Libsyn vs Buzzsprout: Which Podcast Platform is Best?

Reading Time: 8 minutes

If you’ve been bitten by the podcasting bug, but you’re not sure which podcast hosting platform is right for you, you’re in the right place.

In this article, we’ll be analyzing the differences between two of the biggest and best hosting platforms online today, libsyn vs buzzsprout.

We’ll have a look at storage plans, distribution, monetization opportunities, advanced stats, pricing, and which one is the best podcast platform to suit your needs.

Libsyn vs Buzzsprout at a Glance

Pros of Libsyn

• Bulk editing tool
• Automatic optimization of apple podcasts
• RSS feed that exhibits 100% compliance
• Can perform integration with more than 20 notable podcast platforms
• Sale of advertisement spots on your podcast
• Supports audios, videos, and PDFs
• Enables connection with a large range of apps, services, and podcast directories
• User-friendly website (recently updated to make it look fancy, and yes, suited to modern tastes)
• Offers many statistical and analytical tools to help grow your podcast
• You can get a mini-podcast site

Pros of Buzzsprout

• Buzzsprout’s free plan can be used to upload two hours of audio per month
• You can submit to a huge range of podcast directories, like Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Pandora, and several others
• RSS feed management
• A free podcast site
• Income can be earned through an affiliate marketplace and sponsors
• Audio transcription that provides access to search engines, speed-readers, and the hearing impaired
• Third-party apps can be linked through API integrations
• Automatic optimization of podcasts (a delight for beginners)
• Rapid navigation can be done through chapter markers
• You can host multiple podcasts with any number of team members
• Audio quality can be sharpened by using Magic Mastering
• Visual Soundbite feature that designs a video trailer for your podcast
• User-friendly interface
• Custom embed players
• Buzzsprout offers advanced analytics to podcasting companies to monitor the growth of their business
• Access to advanced stats

Libsyn vs Buzzsprout: a Detailed Comparison

We’ll compare and analyze Libsyn vs Buzzsprout based on the following features, helping you to decide which one’s the best for you.

1. Storage
2. Distribution and promotion of podcasts
3. Monetization (because of course, money is always important!!!)
4. Advanced statistics and analysis
5. Podcast website creation
6. Pricing

1. Storage

Monthly storage space on podcast hosting platforms represents the amount of fresh content that can be uploaded on a monthly basis. Surprisingly neither platform offers unlimited storage space, or a per month unlimited audio plan (although they do offer indefinite hosting), instead, their pricing plans reflect how many hours of podcasts you can upload monthly.

Libsyn

Storage limits for this podcast hosting site range from 3hrs to 14hrs of recording time or 162 MB to 900 MB per month, depending on the plan you chose. For the plan costing 15$ per month for example, 324 MB or 6hrs of fresh content can be uploaded every month.

Buzzsprout

This podcast site offers indefinite hosting on their paid plans, but for the free plan, the episodes are removed after 90 days. With Buzzsprout, if you choose the $18 per month package, you get an upload time of 6 hours.

Winner: Libsyn is better for beginner podcasters with smaller budgets. However, if you plan on uploading more than 6hrs of content per month, Buzzsprout becomes the cheaper option.

2. Distribution and Promotion of Podcasts

The higher the visibility of your podcast, the better. Your podcast host of choice needs to be able to distribute your podcast to as many places as possible.

iPhone is the most famed device used for playing podcasts, and Apple Podcasts has been the most trendy podcatcher app. Other places used for listening to podcasts are Google Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Podchaser, TuneIn, iHeartRadio, Pandora, Pocket Casts, Castro, Deezer, and Castbox.

Libsyn

On Libsyn, along with audios, you can also distribute and host videos and PDF files. When you sign up you’re given a secure RSS feed which will then distribute your podcasts to major streaming services such as Spotify, Google podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Deezer, Soundcloud, TuneIn, Pandora, and others.

Buzzsprout

With Buzzsprout, you can share to the following podcast directories: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, Stitcher, iHeart Radio, Pandora, TuneIn + Alexa, Podcast Addict, Podchaser, Pocket Casts, Deezer, Listen Notes, Player FM, and Podcast Index

There are also many more state-of-the-art marketing and promotion tools offered by Buzzsprout so that your podcasts have a wider reach. Through “Visual Soundbites,” for example, you can design a video trailer based on a small part of your podcast’s audio.

Winner: Buzzsprout: Buzzsprout clearly overshadows Libsyn as it offers far more advanced features related to promotion and distribution than Libsyn.

3. Monetization

As much as we all may love the sound of our own voice, at the end of the day, starting a podcast is ultimately about making money. Whether that’s through the relationships you build, the growth of your brand, or directly on the platform.

Libsyn

Podcasters with a minimum of 200 downloads per episode can join the Libsyn Advertisecast marketplace. From the marketplace, you can select products that will resonate with your target market and generate an income from the brands looking to advertise their products on your show.

