and accept donations from your audience. Utilize the advanced analytics offered by Anchor to view insights into your episodes, and monitor your growth, all for free.

Features Offered by Anchor

  • Anchor allows you to host unlimited episodes for free with the rights to all your content.
  • It offers a one step distribution and automatically distributes your content to all the major listening channels, helping you reach a wider audience.
  • Anchor offers IAB certified metrics for insights into your reach and audience with a single interactive dashboard.
  • Along with a performance tool, Anchor tells you where your audience are tuning in and out, so you can focus on the content that sells better.
  • Anchor allows you to record straight from your device with intuitive editing tools and music integrations for the best podcasting experience.

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Castup

Castup Podcasting Platform
Castup Podcasting Platform

Castup is a professional audio and video editing service for podcasters and podcasts. With a focus on proliferation of viewers and an expansive audience, Castup helps users with the editing and production part of the podcasts so users can focus more on the content and reach a wider audience. Castup always lets you have complete control over the creative aspect of your podcasts and episodes, and follows on the remainder aspects.

Features Offered by Castup

  • Castup offers avant garde editing tools to shape your episode in the best possible manner, while also attracting popular advertisers.
  • Castup also allows you to publish through videos and makes all the video editing a piece of cake owing to its robust tools.
  • With Castup, you don't need to download or purchase other third party tools for professional editing purposes and cut costs.
  • Once you record a raw audio, Castup prepares a transcript for you within 24 hours.
  • All you need to do to remove unwanted parts of the podcast is to highlight them, and Castup takes care of them for you.

Pricing for Castup

Hobbyist Poscaster Vodcaster
This plan is suited for those who don't publish regularly, and offers a 'pay as you go' pricing plan This plan is suited for audio only podcasts and costs $120 per month For podcasts published on both audio/video mediums and costs $360 per month
Edit credits available for $0.75 per minute Edit credits worth 4 hours per month available for audio podcasts Edit credits worth 4 hours per month available for audio and video podcasts
Edit credits for video podcasts available for $3 per minute Additional Edit credits available for $0.40 per minute Additional Edit credits available for $1.20 per minute

Simplecast

Simplecast Podcasting Platform
Simplecast Podcasting Platform

Simplecast is a podcasting management and analytics platform for independent podcast hosting and metrics. With a one click publishing to various popular channels including Apple Podcasts and Spotify, Simplecast is one of the most efficient platform for publishing audio based content. It also offers avant garde distribution, sharing, and analytics tools along with a powerful framework built for audio.

Features Offered by Simplecast

  • Simplecast offers a robust audio streaming infrastructure that has been functional for over 7 years with millions of episode releases per day.
  • The powerful analytics platform lets you know everything about your audience, from demographics to episode trends.
  • Simplecast also offers a Show Migrator that allows you to switch podcasting platforms without any heavy lifting.
  • Simplecast also furnishes its users with robust and intelligent web players, since that is where your audience will discover you.
  • Simplecast also allows for multiple shows and collaborators with permission levels and access grants.

Pricing for Simplecast

Basic Plan Essential Plan Growth Plan
Costs $15 per month Costs $35 per month Costs $85 per month
Offers 2 team member seats with unlimited storage and uploads Offers 4 team member seats with additional web players Offers 9 team member seats with detailed device analytics
Basic analytics along with customizeble show website Location analytics with unique listener reports Detailed location analytics with 5 episode metrics comparison
Also offers an embeddable episode web player Web player and technology analytics Network and technology analytics
Allows for 20K downloads per month Allows for 50K downloads per month Allows for 120K downloads per month

Descript

Descript Podcasting Platform
Descript Podcasting Platform

Descript is a collaborative audio and video editor that helps users with screen recording and transcription along with offering other services including overdub and podcasting. Descript furnishes users with robust AI tools for multitrack editing and filler word removing to publish accurate content. Moreover, it encourages team collaboration and can be used for sales, marketing as well as customer support.

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Features Offered by Descript

  • Descript allows users to edit audio using text, as well as add sound effects with an interface as simple as drag and drop.
  • For sound fades and volume editing, Descript offers Timeline Editor that helps users with the fine tuning and other sound aspects.
  • Descript allows for live collaboration, meaning, different number of users can edit and collaborate in real time while editing.
  • Users can also avail multitrack recording and then Descript automatically generates a combined transcript.
  • It also offers various resources including beginners' help, Descript for professionals, along with remote recording.

Pricing for Descript

Free Plan Creator Plan Pro Plan Enterprise Plan
Free of cost with limited recording and editing features Costs $12 per month and offers recording and editing Costs $24 per month with robust and efficient tools Custom pricing and features
Offers recording and editing for one project and 20 screen recordings Unlimited projects and screen recordings Offers Overdub along with Filler words pro and Audiograms pro Offers dedicated account representative along with Single Sign On and Enterprise Overdub
Offers 3 hours of transcription Offers unlimited screen recording and 10 hours of transcription Offers 30 hours of transcription and Publish pro Offers Master Service Agreement along with Security review, onboarding, and training

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Transistor

Transistor-no-code-podcasting-platform
Transistor Podcasting Platform

Transistor is a podcast publishing platform where users can record and upload their audio, which can then be distributed to different channels and made available online such as Apple Podcasts and Spotify. With Transistor, users can start any number of podcasts without any extra charge and publish them over different channels. Moreover, you can even embed the podcast player in your own website and view insights on the number of downloads and other metrics on an intuitive dashboard.

Features Offered by Transistor

  • Transistor allows users for the hosting of unlimited podcasts in different formats for a fixed monthly cost.
  • Transistor also furnishes users with an Analytics page where you can view all the metrics of your episodes such as downloads and subscribers.
  • You also get to view what applications your audience prefer, where your audience live, as well as stats from other providers.
  • Audio clips can be seamlessly uploaded to Transistor, with a 1-click submit to different Podcast directories.
  • With Transistor, users even have the liberty to create a private podcast, and each of your subscriber can get an individual invitation as a mail.

Pricing for Transistor

Starter Plan Professional Plan Business Plan
Costs $19 per month Costs $49 per month Costs $99 per month
Advanced analytics along with 2 logins at a time Advanced analytics along with 5 logins at a time Advanced analytics along with 10 logins at a time
15K monthly downloads without private podcasting 75K monthly downloads with enhanced private podcasting 200K monthly downloads with enhanced private podcasting
Doesn't allow private subscribers Allows for up to 500 private subscribers Allows for up to 1000 private subscribers

Conclusion

Podcasting is without a doubt on the rise, and podcasters definitely need a platform to edit and publish their content. While most of the above mentioned platforms perfectly serve the purpose of a podcasting platform, their plans make them unique in different ways. While Simplecast offers a robust analytics platform, Transistor has a more powerful editor, and while Castup is a more professional platform, Anchor and Descript can also be used by beginners. Hence, the choice of the platform entirely depends on the requirements and focus of the user, and any of the above mentioned platforms can be utilized.

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