Podcast hosting
Cheapest Captivate alternatives 14 tools cheaper than Captivate, like for like
- Captivate from, billed annually
- $17/mo
- Cheaper tools
- 14
- Lowest price
- Free plan
- Biggest saving, paid plan
- 47%
Data checked Oct 14, 2026 against the vendors' own pages. How we verify
Captivate's cheapest paid plan costs $17 per month billed annually (Personal). We found 14 tools in its market that cost less, compared on the same billing basis.
9 are cheaper billed annually, 5 have a free plan (Captivate has none).
The largest saving on a paid plan is Fireside: $9 a month billed annually on Starter, $8 (47%) less than Captivate's $17.
Some plans are priced per user or per account and others per workspace, so the entry price is not always the price for your team: check the plan limits before switching.
No vendor here states that it lacks a feature Captivate has. Below, each tool lists the features and numbers it publishes; vendors rarely state what they do not offer, so a feature that is not listed is unknown, not missing.
Captivate alternatives by price
| # | Tool | Price per month | Billing basis | Captivate, same basis | You save | Free plan | Data checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  pigeon-pod | Free plan | free plan | $17/mo | $17 (100%) | Yes, 1 storage gb | Oct 14, 2026 |
| 2 |  Podomatic | Free (Basic) | free plan | $17/mo | $17 (100%) | Yes | Oct 14, 2026 |
| 3 |  RedCircle | Free (Core) | free plan | $17/mo | $17 (100%) | Yes, 1 show | Oct 14, 2026 |
| 4 |  Riverside | Free plan | free plan | $17/mo | $17 (100%) | Yes | Oct 14, 2026 |
| 5 |  Spreaker | Free plan | free plan | $17/mo | $17 (100%) | Yes | Oct 14, 2026 |
| 6 |  Fireside | $9/mo | billed annually | $17/mo | $8 (47%) | No | Oct 14, 2026 |
| 7 |  Soundtrap | $9.59/mo | billed annually | $17/mo | $7.41 (44%) | Yes | Oct 14, 2026 |
| 8 |  Podbean | $12/mo | billed annually | $17/mo | $5 (29%) | Yes | Oct 14, 2026 |
| 9 |  Podpage | $12/mo | billed annually | $17/mo | $5 (29%) | No | Oct 14, 2026 |
| 10 |  Simplecast | $13.50/mo | billed annually | $17/mo | $3.50 (21%) | No | Oct 14, 2026 |
| 11 |  Acast | $14.99/mo | billed annually | $17/mo | $2.01 (12%) | Yes, 1 show | Oct 14, 2026 |
| 12 |  Buzzsprout | $15/mo | billed annually | $17/mo | $2 (12%) | Yes, 2 upload hours per month | Oct 14, 2026 |
| 13 |  RSS.com | $15/mo | billed annually | $17/mo | $2 (12%) | Yes | Oct 14, 2026 |
| 14 |  Squadcast | $16/mo per user | billed annually | $17/mo | $1 (6%) | Yes, 1 show | Oct 14, 2026 |
Each value links the page it was read from (hover for the check date).
What you give up for the lower price
- pigeon-pod · Free plan
Service that turns YouTube channels and playlists into private podcast RSS feeds with automatic syncing and content filters.
- Price: free plan (Free); Captivate has no free plan source
- Captivate on the same basis: $17 a month, billed annually, on Personal source
- Saving: $17 a month (100%) while you stay within the free plan's limits
- Free limits: 1 storage gb source
- Verified features: One-click distribution to podcast apps, Private podcasts
3 of 14 tracked details verified
Homepage captured Oct 14, 2026 - Podomatic · Free plan
Podcast hosting service offering recording, publishing, one-click directory submission, listener statistics and donation tools.