You can also create a membership program from within their platform charging for exclusive podcast shows only your members can access.

Buzzsprout

Buzzsprout has an affiliate marketplace with a list of recommended products and brands you can promote on your podcast and generate an income. They also make it easy to use as you can manage unlimited podcasts in a single account with unlimited team members.

Buzzsprout also has a partnership with Podcorn to make it easier to attract brand sponsors for your podcast.

Winner: Buzzsprout: Though both offer great monetization options, you’ll need a minimum of 200 downloads to start monetizing with Libsyn advertisers. On Buzzsprout, you can start affiliating from day one, even if you don’t have any listeners yet!

4. Advanced Statistics and Analysis

You can easily track and measure your podcast stats and performance if your podcast host has powerful and advanced analytical tools. Also, by analyzing your podcast analytics, you can understand and cater to the needs of your podcast listeners more effectively.

Libsyn

Libsyn analytics gives plenty of detail and information related to user agent stats, the concentration of audiences, worldwide popularity, stats related to social media, destination stats, number of downloads, etc.

Buzzsprout

Podcasters get access to stats like total downloads, location information, the most popular apps, podcast directories, and much more. Also, a podcast predictor is available on the dashboard to predict the probable number of downloads for the subsequent episode.

Winner: Buzzsprout: Both the podcast sites provide similar information, but Buzzsprout offers advanced statistics in an easy-to-read and attractive format.

5. Podcast Website Creation

If you don’t already have a website and want an attractive podcast landing site to send your listeners too you’re in luck with both platforms.

Libsyn

Libsyn offers Podcast Page “Mini-Sites” which visitors can access to listen to your podcasts. The pages include the podcast episodes, summaries, a customizable HTML5 media player, text posts, social media widgets, and many more features.

Buzzsprout

You can also create your own podcast website on Buzzsprout. Their plan includes a custom domain, fully customizable pages to match your branding, links to all the places your podcast is available, and more. Also, preview options exist for sites on mobile and desktop.

Winner: Both!! These best podcast platforms offer advanced customizable features for creating stand-alone podcast websites.

6. Pricing

Libsyn

Libsyn currently offers four main pricing plans (there are more available if you need over 14 hours a month)

• $5 for 3hrs
• $15 for 6hrs
• $20 for 10hrs
• $40 for 14hrs

There is no free plan or trial plan available.

Buzzsprout

Buzzsprout also offers four main pricing plans;

• Free for 2hrs (however, your podcast episodes get removed after 90 days)
• $12 for 3 hrs
• $18 for 6hrs
• $24 for 12hrs

Winner: Buzzsprout: While Libsyn is cheaper for up to 6hrs of content, Buzzsprout gives the opportunity to test the platform out for free and becomes the cheaper option when you start to upload more than 6hrs of podcasts.

Libsyn vs Buzzsprout: FAQs

Which are the best Podcast Hosting Platforms?

Both these podcast hosting companies are awesome in their own way. Both are immensely popular, simple to use, have some great features and services, and are definitely worth the money!

Nevertheless, in some aspects, Buzzsprout has an edge. It is more convenient for beginners, has more links to advertising on social media, and the pricing and plans are better. Another favorite benefit enjoyed by the podcasters is that their podcast gets inclusion in any of the prominent podcast directories.

What is the Best Podcast Directory?

Undoubtedly, Apple podcasts is the most popular and largest podcast directory across the globe. Established in 2005, it has risen to be a huge name in the world of podcasting and has a whopping number of over 20 million active users per month.

With Apple podcasts, you can access more than 30 million podcast episodes for free in addition to opting for paid plans for particular shows. If there is a favorite episode of yours, you can simply download it for watching offline.

A unique feature of Apple podcasts is that they can sync with Siri. So, you can easily monitor the playback and shows by conversing with Siri.

Is Buzzsprout Good for Beginners?

Buzzsprout is a great podcast host for beginners in podcasting. The navigation is user-friendly and uncomplicated. This podcast hosting service can be used at an affordable price, and most importantly, beginners learn a lot through video tutorials, informative articles, and e-mails.

Buzzsprout’s free plan includes 2 hours of free podcast uploads so you can try before you buy and they have responsive and helpful customer service which is the icing on the cake.

Is Buzzsprout a Free Podcast Host?

Buzzsprout offers a free plan which includes 2 hours of uploads for your audio files and allows you to test out the platform before committing. The downside is that if after 90 days you haven’t chosen a paid plan your podcasts will be removed.

Libsyn vs Buzzsprout: Summary

Both Libysn and Buzzsprout are excellent podcasting platforms for beginners and seasoned podcasters alike.

However, in this battle of the podcast hosts, Buzzsprout comes out on top as the best podcast hosting service due to being a free podcast website, its free plan, unlimited team members, advanced distribution and promotion features, advanced stats, access to popular podcast directories, and convenience for beginners.

Which will you choose?