Best Free Podcast Hosting Options for Beginners

Podcast content creation is the best way to engage with your audience and grow your business. However, creating a podcast requires a lot of time and resources. You must invest in equipment, recording space, editing software, and more. Finding the right platform for hosting your podcast should is another important step. However, you don't need to spend money on a premium podcast host for a start. So, free podcast hosting platforms are the best way to start a podcast without committing your resources. This article will go through the best free podcast hosting platforms for beginners.  It helps you choose one that suits your needs.

Why Do You Need Podcast Hosting?

Before we jump into the free podcast hosting platforms, let’s review why you need podcast hosting. Podcast hosts are the repository of all your podcast episodes. They store all your audio files and make them available to listeners. They can listen on various streaming platforms like iTunes, Spotify, and other apps.

How Does Free Podcast Hosting Work?

You might wonder how free podcast hosting platforms make money if they’re free. Well, they earn money through advertising and premium features. Some podcast hosts charge monthly fees. But some offer free services with limited features. You can only pay for the premium hosting services if you need extra features. However, if you’re starting, it’s best to go with a free podcast host.

Best Free Podcast Hosting Platforms

These are the best free podcast hosting platforms to start your podcast.

1. Anchor

Anchor is one of the most popular free podcast hosting platforms out there. It’s easy to use and even easier to set up, making it an excellent option for beginners. Anchor has unlimited storage space and bandwidth. So, you can upload as many episodes as you want without worrying about running out of room. You can use Anchor's built-in editing tools if you know little about recording and editing. It also has an advanced analytics dashboard. This shows you everything from downloads to engagement rates. Anchor has a one-click distribution feature. So, getting your show onto other platforms is easy. You need an RSS feed, and Anchor will distribute your episodes to various platforms. As for monetization, Anchor takes a small percentage of your revenue from adverts. The ratio is 70/30; Anchor keeps 30%, and you get 70%.

• Number of episodes/storage space: Unlimited
• Number of podcasts per account: 1
• Outbound bandwidth: Unlimited
• Website: No
• Monetization: Yes (the US only)
• Distribution: One-click distribution
• Analytics: Has advanced analytics

2. Acast

Acast is a popular podcast hosting platform that helps monetize and grow your podcast. You can monetize your podcast via advertising and paid listener subscriptions. Acast offers unlimited storage, unlimited episodes, and unlimited bandwidth. This means you can record as many podcasts as you want without worrying about hitting limits. You’ll also have access to a powerful analytics dashboard. You can see the number of listeners who downloaded each episode. You can also see your total subscribers. The platform also helps users with AI transcription and marketing tools. With these, you can easily find your listeners and reach them with the right message at the right time.

• Number of episodes/storage: Unlimited
• Number of podcasts: 1
• Outbound bandwidth: Unlimited
• Website: Yes (with ads)
• Monetization: Yes (through paid listener subscriptions)
• Distribution: Yes
• Analytics: Has advanced analytics

3. Podomatic

Podomatic is a great tool to use if you’re starting. It allows users to create one podcast account. It offers basic analytics, and the service isn’t very customizable. Podomatic also has a few tools for podcasting. There's episode tagging, RSS feed creation, sharing, and free hosting for up to 20 episodes. The only thing that makes Podomatic stand out is the monetization options. There are two options: Podcorn and What For Apparel. With Podcorn, you can earn money from your podcast through sponsorships. And What For Apparel is for those with their merchandise. This way, your audience can support you by purchasing your merchandise. Podomatic is among the best free podcast hosting services. It's best for those looking for a simple and affordable option to start their show.

• Number of episodes/storage: 6 hours/20 episodes
• Number of podcasts: 1
• Outbound bandwidth: 15 GB/month
• Website: No
• Monetization: Yes
• Distribution: Yes
• Analytics: Basic analytics

4. Buzzsprout

If you want a free podcast hosting service with a long history, Buzzsprout is a good option. It has been around since 2009, and it has been steadily improving its service over the years. The company offers a free podcast hosting plan. It allows you to host one podcast for free as long as it’s under 90 days old. However, if your show has more than one episode, you can upgrade to the premium plan for $12 per month. You can also monetize your podcast through Buzzsprout. You can also use an affiliate link when promoting other products or services. Perhaps Buzzsprout's best features are the advanced file optimization and conversion features. This is great for podcasters who want to deliver a high-quality podcast to listeners. Buzzsprout offers various integrations with popular podcast hosting, analytics, and distribution platforms.

