# Captivate vs Podbean for podcast hosting platforms

Captivate and Podbean are closely matched for core workflows. Both support API access, iab-certified analytics, dynamic ad insertion, podcast advertising marketplace, and paid subscriptions. Captivate has confirmed free trial. Podbean has confirmed free plan and number of podcasts of 1. Monthly price is £17 for Captivate and $12 for Podbean.

## Key decision points

- Podbean has confirmed free plan; free plan is not yet confirmed for Captivate.
- Captivate has confirmed free trial; free trial is not yet confirmed for Podbean.
- Monthly price is £17 for Captivate and $12 for Podbean.
- Podbean has confirmed number of podcasts of 1; number of podcasts is not yet confirmed for Captivate.

## Choose Captivate if…

- Choose Captivate if confirmed free trial matters to you; this detail is not yet confirmed for Podbean.

## Choose Podbean if…

- Choose Podbean if confirmed free plan matters to you; this detail is not yet confirmed for Captivate.
- Choose Podbean if the lower monthly price is the deciding factor.
- Choose Podbean if confirmed number of podcasts of 1 matters to you; this detail is not yet confirmed for Captivate.

## Capacity

| Feature | Captivate | Podbean |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Number of podcasts | Not confirmed | 1 (verified 5 September 2026; [source](https://www.podbean.com/podcast-hosting-pricing)) |
| Monthly upload limit | Not confirmed | 1 (verified 5 September 2026; [source](https://www.podbean.com/podcast-hosting-pricing)) |
| Storage limit | Not confirmed | 0 (verified 5 September 2026; [source](https://www.podbean.com/podcast-hosting-pricing)) |
| Team members | Not confirmed | 50 (verified 5 September 2026; [source](https://www.podbean.com/podcast-hosting-pricing)) |

## Features

| Feature | Captivate | Podbean |
| --- | --- | --- |
| IAB-certified analytics | Yes (verified 5 September 2026; [source](https://www.captivate.fm/)) | Yes (verified 5 September 2026; [source](https://www.podbean.com/)) |
| Advanced analytics | Not confirmed | Yes (verified 5 September 2026; [source](https://www.podbean.com/podcast-hosting-pricing)) |
| Dynamic ad insertion | Yes (verified 5 September 2026; [source](https://www.captivate.fm/pricing)) | Yes (verified 5 September 2026; [source](https://www.podbean.com/)) |
| Paid subscriptions | Yes (verified 5 September 2026; [source](https://www.captivate.fm/)) | Yes (verified 5 September 2026; [source](https://www.podbean.com/apple-podcasts-subscriptions)) |
| Listener donations | Yes (verified 5 September 2026; [source](https://www.captivate.fm/)) | Not confirmed |
| Private podcasts | Yes (verified 5 September 2026; [source](https://www.captivate.fm/)) | Yes (verified 5 September 2026; [source](https://www.podbean.com/podcast-hosting-pricing)) |
| Video podcasts | Yes (verified 5 September 2026; [source](https://help.captivate.fm/en/)) | Yes (verified 5 September 2026; [source](https://www.podbean.com/podcast-hosting-pricing)) |
| Automatic transcription | Yes (verified 5 September 2026; [source](https://help.captivate.fm/en/article/captivate-feature-releases-changelog-vq1h56/)) | Yes (verified 5 September 2026; [source](https://www.podbean.com/)) |
| Podcast website | Yes (verified 5 September 2026; [source](https://www.captivate.fm/pricing)) | Yes (verified 5 September 2026; [source](https://www.podbean.com/)) |
| Custom domain | Not confirmed | Yes (verified 5 September 2026; [source](https://www.podbean.com/podcast-hosting-pricing)) |
| Episode scheduling | Not confirmed | Yes (verified 5 September 2026; [source](https://www.podbean.com/)) |
| Migration assistance | Not confirmed | Yes (verified 5 September 2026; [source](https://www.podbean.com/)) |

