Although SoundCloud is primarily known as an audio streaming platform, its name does come up when you talk about podcasting platforms. SoundCloud does have a range of tools that come in handy for podcasters, including in-depth analytics.
Table of Content
- Best SoundCloud Alternatives#1: Podbean
- Best SoundCloud Alternatives#2: Transistor.fm
- Best SoundCloud Alternatives#3: Spreaker
- Best SoundCloud Alternatives#4: Podcast.co
- Best SoundCloud Alternatives#5: Anchor
But let’s face it. SoundCloud shouldn’t be your first choice to host your podcasts. If you don’t believe me, here’s Apple Podcast’s former marketing head Steve Wilson giving out sound advice to all podcasters out there.
First of all, SoundCloud measures uploads by time, not size. It limits your podcasting by hours, which can be a big issue for most podcasters. Besides, you cannot automatically import your podcast episodes onto Soundcloud from an existing RSS feed, regardless of where you host them.
Not to mention that its interface can be tricky to navigate for listeners, which can be a dealbreaker for many of them.
So what should you use instead?
In this article, I’ll help you compare 5 SoundCloud alternatives (paid and free) and pick the one that suits you the best. Let’s get started!
Best SoundCloud Alternatives#1: Podbean
First on our list is Podbean, which has been around since 2006. It’s a pretty user-friendly service and has nearly everything you want as a podcaster. This makes it a great tool for both beginners and experienced podcasters.
Podcasting is the bread and butter of Podbean. You can easily upload your podcast episodes to Podbean, and your listeners can both stream and download them if they want.
Pros
- Getting started is quite easy with its beginner-friendly setup.
- You can publish your podcast to other platforms, including iTunes and Google Play.
- Offers useful features that can help you get new listeners.
- Built-in options to make the monetization process seamless.
- You can create a basic but attractive site for your podcast, even with the free plan.
Cons
- Security features are quite limited within Podbean, even with paid plans.
- You don’t get any uptime guarantee.
- You cannot back up your podcasts directly from Podbean due to the lack of a built-in backup option.
- You might find its refund period to be quite limited.
Pricing
Podbean offers a free basic plan for beginners. You get a total of 5 hour limit on your content, along with a 100GB monthly bandwidth cap. It has three paid plans – Unlimited Audio, Unlimited Plus, and Business. The cheapest plan starts at $9/mo for an annual subscription.
Best SoundCloud Alternatives#2: Transistor.fm
Transistor.fm is a good option if you need a hosting platform for your podcast. This can be a great platform for independent podcasters, as it offers brilliant features such as multiple RSS feeds, responsive embedded players, analytics, and more.
Pros
- Offers a clean UI, which makes it easy to set up your podcast.
- Allows making multiple podcasts for one membership fee, allowing you to create separate streams of content without paying more.
- Offers “Enhanced Private Podcasting” feature under its higher pricing plans, which lets you see and manage the email addresses of subscribers to your private RSS feeds.
- You can also integrate it with email marketing platforms like Mailchimp, and connect your account to Spotify.
- Although you get basic analytics with Transistor.fm, you can integrate with third-party analytics services to get in-depth insights into your content and audience.
Cons
- Pricing model is based on downloads, which can be confusing for many podcasters.
- Unlike some other alternatives, it does not allow recording and editing a podcast from scratch.
- Doesn’t come with a free plan.
Pricing
Although Transistor.fm doesn’t have a free plan, it does offer a 14-day free trial. It offers three paid plans – Starter, Professional, and Business. The cheapest plan starts at $19/mo, which comes with enough features for most podcasters. You also get two months free if you pay for an annual subscription.
Best SoundCloud Alternatives#3: Spreaker
Spreaker is the first all-in-one podcasting tool on our list. It has everything for audio creators, including creating and distributing podcasts, monetization options, and analytics.
Pros
- It has a clean and intuitive user interface, which is easy to navigate.
- The Spreaker listening platform, along with its one-click distribution feature helps you reach more audiences.
- You can record new episodes or livestream them using the Spreaker Studio.
- It’s also quite easy to transfer your podcasts from another podcast host to Spreaker.
- You get advanced listener analytics if you pay for higher pricing plans.
Cons
- Customer service isn’t as good as it should be.
- The refund process can be pretty hectic in case you forget to cancel your membership or renewal.
Pricing
Spreaker comes with a free version and offers three paid plans. You can host multiple podcasts and upload them to iHeartRadio, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts in the free plan. But if you need features like customizable RSS feeds, monetization features, and advanced analytics, it’s worth opting for a paid plan. The cheapest plan starts at $7/mo.
Best SoundCloud Alternatives#4: Podcast.co
Podcast.co is a relatively newer platform, which was launched as a companion to Radio.co. You can publish and distribute your podcasts and get nifty features like podcast transcription, listener analytics, embedded players, and more.
Pros
- Interactive walk-through to help you set up your account and start uploading your content.
- You can also have Podcast.co submit your content to directories for you.
- Analytics help you measure downloads, unique listens, most popular episodes, and more.
- You can create Podcast.co audiograms, which are clips from your episode that you can share as videos to platforms like YouTube.
- You also get transcription features, as Podcast.co uses Amazon Transcribe, which helps you transcribe your audio files quite easily.
Cons
- Transcription isn’t quite human quality.
- Analytics can be limiting for more experienced podcasters.
- You might find some features to be still in their early stages.
- You need a separate website for additional things like transcripts or media kits.
Pricing
It doesn’t have any free version, but it does offer a 14-day free trial. The starter plan starts at $29/mo, which limits your content to a single show. Your monthly downloads are also capped at 10,000. If you feel this plan to be restrictive, you can upgrade to Pro for $49/mo or Business for $99/mo.
Best SoundCloud Alternatives#5: Anchor
Finally, we end our list with Anchor – a completely free tool for making and publishing podcasts. It was acquired by Spotify in 2019 and is still offered as a free service. You can create an unlimited number of episodes and also monetize them.
Pros
- Believe it or not, Anchor is completely FREE.
- Easy to create and edit your content.
- Offers drag and drop feature to add audio elements, making it a great tool for creators of all skill levels.
- Allows listeners to record themselves speaking while listening to your podcasts, making your content more interactive.
Cons
- Many podcasters may find Anchor’s editing tools to be quite limited.
- Lacks features like volume control or fade in/out effects.
- The rights to your content are reserved with Anchor. So it’s a good practice to have your own copy on your computer.
- You don’t have the option to remove anchor advertising played at the end of your podcast episodes.
Pricing
Free.
Final Verdict
Unlike SoundCloud, all five platforms on this list are built primarily for podcasting. That being said, I offered 5 SoundCloud alternatives because there is no single perfect option for all podcasters. You can use this list to weigh in your options and pick the tool that best suits your podcasting needs.
If you’re a complete newbie looking to test the waters, you can opt for the free services offered by Anchor. If you can pay for hosting and need smooth monetization of your content, check out Podbean.
Transistor.fm is a great option if you’re looking for great third-party integration capabilities & if you are a brand or business. On the other hand, if you need transcription features and have a decent budget, you can choose Podcast.co. But if you’re looking for a more comprehensive platform, you’ll find Spreaker to be the perfect tool for you.
Disclaimer: Please note, I may receive affiliate compensation for some of the links below at no cost to you if you decide to purchase a paid plan. However, these are the best tools I have tested for launching and running a website & a podcast. You can read my affiliate disclosure in my privacy policy & affiliate disclosure.