Simplecast

simplecast.com
Design & Prototyping
Weekend Project

The first and last word in podcast management and monetization

How to Replace Simplecast

Overview

Simplecast is a modern end-to-end podcasting platform that enables creators to publish, distribute, and monetize their podcasts. It provides industry-leading tools for publishing, distribution, analytics, and monetization, powering podcasts from world-renowned brands and indie creators alike.

Features

55 features across 12 categories

Account Management(3)

Free 14-Day Trial

Commitment-free 14-day trial without requiring a credit card

Multiple Show Management

Manage multiple podcasts with one account

Team Member Permissions

Invite team members to shows with customizable permission levels and access controls

Also in: Keeper, 1Password, Bitwarden

Analytics(13)

Attribution TrackingPremium

Support for all 3rd-party attribution partners including pixel and prefix tracking

Audience Analytics

Meet Audience by Simplecast - an audio analytics platform providing listener insights

Audience Overlap InsightsPremium

Custom reports with insights on audience overlap across multiple shows

Basic Analytics

Essential analytics features for tracking podcast performance

Compare Analytics Across EpisodesPremium

View and compare analytics data across multiple episodes

Episode Comparison Analytics

Compare episodes trends and get insights into what parts of shows are shared most

IAB Certified Analytics

Analytics numbers are audited and approved by the IAB Tech Lab, meeting industry standards

Listener Location AnalyticsPremium

Understand where listeners are and their listening context (work, home, plane, etc.)

Location Analytics Country & StatePremium

Analyze listener locations at country and state/region level

Technology AnalyticsPremium

Analytics on apps, browsers, and technology used by listeners

Unique Listener ReportsPremium

Reports on unique listener counts and metrics

Web Player AnalyticsPremium

Analytics for web player performance and engagement

Web Player Listening AnalyticsPremium

Track listening speeds, share points, and drop-offs from embedded players

Also in: Hugging Face, Notion, Smartsheet

Developer Tools(4)

API Campaign ManagementPremium

Manage ad campaigns programmatically through the API

API Publishing & DistributionPremium

Build custom websites, upload tools, and listening apps using the API

Custom Analytics DashboardPremium

Build custom analytics dashboards using the API

Simplecast API 2.0Premium

Advanced audio publishing and distribution API for building custom solutions

Also in: Jobber, Hugging Face, 1Password

Distribution(5)

High Bitrate AudioPremium

Support for high-quality audio bitrate distribution

Multi-Platform Distribution

Distribute episodes to all major listening platforms and apps

RSS Feed Management

Secure RSS feed with HTTPS encryption and management tools

Secondary & Ad-Free FeedsPremium

Create secondary and ad-free RSS feeds for different audience segments

White-Labeled RSS Feed CreationPremium

Create custom white-labeled RSS feeds on demand

Hosting(1)

Unlimited Storage & Uploads

Unlimited audio storage with no restrictions on creativity

Also in: Squarespace, Render, WordPress.com

Migration(1)

Show Migrator

Seamless migration tool to move podcasts from other platforms with zero heavy lifting

Also in: Keeper, MongoDB Atlas, Bitwarden

Monetization(11)

3rd-Party Pixel SupportPremium

Support for third-party pixels for tracking and attribution

3rd-Party Programmatic Buyer ConnectionPremium

Connect to third-party programmatic buyers, ad networks, and resellers via AdsWizz SSP

Ad Campaign ManagementPremium

Manage ad campaigns with real-time tracking and reporting

Ad Inventory ControlPremium

Manage ad placements, pricing, and control which ads appear in your podcast

AdsWizz Marketplace IntegrationPremium

Access to AdsWizz Marketplace - a programmatic exchange where 80% of the world's demand buys podcast ads

Advanced Ad TargetingPremium

Target ads by geo, device, episode, demographic, contextual, and brand suitability/safety

Audience Data OnboardingPremium

Onboard first-party and third-party audience data for targeted advertising

Brand BlockingPremium

Block ads from specific IAB categories or advertiser domains

Dynamic Ad InsertionPremium

Insert ads dynamically into podcast episodes with flexible marking at show and episode level

Frequency CappingPremium

Control how often listeners see ads by limiting frequency per listener and episode

Revenue ReportingPremium

Real-time view of revenue earned and campaign delivery metrics

Also in: LearnWorlds, Tiki Wiki CMS Groupware, WordPress.com

Publishing(6)

Embeddable Web Players

Beautiful, robust web players for embedding single episodes or entire shows

Episode Templates

Streamlined workflows and templates to move episodes from post-production to distribution quickly

