Podcasting may be a hobby or some but it is also a great money-making business that’s booming in 2021. If you are starting out in 2021, consider yourself lucky as it is quite easy to monetize a podcast now. All you need to understand as you set up your podcast is which packages enables you to optimize your podcast earnings. For example, most free plans will not allow you to monetize.
In this post, I will review the 6 best best podcast hosts you can pick for maximum podcast ad earnings. If you are in a hurry, Podbean is the overall best podcast host or monetization as they allow you complete control of your ads management and lets you keep 100% of your revenue. The plan that allows you to get maximum earning and full control is the $9/month plan which you can try 14 days free here.
| Podcast | Price | Third-Party Brokers | Minimum number of listerners to monetize | Dynamic Ad insertion | Commission |
| Podbean | 9/month paid annually or $14/month paid monthly | Yes | Yes or ($29+/month plans) | 0% | |
| Anchor | Free | Yes | Yes | 30% | |
| Libsyn | From $5/month | Yes | 5,000 | Yes | 50% |
| Spreaker | From $7/month (or $72/year) | Yes | Yes | 40% | |
| Buzzsprout | From free | Yes | No | 10% (via Podcorn) |
Well, we are going to address that question and guide you through our list of the best podcast hosting platforms that will help you earn revenue from over 100 million podcast listeners that are in the US alone.
Table of Contents
6 Best Podcast Hosting for Monetizing
PodBean
PodBean is a podcasting platform that allows you to start podcasting for free and offers paid plans for those willing to purchase upgraded plans.
PodBean boasts a whopping +7.0 Billion downloads to date with over 380,000 podcasters trusting its hosting services. The number of episodes that are on Podbean as of today is over 10,500,000 episodes.
PodBean offers you, the potential or existing podcaster, and a plan called Unlimited Audio that costs a monthly fee of $14 ($9 if billed annually) that is favorable for monetization. This plan contains unlimited storage space and unmetered Bandwidth for audio podcasting. Its monetization feature incorporates Ads marketplace and Premium Sales.
Podcasters on Podbean also have an additional plan that costs $39 ($29 if billed annually) per month called Unlimited Plus. This is considered the best plan for monetization. It has unlimited storage and unmetered Bandwidth for both audio and video podcasts. For monetization, you will be bombarded by offers of Ads Marketplace, Premium Sales, Patron Program and PodAds. Their Business Plan will cost you $129 monthly fee ($99 if billed annually), but their monetization offer is the same as Unlimited Plus plan.
Ads Market will enable you to include ad campaigns from sponsors in a dynamic way.
You can learn more on their Patron Program here, but, it allows you to get recurring financial support from your listeners.
PodAds, according to PodBean, are the SaaS for Podcast Advertising.
You can find out more on PodBean and its plans by using this link.
Spreaker
Spreaker is arguably the best platform that is mobile-focused. For monetization on this platform, all you have to do is choose one of their plans and enable the monetization function and select where your ad should be heard (pre-roll, mid-roll or post-roll).
Their most popular plan on Spreaker is Broadcaster which goes for $20 per month. This plan will give you access to hosting multiple podcasts and includes Programmatic monetization. This plan’s offer on monetization is similar to their On-Air Talent tier that costs $7 per month.
Their Publisher model, at $120 per month, comes with 60,000 downloads included and audio ads trafficking tool.
They also have the Anchorman Plan at a monthly fee of $45, which also includes Programmatic Monetization among other amazing features.
If you wish to see these plans in details, use this link.
Audioboom
Audioboom has a reputation for its simplified hosting, organized distribution, advanced analytics and an embedded player. Podcasters also like Audioboom for its great advertising tools that enable you to create dynamic ads that are dynamic and boost sponsorship of your show once you reach 10k plays for every episode.
This company is also a member of the Interactive Advertising Bureau who works with such giants as DHL, 20th Century Fox, Samsung and Hello Fresh.
The variety of advertising solutions for monetization that are provided by Audioboom are wide, and we have provided this link for you to view them in detail.
Audioboom tiers start at $9.99 per month for Podcasters. This tier includes unlimited episodes per month. Audioboom’s Standard Plan limit plays to 10,000 and 25,000 plays for Plus Plan. Distribution via such platforms as Spotify are also included for your use.
Their Podcast Pros tier is attained once you achieve over 10,000 plays for every episode. For details on this tier, you have to get in touch with them. This plan, you should know, is optimized for monetization. It has unlimited monthly episodes and plays per episode and includes live reads and host endorsements from advertisers for top podcasts and adds sponsorship to its offer. This tier also supports sponsorships for events and live shows, and the podcaster unlocks access to the targeted ad-network provided by Audioboom.
Here is a link for you to find more info on Audioboom plans and offers.
Libsyn
Libsyn as a platform has been handling hosting, distribution and monetization since 2004. Their option for monetization enables you as a podcaster to stay in control by providing premium content subscriptions and opt-in advertising.
For optimized monetization on this platform, we highly recommend their Advanced 1500 and Advanced 3000 plans. Both these plans have more storage, at 1500 MB and 3000MB respectively. Advanced 1500 goes for $75 per month while Advanced 3000 will cost you $150 per month. Here is a link for you if you need to check out and compare Libsyn Plans.
The platform also avails LibsynPro, a solution that is best for brands, networks and personalities. This solution contains dynamic ad insertion tools and other added branding options. With LibsynPro, you will also get unlimited uploads of new content and tools for managing campaigns. For more on LibsynPro, we have provided this link.
You can get started with Libsyn here.
Buzzsprout
If you have a tight budget and you are a starter, then Buzzsprout has you covered with a free plan that offers up to 2 hours per month and hosts episode for up to 90 days. This plan, however, lacks the Ads feature on their sites, so it is not ideal for earning any revenues.