• Number of episodes/storage space: 2 hours/month for up to 90 days
• Number of podcasts: 1
• Outbound bandwidth: 250 GB
• Website: Yes (with ads)
• Monetization: Yes
• Distribution: Yes
• Analytics: Basic

5. Spreaker

Yes, Spreaker has limited features when compared to other podcast hosting providers. However, it is excellent for podcasters who want a simple and easy-to-use platform. Spreaker has an abundance of integrations with popular social media platforms. It also offers inbound access to iTunes to monitor download stats. It ensures you optimize your podcast for discovery on Apple's podcast directory. Podcasters can also host live podcasts and schedule the recording dates in advance. This is useful if you like to plan and want users to know when your next episode will be released. Hosting only ten episodes is a drawback for podcasters who want an extensive content library. But this won't be an issue if your podcast has a few episodes and you don't plan on building an extensive library. Also, if you want to monetize your podcast, Spreaker is not the best option. This is because it doesn't allow you to monetize your podcast. However, this shouldn't be an issue if you want a free podcast and don't want to worry about monetizing your show.

• Number of episodes/storage space: 5 hours (10 episodes)
• Number of podcasts: Unlimited
• Outbound bandwidth: Unlimited
• Website: No
• Monetization: No
• Distribution: No
• Analytics: Basic analytics

6. Podbean

If you want a free podcast hosting platform to test the waters, Podbean is a fantastic option. Its basic website helps you share your podcast. But no monetization or analytics are included. As a newbie podcaster, this is probably the best option for you. This is because it has everything you need. And it won't cost anything (except the time to upload your episodes). Podbean has various integration tools to help you grow your podcast. It also has a free app that will let you record, edit, and publish your shows from your phone. And the time and storage limits are annoying. They make things challenging for podcasters with long shows or multiple weekly episodes. It also has a community of podcasters who can help you with questions and advice. It's best for beginners looking for a simple podcasting solution that costs nothing.

• Number of episodes/storage space: 5 hours (500 MB) total
• Number of podcasts: 1
• Outbound bandwidth: 100 GB/month
• Website: Yes (with ads)
• Monetization: No
• Distribution: Yes
• Analytics: Basic

7. RedCircle

RedCircle is one of the best free podcast hosting platforms. It is a podcasting platform aimed at helping podcasters monetize their shows. It offers unlimited storage space and episodes. It has a basic analytics dashboard so you can see how your audience is growing. It also offers distribution to popular platforms like Spotify and Apple Podcasts. It has integrations with MailChimp and WordPress for email opt-ins and blog posts. RedCircle has two monetization options. You can receive donations from listeners, or you can have Exclusive Content. The Exclusive Content option helps charge your listeners to access premium content. Here, they get extra content not available in the free version. Also, the free plan doesn't permit users to customize the categories of ads played.

• Number of episodes/storage space: Unlimited
• Number of podcasts: 1
• Outbound bandwidth: Unlimited
• Website: No
• Monetization: Yes
• Distribution: Yes
• Analytics: Basic analytics

8. Disctopia

If you are looking for the best podcast hosting platform that can encourage your growth as a podcaster. On Disctopia, podcast hosting is made easy for anyone to go from zero listeners to having a large audience. As a beginner, you’ll also get to that point where monetizing your content will become a priority; Disctopia has the tools and structure to help you monetize your podcast show. Recently, Disctopia keyed into Value4Value, a structure that allows creators to earn in cryptocurrency. In terms of analytics, the True Play dashboard is far ahead of what other podcast host offers. You are always in the know of your listenership metrics. There’s no other podcast hosting platform that offers as many tools and features that helps you make the most of your podcast business.

• Number of episodes/storage space: Unlimited
• Number of podcasts: 1
• Outbound bandwidth: Unlimited
• Website: Yes
• App: iOS/Android
• Monetization: Yes, Value4Value
• Distribution: Yes
• Analytics: True Play

While Disctopia is not free, you can join the platform for free for a month to see its numerous edge over other dozens of podcast hosting platforms. Just use the code; giveitatry at the point of signing up. You’ll get to make the most of the content monetization tools, unlimited podcast episodes, ease of use, multiple distribution outlets, advanced analytics dashboard and much more.

Final Thoughts

Free podcast hosting is excellent for beginners and casual podcasters. Suppose you have a small audience and don't plan on monetizing your podcast. Then it's best to use a free hosting platform. But let's say you want more control over the content of your show. If you need more advanced features like analytics, then paid hosting might be right for you. Consider if the platform offers your desired features when choosing a podcast host. Many free podcast hosts have limited storage space, and some limit how many episodes can be uploaded at once. It would be best to consider how much control you want over your podcast's design. This is because many free platforms don't offer customization options.