Are you interested in starting your own podcast? Excellent! In this post, I’m going to present this match-up: Buzzsprout vs. Podbean.
To keep things fair, I’ll give a Buzzsprout review and a Podbean review. [disclaimer: you can only use one host and I personally use Buzzsprout!].
With so many ways everybody can share on social media, it’s easy to see how podcasting has grown in popularity. Podcasting is super common these days because it allows folks to record audio files based on topics they care about. These files are shared with others so they can listen to similar and different viewpoints.
What’s the difference between podcasting and other social media channels? Well, there’s a difference between the file types, the necessary equipment, and costs.
Users usually upload photos, memes, videos, and written content on social media platforms. On the other hand, podcasting usually consists of only audio or video recordings that can be streamed live or published.
Related Reading: See all of the top podcast hosts in this article
How To Start Podcasting
There are many podcasting platforms where users can record audio files or stream live broadcasts. Several essential functions, such as hosting and storage space for episodes, are usually expected to be purchased by the user.
Many of these platforms also require members to own expensive recording equipment. However, Buzzsprout and Podbean are somewhat different from other podcasting platforms on the market.
Both companies have a variety of service tiers, as well as storage and hosting. Neither requires the user to have expensive equipment. The amount and quality of the work depend entirely on the user.
Uh-oh, with so many similarities between Buzzsprout and Podbean, it’s hard to pick between the two. Don’t worry; I will give you a Podbean and Buzzsprout review to make things a little easier. Buzzsprout vs. Podbean – let’s get started.
Related Reading: How to Create a Podcast Studio – Read it Here
Buzzsprout Review
Unfortunately, Buzzsprout doesn’t have an app that you can install on your mobile device. However, you can easily open Buzzsprout on your mobile browser, save it to your home screen, and have access to the app anywhere. This is pretty inconvenient, but it will have to do for now.
The fact that you have to open the app in your browser is actually helpful for people who don’t have a lot of room on their device or SD card. My favorite thing about Buzzsprout is that your podcast gets included in any of the top podcast directories.
Here’s where your potential audience can listen to your podcast:
- Apple Podcasts
- Spotify
- Google Podcasts
- Stitcher
- iHeartRadio
- TuneIn
- Alexa
- Overcast
- PocketCasts
- Castro
- Castbox
- Podchaser
Buzzsprout Tiers
Buzzsprout offers four separate tiers of service, each with its own set of features. I’ll discuss them in this section.
Tier One
Buzzsprout’s first tier is free for everyone to use. With the free tier, you’re allowed to upload two hours per month. Buzzsprout will host each of your episodes for 90 days. You also get a comprehensive rundown of advanced stats, and you can have as many team members as you want. However, the free version comes with ads, and Magic Mastering is not available.
What is magic mastering, you ask? Magic Mastering is a high-quality noise reduction and removal feature that lets listeners take in each episode with a more consistent and impeccable sound. Of course, Magic Mastering is going to cost you extra.
Tier Two
Buzzsprout’s second-tier costs $12 per month. You get three hours of podcasting time per month with no ads. Your episodes are hosted indefinitely, and you get unlimited storage. You can check your stats with their advanced stats reports, and you can even import your episodes for free. You can also have as many team members as you want.
Tier Three
Buzzsprout’s third tier costs $18 per month. You get everything from the second tier, except you also get six hours of podcasting time with no ads.
Tier Four
Buzzsprout’s fourth tier costs $24 per month. You get everything from the third tier, except you get 12 hours of podcasting time with no ads.
As you can see, users get additional benefits for every paid tier, which will give their podcast more exposure.
A podcasting website, personalized embed players, placements in podcast directories, and 250 GB of monthly bandwidth storage are among the new features you can take advantage of. On the paid tiers, your podcast episodes can also be monetized.
Extra Paid Features
You can have your episodes transcribed for $0.25 per minute. Why is this important? When we want podcast recommendations, we turn to our friends, and more frequently, the trusted search engine, Google. You make your podcast more visible on Google when someone searches for a podcast in your niche by transcribing it. You also make it available to the hearing impaired.
Starting a podcast with Buzzsprout is straightforward. You can have a podcast now at no cost!