- Price: free plan (Basic); Captivate has no free plan source
- Captivate on the same basis: $17 a month, billed annually, on Personal source
- Saving: $17 a month (100%) while you stay within the free plan's limits
- Verified features: One-click distribution to podcast apps, Listener analytics, Monetisation (ads or listener support)
4 of 14 tracked details verified
- RedCircle · Free plan
Podcast hosting platform with distribution, analytics and dynamic ad insertion, alongside an advertising marketplace for brands and podcasters.
- Price: free plan (Core); Captivate has no free plan source
- Captivate on the same basis: $17 a month, billed annually, on Personal source
- Saving: $17 a month (100%) while you stay within the free plan's limits
- Core limits: 1 shows source
- Verified features: One-click distribution to podcast apps, Listener analytics, Monetisation (ads or listener support), Dynamic ad insertion, Transcripts and 3 more
9 of 14 tracked details verified
- Riverside · Free plan
Browser-based studio for recording video and audio with guests, editing by transcript or with AI, live streaming, and publishing podcasts.
- Price: free plan (Free); Captivate has no free plan source
- Captivate on the same basis: $17 a month, billed annually, on Personal source
- Saving: $17 a month (100%) while you stay within the free plan's limits
- Verified features: One-click distribution to podcast apps, Listener analytics, Transcripts, Video podcasts, Private podcasts and 3 more
9 of 14 tracked details verified
- Spreaker · Free plan
Podcast hosting platform for creating, distributing and monetizing shows, with statistics, ad tools and subscription options.
- Price: free plan (Free); Captivate has no free plan source
- Captivate on the same basis: $17 a month, billed annually, on Personal source
- Saving: $17 a month (100%) while you stay within the free plan's limits
- Verified features: One-click distribution to podcast apps, Listener analytics, IAB-certified analytics, Monetisation (ads or listener support), Transcripts and 2 more
8 of 14 tracked details verified
- Fireside · $9/mo, saves 47%
Podcast hosting platform with distribution, analytics, a podcast website, embeddable player, private podcasts and collaborator access.
- Price: $9 a month, billed annually, on Starter source
- Captivate on the same basis: $17 a month, billed annually, on Personal source
- Saving: $8 a month (47%)
- Starter limits: 2 users, 1 shows source
- Verified features: One-click distribution to podcast apps, Listener analytics, Monetisation (ads or listener support), Transcripts, Private podcasts and 3 more
10 of 14 tracked details verified
- Soundtrap · $9.59/mo, saves 44%
Online music studio for recording, mixing and collaborating, with sound libraries, vocal tools and podcast upload on some plans.
- Price: $9.59 a month, billed annually, on Sound Starter source
- Captivate on the same basis: $17 a month, billed annually, on Personal source
- Saving: $7.41 a month (44%)
- Pricing unit: Soundtrap: not stated; Captivate: per workspace
- Verified features: One-click distribution to podcast apps, Transcripts
3 of 14 tracked details verified
- Podbean · $12/mo, saves 29%
Podcast hosting and monetisation platform offering distribution, analytics, a podcast website, ad tools and AI features for audio and video.
- Price: $12 a month, billed annually, on Unlimited Audio source
- Captivate on the same basis: $17 a month, billed annually, on Personal source
- Saving: $5 a month (29%)
- Unlimited Audio limits: 16 upload hours per month, unlimited storage gb source
- Matches Captivate: has all 7 features we verified for Captivate
11 of 14 tracked details verified
- Podpage · $12/mo, saves 29%
Podcast website builder that imports new episodes from a podcast feed and updates the site, with SEO, social posting and email to listeners.
- Price: $12 a month, billed annually, on Basic source
- Captivate on the same basis: $17 a month, billed annually, on Personal source
- Saving: $5 a month (29%)
- Verified features: Monetisation (ads or listener support), Transcripts, Podcast website
5 of 14 tracked details verified
- Simplecast · $13.50/mo, saves 21%
Podcast hosting and management platform with distribution, analytics and ad insertion tools through an ad marketplace integration.
