Simplecast

This Simplecast review covers what the podcast hosting platform does, its key features, Simplecast pricing, analytics and monetization tools, where it shines and falls short, and how it compares with other podcast hosts. Simplecast stores your audio files, generates the RSS feed that Apple Podcasts, Spotify and other apps read, and gives you a podcast website, web players and podcast analytics. SiriusXM bought Simplecast in June 2020 for about $28 million and paired it with its ad-tech company AdsWizz, so the product is now branded "Simplecast by AdsWizz" (SiriusXM). That ownership explains its focus: professional publishing, measurement and podcast ads rather than beginner tools.

What is Simplecast used for?

Simplecast is used to host, publish and measure podcasts. Independent creators use it once a show has an audience; brands, media companies and podcast networks use it to manage multiple shows with team members and permissions. Typical users want reliable podcast management, audited download numbers for advertisers, and a path to monetization through dynamic ad insertion. It is less focused on recording or editing: you produce the episode elsewhere, then upload the finished audio files to Simplecast.

Key features and core features by plan

• One-click publishing: submit a show to Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pandora and other major podcast directories from the dashboard, with the RSS feed updated for every new episode.
• Podcast analytics: total downloads, unique listeners, top listening methods, locations and devices. Simplecast's analytics are IAB certified, so the numbers are audited by the IAB Tech Lab (Simplecast).
• Advanced analytics: higher plans add episode comparisons, web player analytics and technology reports to track episode performance and total monthly downloads over time. The Basic plan has more limited analytics.
• Podcast website and web players: every show gets a podcast website with episode pages and a custom domain, plus embeddable players and a mini player for your own website or a WordPress site.
• Team members: invite colleagues with roles; seat counts grow with the plan.
• Monetization tools: dynamic ad insertion, campaign management and programmatic ad demand on Professional and Enterprise.
• Enterprise level features: secondary feeds, API integration, white-labeled RSS and a dedicated success manager.
• Private podcasts: private feeds for internal or member-only shows are aimed at networks and businesses rather than the Basic plan, according to Captivate's comparison.

Simplecast pricing

The plans below come from the Simplecast pricing page as of September 2026. Every plan starts with a 14-day free trial and no credit card.

• Basic plan: $15 a month, or $13.50 a month prepaid yearly. 20,000 downloads included per month, 2 team seats, basic analytics.
• Essential plan: $35 a month, or $31.50 prepaid yearly. 50,000 downloads per month, 4 team seats, location, unique listener, web player and technology analytics.
• Professional: price on request. Comprehensive reporting, real-time revenue view, dynamic ad insertion and campaign management, secondary feeds, priority support.
• Enterprise: price on request. Adds API integration, white-labeled RSS, custom reports and a dedicated success manager.

There is no free option beyond the trial. The cost surprise to check is that Simplecast bills per show: each additional podcast on an account adds a charge to the monthly invoice (Simplecast Help). Networks that host multiple podcasts should compare that with podcast hosts that include unlimited podcasts on one plan, such as Transistor. The pricing page lists downloads included per plan but does not state overage terms, so ask the support team before a show outgrows its allowance.

Customer support and podcast management

Simplecast offers email support on every plan, with faster channels and priority support on higher tiers; Enterprise adds a dedicated success manager. Podcast management happens in one account: you can run more than one podcast, give team members access per show, schedule a new episode, write show notes and use the sharing tools and embeddable players to promote specific episodes. Moving an existing show is supported through an RSS import, so listeners keep their subscriptions. Note that a second show is billed as its own plan rather than included in the base plan.

Advanced analytics and monetization tools

Analytics are Simplecast's strongest argument compared with other podcast hosts. Because the platform is IAB certified, advertisers accept its download and unique listener numbers, which matters once you sell podcast ads. The Basic plan shows the essentials; the Essential plan adds the audience insights most podcasters want, such as location and technology. Monetization tools start at Professional: dynamic ad insertion lets you place ads into the back catalog and change them later, and programmatic demand from AdsWizz fills the ad slots. For a small show without advertisers, these additional features add little; for a network that wants more downloads to turn into revenue, they are the reason to choose Simplecast.

Is Simplecast good for beginners?

Simplecast is easy to use, but it is not built around beginners. Uploading a new episode, adding show notes and publishing takes minutes, and the dashboard is clean. Compared with other podcast hosts, beginners give up tools such as a free plan, built-in recording or editing, and unlimited shows on one plan. A first-time podcaster who only wants a free RSS feed is better served by Anchor (now Spotify for Creators); one who expects to grow and sell ads can start on the Basic plan and upgrade.

Where Simplecast shines — and where it falls short

Strengths:

• IAB-certified analytics that advertisers trust.
• Professional monetization tools through dynamic ad insertion and programmatic ads.
• One-click publishing, a podcast website and flexible web players on every plan.
• Backed by SiriusXM, so the service is stable and well funded.

Trade-offs:

• Billed per show, which gets expensive for multiple podcasts.
• Ad tools and deeper analytics sit on higher or quote-only plans.
• No free plan, and no recording or editing.
• Advanced features favour networks over independent creators.

How Simplecast compares

• Transistor: unlimited podcasts on one plan and private podcasting for teams, a strong fit for networks that do not need ad sales.
• Anchor: free hosting inside Spotify for Creators, simpler but with fewer analytics and less control.

Other podcast hosting platforms often compared with Simplecast, such as Captivate, Buzzsprout and Podbean, are not listed on LowCodeDevs yet.

Is Simplecast worth it?

Simplecast is worth it for growing shows, brands and podcast networks that need audited podcast analytics and a route to ad revenue. The Essential plan gives most podcasters the audience data they need, and Professional adds real monetization. It is less of a fit for beginners on a budget, for creators with many shows on one account, or for anyone who wants recording and editing in the same tool. If you want help setting up a podcast workflow or connecting Simplecast to your website and marketing tools, the no-code agencies and developers on LowCodeDevs can take it on.

Sources

• Simplecast pricing: plans, prices, downloads and seats.
• Simplecast home page: publishing directories, IAB certification and the AdsWizz marketplace.
• Can I have multiple podcasts on one Simplecast account?: per-show billing.
• SiriusXM acquires Simplecast: the June 2020 acquisition.
• Captivate vs Simplecast: per-show pricing and plan limits (written by a competitor; its "Growth plan" is not on Simplecast's current pricing page, which lists Professional and Enterprise instead).
• Simplecast review, The Podcast Host: hands-on review of publishing and web players.