Podbean Review
Podbean can be used across all devices. It has an app for both Android and iPhone, with four tiers of service.
Tier One
Podbean’s first tier is called BASIC, and it has numerous valuable features. With the BASIC package, you get five hours of podcasting time that doesn’t reset per month and 100 GB worth of monthly bandwidth. It doesn’t cost a thing to use this package.
You also get nifty stuff like embedded players, a podcasting sire, RSS feeds, iTunes support, free themes, and a somewhat comprehensive stats report. Best of all, all of Podbean’s tiers make sound customization possible. You also get access to their music archive to tweak your backgrounds.
Tier Two
Podbean’s second-tier costs $14 a month, but you can reduce that amount to $9 if you pay per year. Tier Two is called Unlimited Audio. You get unlimited storage space, unmetered bandwidth, paywalled themes, advanced stats reports, custom designs, a personally mapped domain, and the ability to add ads for monetization and premium sales.
Tier Three
Podbean’s third tier costs $39 a month, but you can reduce that amount to $29 if you pay per year. Tier Three is called Unlimited Plus. You get everything on the first and second-tier, plus other cool features like video and audio podcasting, full custom designs, ads for advertising, and a patron program.
Tier Four
Podbean’s fourth tier costs $129 a month, but you can reduce that amount to $99 if you pay per year. Tier Four is called BUSINESS. You get all the features in the first, second, and third tiers, and a lot more.
With Podbeans fourth tier, you get multiple podcasting channels with their own separate admins. You also get private podcasting with SSO authentication and a deeply comprehensive stats report.
Your podcast is its own entity with the fourth tier because you can get rid of Podbean’s branding. You also get live chat support, and you get to purchase white-label apps.
Buzzsprout vs. Podbean: Going Head to head
Since Buzzsprout and Podbean offer pretty much the same features and very distinct ones at the same time, choosing between the two platforms can be challenging.
Both of them have a variety of resources to enrich any podcaster, whether a newbie or a veteran. You can quickly start and maintain a podcast on both platforms.
I have to say that all the tiers of service on Buzzsprout and Podbean are both well worth the money and could comfortably fit into a personal budget. Naturally, most podcasts begin with the most uncomplicated plans, both of which are available on these two platforms.
Since I’m here to help you make an informed decision, I have to point out that Buzzsprout seems to provide much more functionality than Podbean. I’m not crazy about the fact that Buzzsprout limits their hosting to 90 days, with a two-hour limit on their free plan. But hey, you take what you can get for free.
Which platform is better for podcasting?
As I said before, this is going to be a tough call. With just a few slight differences in features and prices, these two platforms are almost identical in their offerings. When choosing between the two, you will be better off starting with their free services as the prospective customer. You can then pay for the tier that you need based on your resulting needs.
I must say that Podbean’s BUSINESS tier stands out by a mile because it includes excellent functionality at a reasonable price. The tier is clearly designed for companies to expand their brand rather than casually sharing thoughts, views, and general content.
Buzzsprout or Podbean would help any podcaster in a variety of ways, but Buzzsprout is my choice for new podcasters because their hours are not capped in any way. I also suggest it for those who want more publicity with social media ad links for a lower price. [I also personally use Buzzsprout and love their service].
The most critical things to a content creator within the field of podcasting are straightforward enough: do you have enough hours to express everything you need to say? Can you efficiently use this podcasting tool for interviewing others? Is it going to sound good? Can your podcast reach a broad audience? But perhaps most importantly, can you afford the tier with the features that you require?
The answers are yes for either Podbean or Buzzsprout. Both of these platforms are fantastic options that are almost as hassle-free as podcasting gets. But when it comes down to it, Buzzsprout wins this battle for new podcasters because of their added features and relatively unrestricted free plan.
Related Reading: Mind of an entrepreneur – Check it out Here
Final Thoughts
Podcasting is a great way to get your thoughts out there. You may even make good money out of this new venture of yours. If you’re new to this industry, settle on a niche that you’re passionate about. Try podcasting for free and only start paying if you need additional features. I’ll hear you out there in the podcasting world!
