When you are starting a podcast, you probably think the biggest decisions will be your microphone, podcast name, artwork, and topic. Then you discover that you also need somewhere to host your episodes.
That is where platforms like Buzzsprout and RSS.com come in.
Both are designed to make podcasting easier. Both can host your episodes, distribute your show to major podcast apps, provide analytics, and give you tools to grow your audience. But they take slightly different approaches.
Buzzsprout has built its reputation around being extremely easy to use. RSS.com, on the other hand, has focused heavily on giving podcasters lots of features, including unlimited audio hosting, a free plan, transcripts, monetization, and tools for turning audio into video.
So which one should you choose?
After looking at their current features and pricing, I would say Buzzsprout is the better choice if simplicity is your priority, while RSS.com is more attractive if you want more features for your money.
Let’s take a closer look.
What Is Buzzsprout?
Buzzsprout is a podcast hosting platform that has been around for years. Its main goal is pretty straightforward: make podcasting easier.
You upload your episode, add your title and description, schedule it if you want, and Buzzsprout takes care of the technical side.
It also helps distribute podcasts to major directories such as Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, iHeartRadio, TuneIn, Overcast, Pocket Casts, and others.
This is one of the reasons Buzzsprout is popular with new podcasters. You don’t have to be a technical person to use it.
The dashboard is relatively clean, and most of the important things you need are easy to find.
Buzzsprout also offers podcast websites, statistics, transcripts, monetization tools, subscriptions, dynamic content, and other features designed to help creators grow their shows.
What Is RSS.com?
RSS.com is another podcast hosting platform, but it has taken a slightly different approach.
Instead of focusing mainly on simplicity, RSS.com has packed its platform with a large number of features.
You can host unlimited episodes and unlimited audio, distribute your show to major podcast directories, create a podcast website, schedule episodes, add transcripts, view analytics, accept listener donations, and more.
RSS.com also has tools for podcasters who want to move beyond traditional audio.
For example, paid plans include audio-to-video conversion for YouTube, while the Max plan supports unlimited video podcasts and automatic YouTube publishing.
That makes RSS.com interesting for creators who want their podcast to exist across several formats.
Buzzsprout vs RSS.com Pricing
Pricing is probably the first thing most new podcasters want to know.
Buzzsprout currently has a free plan, but it comes with some important limitations. You can upload two hours of content each month, and episodes on the free plan are hosted for 90 days.
Its paid audio plan currently starts at $15 per month when billed annually and includes up to 72 hours of uploads per year. The monthly price is $19. Buzzsprout also offers audio and video plans and multi-podcast options.
RSS.com is interesting because its free plan is much more generous in some areas.
Its free plan includes unlimited episodes and unlimited audio. It also gives you a public RSS feed, podcast website, embeddable player, analytics, automatic distribution, scheduling, and listener support tools.
The current RSS.com Plus plan costs $15 per month when billed annually. It adds features such as programmatic advertising, Apple Podcasts Subscriptions, AI-generated transcripts, advanced analytics, audio-to-video conversion, and other tools.
This is where RSS.com has a pretty obvious advantage.
If your main concern is getting the most hosting for the least money, RSS.com is difficult to ignore.
Which One Is Easier to Use?
This is where Buzzsprout gets my vote. RSS.com isn’t particularly difficult to use. But Buzzsprout has always put a lot of effort into making podcasting feel simple.
If you are completely new to podcasting, that matters. You don’t want to spend your first afternoon trying to figure out what every button in your hosting dashboard does.
With Buzzsprout, the basic workflow is easy to understand.
Upload the episode.
Add the details.
Schedule or publish it.
Check the statistics.
That’s basically what most beginners need.
RSS.com gives you more tools, but having more tools can sometimes make a platform feel a little busier.
So if I were helping someone who had never created a podcast before, I would probably point them toward Buzzsprout first.
Podcast Distribution
Both platforms do well here. A podcast isn’t much use if it only lives on your hosting company’s website. You want your episodes to reach listeners wherever they already listen to podcasts.
Buzzsprout helps creators distribute their shows to major podcast directories, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and other platforms.
RSS.com also provides automatic distribution to major directories such as Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, and YouTube Music.
For most users, there isn’t a huge difference here. Both platforms make distribution much easier than trying to manually manage everything yourself.
Podcast Websites
Having a website for your podcast is useful. It gives you a place where people can learn more about your show, read episode descriptions, listen to episodes, and find links to different podcast apps.
Buzzsprout includes a podcast website with its paid plans. Its current feature list also includes the ability to use your own URL.
RSS.com also gives creators a podcast website, including on its free plan. The company says the site can include your episodes, transcripts, social sharing, donation buttons, a web audio player, and other features.
This is another area where RSS.com gives you a lot for free. If having a website without paying extra is important to you, RSS.com has the stronger offer.
That said, I wouldn’t rely completely on a podcast-hosting website if you are trying to build a serious media business.
