Buzzsprout

Buzzsprout is built around getting a first-time podcaster from recording to published without confusion. You create the show, add your cover art and description, upload an episode with its title and show notes, and publish. It then helps you list the show in the main podcast directories, so listeners can find it in the apps they already use. From then on, each new episode follows the same short routine: upload, write notes, publish.

Pricing works by upload hours per month, which is worth understanding before you choose a plan. A weekly one-hour interview uses four or five hours a month; a daily 20-minute show uses more. If your episodes are long or you publish often, compare that with hosts priced by downloads, such as Transistor or Captivate, where episode length matters less.

Against the free option, Spotify for Creators costs nothing and supports video podcasts on Spotify, but its analytics are strongest inside Spotify. Buzzsprout gives you clear statistics across apps and a calmer dashboard. That matters more than it sounds when you check your numbers every week. Against Transistor and Captivate, Buzzsprout is simpler but less suited to several shows or private feeds.

Treat the free plan as a trial: episodes on it are only hosted for a limited time, so it is good for testing the workflow and not for a show you want to keep online. Once you’re committed, move to a paid plan before launching publicly. If you outgrow it later, podcasts can change hosts by importing episodes and redirecting the RSS feed, so starting here doesn’t lock you in.