Speaker 1: Are you dreaming of starting the next hugely successful podcast but don't know which hosting provider to pick? Then congratulations, you've come to the right place. Now, I've been doing podcasts for a couple of years now and believe it or not, I have tried and tested pretty much every podcast hosting provider out there, so I know which ones are worth the money and which ones aren't even worth a dollar. So in this video, I will be covering my three favorite podcast hosting providers so you can jumpstart your podcast journey right away. Also, as a bonus, I will share some important tips and practices that I wish I knew when I first started doing podcasts. But remember, these tips will only be shown to our loyal audience, meaning those who stay until the end. On a related note, whichever service you choose, don't forget to buy it using the links in the description below. These already have special discounts applied to them, so you'll get the best deal and save a lot of money. Also, as always, I will be covering my top picks one by one in descending order, so make sure you stay with me till the end to see which provider is my number one pick. Lastly, on the third number, we have Transistor. The Transistor is one of the newer podcast hosting and analytics platform and has a great team behind it. Transistor doesn't disappoint when it comes to professional grade podcasting. The platform offers a robust suite of analytics tools and everything else you need to grow your podcast. For example, if you have a podcast audience, it also has an option of private podcasting. This platform will broadcast your episodes to all the major podcast streaming platforms like Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, and Spotify. In addition, you can use Transistor's custom player to embed episodes to a website, which is ideal for those who have podcast websites. It also comes with live customer support, and there's also a built-in podcast website. And if you're looking for dynamic ad insertion for previews, pre-roll, and post-roll, you'll be happy to know that Transistor offers it. One thing I really like about the provided website is that you can browse around while an episode plays uninterrupted. They also have a great private podcasting feature that they've just made even better. Because you host multiple shows, you can create both private and public podcasts under the same account without paying for a new hosting plan. As you can expect, quality comes at a price, and Transistor's base, price tag, comes in at $19 a month for 10,000 downloads per month, which is plenty for most people. If you need more than that, they have higher tiers with more downloads and team members as well. There's no free plan, but you can try out the platform for free for 14 days and experiment with it for a couple weeks before spending a penny. After a complete review, what I found is that for those looking to podcast professionally as opposed to podcasting as a hobby, one of the best podcasting platforms you can find is Transistor. Now, coming back to our list, ranked second is another great option, Podbean. Podbean is a one-stop shop for all your podcast needs. It is a seasoned media host that's been in the podcasting business since the mid-2000s. So does years of experience mean it's worthy of hosting your podcast? Well, I'll say yes to this. Podbean is not just about distributing podcasts. As a podcast hosting provider, it puts a heavy emphasis on its use. So if you're a podcast host and you want to monetize their content, with Podbean, you get a complete podcasting solution with features aimed at helping podcasters create, promote, and monetize their content. This is perhaps why it boasts a massive subscriber base that now touches 600,000 worldwide. The major reason Podbean is loved by so many is that it comes with a rich feature set that includes unlimited storage and bandwidth, embeddable players, automatic, social sharing, including YouTube uploads, iOS and Android app, and a website builder and themes. This service also allows you to efficiently distribute and promote your podcast episodes through the major podcasting apps and directories like iTunes, Google Play, Amazon Alexa, and more. Their analytics are surprisingly excellent for the price, and they have built-in Patreon support for raising funds. And yes, there are absolutely no limits on how much you can download or record with this platform. Plus, you also get a free podcast website that you can customize to fit your brand's unique style. Another reason Podbean is a fan favorite is that it has a plan for every podcaster from novice to pro. Their free plan gives you five hours of content and 100 gigabytes of bandwidth a month. You won't be able to use your own domain name on this tier though. Once you outgrow their free plan, they also have four pricing tiers with their first tier called an unlimited upload plan. So if you're a podcaster, you're going to be able to use your own domain name, and you're going to be able to use your own domain name, and you're going to be able to use your own domain name, that includes advanced stats, a website, custom domains, and more. For new users, Podbean also offers a 14-day free trial. However, on the downside, some people think the interface is a little bit clumsy, but honestly, at these prices, I'm not bothered by it. All of this stuff offered at such a low price really makes an excellent case for being the best podcast hosting platform on the market, especially if you're on a budget. So, long story short, if you're searching for an affordable podcast hosting platform with competitive features, Podbean might be the right solution. So, based on my testing, the highest rated provider on my list is Buzzsprout. Buzzsprout is the number one choice by a long