Captivate vs Simplecast
Which podcast hosting platform is the best choice for your podcast? Compare features, pricing, analytics, and marketing tools in this detailed side-by-side comparison.
45/75
43/75
Simplecast
Captivate supports 45 of 75 tracked features, 2 more than Simplecast's 43.
Hosting
Unlimited Storage?No cap on how much audio you can store
Unlimited Episodes?Publish as many episodes as you want, with no limit
Unlimited Bandwidth?No limit on downloads or streaming, however popular your show gets
Custom Domain?Use your own domain name for your podcast website
SEO-Optimized Podcast Website?A ready-made, SEO-optimized website for your podcast
Scheduled Publishing?Schedule episodes for future release
Multi-Show Management?Manage multiple podcasts from a single account
Private / Unlisted Episodes?Publish private or unlisted episodes
Episode Trailers?Publish dedicated trailer episodes to promote your show
Distribution
Distribution to All Platforms?Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, etc.
YouTube Distribution?Automatically publish your episodes to YouTube
Auto-Sharing to Soundcloud?Automatically publish your episodes to SoundCloud as well
Custom RSS Feed?A standard RSS feed you control, for submitting to any podcast app
One-Click Import from Other Hosts?Move your existing show from another host using your RSS feed
Universal Smartlink?Single link that lets listeners pick their preferred podcast app
Video-to-Podcast Conversion?Convert video content into podcast audio episodes
extract audio from video
Podcast-to-Video Conversion?Turn audio episodes into shareable video versions
audiogram via Headliner
YouTube-to-Podcast Import?Automatically import or republish YouTube videos as podcast episodes
Marketing & Growth
Video Clips for Social Media?Create short audiogram or video clips from episodes to share on social media
Auto-Sharing to Social Networks?Automatically post to your social accounts when a new episode goes live
Customizable Audio Player?An embeddable audio player you can brand and place on any website
Newsletter / Email Marketing?Built-in email newsletter to notify subscribers about new episodes
Smart Listening Links?Trackable promotional links that measure clicks from your campaigns
Episode Chapters & Markers?Timestamped chapter markers so listeners can jump to sections
Automatic Transcription?Automatically convert your episode audio into text
AI-Powered Features?AI tools that automate content creation and optimization
Captivate Assistant
Social Media Manager?Create, schedule, and publish posts to social platforms directly
CTA Management?Add and manage calls-to-action on player, website, and smartlinks
Visibility Ads (Spotify & YouTube)?Run paid promotion campaigns on Spotify and YouTube from the platform
Analytics
IAB Certified Analytics?Industry-standard certified podcast analytics
Download Statistics?Track how many times each episode is downloaded
Episode Comparison?Compare performance across your episodes side by side
Audience by Listening Platform?See which listening apps (Apple, Spotify, etc.) your audience uses
Audience by Device?See whether listeners use mobile, desktop, or smart speakers
Audience by Country?Break down your audience by country
Unique Listeners?The number of individual people listening, beyond raw download counts
Apple Podcasts Ranking Tracking?Track your position in Apple Podcasts category charts
Peak Listening Time Analysis?Identify when your audience is most active to time your releases
Audience by City / Region?City and region-level geographic listener data
Audience Demographics (Age & Gender)?Age and gender breakdown of your audience
Episode Completion Rate?Percentage of each episode that listeners actually hear
Average Listening Time?Mean duration listeners spend per episode
Real-Time Statistics?Live or near-real-time download and listener metrics
Podcast Chart Tracking?Track your show's position in podcast charts and category rankings
Monetization
Dynamic Ad Insertion?Insert ads programmatically; swap or update them anytime, even in old episodes
Sponsorship Marketplace?A marketplace that connects you with advertisers looking to sponsor podcasts
AdsWizz marketplace
Paid Subscriptions / Premium Content?Offer premium or exclusive episodes to paying subscribers
Apple Podcasts Subscriptions
Crowdfunding Integration?Collect recurring listener support through platforms like Patreon
native listener tips
100% Revenue Retention?Keep all ad revenue with no platform commission
Sponsor Marketplace?Browse sponsorship opportunities and pitch brands directly
programmatic ad marketplace
Support & Community
Live Customer Support?Access to live chat or phone support from the platform
Knowledge Base / Help Center?A help center with searchable articles and setup guides
