Acast vs Transistor Comparison 2026
Acast hosts a podcast and sells the advertising against it from one account, free for one show and five episodes before the marketplace lifts the cap. Transistor stays out of ad sales entirely and instead lets you run as many shows as you like on one subscription, from $19 a month for 20,000 downloads and 50 private subscribers, with a 14-day trial and no free tier. The choice is between a host that also sells your ads, and one built for producers who already have their own sponsors or run more than one show.
Podcast hosting with an ad marketplace attached
Podcast hosting with unlimited shows
At a glance
- Acast starts cheaper, at $14.99.
- Only Acast has a free tier.
Side by side
Acast | Transistor | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price (they differ) | From $14.99 | From $19 |
| 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 |
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
Transistor
Podcast hosting with unlimited shows
Transistor hosts as many podcasts as you like on one subscription, which matters if you run several or produce for clients. Private feeds make paid subscriber shows straightforward. Analytics are honest rather than flattering.
Our note
The obvious choice for a network or an agency, and overkill for one show with a small audience. The private feed support is better than most platforms treat it, which matters if members are what pays for the podcast.
Why people weigh these two
- Transistor instead of Acast
- Transistor hosts unlimited shows on one account for $19 a month, for a podcaster who would rather sell sponsors themselves than wait on a marketplace.
- Acast instead of Transistor
- Acast adds its own ad marketplace on top of hosting, from $14.99 with a free tier, useful when the show wants sponsors found rather than sold in independently.
Which one should you pick
Pick Acast when you want advertising handled rather than sold yourself, and are comfortable letting the host take that role. Free covers one show and five episodes, with the cap lifting once the show joins the marketplace, and Influencer at €14.99 a month adds unlimited episodes for multiple shows. A show with sponsors it already found may prefer a host that stays out of the way instead.
Pick Transistor when you run more than one show or sell a private paid feed, since unlimited podcasts sit on every plan starting at $19 a month rather than costing a second bill. Downloads decide the tier, not shows: Starter covers 20,000 downloads and 50 private subscribers, rising to $49 and $99 above that. There is no free tier, only a 14-day trial, so one hobby podcast that will not use the unlimited-shows allowance is better served somewhere cheaper.
Common questions
- Does Transistor sell advertising like Acast does?
- No. Transistor hosts, distributes and reports analytics, with no ad marketplace attached. Acast hosts and sells ads from the same account, and joining its marketplace is what lifts the free plan's five-episode cap.
- Which one is better for running several shows?
- Transistor, since unlimited podcasts sit on every plan starting at $19 a month, one subscription rather than a second bill per show. Acast's free plan covers one show, and Influencer at €14.99 a month is needed for multiple shows with unlimited episodes.
- Does either have a free plan?
- Acast does: one show and five episodes at no cost, with a card required at signup that the page states will not be charged. Transistor has no free tier, only a 14-day trial across its paid plans starting at $19 a month.
- Which one suits private, paid subscriber feeds?
- Transistor states subscriber counts per plan, 50 on Starter rising to 3,000 on Business, built around private podcasts as a core feature. Acast's plans center on public distribution and ad sales, with no private feed allowance mentioned.
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.