## Integrations

| Feature | Captivate | Podbean |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Podcast advertising marketplace | Yes (verified 5 September 2026; [source](https://www.captivate.fm/captivate-marketplace-for-podcasters)) | Yes (verified 5 September 2026; [source](https://www.podbean.com/)) |
| Distribution to Spotify | Yes (verified 5 September 2026; [source](https://www.captivate.fm/)) | Yes (verified 5 September 2026; [source](https://www.podbean.com/)) |
| Distribution to Apple Podcasts | Yes (verified 5 September 2026; [source](https://www.captivate.fm/)) | Yes (verified 5 September 2026; [source](https://www.podbean.com/)) |
| YouTube distribution | Yes (verified 5 September 2026; [source](https://www.captivate.fm/)) | Yes (verified 5 September 2026; [source](https://www.podbean.com/podcast-hosting-pricing)) |
| WordPress integration | Yes (verified 5 September 2026; [source](https://help.captivate.fm/en/)) | Yes (verified 5 September 2026; [source](https://www.podbean.com/podcast-hosting-pricing)) |

## Technical

| Feature | Captivate | Podbean |
| --- | --- | --- |
| API | Yes (verified 5 September 2026; [source](https://www.captivate.fm/problems-with-current-host/lack-of-integration)) | Yes (verified 5 September 2026; [source](https://help.podbean.com/support/home)) |

## Pricing

| Feature | Captivate | Podbean |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Free plan | Not confirmed | Yes (verified 5 September 2026; [source](https://www.podbean.com/)) |
| Free trial | Yes (verified 5 September 2026; [source](https://www.captivate.fm/pricing)) | Not confirmed |
| Monthly price | £17 (verified 5 September 2026; [source](https://www.captivate.fm/pricing)) | $12 (verified 5 September 2026; [source](https://www.podbean.com/podcast-hosting-pricing)) |

## Commercial

| Feature | Captivate | Podbean |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Affiliate programme | Yes (verified 5 September 2026; [source](https://www.captivate.fm/)) | Yes (verified 5 September 2026; [source](https://www.podbean.com/)) |

