Acast vs Spreaker Comparison 2026
Acast and Spreaker both host a podcast and sell advertising against it from a free plan. Acast's free tier covers one show and five episodes, with the cap lifting once you join its ad marketplace; Spreaker's Free Speech plan carries a storage cap instead and takes 20 percent of anything a supporters club brings in, dropping to nothing once you pay $20 a month. The difference is which limit you would rather live with while ad revenue is still unproven: an episode count or a cut of supporter income.
Podcast hosting with an ad marketplace attached
Hosting with programmatic ads on the free plan
At a glance
- Acast starts cheaper, at $14.99.
- Both have a genuinely free tier.
Side by side
Acast | Spreaker | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price (they differ) | From $14.99 | From $20 |
| Pricing model | Free plan, paid tiers | Free plan, paid tiers |
| Free tier | Yes | Yes |
| Billing | Monthly or annual | Not stated |
| Free trial | None | Not stated |
| API | Yes |
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 monetization & payments
Spreaker
Hosting with programmatic ads on the free plan
Spreaker hosts a show and sells advertising against it, which is the reason to pick it over a host that only stores files. Dynamic ad insertion means a slot can be filled and refilled after an episode is published, so a back catalogue keeps earning. The free plan carries a storage cap and takes a fifth of anything a supporters club brings in. Paid plans drop that fee to nothing and raise the limits.
Why people weigh these two
- Spreaker instead of Acast
- Spreaker runs programmatic ads on its free plan right away, before you ever reach the $20 starting price, rather than waiting on a marketplace pickup.
- Acast instead of Spreaker
- Acast attaches its own ad marketplace to the hosting, with a free tier and a $14.99 plan, a marketplace of buyers rather than Spreaker's dynamic ad insertion into open slots.
Which one should you pick
Pick Acast when unlimited episodes matter more than storage, since joining its ad marketplace is what removes the five-episode cap rather than paying a monthly fee. Influencer at €14.99 a month covers multiple shows with unlimited episodes and sponsorship tools outright. Ad revenue still depends on being picked up by advertisers either way.
Pick Spreaker when you want to monetize immediately without paying anything, and are willing to give up a cut instead. Free Speech is $0 a month with a storage cap and a 20 percent fee on supporters club income, and On Air Talent at $20 a month drops that fee to nothing. It is also the one with live broadcasting built in, keeping the recording as the published episode.
Common questions
- Which free plan is capped by storage rather than episode count?
- Spreaker's Free Speech plan is metered by storage. Acast's free plan is capped by episode count instead, five episodes, until the show joins the ad marketplace.
- Does Spreaker take a cut of ad revenue on the free plan?
- The stated 20 percent fee on Free Speech applies to supporters club income, not the advertising revenue share, which is negotiated through Spreaker's programme rather than published. Acast does not publish its ad revenue split either.
- Can you broadcast live on either one?
- Spreaker has a live episodes feature, broadcast from the app or desktop console with the recording becoming the published episode. Acast lists no live broadcasting feature among what it offers.
- How do the paid tiers compare?
- Spreaker's On Air Talent is $20 a month and drops the supporters club fee to nothing. Acast's Influencer is €14.99 a month and removes the free plan's five-episode cap, adding sponsorship tools for multiple shows.
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.