Acast vs Podbean: which costs less?
For a new show (1,000 downloads), Acast is cheaper (Acast Essential $14.99 vs Podbean Unlimited Audio $17 a month). Across the 7 needs below, Acast is cheaper in 6 and Podbean in 1.
Last checked 2026-10-18 on the official pages.
Monthly cost for each need
Cheapest fitting plan of each, monthly billing, add-ons included.
| Need | Acast | Podbean | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| a new show (1,000 downloads) | Essential $14.99 | Unlimited Audio $17 | Acast by $2.01 |
| 10,000 downloads a month | Essential $14.99 | Unlimited Audio $17 | Acast by $2.01 |
| 50,000 downloads a month | Essential $14.99 | Unlimited Audio $17 | Acast by $2.01 |
| 150,000 downloads a month | Essential $14.99 | Unlimited Audio $17 | Acast by $2.01 |
| 3 podcasts, 10,000 downloads | Essential $14.99 | Network $99 | Acast by $84.01 |
| a video podcast, 5,000 downloads | Video $39.99 | Unlimited Plus $39 | Podbean by $0.99 |
| a daily show (12 upload hours a month) | Essential $14.99 | Unlimited Audio $17 | Acast by $2.01 |
Your own numbers · Acast pricing · Podbean pricing
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Acast plans
| Plan | Billed monthly | Billed annually (per month) | Podcasts | Downloads / month | Upload hours / month | Video podcast | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starter | $0/mo | $0/mo | 1 | no cap stated | no cap stated | not stated | 5 episodes (unlimited if the show joins Acast's ad marketplace); not ranked because the calculator does not count episodes |
| Essential | $14.99/mo | not published as a number | unlimited / no cap stated | no cap stated | no cap stated | not stated | |
| Pro | $29.99/mo | not published as a number | unlimited / no cap stated | no cap stated | no cap stated | not stated | |
| Video | $39.99/mo | not published as a number | unlimited / no cap stated | no cap stated | no cap stated | yes | Up to 10,000 video views a month |
Podbean plans
| Plan | Billed monthly | Billed annually (per month) | Podcasts | Downloads / month | Upload hours / month | Video podcast | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unlimited Audio | $17/mo | $12/mo | 1 | no cap stated | 16 | not stated | 1GB uploads a month (16 hrs audio); unmetered bandwidth |
| Unlimited Plus | $39/mo | $29/mo | 2 | no cap stated | 160 | yes | 2 audio or video podcasts; 10GB a month (160 hrs audio or 10 hrs video) |
| Network | $99/mo | $79/mo | unlimited / no cap stated | 3TB bandwidth a month (not converted to downloads) | 660 | yes | Unlimited podcasts; 40GB a month (660 hrs audio or 40 hrs video); 3TB bandwidth |
| Business | $129/mo | $99/mo | 2 | no cap stated | 660 | yes | Unlimited private + 2 public podcasts; 40GB a month |
Total = plan price + any paid extra podcasts. Download and upload caps are the plan limits each host states; 'no cap stated' means the pricing page sets none (most call it unlimited or unmetered); Fireside and Podbean Network cap bandwidth in GB/TB, which is shown but not converted to downloads. Upload hours are audio hours (video uses more storage). 'Video podcast' = the host lists video podcast hosting on that plan. monthly price = no annual price is published as a number, so the monthly price is used. Ties are broken by name. Affiliate status is never used.
Frequently asked questions
Is Acast cheaper than Podbean?
For a new show (1,000 downloads), Acast is cheaper (Acast Essential $14.99 vs Podbean Unlimited Audio $17 a month). Across the 7 needs below, Acast is cheaper in 6 and Podbean in 1.
What do Acast and Podbean cost per month?
Acast: Starter $0; Essential $14.99; Pro $29.99; Video $39.99. Podbean: Unlimited Audio $17; Unlimited Plus $39; Network $99; Business $129 (monthly billing where published).
Do Acast or Podbean have a free trial?
Acast: free Starter plan (1 show, 5 episodes). Podbean: free account to start.