Acast vs Simplecast Comparison 2026
Both cover audio & podcasting. Here is what separates them on price, billing, what you can take with you, and coverage.
Podcast hosting with an ad marketplace attached
Podcast hosting with analytics worth reading
At a glance
- Acast starts cheaper, at $14.99.
- Only Acast has a free tier.
Side by side
Acast | Simplecast | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price (they differ) | From $14.99 | From $15 |
| Pricing model (they differ) | Free plan, paid tiers | Free trial, then paid |
| Free tier (they differ) | Yes | No |
| Billing | Monthly or annual | Monthly or annual |
| Free trial (they differ) | None | 14 days |
| API | Yes | Yes |
| Data export | Not stated | Not stated |
| Their cut | Not stated | None |
Shaded rows are where the two answers disagree and both listings have answered. A row where one side has not stated a fact is left plain, because silence is not a difference.
Acast
Podcast hosting with an ad marketplace attached
Acast hosts the show and sells the ads against it, which is the combination a podcaster otherwise assembles from two companies. Putting a show into its marketplace lifts the episode cap on the free plan, so monetizing and hosting are the same decision. Ad revenue depends on being picked up by advertisers, and a small show may see nothing for a while.
Only on this side
- Covers ad networks
- Covers monetization & payments
Simplecast
Podcast hosting with analytics worth reading
Simplecast is hosting for shows that answer to somebody, whether that is a network, a sponsor or a client. Downloads are measured to the IAB standard, listener numbers are broken out by episode and market, and the embeddable player is one of the few that does not look borrowed. Distribution to the directories is handled once at setup. Plans are sold by monthly download allowance rather than by episode count, so a show that publishes often is not penalised for it.
Only on this side
- Covers analytics
Ratings are the average of reviews readers left. The facts are stated by each tool’s own listing and are not verified by CloutStack. How we make money.