Podcast hosting

Portability is the question to ask early. Check that you control your feed, that you can redirect it to a new host if you leave, and that you can download your files. Free hosting can be a good start, but read the terms on ads inserted into your show and on what happens to your audience data.

Think about who needs access. A solo host can manage everything from one login, but a small media team may need separate roles for producers, editors and people who only read the stats. Look at how episodes are scheduled, whether you can publish to several shows from one account, and whether the host supports seasons, trailers and bonus episodes in the way the main apps display them. If you add AI features, test them on an old episode first and compare the suggested description with the one you wrote. Small differences in how a host handles episode numbers, artwork sizes and explicit-content flags can affect how your show appears in each app, so preview the feed before your first public episode.

If you run more than one show, or a company podcast for staff only, look at multi-show plans and private feed options. If you plan to sell ads, compare whether the host connects you to advertisers, how revenue is shared and whether you can still sell sponsorships yourself.