## Evidence

- **Podbean — Number of podcasts:** 1. Last verified 5 September 2026. Source: https://www.podbean.com/podcast-hosting-pricing. Evidence: “Audio podcast”
- **Podbean — Monthly upload limit:** 1. Last verified 5 September 2026. Source: https://www.podbean.com/podcast-hosting-pricing. Evidence: “1GB uploads/mo.”
- **Podbean — Storage limit:** 0. Last verified 5 September 2026. Source: https://www.podbean.com/podcast-hosting-pricing. Evidence: “Unlimited total storage”
- **Captivate — IAB-certified analytics:** Yes. Last verified 5 September 2026. Source: https://www.captivate.fm/. Evidence: “The most comprehensive podcast analytics, ever, included on every plan. All IAB-certified .”
- **Podbean — IAB-certified analytics:** Yes. Last verified 5 September 2026. Source: https://www.podbean.com/. Evidence: “Podbean provides IAB-certified podcast analytics and intuitive charts to help you grow your podcast.”
- **Podbean — Advanced analytics:** Yes. Last verified 5 September 2026. Source: https://www.podbean.com/podcast-hosting-pricing. Evidence: “Advanced podcast stats Get deeper insights into your audience with detailed analytics, including listener locations, devices, sources, and trends.”
- **Captivate — Dynamic ad insertion:** Yes. Last verified 5 September 2026. Source: https://www.captivate.fm/pricing. Evidence: “All Captivate pricing plans include... Dynamic content insertion with AMIE”
- **Podbean — Dynamic ad insertion:** Yes. Last verified 5 September 2026. Source: https://www.podbean.com/. Evidence: “Podbean offers a variety of monetization tools, including Ads Marketplace, dynamic ad insertion technology, and Apple Podcasts Subscriptions Integration”
- **Captivate — Podcast advertising marketplace:** Yes. Last verified 5 September 2026. Source: https://www.captivate.fm/captivate-marketplace-for-podcasters. Evidence: “Captivate Marketplace is a podcast advertising marketplace that connects podcasters with brands looking to reach engaged podcast audiences.”
- **Podbean — Podcast advertising marketplace:** Yes. Last verified 5 September 2026. Source: https://www.podbean.com/. Evidence: “Podbean offers a variety of monetization tools, including Ads Marketplace, dynamic ad insertion technology, and Apple Podcasts Subscriptions Integration”
- **Captivate — Paid subscriptions:** Yes. Last verified 5 September 2026. Source: https://www.captivate.fm/. Evidence: “Paid membership subscriptions and one-off tips are a tried and tested way of generating both singular and recurring revenue from your growing fanbase. Set up recurring subscriptions directly within Captivate and monetize your show today. Available on all plans!”
- **Podbean — Paid subscriptions:** Yes. Last verified 5 September 2026. Source: https://www.podbean.com/apple-podcasts-subscriptions. Evidence: “With Apple Podcasts Subscriptions, you can build a recurring source of income by offering exclusive premium content to your dedicated fans”
- **Captivate — Listener donations:** Yes. Last verified 5 September 2026. Source: https://www.captivate.fm/. Evidence: “Paid membership subscriptions and one-off tips are a tried and tested way of generating both singular and recurring revenue from your growing fanbase.”
- **Captivate — Private podcasts:** Yes. Last verified 5 September 2026. Source: https://www.captivate.fm/. Evidence: “Private podcasting Create private, internal and secure podcasts using Captivate's fully-integrated private podcasting features. Available on every plan.”
- **Podbean — Private podcasts:** Yes. Last verified 5 September 2026. Source: https://www.podbean.com/podcast-hosting-pricing. Evidence: “Private podcasting Private podcast hosting, private groups, private members, content protection, SSO login, and more.”
- **Captivate — Video podcasts:** Yes. Last verified 5 September 2026. Source: https://help.captivate.fm/en/. Evidence: “Apple HLS Video Podcasts With Apple HLS, you can easily add video podcasts directly from Captivate straight to Apple Podcasts.”
- **Podbean — Video podcasts:** Yes. Last verified 5 September 2026. Source: https://www.podbean.com/podcast-hosting-pricing. Evidence: “Unlimited Plus Ideal for creators who work with both Audio and Video”
- **Captivate — Automatic transcription:** Yes. Last verified 5 September 2026. Source: https://help.captivate.fm/en/article/captivate-feature-releases-changelog-vq1h56/. Evidence: “Automatic transcription: simply upload your audio file and we’ll do the rest, creating an accurate and fully editable transcription of your audio”
- **Podbean — Automatic transcription:** Yes. Last verified 5 September 2026. Source: https://www.podbean.com/. Evidence: “AI Content Assistant Generate automated titles and show notes, well-structured chapter markers, and AI-enhanced transcripts that deliver accurate, engaging, and polished text for every episode.”
- **Captivate — Podcast website:** Yes. Last verified 5 September 2026. Source: https://www.captivate.fm/pricing. Evidence: “All Captivate pricing plans include... Podcast Website with Captivate Sites”