mile simply because of how easy it is to use. Founded over 10 years ago and trusted by over 100,000 podcasters, Buzzsprout is one of the oldest and most respected names in the podcast hosting space. I've been with Buzzsprout for almost two years and they have exceeded my expectations from the word go. And I think where Buzzsprout leads the race is by having a very strong feature set that will help you start and grow your podcast easily without spinning your wheels trying to learn all the technical bits behind the scenes. And I swear, its simplicity when it comes to creating your own podcast is second to none. All you have to do is upload your podcast here and let Buzzsprout do the rest, as simple as it may sound. Buzzsprout also offers Magic Mastering, which is described as an Instagram filter for your audio. It will help your recording sound like it was engineered by the pros. You do have to pay for that, but it does make a difference to how professionally you sound, especially if you're just starting out. And as far as its core features go, it allows users to add chapter marks to their episodes. This affords listeners the flexibility they need to jump back and forth between different segments as per their wishes. Also, the audio quality is great as you can upgrade to 128k stereo optimization for better sound. And to maximize your reach and expand your listening audience, it lists your podcast on all the major listening platforms like Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Podchaser, and more. It also offers top-notch customer support, so if you're stuck, you know you have a team waiting to help you. It also offers a wide range of monetization options that include sponsorships, advertisements, and the ability to accept donations. And finally, the charity is a great way to get started. So if you're interested in on top of this sumptuous cake is definitely the advanced podcast analytics that the platform provides. You will get direct insights into total downloads per episode, who your listeners are, and where your podcast is most popular. But it's equally important to mention that they're one of the only companies that offer a totally free plan with unlimited team member accounts. Their free plan allows you to upload two hours of content hosted for 90 days. However, it comes with limits. So if you're serious, you're going to want to get started. So if you're interested in podcasting, you can scale up and upgrade to the premium plans available from $12 a month to $24 a month, which come with higher upload limits and unlimited storage. And keep in mind that transcripts and the magic mastering tool are only available on the paid plan. So I personally recommend you go for the paid plans. All in all, if you're just starting out in podcasting, we fully recommend Buzzsprout. The pricing is brilliant. It has more than enough features to help you grow. And if you have zero budget, you're going to want to get started with their free plan. The legendary marketer viewer, which is you, will get a free $20 Amazon gift card when you sign up for and upgrade your account on Buzzsprout using the link that's going to be in the description of this video. Yes, a $20 Amazon gift card. You see how generous I am? Just kidding. So that's it from our list of the three best podcast hosting sites. Now, I know what you're waiting for. Those important tips and practices, right? Okay, the wait is over. I'm going to reveal those best tips that most vendors never mentioned, and you cannot afford to miss them. Tip number one is look at the storage and bandwidth limit of the service. When looking at storage capabilities, consider the future of your show. So just make sure the hosting site you choose can meet all of your storage and bandwidth needs when you're ready to upgrade and pay for hosting. Tip number two is don't go with a service just because it's free or cheap. Remember, if your host platform goes out of business and disappears overnight, so will your show. So keep your show safe and secure by doing some research and investing some money in a paid subscription. The third and last most important tip is not all podcast hosting services are equal. You know, different things suit different people. Exactly the same in this case. Each service has its own targeted customers. So one software that suits my needs might not work out for you. And this is how it is. So choose the one that can fulfill your requirements. But in my opinion, there are two services that you can't go wrong signing up with. The first one is Buzzsprout. As an unbiased opinion, I could say it checks all the boxes a podcast producer needs. Competitive pricing, easy to use, gets the job done, and good functionality. All of that in one place. And just in case you want to look for another alternative, I'll suggest Podbean as the range of features and tools it offers is unbelievable. Unbeatable. Lastly, a bonus tip for you, or you may take it as honest advice. Do remember, choosing the podcast hosting platform for your program can make or break the success of your show. When budgeting for your podcast, set aside a little funds to get the best podcast hosting platform. You can find many podcast hosting sites out there, but not all of them offer the same features and functionality. So do plenty of research to understand which will be the best podcast hosting platform for your show. And if you're interested in learning more, it'll pay off in the long run. Okay, so I hope we made your job easy to choose the right podcast hosting site. Now, which software is your pick and why? Tell us in the comments below. Please like this video if you haven't already, and don't forget to subscribe so you can get more amazing content in the future. We will catch you guys in the next video. Thank you for watching.