Eventually, having your own independent website gives you more control over SEO, content, email marketing, and branding.
Analytics
Analytics are important because they tell you what is actually happening with your podcast.
You can look at downloads, audience activity, popular episodes, and other information to figure out what your listeners enjoy.
Buzzsprout includes advanced statistics with its paid plans.
RSS.com also offers analytics. Its platform provides information such as downloads, top episodes, listener geography, devices, and apps used to listen. It also supports exporting metrics to CSV, and RSS.com says its analytics are IAB certified.
The difference becomes more interesting with the free plans.
RSS.com’s free plan gives you analytics, although your visible history is limited to the most recent 30 days while you’re on the free plan. RSS.com says the full history continues to be recorded and becomes accessible again if you upgrade.
So again, RSS.com gives beginners quite a lot without requiring them to immediately pull out their credit card.
Monetization
This is another area where both platforms have plenty to offer.
Buzzsprout has several monetization tools, including listener support, subscriptions, and advertising-related features. Its subscription system allows creators to offer premium content and recurring support from listeners. Buzzsprout currently charges a 15% fee on subscription payments.
RSS.com also offers several ways to make money.
Its platform includes listener donations and Value for Value features. Paid plans add programmatic advertising and Apple Podcasts Subscriptions. RSS.com says its PAID advertising system can insert ads dynamically into podcast episodes.
This makes RSS.com especially interesting for smaller podcasts. You don’t necessarily need a massive audience before you can start exploring monetization.
Of course, having a monetization feature doesn’t mean you’ll immediately make money.
Your audience still matters much more. A podcast with 100 loyal listeners is more valuable than a podcast with thousands of people who never come back.
Transcripts and AI Tools
This is an area where podcasting has changed quite a bit.
Transcripts can make episodes easier to access and can also give creators additional written content to use on websites and social media.
Buzzsprout currently provides automatic transcripts for new episodes on its paid plans at no additional cost.
RSS.com also offers transcript tools. Its current feature set includes automatic transcripts and AI-generated transcripts depending on the plan.
RSS.com goes further with audio-to-video tools. You can take an audio podcast episode and turn it into a video format for YouTube. This is becoming increasingly useful because podcasts are no longer just an audio-only medium.
A lot of podcast discovery now happens through YouTube and social media clips. If you want to experiment with video without creating an entirely separate production workflow, RSS.com has an advantage here.
Audio vs Video Podcasting
If you’re planning to make an audio-only podcast, both platforms can work well.
If you know that you want video, the comparison becomes more interesting. Buzzsprout now supports audio and video podcasting. Its audio and video plan allows creators to publish video to Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube.
RSS.com also supports video podcasting, with higher plans offering unlimited video podcasts and automatic YouTube publishing.
So neither platform is stuck in the old idea that podcasts only exist as MP3 files. However, RSS.com has a particularly strong feature set for creators who want to experiment with audio-to-video publishing.
Customer Support
This isn’t the most exciting part of choosing a podcast host, but it matters when something goes wrong.
Both companies emphasize customer support.
Buzzsprout highlights its support as one of its main features.
RSS.com also says it provides human support and offers 24/7 support in English, Spanish, and Italian.
For a beginner, having someone to contact when you’re confused about publishing an episode can be extremely helpful.
Buzzsprout or RSS.com: Which One Is Better?
After comparing the two, I think the answer depends on what you want.
Choose Buzzsprout if you want the easiest possible experience.
It is a great choice for a beginner who doesn’t want to spend time learning complicated hosting software. The interface is straightforward, the publishing process is simple, and there are plenty of useful tools available as your podcast grows.
Choose RSS.com if you want more features without immediately paying a lot.
Its free plan is particularly impressive. Unlimited episodes and unlimited audio, along with a podcast website, distribution, analytics, scheduling, and listener support, make it a very competitive option.
The paid plans become even more interesting if you want advertising, subscriptions, transcripts, advanced analytics, or video tools.
Final Thoughts
If I had to pick one for a complete beginner, I’d give Buzzsprout a slight edge for simplicity.
It feels like a platform designed to get you from “I want to start a podcast” to “my first episode is published” without making the process feel overwhelming.
But if you’re more interested in features and value, RSS.com may actually be the better choice.
The free plan alone gives you a lot, and the paid plans add features that can become useful as your podcast grows.
Ultimately, neither platform is a bad choice. If you’re sitting on an idea for a podcast but haven’t started because you’re worried about the technical side, don’t overthink this decision.
Pick the platform that fits your current needs, record your first episode, and get it published.
Your hosting platform isn’t going to make your podcast successful on its own.
Your content will. A great show hosted on a simple platform can build a huge audience. A terrible show hosted on the most expensive platform in the world will still struggle.
For most beginners, I’d start with Buzzsprout if simplicity matters most. If saving money and getting more features matter more, I’d choose RSS.com.