Buzzsprout vs Captivate Comparison 2026
Buzzsprout hosts a podcast and meters the free and paid plans by upload hours, with video publishing to YouTube one tier up. Captivate meters by monthly downloads instead, so an archive costs nothing to keep and every plan, even the cheapest, carries the full feature set: analytics, dynamic ad insertion and a podcast website. Buzzsprout has a free plan and Captivate does not, but Captivate's bands do not punish a show for publishing more often. The choice turns on which meter fits how the show grows: time uploaded, or people listening.
Podcast hosting that publishes the video too
Podcast hosting priced by downloads
At a glance
- Buzzsprout starts cheaper, at $15.
- Only Buzzsprout has a free tier.
Side by side
Buzzsprout | Captivate | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price (they differ) | From $15 | From $17 |
| Pricing model (they differ) | Free plan, paid tiers | Free trial, then paid |
| Free tier (they differ) | Yes | No |
| Billing | Not stated | Not stated |
| Free trial | Not stated | 30 days |
| API |
Buzzsprout
Podcast hosting that publishes the video too
Buzzsprout hosts a podcast, submits it to the directories and reports back with statistics that are actually readable, which is the reason it keeps being the recommendation for a first show. Upload time is the meter rather than episode count, and the plans are sold as hours a year. One tier up, the same episode is published as video to Apple, Spotify and YouTube from the same upload. Anybody who wants a subscription paywall around episodes will need something else beside it.
Our note
Seventy-two hours a year is about ninety minutes a week, which is more headroom than a new show needs and worth checking against an interview format that runs long. Take the video tier only if you will actually post to YouTube, since the audio plan does everything a podcast strictly requires.
Only on this side
- Works with YouTube
Captivate
Podcast hosting priced by downloads
Captivate hosts shows on download bands rather than storage or episode counts, so a back catalogue costs nothing to keep and a viral episode is the thing that moves you up a tier. Every plan carries the full feature set, which is unusual here: analytics, a website, dynamic ad insertion and a listener signup tool are not held back for the dearest band. Unlimited podcasts sit on one account, so a second show does not mean a second bill.
Why people weigh these two
- Captivate instead of Buzzsprout
- Captivate hosts the same show but meters by downloads instead of upload hours, from $17 with a trial rather than a free plan.
- Buzzsprout instead of Captivate
- Buzzsprout meters upload hours instead of downloads and keeps a free tier, a gentler start for a small show, where Captivate's download bands reward a big archive.
Which one should you pick
Pick Buzzsprout for a new show that wants hosting, distribution and readable statistics settled in an afternoon. The free plan costs nothing to start, and Audio at $15 a month billed annually covers 72 hours of upload a year, about ninety minutes a week, which is more headroom than most new shows will fill. Take the $25 Audio plus Video tier only if the show will actually post to YouTube, since audio alone already covers what a podcast strictly needs.
Pick Captivate once the show has an audience to report to, or once download count rather than upload time is what worries you. There is no free plan, only a 30-day trial, and the entry band starts at $17 a month paid yearly for up to 30,000 downloads. Unlimited podcasts sit on one account, so a second show never means a second bill, and dynamic ad insertion means an old episode already earning traffic can carry a new advertiser.
Common questions
- Does Buzzsprout or Captivate have a free plan?
- Buzzsprout does. Its free plan is offered on the page, though the details sit behind an accordion rather than the pricing card. Captivate has no free tier at all, only a 30-day trial that starts the clock on its cheapest band, $17 a month paid yearly.
- What actually decides the bill on each one?
- Buzzsprout meters upload hours: 72 a year on the Audio plan, regardless of how many people listen. Captivate meters monthly downloads instead, starting at 30,000 for $17 a month, so a quiet back catalogue costs nothing and a viral episode is what moves a show up a band.
- Can I run more than one show on either plan?
- Captivate includes unlimited podcasts on a single account at every band, so a second show adds no extra bill. Buzzsprout mentions a separate multi-podcast tier above its standard plans, so a second show is not automatically covered by the Audio plan.
- Which one publishes video to YouTube?
- Buzzsprout does, from the $25 Audio plus Video plan, publishing the same upload as 1080p video to Apple, Spotify and YouTube. Captivate's listing does not list video publishing among its features.
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.