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Reddit
reddit.com › r/podcasting › best hosting for my podcast (not hobby, looking to eventually monetize)
r/podcasting on Reddit: Best hosting for my podcast (not hobby, looking to eventually monetize)
March 12, 2025 -

Hi everyone!

I've gotten so much great info from reading through all posts in this community. Very appreciative!

I am almost ready to upload, but I'm stuck trying to choose a hosting platform...

My podcast has a mental health topic related to my business. I do not expect to make money for the first year or so, but definitely looking to (even slightly) monetize in the future.

I intend to make weekly 15-20 minute podcast episodes, and I will record both audio and video (going to post video on my youtube channel).

Am currently deciding between Spotify and Podbean, but also open to other options if there's a compelling reason.

While this is an investment for my business, I do not want to pay monthly or yearly fees if it's not actually necessary...so leaning towards Spotify unless there's a reason not to.

Thoughts?

Thanks all!

Discussions

Best hosting for my podcast (not hobby, looking to eventually monetize)
Well, for monetization reasons, we use Castos. To make it better, they also have unlimited uploads in the first tier of their plan, so it works out amazingly for us. More on reddit.com
🌐 r/podcasting
44
15
March 12, 2025
Best podcast platform for monetization

I would encourage you to look more into starting your own website for the podcast, and then work to funnel traffic from the podcast itself over to the site because that's going to do a few really important things for you...

1. Registering your own domain and hosting your website gives you full control over your content, audience, and monetization strategies. This allows you to:

  • Sell merchandise: Create and sell branded merchandise like t-shirts, mugs, and stickers.

  • Offer premium content: Provide exclusive episodes, early access, or ad-free content to subscribers.

  • Display ads: Use Google AdSense or direct ad sales to monetize website traffic. (However, ads such as the low earn rate on your current podcast is entirely based on the topic of the content. Not all ads are created equally, and they run on a bidding system typically. This means if your podcast is about something that doesn't really sell ads, the ads will never be worth a lot of money / they will not be directed at the right audience. A good example of a good match would be a real estate podcast where the ads triggered are surrounding real estate = big $$$.

  • Build a mailing list: This one is BIG because you will truly own your audience, and can move the list to another provider down the road. This is all collected via your website, and it allows you to send update emails to get people to circulate back to the podcast, and to your offers.

2. Sponsorships and Partnerships - By directing your listeners to your site you can...

  • Direct Sponsorships: Reach out to companies directly to negotiate sponsorship deals. This could involve promoting products or services during your podcast.

  • Affiliate Marketing: Promote products or services and earn a commission for every sale made through your affiliate link. Tools like Amazon Associates, ShareASale, and Commission Junction can help with this.

3. Crowdfunding and Donations

  • Patreon: Create a Patreon page where fans can support you on a monthly basis in exchange for exclusive content, shoutouts, or other perks.

  • Buy Me a Coffee: A simpler alternative to Patreon where listeners can make one-time donations.

Anywho, I hope that makes sense this goes into more depth https://podcastpontifications.com/uncategorized/how-to-start-a-podcast-with-no-audience/ and this talks about the platforms https://podcastpontifications.com/uncategorized/best-podcast-platform-for-monetization/

More on reddit.com
🌐 r/podcast
5
5
October 24, 2022
Best podcast hosting for monetization?
I can vouch for the efficacy of Libsyn’s ad platform in ease of set up and operation and the modest % of their take. The sophistication of their ad stats is a bit rudimentary but I’m hoping that’ll improve in time. You can choose exactly how many ad slots you want and where in your episode you want them. Setting that up is a breeze if not a time consuming task for the midroll slots if you have a lot of episodes. Not every slot attracts an ad because it depends on whether an advertiser is interested in serving an ad to your particular genre. But I’ve noticed a lot of ad slots staying empty on a variety of shows I listen to so I think this just a general malaise for the industry. I’m happy to stick with Libsyn. I have no idea about Podbean’s offering. Anybody? More on reddit.com
🌐 r/podcasting
12
2
December 24, 2023
What podcast hosting platform pays the most?
No podcast hosting platform pays. Typically you pay them. What you're talking about is ad tech or ad managers. Some podcast platforms have ad tech options. But the ones you listed are all convenient store style ad tech. You are paying a super high price because they are doing all the work. If you want to get the most amount of money here's the way. 1 find sponsors 2 negotiate deals 3 create the ad yourself (you read it) 4 put it in the episode 5 collect payment. That takes ton of work, and you're paying someone else do all that work by using places like spreaker/buzzsproud/podbean. So if you're after the highest paying option, DIY is going to pay you 10x to 30x more. More on reddit.com
🌐 r/podcasting
49
9
May 20, 2024
People also ask

