Podcast hosting
Podcast hosting explained: the limits that matter
Upload caps, download caps, unlimited plans and free tiers: how podcast hosts limit you, what happens when you go over, and what to check.
A podcast host stores your audio files and publishes the RSS feed that listening apps read. Prices for entry plans are close to each other, so the difference that matters is usually the limit attached to the plan and what happens when you reach it. This guide groups hosts by the way they limit usage and lists the questions worth asking before you commit.
Upload hours
Counts the audio you upload. Long interviews reach the cap first.
Monthly downloads
Counts listeners. Costs nothing extra until the show grows.
Unlimited
No usage cap; plans differ on features such as private feeds.
Free, with conditions
Free tiers trade on limits, expiry or ad revenue. Read the rules.
Model 1: upload hours
Some hosts limit how many hours of audio you can upload. Buzzsprout's Audio plan lists up to 72 upload hours per year when billed annually. Its FAQ says that if you upload more than your plan includes, you can keep publishing and the extra time is billed at your plan's hourly rate on your next invoice. The pricing page we read did not state that hourly rate.[1]
Libsyn lists monthly audio upload allowances of 3, 10 and 55 hours on its Basic, Advanced and Max plans, and Blubrry names its plans after the hours you can publish each month, starting with 1.5 hours on Standard 1.5. Upload-based plans are predictable for a show with a fixed episode length, but a long interview format can outgrow them quickly.[4][5]
Model 2: monthly downloads
Other hosts limit how many times your episodes are downloaded. Transistor's Starter plan lists 20,000 monthly audio downloads, Professional 100,000 and Business 250,000. Its FAQ says there is no automatic shut-off: if you consistently go over, the company will contact you to upgrade, and it keeps serving audio to your listeners. Captivate also sets monthly download allowances per plan.[2][9]
Download-based plans cost nothing extra while a show is small, which suits a new podcast. The trade-off appears with success: a show that grows past the allowance moves to a more expensive plan even if you publish the same number of episodes.
Model 3: unlimited plans
Castos states that all its plans include unlimited podcasts and episodes, and its Essentials plan lists unlimited downloads. Plans then differ on features such as private subscribers, transcripts and video. RSS.com lists unlimited episodes on its plans. When a plan is unlimited on one axis, look at the other axes: storage, team members, private listeners or the number of shows.[3][6]
Model 4: free hosting
Free tiers exist, but each comes with a condition. Buzzsprout's free plan includes 2 hours of uploads per month and hosts each episode for 90 days. RSS.com's free plan has no trial period and no expiration, but asks you to add a credit card, without charging it, before you upload a second episode. Acast's Starter tier allows one show and five episodes unless the show joins Acast's advertising marketplace. Spotify for Creators offers free hosting and says it is funded by a percentage of the ad revenue of monetized shows.[1][6][7][8]
Statistics and measurement
Hosts count downloads differently, which makes numbers hard to compare. The IAB Tech Lab publishes Podcast Measurement Technical Guidelines, version 2.3 at the time of writing, and runs a compliance program for companies that want to signal that they follow them. Libsyn and Captivate mention IAB-verified or IAB-certified statistics on their pricing pages; if comparable numbers matter to you, for example to talk to sponsors later, look for that mention.[10][4][9]
Leaving a host later
Your audience follows your RSS feed, not your host, so moving should not cost you subscribers if the old host redirects the feed. Spotify's help center describes switching away with a 301 redirect, and Castos advertises free one-click migrations into its service. Before choosing, search the host's help center for how it handles moving away, not only moving in.[8][3]
Checklist before you choose
- Which limit applies: upload hours, downloads, or neither?
- What happens when you exceed it, and is the overage price published?
- Are episodes ever removed on the plan you are considering?
- Do you need video, private feeds, several shows or team members now, or only later?
- Is the price monthly or the monthly equivalent of an annual payment?
- Does the help center document redirecting your feed if you leave?
Ready to see the numbers side by side? Open the hosting plan comparison, then estimate a full year with the launch budget planner.
Sources
Official pages read for this guide. Prices change: always confirm on the vendor page before paying.