Buzzsprout also avails paid plans if you need to upgrade. These plans range in cost from $12 per month to $24 per month. They all include unlimited storage, podcast statistics and website, custom embedded player and 250GB Bandwidth per month. For more on the plans provided by Buzzsprout, follow this link.
Plus, Buzzsprout will ensure that your podcast reaches all the top directories such as Apple Podcasts and Spotify, therefore guaranteeing a wide array of potential listeners that can be used for revenue generation.
We highly recommend that podcasters who are revenue-oriented should try out their $24/month plan which includes a 12-hour upload limit per month.
Get started with Buzzsprout here.
Soundcloud
You can host your podcast with Soundcloud and share it with millions of your listeners. Soundcloud also has an enticing offer of unlimited hosting time for every episode, and you can track the performance of your episodes through advanced stats tool.
Soundcloud has a Soundcloud Pro Unlimited offer that we highly recommend. This plan, among other features, includes Repost by Soundcloud feature that is vital for their podcasters. Repost, according to Soundcloud, will enable you to get heard, get paid and take your career to the next level. Plus, if you settle for this plan, you will be the one making decisions on marketing and promotions. You can find more on Soundcloud Pro Unlimited by using this link.
Podcast Ad Networks
VoiceAmerica
My VoiceAmerica offers unlimited access to millions of hours of content to members who can join them for free. Their worldwide reach is more than 140 countries with millions of people for an audience. VoiceAmerica channel guide includes Variety, Business, Health and Wellness, Empowerment and Influencers. For more on voice America visit their site.
Gimlet
This narrative podcasting company was founded in 2014 and has covered major milestones into having podcast with millions of downloads. Featured on this platform is the famous podcast ‘Conviction: American Panic’ among other podcasts such as The Pitch and The Horror of Dolores Roach.
If you want to check out Gimlet, visit Gimlet
Megaphone( formerly Panoply)
Panoply got rebranded into Megaphone just recently, but they still claim to retain their focus on providing contemporary technology for podcasting for both publishers and advertisers.
Megaphone was founded in 2015 and now has a total of over 55 employees and annual downloads that exceed 1 billion.
Megaphone also brags a feature known as Megaphone Targeted Marketplace (MTM) that connects advertisers of brands with the correct customer at the right time.
You can check out Megaphone website
Midroll
Midroll boasts world-class advertising with over 200 mega-companies such as HBO, TOYOTA, FedEx Dunkin Donuts etc. opting for podcast advertising with them. They also boast podcasts in excess of 250 making money with their platform.
A brand that uses Midroll can rest easy knowing that the platform connects them to 300+ shows that have monthly downloads of more than 150 million times.
If you wish to see more on Midroll, here is their website link.
Art19
Art 19 has a unique philosophy that entails the belief that advertisers and publishers alike should have full control of their audio experiences so that they can serve the listeners better. This philosophy they call Audiotonomy.
This podcast company was founded in 2015 and now powers hundreds of millions of downloads for podcasts every month. They also enable advertisers to perform better by equipping them with services that help target audiences via smart targeting and also lets them create audio messages that are customized.
Here is their website link if you need to have a look at ART19 .
Wondery
Wondery features such popular shows as Joe Exotic and Dying for Sex among others. The platform has shown excellent track record with 20 of its shows having reached #1 on Apple Podcast.
This network was founded in 2016 and has had its meteoric rise thanks to such shows as Dirty John, Gladiator and The Shrink Next Door.
Wondery also offers a fantastic plan at $4.99, known as Wondery+. For more on Wondery, here is their website.
How to Monetize Podcasts
Through Sponsors
Some companies pay for their brands to be aired on podcasts by the hosts to their listeners. These listeners are considered as potential customers and in need of information and persuasion.
The average advertising rates on podcasts in 2019 was $18CPM (cost per 1,000 listeners) throughout the industry. And this is for a 30-second ad. A 60-second ad goes for an average rate of $25 CPM.
One of the ways that a podcaster can find profitable deals from sponsors is searching for promo codes that are used by companies to give discounts.
Here is a subreddit on Reddit that will assist you as a podcaster in your endeavour to gaining sponsors and other vital groups for your podcasts.
Though Crowd-funding and Donations
Some podcasters will prefer to fund their projects from their pockets and from time to time, request donations from their listeners. And if the listeners love the show and place enough confidence in the host, this option too can be quite substantial.
From Affiliate Income
Podcasters can get affiliate income by agreeing to receive cuts from the amount that their listeners are willing to part with for specific brands of goods and services that are on their show.
Paid Content
Podcasters may also decide to charge a small fee for listeners to access their shows instead of just doing to it for free and relying on running ads. This is referred to as paid content and is also a way for podcasters to earn revenue.
Through the Sale of Branded Merchandise
Podcasters can also avail merchandise for sale on shows, and their listeners have an option of buying them as a means of supporting their favourite shows. The merchandise may range from hats, to gift baskets and so on.
By Offering Live shows and Selling Tickets
Some podcasters have incorporated live shows during podcasting instead of waiting for the listeners to download and listen to their favorite episodes. Live shows sell tickets that are also a source of income for podcasts.
As we have established, podcasters can earn money in more than one way. Now let us consider the top podcast hosts for monetizing.
My name is Nate Reiner and I am the editor here at 10Webtools. I have 8 years of experience using 50+ different web tools ranging from podcast, web hosting, email marketing, and much more. I previously managed a team offering support services to a large conglomerate that utilized tens of software solutions. I now run this blog full-time and when I am not reviewing or testing software, I enjoy riding bikes and supporting my clients achieve internet success. You can reach me directly at [email protected]