Buzzsprout vs Transistor: Best Podcast Host for 2026
Quick Comparison
| Buzzsprout | Transistor | |
|---|---|---|
| Best For | Solo and first-time podcasters who want a permanent free tier and consistent features across every paid tier. | Creators and agencies running multiple shows or networks who want video and private podcasting bundled in. |
| Pricing | Free tier available / $19/mo starting | 14-day free trial / $19/mo starting |
| Winner | Our Pick |
Tool Breakdown
Buzzsprout
Buzzsprout's permanent free tier lets new podcasters publish and test the waters with zero financial commitment, and every paid tier unlocks the same core toolset — so upgrading is only about upload volume, not what you're allowed to do.
- A genuine permanent free tier — unusual among podcast hosts and a low-risk way to test publishing before paying anything
- IAB-certified analytics are included on every plan, including the free one
- No feature-gating between paid tiers — upgrading only changes upload-hour and podcast-count limits, not what tools you can use
- Pricing is based on shared upload hours per month, so a heavy publisher or multi-show creator can hit overage fees quickly
- Free-tier episodes are hosted for 90 days only, not indefinitely, unless you upgrade
- AI add-ons like Cohost AI and Magic Mastering cost extra on top of the subscription price
Transistor
A podcast hosting platform priced by monthly downloads, with unlimited shows, episodes, and storage on every plan, plus video podcast hosting and private podcasting.
- Unlimited shows, episodes, and storage on every plan — pricing scales with downloads, not with how many podcasts you run
- Private podcasting is included on all plans rather than sold as an add-on, with subscriber quotas that scale by tier
- Native video podcast hosting with auto-posting to YouTube on Professional and above
- No permanent free tier — only a 14-day trial, a real gap for hobbyists who want to test hosting long-term at no cost
- Pricing scales with audience download volume, so a growing show can move up tiers even without adding more podcasts
- The entry Starter plan has the smallest private-podcast subscriber quota and lacks features like dynamic ads and YouTube auto-post
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Buzzsprout or Transistor have a free plan? +
Buzzsprout has a permanent free tier (2 hours of upload per month, though episodes expire after 90 days unless you upgrade). Transistor doesn't offer a free plan — only a 14-day free trial.
Which is better for hosting multiple podcasts? +
Transistor is the stronger choice for multiple shows — every plan includes unlimited podcasts, episodes, and storage, so pricing scales with downloads rather than the number of shows. Buzzsprout's paid plans cap how many podcasts you can run per tier.
Does either platform support video podcasts? +
Transistor offers native video podcast hosting with auto-posting to YouTube on its Professional plan and above. Buzzsprout is primarily an audio-hosting platform and does not offer the same built-in video distribution.