Mini Web PlayerPremium

Compact web player option for episodes and shows

oEmbed Ready Players

Web players compatible with oEmbed for easy embedding on Squarespace, Wordpress, Medium, and social media

One-Click Publishing

Publish episodes to Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pandora, Stitcher and many more with a single click

Show Web PlayerPremium

Full-featured web player displaying entire show content

Also in: Later, Notion, Obsidian

Reporting(3)

Comprehensive Reporting SuitePremium

Detailed reports broken down by show, episode, ad position, geo, sales partner and more

Customizable Reporting TemplatesPremium

Create custom reports with automated delivery to hosts and clients

Scheduled ReportsPremium

Set up automated reports for hosts and clients on a scheduled basis

Security(1)

HTTPS Security

Secure HTTPS encryption for all podcast sites and RSS feeds

Support(5)

24/7 Customer Support

World-class support team available 7 days a week for questions and setup

Dedicated Success ManagerPremium

Enterprise customers receive a dedicated account manager

Email Support

Email-based customer support

Priority Customer SupportPremium

Priority support including setup and migration assistance

Technical Implementation SupportPremium

Technical support and services for implementation of enterprise features

Website Builder(2)

Custom Domain Support

Use a custom website domain with HTTPS security

Customizable Show Website

All-in-one site builder for creating beautiful, mobile-friendly podcast websites

Pricing

Basic

$15/mo or $13.50/mo billed annually
  • 2 team member seats
  • Unlimited storage & uploads
  • Distribution to all major platforms
  • Basic analytics
  • Customizable show website with custom domain
  • Manage multiple shows
  • Embeddable episode web player
  • HTTPS security and RSS feed
  • 20K downloads per month
  • Email support

Essential

$35/mo or $31.50/mo billed annually
  • Everything in Basic
  • 4 team member seats
  • Mini & Show web players
  • Compare analytics across 2 episodes
  • Location analytics (country & state/region)
  • Unique listener reports
  • Web player analytics
  • Technology analytics (apps, browsers)
  • 50K downloads per month

Professional

Custom
  • Everything in Basic & Essential
  • Dynamic ad insertion & campaign management
  • Flexible ad marking at show and episode level
  • Advanced targeting (geo, device, episode, demo, contextual, brand suitability)
  • Brand blocking via IAB category & advertiser domain
  • Frequency capping by listener & episode
  • 3rd-party pixel support
  • Comprehensive reporting suite
  • Real-time revenue earned & campaign delivery
  • Customizable reporting templates & automated delivery
  • Breakdown by show, episode, ad position, geo, sales partner & more
  • Scheduled reports for hosts & clients
  • Secondary & ad-free feeds
  • Support for all 3rd-party attribution partners
  • Priority customer support including setup & migration
  • Custom volume show pricing
  • Custom volume team member pricing

Enterprise

Custom
  • Everything in Professional
  • API integration for publishing & campaign management
  • White-labeled & on-demand RSS feed creation
  • High bitrate audio
  • Technical implementation support & services
  • Connection to 3rd-party programmatic buyers, ad networks, and resellers
  • 1st- & 3rd-party audience data onboarding
  • Custom reports with industry-first insights
  • Audience overlap for multi-show networks
  • Dedicated success manager
  • Volume pricing for team member seats

Cost Calculator

Keep Paying Simplecast

Monthly$15/mo
Yearly$180/yr
5-Year Total$900

Build It Yourself

Est. Build Time~4 hrs
Hosting$20/mo
DifficultyVery Easy

Total Cost Comparison

1 Year
SaaS
$180
DIY
$240
3 Years
SaaS
$540
DIY
$720
5 Years
SaaS
$900
DIY
$1.2k

DIY hosting estimate based on Vercel + Supabase free/pro tiers (~$20/mo). Build time estimated from 55 features at very easy complexity.

Build vs Buy

Should you build a Simplecast alternative or buy the subscription? Estimate based on 55 features.

Buy Simplecast

Better Value
Monthly cost$150/mo
3-year total$5,400
Time to deployDays

Build Your Own

Development cost$36,000
Maintenance$540/mo
3-year total$55,440
Dev time~3 months

Buying Simplecast saves ~$50,040 over 3 years vs building.

Estimates based on 55 features and a BuildScore of 5/5. Actual costs vary.

Integrations

13 known integrations

AdsWizz MarketplaceAdsWizz SSPApple PodcastsGoogle PodcastsIAB Tech LabMediumOvercastPandoraSocial MediaSpotifySquarespaceStitcherWordpress