- **Podbean — Podcast website:** Yes. Last verified 5 September 2026. Source: https://www.podbean.com/. Evidence: “Every Podbean podcast hosting account comes with a free podcast website.”
- **Podbean — Custom domain:** Yes. Last verified 5 September 2026. Source: https://www.podbean.com/podcast-hosting-pricing. Evidence: “Map your own domain Use your own custom domain as the URL for your podcast site to build a stronger brand identity.”
- **Captivate — Distribution to Spotify:** Yes. Last verified 5 September 2026. Source: https://www.captivate.fm/. Evidence: “distribute automatically to every podcasting app . Reach audiences all over the world with easy, single-click submissions to leading directories including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube and Amazon”
- **Podbean — Distribution to Spotify:** Yes. Last verified 5 September 2026. Source: https://www.podbean.com/. Evidence: “As an Apple-recommended hosting provider and Spotify partner, Podbean makes it easy to distribute your podcast to top listening apps like Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and more”
- **Captivate — Distribution to Apple Podcasts:** Yes. Last verified 5 September 2026. Source: https://www.captivate.fm/. Evidence: “distribute automatically to every podcasting app . Reach audiences all over the world with easy, single-click submissions to leading directories including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube and Amazon”
- **Podbean — Distribution to Apple Podcasts:** Yes. Last verified 5 September 2026. Source: https://www.podbean.com/. Evidence: “As an Apple-recommended hosting provider and Spotify partner, Podbean makes it easy to distribute your podcast to top listening apps like Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and more”
- **Captivate — YouTube distribution:** Yes. Last verified 5 September 2026. Source: https://www.captivate.fm/. Evidence: “distribute automatically to every podcasting app . Reach audiences all over the world with easy, single-click submissions to leading directories including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube and Amazon”
- **Podbean — YouTube distribution:** Yes. Last verified 5 September 2026. Source: https://www.podbean.com/podcast-hosting-pricing. Evidence: “Auto-share to social media Auto-share to Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, Tumblr, and WordPress.”
- **Podbean — Team members:** 50. Last verified 5 September 2026. Source: https://www.podbean.com/podcast-hosting-pricing. Evidence: “50 team members”
- **Captivate — WordPress integration:** Yes. Last verified 5 September 2026. Source: https://help.captivate.fm/en/. Evidence: “Working with Captivate Sync™ Captivate Sync™ is Captivate's WordPress plugin, helping you to sync your podcast between your Captivate podcast hosting and your WordPress website.”
- **Podbean — WordPress integration:** Yes. Last verified 5 September 2026. Source: https://www.podbean.com/podcast-hosting-pricing. Evidence: “Auto-share to social media Auto-share to Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, Tumblr, and WordPress.”
- **Podbean — Episode scheduling:** Yes. Last verified 5 September 2026. Source: https://www.podbean.com/. Evidence: “Easily publish your content with AI optimization, schedule episodes, and effortlessly track listener demographics and engagement metrics.”
- **Podbean — Migration assistance:** Yes. Last verified 5 September 2026. Source: https://www.podbean.com/. Evidence: “Migrating your podcast is easy and free. First, you import your current content using our free importing tool.”
- **Captivate — API:** Yes. Last verified 5 September 2026. Source: https://www.captivate.fm/problems-with-current-host/lack-of-integration. Evidence: “we've got a direct API route to save you time and money”
- **Podbean — API:** Yes. Last verified 5 September 2026. Source: https://help.podbean.com/support/home. Evidence: “Publishing a New Podcast Episode via Podbean API”
- **Podbean — Free plan:** Yes. Last verified 5 September 2026. Source: https://www.podbean.com/. Evidence: “Can I really start a podcast for free? Yes. With Podbean you can start a podcast for free. Podbean offers a free podcast hosting service.”
- **Captivate — Free trial:** Yes. Last verified 5 September 2026. Source: https://www.captivate.fm/pricing. Evidence: “All plans include a no-obligation, 30-day free trial”
- **Captivate — Monthly price:** £17. Last verified 5 September 2026. Source: https://www.captivate.fm/pricing. Evidence: “Personal £17 GBP / month, paid yearly”
- **Podbean — Monthly price:** $12. Last verified 5 September 2026. Source: https://www.podbean.com/podcast-hosting-pricing. Evidence: “$ 12 /mo.”
- **Captivate — Affiliate programme:** Yes. Last verified 5 September 2026. Source: https://www.captivate.fm/. Evidence: “Affiliate Programme Make money with Captivate”
- **Podbean — Affiliate programme:** Yes. Last verified 5 September 2026. Source: https://www.podbean.com/. Evidence: “Affiliate Program”