Buzzsprout vs Captivate: which costs less?
For a new show (1,000 downloads), Buzzsprout is cheaper (Buzzsprout Audio $18 vs Captivate Personal $19 a month). Across the 7 needs below, Buzzsprout is cheaper in 5 and Captivate in 2.
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 | Buzzsprout | Captivate | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| a new show (1,000 downloads) | Audio $18 | Personal $19 | Buzzsprout by $1 |
| 10,000 downloads a month | Audio $18 | Personal $19 | Buzzsprout by $1 |
| 50,000 downloads a month | Audio $18 | Professional $49 | Buzzsprout by $31 |
| 150,000 downloads a month | Audio $18 | Professional $49 | Buzzsprout by $31 |
| 3 podcasts, 10,000 downloads | Multi-Podcast (5 shows) $36 | Personal $19 | Captivate by $17 |
| a video podcast, 5,000 downloads | Audio + Video $30 | no plan fits | Buzzsprout (only one fits) |
| a daily show (12 upload hours a month) | Multi-Podcast (5 shows) $36 | Personal $19 | Captivate by $17 |
Your own numbers · Buzzsprout pricing · Captivate pricing
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Disclosure: Links marked “affiliate link” (Castos, Captivate) earn PodHostCost a commission if you sign up, at no cost to you. Prices, totals and rankings are calculated the same way for every host and never depend on affiliate status.
Buzzsprout plans
| Plan | Billed monthly | Billed annually (per month) | Podcasts | Downloads / month | Upload hours / month | Video podcast | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Audio | $18/mo | $15/mo | 1 | no cap stated | 6 | not stated | 6 upload hours a month (72 a year on annual billing) |
| Audio + Video | $30/mo | $25/mo | 1 | no cap stated | 6 | yes | Video on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube; 6 upload hours a month |
| Multi-Podcast (5 shows) | $36/mo | $30/mo | 5 | no cap stated | 15 | not stated | Audio, up to 5 podcasts, 15 upload hours a month shared (the 10-podcast and video variants are priced in a selector and not tracked) |
Captivate plans
| Plan | Billed monthly | Billed annually (per month) | Podcasts | Downloads / month | Upload hours / month | Video podcast | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Personal | $19/mo | $17/mo | unlimited / no cap stated | 30,000 | no cap stated | not stated | |
| Professional | $49/mo | $44/mo | unlimited / no cap stated | 150,000 | no cap stated | not stated | |
| Business | $99/mo | $90/mo | unlimited / no cap stated | 300,000 | no cap stated | not stated |
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 Buzzsprout cheaper than Captivate?
For a new show (1,000 downloads), Buzzsprout is cheaper (Buzzsprout Audio $18 vs Captivate Personal $19 a month). Across the 7 needs below, Buzzsprout is cheaper in 5 and Captivate in 2.
What do Buzzsprout and Captivate cost per month?
Buzzsprout: Audio $18; Audio + Video $30; Multi-Podcast (5 shows) $36. Captivate: Personal $19; Professional $49; Business $99 (monthly billing where published).
Do Buzzsprout or Captivate have a free trial?
Buzzsprout: free plan to try it, no credit card (limits not listed on the pricing page, so not ranked). Captivate: 30-day free trial.