- Price: $13.50 a month, billed annually, on Basic source
- Captivate on the same basis: $17 a month, billed annually, on Personal source
- Saving: $3.50 a month (21%)
- Basic limits: 2 users source
- Verified features: One-click distribution to podcast apps, Listener analytics, IAB-certified analytics, Dynamic ad insertion, Podcast website and 2 more
8 of 14 tracked details verified
- Acast · $14.99/mo, saves 12%
Podcast hosting and monetisation platform that distributes shows to listening apps, provides listener analytics and sells ad and sponsorship placements.
- Price: $14.99 a month, billed annually, on Essential source
- Captivate on the same basis: $17 a month, billed annually, on Personal source
- Saving: $2.01 a month (12%)
- Verified features: One-click distribution to podcast apps, Listener analytics, Monetisation (ads or listener support), Transcripts, Video podcasts and 3 more
9 of 14 tracked details verified
- Buzzsprout · $15/mo, saves 12%
Podcast hosting service for publishing audio and video episodes to listening apps, with statistics, a podcast website and add-ons.
- Price: $15 a month, billed annually, on Audio source
- Captivate on the same basis: $17 a month, billed annually, on Personal source
- Saving: $2 a month (12%)
- Verified features: One-click distribution to podcast apps, Listener analytics, IAB-certified analytics, Monetisation (ads or listener support), Transcripts and 4 more
10 of 14 tracked details verified
- RSS.com · $15/mo, saves 12%
Podcast hosting service with a free plan, automatic distribution to directories, analytics, and paid tiers for video, ads and team seats.
- Price: $15 a month, billed annually, on Plus source
- Captivate on the same basis: $17 a month, billed annually, on Personal source
- Saving: $2 a month (12%)
- Plus limits: 3 users source
- Verified features: One-click distribution to podcast apps, Listener analytics, IAB-certified analytics, Monetisation (ads or listener support), Dynamic ad insertion and 5 more
11 of 14 tracked details verified
- Squadcast · $16/mo, saves 6%
Browser-based remote recording studio for podcasts and video, now part of Descript, with editing, transcription and AI tools.
- Price: $16 per user a month, billed annually, on Hobbyist source
- Captivate on the same basis: $17 a month, billed annually, on Personal source
- Saving: $1 a month (6%)
- Pricing unit: Squadcast: per user; Captivate: per workspace
- Hobbyist limits: 5 shows source
- Verified features: Transcripts, Team access, Public API
5 of 14 tracked details verified
How we picked
- Pool: tools in the same market as the tool on this page (they list its primary category, and their own primary category is one it lists).
- Like for like: a tool's cheapest paid plan billed monthly is compared with the cheapest plan billed monthly; if that is not cheaper, its price per month billed annually is compared with the annual price. Monthly and annual prices are never mixed in one comparison.
- A free plan counts as cheaper only when the tool on this page has no free plan. Usage-priced and "contact sales" plans are left out.
- Saving = the reference price on the same basis minus the alternative's price, per month; the percentage is rounded. Entry plans differ in seats, accounts and limits, so the saving is for the entry plan, not your team.
- Sorted by price per month, then name. The page is built only when the tool has a verified paid price and at least 3 tools qualify.
Every value is read from the vendor's own pages (or GitHub for licences and stars) and shown with the date we checked it. A value we could not verify is shown as a dash, never estimated, and never read as a “no”. We did not test these tools hands-on unless a listing says so. Methodology
Questions, answered from the data
What is the cheapest alternative to Captivate?
Fireside: $9 a month billed annually on Starter, against $17 for Captivate's Personal on the same basis.
How much can I save compared with Captivate?
Up to $17 a month (100%) with pigeon-pod's free plan, before any difference in limits or seats.
Is there a free alternative to Captivate?
pigeon-pod, Podomatic, RedCircle, Riverside and Spreaker and 6 more have a free plan.
Explore related pages
Prices as published on each vendor's pricing page on the date shown, in USD, for podcast hosting platforms. Confirm with the vendor before you buy.