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? Answer from paulywauly99 on reddit.com
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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 ...
Discover
Find a podcast you’ll love on Podbean’s podcast directory. Search podcasts to find a new podcast and follow your favorites. Listen on Podbean.
Log in
Log into Podbean to start podcasting. Get everything you need for a successful podcast.
Sign up free
Get Started For Free. Easily to create, promote and monetize your podcast.
Pricing
Upgrade your podcast to unlimited plan and get unlimited storage and bandwidth, custom design, your own domain, and more. Check out our Podcast Pricing Plans!
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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!

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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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 - Most platforms require 500-2,000 monthly downloads to qualify for monetization programs. Top platform recommendations by use case: Beginners: Spotify for Creators (free but 50% revenue share) or Buzzsprout ($12/month, 15% fees)
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Acast
acast.com › en-us
Acast: The Best Podcast Monetization Platform
Distribute your podcast to Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, and more with just one click. Monetize with premium ads, control placements, and choose your partners—no content mandates or IP grabs.
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Captivate
captivate.fm › home
Unlimited podcast hosting • Best podcast platform • Captivate.fm
October 31, 2023 - A powerful suite of tools to supercharge your podcasting workflow and to save you time and money. Unique to Captivate and available, free, on all plans. ... 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.
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Vidpros
vidpros.com › the-best-podcast-platforms-for-monetization-top-picks-and-reviews
The Best Podcast Platforms for Monetization: Top Picks and Reviews
August 18, 2025 - Best For: Beginners who want an easy and free way to monetize their podcast. Anchor.fm offers several avenues to monetize your content. You can choose your preferred formula such as: Automated ads: Ads are automatically inserted during your podcast episodes, and you earn a portion of their revenues. Paid subscriptions: You can offer exclusive content to paying subscribers only. Spotify Ads Manager: Spotify offers its own ad management platform to create your campaigns and target specific audiences.
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Reddit
reddit.com › r/podcasting › best podcast hosting for monetization?
r/podcasting on Reddit: Best podcast hosting for monetization?
December 22, 2023 -

I've been a podcaster for +5 years, and I'm gonna launch a new show soon. I was wondering what podcast hosting offers the best options for monetization. I need the possibility to enable Apple Podcast subscriptions, and if possible I would like to activate Spotify subscriptions too. I was analyzing multiple options: Lybsyn, Podbean, RSS.com, Captivate, Blubrry (I had a good experience with them a few years ago, it seems to have nice podcast 2.0 features, but it was and still is a bit pricey and with limited options for ads).

But it has mostly come down to Lybsyn and Podbean, since they both seem to have a decent ad program. It's not very clear, but it looks that I could activate Spotify subscriptions with Lybsyn, while that doesn't seem to be the case with Podbean. Which one is better for monetization or in general? I'm fine paying +20$ a month.

Find elsewhere
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Podcastpontifications
podcastpontifications.com › home › best podcast platforms for making money in 2025: reviews, comparisons & monetization tips
Best Podcast Platforms for Making Money in 2025: Reviews, Comparisons & Monetization Tips - Podcast Pontifications
August 31, 2025 - OpenRAP lets you monetize elsewhere without switching hosts. Great for creators who want flexibility and rapid payouts. ... Memberships, digital products, direct community engagement. 10% fee (new plans); 2.9–5% processing, currency, and payout fees. No minimum audience size; you set your tiers. Not a podcast host, but integrates with all major platforms. Best for podcasters building a loyal community willing to support. ... Premium content, ad-free, early access for Apple listeners.
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Beamly
beamly.com › home › blog › 5 best podcast platforms for monetization
5 Best Podcast Platforms for Monetization - Beamly
October 9, 2025 - Patreon: Lets you sell monthly subscriptions and make one-time sales for bonus content and ad-free episodes. Amazon Music: Offers targeted audio ads and the influencer program, which enables you to make money through Amazon Music signups. It’s easier to monetize your show with a full podcast website. Using Beamly, you can build a platform where you can ask for donations, sell products, or include affiliate links.
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RSS.com
rss.com
Free Podcast Hosting – Unlimited Episodes & Audio | RSS.com
Start your podcast free with RSS.com! Unlimited episodes, RSS feed, analytics, and tools to grow and monetize your show.
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Whop
whop.com › blog › podcast-monetization-platforms
Top 10 Podcast Monetization Platforms
December 2, 2024 - Pros: Lets you sell any sort of digital product, has Merchant of Record services, takes a far lower share of your revenue than comparable platforms. Cons: Doesn’t host or distribute your podcast. Pricing: Free to sign up, and the basic plan only charges 3% on payments processed through Whop digital store. Ready to monetize? Start selling with Whop! PodBean is one of the premier names in the podcasting world, and for good reason—it does most of what you want as a creator, helping to publish, promote, and distribute your podcast extremely effectively.
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Armemberplugin
armemberplugin.com › best-podcast-hosting-sites
5+ Best Podcast Hosting Sites to Make Money in 2025
ARMember
Ad support for additional monetization options. It also allows private podcasting features. Guest booking feature to book your podcast guest directly from the platform and manage recording sessions. It also helps in creating show notes for easy access. Detailed podcast analytics to help you grow and special free ... Most affordable WordPress membership plugin to turn your site into advanced membership website.
Rating: 5 ​
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Riverside
riverside.com › blog › free podcast hosting: our 9 favorite platforms
Free Podcast Hosting: Our 9 Favorite Platforms
2 weeks ago - The best free podcast hosting services include Spotify for Creators (unlimited storage), Buzzsprout (detailed analytics), and Riverside (all-in-one workflow). Key factors when choosing a host include storage and bandwidth limits, analytics ...
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Spotify for Creators
creators.spotify.com
Tools to manage and grow your podcast - Spotify for Creators
Get to know Spotify for Creators (formerly Spotify for Podcasters), the free audio and video podcasting platform of Spotify.
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Medium
medium.com › @digital.expert.online › best-podcast-platforms-for-monetization-2024-2072a8411283
Best podcast platforms for monetization 2025 | by Digital Expert | Medium
June 3, 2025 - Choosing the best podcast platform to make money depends on your needs. Acast and Captivate are good options. They offer useful monetization tools and are simple to use. Kajabi is another great choice.
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WPBeginner
wpbeginner.com › home › showcase › 7 best podcast hosting for 2025 compared (many are free)
7 Best Podcast Hosting for 2025 Compared (Many Are Free)
April 23, 2025 - They also have a huge community of podcasters already using PodBean as their podcasting platform. ... Why We Recommend PodBean: It is one of the best podcast hosting services that offers unlimited video and audio hosting at affordable prices. We recommend PodBean because it offers powerful features for promotion, tracking performance, monetization, and boosting engagement. Pricing: Free plan with limited storage.
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Beehiiv
beehiiv.com › blog › best-podcasting-platforms
The 10 Best Podcasting Platforms To Grow and Monetize Your Show | beehiiv Blog
3 weeks ago - For Enterprise pricing, please reach out for a custom quote. Sign up for beehiiv’s free plan. Spotify for Creators (formerly Spotify for Podcasters and Anchor) is a free, easy-to-use podcast hosting platform...
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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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The Podcast Consultant
thepodcastconsultant.com › home › blog › top podcast platforms: the complete guide for podcasters
Top Podcast Platforms: The Complete Guide for Podcasters - The Podcast Consultant
August 14, 2025 - Video platforms: Host and distribute video podcasts (YouTube, Spotify for Creators); necessary for visual-first content · Monetization platforms: Generate revenue through ads, subscriptions, or sponsorships (Megaphone, Acast, RedCircle); available ...