Which podcast monetization platform takes the lowest fees?
Captivate offers some of the lowest fees at 5-12% for most monetization features, while Spotify for Creators is free to use but takes a 50% cut of ad revenue. Buzzsprout charges 15% for subscriptions, and Acast takes 15% of subscription payments.
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thepodcastconsultant.com
thepodcastconsultant.com › home › blog › best podcast monetization platforms in 2025
Best Podcast Monetization Platforms in 2025 - The Podcast Consultant
Which podcast platform is best for beginners wanting to monetize?
Spotify for Creators is ideal for total beginners as it's completely free with distribution to 8+ platforms, though it takes 50% of ad revenue. Buzzsprout ($12/month) works well for growing shows with its impression-based payment model of $0.02 per impression.
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thepodcastconsultant.com
thepodcastconsultant.com › home › blog › best podcast monetization platforms in 2025
Best Podcast Monetization Platforms in 2025 - The Podcast Consultant
Can I use multiple monetization platforms at the same time?
Yes, most successful podcasters mix and match different monetization methods and platforms to maximize revenue. You can combine advertisements, sponsorships, and subscriptions across different platforms, though some exclusivity requirements may apply for certain ad networks.
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thepodcastconsultant.com
thepodcastconsultant.com › home › blog › best podcast monetization platforms in 2025
Best Podcast Monetization Platforms in 2025 - The Podcast Consultant
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BuzzSprout
buzzsprout.com
Buzzsprout: Podcast Hosting, Promotion & Analytics
Start podcasting today with free podcast hosting from Buzzsprout, the easiest podcasting software for hosting, promoting, and tracking your podcast.
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Audiorista
audiorista.com › best-practices › which-podcast-hosting-platforms-should-you-use
Which podcast hosting platforms should you use | Audiorista
That’s why smart podcasters are now building their own branded apps with Audiorista—giving them complete control over distribution, branding, and monetization. Stop renting space on traditional podcast platforms—take ownership of your audience and revenue by creating your own branded app with Audiorista today. ... AboutBlogBest PracticesTrends and InsightsApp Builder tool forTool ComparisonContactNewsletterAffiliate ProgramAgency ResellerJobs
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Acast
acast.com › en-us
Acast: The Best Podcast Monetization Platform
Acast helps podcasters earn more. As the leading podcast monetization platform, we connect creators with premium advertisers to drive reliable revenue.
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WNYC
podnews.net › australia’s one id for audio listeners
Australia’s one ID for audio listeners
1 month ago - Monetization and media representation platform Mission Media AI has secured funding, the company has announced. The company announced new hires to expand its sales team. Congratulations to Adventure Diaries, which won the People’s Choice Award ...
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Supercast
supercast.com
Supercast is podcast subscription that's made for podcasters
Top podcasters, networks & publishers use Supercast to earn what they deserve. Our top 10 earn over $26,000,000 every year. ... How This American Life reimagined their monetization strategy in the face of a volatile advertising market.
Find elsewhere
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The Podcast Consultant
thepodcastconsultant.com › home › blog › best podcast monetization platforms in 2025
Best Podcast Monetization Platforms in 2025 - The Podcast Consultant
August 21, 2025 - How do the best podcast monetization platforms stack up? Let’s take a closer look in this handy comparison chart: ... Acast is a podcast host, distribution, and monetization platform designed to connect podcasters to brands, advertisers, and other media professionals. There are more than 3,300 brands on its advertising roster, although its biggest claim to fame is curating sponsorship opportunities for podcasters.
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Zencastr
zencastr.com
Built for quality. Designed for growth. A new era for creation is here.
The only complete audio + video platform to get best-in-class recording, intuitive editing, AI-powered growth features, and top-tier distribution tools — all in one place.
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Spotify for Creators
creators.spotify.com
Tools to manage and grow your podcast - Spotify for Creators
