
Looking for the best free podcast publishing software? I’ve got you covered! Podcast hosting and publishing are two of the most important decisions to make when launching a podcast — you have to consider your goals, the length of your episodes, how often you want to publish, and your budget.
There are multiple podcast publishing platforms on the market, with some as low as $0 (like the one featured here) and some as high as $79+/month — each with its own pros and cons.
What is a Podcast Publishing Software?
Yes, there is a difference between a podcast publisher and a podcast host. A podcast hosting platform is a platform that essentially “houses” your podcast recording, allows you to track your podcast metrics, and distributes your podcast episode to other podcast directories (like Spotify and Apple Podcasts). Many podcast hosting platforms are podcast publishers.
A podcast publisher is a bit more limited; it’s a program or software that allows you to publish your podcast to directories and streaming services. It does not typically provide the same features as a host — mainly around metrics.
For example, Buzzsprout is both a podcast publisher and a hosting service. Descript is an editing service and a podcast publisher — but not a hosting service (at least, not in the traditional sense).
The Best Free Podcast Publishing Software: What is Podbean?
As for the best free podcast publishing software, I recommend Podbean. Podbean is both a hosting service and a podcast publisher that will distribute your show across directories and track your analytics.
Podbean’s basic subscription is free forever and provides 5 hours of total storage space and 100GB monthly bandwidth. But, as your podcast grows, you can upgrade your subscription to fit your needs.
The Pros and Cons of Podbean Free Publishing
The main pro of Podbean is that it’s a full-service provider, and it’s free for new podcasters — making it an easy addition to your podcast starter kit. It’s higher-level subscriptions offer even more features and multiple ways to help you monetize your podcast.
The downside of Podbean is that most of its features are locked behind a paywall, so you’ll need to upgrade soon after starting your podcast if it grows quickly. Still, it’s almost identical to another free-to-use podcast host and publisher, Buzzsprout, meaning its cons are not unusual.
The moral of the story is that free is free; you’ll get as much as you pay for when it comes to podcasting!
Other Podcast Publishing Software to Try
Although my top free recommendation is Podbean, I love using Descript because of its editing and transcription capabilities. It’s a podcast publisher (not a traditional hosting platform), but it’s an amazing tool you can use for free!
Another great option is Captivate, a podcast host service and publisher. Captivate starts at $19/month but offers a wide range of features and analytics to track the performance of your podcast episodes.
Whichever you choose to use, we’d love to help you get started! If you’re ready to launch your podcast in 2024 and you want support with your launch, get in touch with us today!
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