Acast vs Captivate: Podcast Hosting Comparison (2026)
Acast offers a free tier and tiered features, while Captivate provides all features across its paid plans with monthly download caps.
AI Citation Scorecard
How often each is cited by major AI engines when buyers ask podcast hosting questions. Last 90 days across ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, Claude, and Copilot.
Too early to call — probes still building data.
ChatGPT
Acast
Tracking…
No data yet
Captivate
Tracking…
No data yet
Perplexity
Acast
Tracking…
No data yet
Captivate
Tracking…
No data yet
Gemini
Acast
Tracking…
No data yet
Captivate
Tracking…
No data yet
Claude
Acast
Tracking…
No data yet
Captivate
Tracking…
No data yet
Copilot
Acast
Tracking…
No data yet
Captivate
Tracking…
No data yet
Scale:NoneLowFairStrongExcellent
Probes run hourly; each (engine × query) combo retests every ~3 days.
Pricing
Key Features
Acast
- ✓1 Show
- ✓5 Episodes
- ✓Monetize with ads
- ✓Multiple shows
- ✓Unlimited episodes
- ✓Monetize with ads + sponsorships
- ✓Everything in Influencer
- ✓Team management
Captivate
- ✓Unlimited Podcasts
- ✓Unlimited Uploads/Storage
- ✓Extensive Distribution List
- ✓IAB certified analytics
- ✓Podcast Promotion
- ✓Dynamic content insertion
- ✓Private podcasting
- ✓Podcast Website
When to choose Acast
Choose Acast if you require a free tier for a single show with limited episodes, or if advanced monetization options and team management are priorities on higher tiers.
When to choose Captivate
Choose Captivate if you need unlimited podcasts and uploads, extensive distribution, IAB certified analytics, and dynamic content insertion across all paid plans, and do not require a free tier.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the key differences in pricing and free offerings?
Acast offers a free tier with limitations and paid plans starting at €25/month. Captivate does not offer a free tier, with paid plans starting at $17/user/month.
What are the core feature differences between Acast and Captivate?
Acast's key features include tiered options for shows, episodes, and monetization, with team management available on higher tiers. Captivate's key features, available across all plans, include unlimited podcasts, unlimited uploads/storage, extensive distribution, IAB certified analytics, podcast promotion, dynamic content insertion, and private podcasting.
How do monetization and promotional features compare?
Acast offers monetization through ads and sponsorships, with varying levels depending on the tier. Captivate includes podcast promotion as a key feature across all plans and dynamic content insertion, but specific monetization details are not provided.
What are the limitations or cons for each platform?
Acast has limitations on shows in its free plan, can be expensive at higher tiers, and lacks information on custom pricing. Captivate has no free plan, and its plans include monthly download caps.