Make your show the next big thingPowerful tools from Spotify to manage and grow your audio or video podcast. ... Build a dedicated followingTap into millions of fans on Spotify who can discover and interact directly with your episodes. Upload clips, manage comments, and keep tabs on your analytics to grow your fanbase and keep them coming back for more.More about growth on Spotify · Earn on your showChoose from a range of monetization tools designed to help you earn effortlessly.
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Podbean
podbean.com
Free Podcast hosting and Monetizing Platform | Podbean
Podbean is an easy and powerful way to create, promote and monetize your podcast. Everything you need for a successful podcast. Get Started For Free · For over 10 years, more than 600,000 podcasters have launched their podcasts and achieved their goals on Podbean. Make compelling podcasts right from your phone with the podcast recording app or capture any moment with professional-quality Podbean live streaming. Publish your audio and video in one ultra-simple, secure platform ...
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Captivate
captivate.fm › home
Unlimited podcast hosting • Best podcast platform • Captivate.fm
October 31, 2023 - Sell content, create profitable audio memberships, accept tips, give exclusive or early-access, sell bonus content and more directly from your hosting platform. Industry-leading dynamic ad tools to monetize your podcast and promote your own products, services, merchandise, live events and more. Plan episodes, research topics, let Captivate build your show notes, book guests, manage interviews and more with Captivate's all-inclusive toolkit. Save money and time by using Captivate to book your interview guests and manage recording sessions. Then, let Captivate build your show notes for you!
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Podomatic
podomatic.com
Create a Podcast >> Start Podcasting | Hosting by Podomatic
The easiest way to start and grow a podcast since 2005. Powerful recording, publishing, stats & analytics, promotion, monetization tools and more, all in one place. GET STARTED FOR FREE
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Lower Street
lowerstreet.co › how-to › monetize-a-podcast
How to Monetize a Podcast: Strategies to Get You Paid | Lower Street
November 13, 2025 - They’ll differ slightly depending on the platform, but some of the common things they’ll look at are overall content quality, audience size, and content ownership. Supporting your sponsors is an indirect way for your audience to support your podcast, but some listeners will want to support the show in a more direct fashion. Guest-facing monetization simply means that a podcast makes money directly from listeners.
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Apple Podcasts
podcasters.apple.com
Apple Podcasts for Creators
Go from show to business with Apple Podcasts Subscriptions. Learn how to launch and market your podcast with advice from successful creators.
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Quillpodcasting
quillpodcasting.com › blog-posts › podcast-hosting-platform
The 13 Best Podcast Hosting Platforms in 2025
October 15, 2025 - Spotify for Podcasters is completely free to use -- there’s no cost to create or distribute your podcast. Their mission is to support creators free of charge so that anyone that wants a podcast can have one. ... Listener analytics: Including episode drop-off, location, demographics, listening platform, and more · Sponsorships: Available only to US users to monetize their podcast
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Podcastvideos
podcastvideos.com › articles › best-podcast-distribution-platforms-2025
7 Best Podcast Distribution Platforms for Growth and Monetization
July 28, 2025 - Spotify for Podcasters is an all-in-one platform that offers free hosting, automatic distribution to Spotify and other directories and access to Spotify Audience Network for dynamic ad monetization. It includes powerful analytics and tools like polls and Q&A to engage with your listeners. ... Apple’s platform now enables podcasters to create premium subscriptions with bonus content, early access or ad-free episodes.
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RedCircle
redcircle.com
RedCircle | Host Your Podcast & Grow Your Revenue
Everything podcasters need to earn money, grow their audience, and be heard. Our RedCircle Ad Platform (RAP) enables brands to launch campaigns quickly & at scale.
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Acast
acast.com › en-us › monetize
Podcast Monetization tools for creators
We generate more revenue, more reliably than any other platform. ... Acast's marketplace is built for one thing: helping podcasters maximize their revenue by connecting them with advertisers. Seamlessly and at scale.