Overview

Acast is a podcast hosting and publishing platform for independent creators and teams managing multiple shows. Its strongest case is bringing distribution, audience data and monetization into one workflow; the main caveat is that Starter is tightly capped, while Apple Podcasts video publishing is still limited to selected creators.

Key features

Publishing and distribution

Episode scheduling, bulk editing, multi-show management and dynamic intros and outros suit creators with a regular release schedule or several shows to maintain. One-click publishing to Spotify and Apple Podcasts, distribution to major directories and RSS feeds cover the core route from upload to listening apps. Private podcasts and video podcast support broaden the format options, though Apple Podcasts video is only available in a limited beta for selected creators.

Audience and revenue tools

Acast combines advanced analytics—downloads, geography, listening platforms, engagement and revenue data—with monetization tools and automated ad placements. That gives creators a clearer view of reach and earnings alongside publishing, but the Starter plan's episode cap makes it a poor fit for an ongoing show unless the creator makes it available in Acast's advertising marketplace, which unlocks unlimited episodes.

A customizable no-code website and web player provide ways to present a show, while social video clips and the paid-plan Headliner integration help make audiograms for Instagram and TikTok. Headliner videos default to 10 minutes and can be up to four hours. The Publishing API, for show and episode operations, is available to Pro users and Creator Network members and has a rate limit of 60 requests per minute; webhooks can send an event when a new episode is published.

Security, privacy and support

Acast's security measures include audit logging, access monitoring, backups, data erasure, AWS hosting, anti-DDoS protection, separate production environments, disk encryption, firewalls and IDS/IPS. Acast AB is the data controller for EEA, Swiss and UK users, who have rights including access, rectification and erasure. Acast says it does not own creators' uploaded content. Support is available by email and Intercom chat; Pro adds prioritized support.

Pricing

Starter has no published price and includes one show and five episodes. It is a reasonable way to begin a small trial, but the five-episode limit quickly constrains a regular publishing schedule unless the show joins Acast's advertising marketplace.

Essential costs 14.99 USD per month (billed yearly) and includes multiple shows, unlimited episodes, ads and sponsorships. It is the practical step up for creators who need room to publish without Starter's cap. Pro costs 29.99 USD per month (billed yearly) and adds team management, prioritized support and the Publishing API to everything in Essential, making it more relevant to collaborative or API-driven workflows.

Video costs 39.99 USD per month (billed yearly). It includes Pro features, Apple Podcasts video publishing, automatic video-to-audio conversion and 10,000 monthly video views. The plan's video promise has an important qualification: publishing to Apple Podcasts remains a selected-creator beta. The Acast Creator Network has custom pricing and premium benefits and services beyond the standard tiers.

Platforms

Acast supports Android, iOS, web and API access. The Publishing API is specifically included for Pro users and Creator Network members, rather than being a general feature of every plan.

Who it's for

Acast fits creators who want hosting, broad directory distribution, analytics and monetization in a single platform, especially those managing multiple shows or a team. Essential is the clearest match for a creator who has outgrown a small episode allowance; Pro suits teams that need API access or prioritized support. Acast is less compelling for a creator who needs dependable Apple Podcasts video publishing now, or who expects Starter to support an ongoing show without marketplace participation.

Pros and cons

Pros: One-click publishing to Spotify and Apple Podcasts plus major-directory distribution reduces the need to manage separate listings.
Pros: Advanced audience and revenue analytics sit alongside ad placement and sponsorship tools, giving creators both performance and monetization capabilities.
Pros: Multiple shows and unlimited episodes on Essential provide a clear upgrade path from Starter's narrow allowance.
Cons: Starter's one-show, five-episode limit is restrictive unless the show enters Acast's advertising marketplace.
Cons: Apple Podcasts video is not broadly available, despite being a named Video-plan benefit.
Cons: Essential, Pro and Video prices are billed yearly, so the monthly figures are tied to an annual term.

Alternatives

Choose Buzzsprout if a web-based host with a free tier and a defined monthly upload allowance better fits your publishing needs: its Free plan permits two hours of uploads and 90-day episode hosting, while Audio is 18.00 USD per month billed monthly for six hours per month and one podcast.

Podbean is another free-plan option, with Android and iOS support; its Basic Free Plan specifies five hours of storage, 100GB monthly bandwidth, three episodes per day, a 100MB single-file limit and 20 episodes in the RSS feed.

For focused ad monetization rather than a broad publishing platform, consider Lucid, which has a free podcast monetization network with a threshold of at least 1,000 monthly downloads, a supported host and no obligation to accept work.

For podcast ad analytics, Magellan AI offers a free verified-download prefix and show visibility; full platform access requires a demo and has custom pricing.

Podigee is an alternative podcast platform. Zencastr is another option. OpenStream is free to use, with no obligation and cancellation at any time. Spotify Ad Analytics is free of charge.

Readers comparing adjacent categories can also browse Podcast Advertising Platforms, Podcast Website Builders and Podcast Monetization Platforms.

Verdict

Acast is a strong fit for creators who want distribution, analytics and monetization tied to a scalable multi-show publishing workflow. Choose it for Essential when Starter's five-episode cap no longer works, or Pro when team tools and API access matter. Look elsewhere if you need broadly available Apple Podcasts video today or a free plan that can carry a regular show without an advertising-marketplace condition.

	Acast	Castos
Free plan	Yes	No
Free trial	No	No
Paid from	—	$19/mo
Open source	No	No
Platforms	Android, api, iOS, Web	Web, iOS, Android
Free plan	Yes	No
Paid from	14.99 /mo	19 /mo

Acast vs Castos

Acast

Castos