Making the work
Growing an audience
Running the business
Both cover ad networks and audio & podcasting. Here is what separates them on price, billing, what you can take with you, and coverage.
Podcast sponsorships on a stated fee
Spotify's podcast host with an ad marketplace
Audacy Creator Lab | Megaphone | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | Free | From $99 |
| Pricing model (they differ) | Free | Paid subscription |
| Free tier (they differ) | Yes | No |
| Billing | Not stated | Monthly or annual |
| Free trial | Not stated | Not stated |
| API | Not stated | Not stated |
| Data export | Not stated | Not stated |
| Their cut | 10% of what you earn | Not stated |
| Runs on | Web | Web |
| Covers | Ad Networks, Audio & Podcasting | Ad Networks, Audio & Podcasting |
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.
Podcast sponsorships on a stated fee
Creator Lab is a marketplace where brands post campaigns and podcasters pitch for them, with the hosting thrown in free. A creator sets their own rate, talks to the brand directly and gets paid through the platform rather than invoicing anybody. The service fee is published rather than negotiated, which is rarer in podcast advertising than it should be. Shows too small for a network to call back are the ones this exists for.
Our note
This is Podcorn under Audacy's name, and the pricing survived the change intact, which is more than most acquisitions manage. Take it for the free hosting and treat any campaign that lands as upside, because the marketplace costs nothing while it is quiet.
Spotify's podcast host with an ad marketplace
Megaphone is where Spotify puts podcasters who want to sell advertising against a back catalogue rather than only against new episodes. Hosting and distribution come with a campaign manager, so an ad sold today can be inserted into an episode published two years ago and swapped out when the campaign ends. The Spotify Audience Network is the demand side of it. It is priced for somebody whose show already earns, not for a first episode.
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.
| Works with |
|---|
| Podcast |
| Podcast |
| Founded | Not listed | Not listed |
|---|
| Reader rating | No reviews yet | No reviews yet |
|---|
| Live deals | None right now | None right now |
|---|
Our note
Compare this against what your current host charges plus what you currently earn from ads, rather than against hosting alone. Megaphone is priced as an advertising business with hosting attached, so if the ad side stays empty you are paying a premium for a file server.