Podcaster Community?Access to a community of fellow podcasters on the platform
Dedicated Onboarding?Guided setup and onboarding when you first join
Learning Academy / Courses?Structured courses and tutorials to help you learn podcasting
Growth Labs
Content Blog / Resource Hub?Regularly updated articles, guides, and growth resources
Podcast SEO (PSO)
Keyword Research & Tracking?Discover high-impact keywords and track your rankings over time
PSO Checker / Score?Real-time scoring tool that analyzes and optimizes your metadata
Competitor Tracking?See which podcasts rank above you and analyze their strategy
Category Benchmarking?Compare your podcast metrics against category leaders
AI Features
AI Transcription with Speaker ID?Automatic transcription with multi-speaker identification
AI-Generated Titles & Descriptions?Auto-generate SEO-optimized episode titles and descriptions
AI Auto-Chaptering?Automatically generate episode chapters from content
AI Social Media Posts?Generate engagement-optimized social posts per episode
AI Newsletter Generation?One-click AI-generated newsletter content for episodes
Enterprise & Security
ISO 27001 Certification?Enterprise-grade information security management certification
SSO (Single Sign-On)?Enterprise Single Sign-On integration
API & Webhooks?Programmatic access and event-driven notifications
White-Label Branding?Remove platform branding and apply custom branding
remove branding
GDPR Compliance?Full European data protection compliance
Multi-User Roles & Permissions?Invite team members with role-based access controls
granular client access
Recording & Production
Live Streaming / Broadcasting?Broadcast live audio to your audience in real time
Listener Call-In / Voicemail?Let listeners leave voice messages or call in to episodes
Remote Recording Studio?Built-in tool to record remote interviews with guests
Native Video Episode Hosting?Host and distribute full video episodes, not just audiogram clips
Apple HLS
Pricing
Starting Price
€17/mo
$15/mo
Free Plan
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Pros & Cons
Captivate
Pros
- Unlimited podcasts, storage, and team members on every plan
- Smart links and in-player CTA management
- IAB 2.2 certified analytics with demographics
- AI assistant add-on (transcription, titles, show notes, chapters)
- DAX sponsor marketplace and dynamic ad insertion
Cons
- No free plan; starts at EUR 17/month
- Monthly download caps on every tier
- No built-in social clip creator or social media manager
- No newsletter
- AI features are a paid add-on
Simplecast
Pros
- Deepest analytics in the comparison (IAB certified)
- Unlimited hosting on all plans
- Recast audiogram clips and built-in transcription
- Multi-show management, team roles, custom domains
- Enterprise features (SSO, API, GDPR)
Cons
- No free plan; starts at $15/month
- No YouTube distribution
- No marketing tools (newsletter, social manager)
- No AI content tools
- No podcast SEO
Captivate vs Simplecast: The Full Picture
Overview
Captivate is a growth-oriented podcast hosting platform with marketing tools and team collaboration features.
Simplecast is a podcast hosting platform known for its advanced analytics and clean interface, now owned by siriusxm.
Feature Comparison
In our evaluation, Captivate supports 45 of the 75 tracked features, compared to Simplecast's 43. A higher count means broader functionality, not necessarily a better fit for your show.
Key strengths of Captivate:
- Unlimited podcasts, storage, and team members on every plan
- Smart links and in-player CTA management
- IAB 2.2 certified analytics with demographics
- AI assistant add-on (transcription, titles, show notes, chapters)
Key strengths of Simplecast:
- Deepest analytics in the comparison (IAB certified)
- Unlimited hosting on all plans
- Recast audiogram clips and built-in transcription
- Multi-show management, team roles, custom domains
Marketing & Growth Tools
Marketing tools are essential for growing your podcast audience. Simplecast offers video clip creation for social media, while Captivate does not.
Analytics
Both Captivate and Simplecast offer IAB-compliant analytics.
Pricing
Captivate starts at €17/month, while Simplecast starts at $15/month. Consider the total value including all features, not just the base price.
The Verdict
Between these two, Captivate supports more of our 75 tracked features (45 vs 43). That reflects breadth, not quality. The best choice depends on your specific needs and priorities. We recommend checking out our full platform ranking to see how both compare against all 15 platforms we evaluated.
Not sure which podcast host is right for you?
We've ranked and compared every major podcast hosting platform. Find which one best matches your needs, budget, and growth goals.