Buzzsprout Pricing: The Best Podcast Hosting Platform for You?

Published November 20, 2024 | By Matt

Buzzsprout’s pricing makes it a standout choice for podcasters seeking a reliable and beginner-friendly hosting platform. With over 15 years of experience in the industry, Buzzsprout has become a go-to option for creators looking to share stories, knowledge, and creative ideas through podcasting.

This guide explores Buzzsprout’s pricing plans, features, pros and cons, user reviews, and even compares alternatives to help you make the best decision for your podcasting journey.

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Buzzsprout Pricing Plans

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Buzzsprout Pricing Breakdown

1. The Free Plan ($0/month) – Best for Beginners & Hobbyists

If you’re experimenting with podcasting and just want to test the waters, Buzzsprout’s free plan is a great way to get started. However, there are some significant limitations:

Upload Limit: 2 hours per month
Storage: Episodes are only hosted for 90 days
No Monetization: Subscriptions and premium content features are locked
Limited Access to Tools: No Magic Mastering or AI-powered features

👉 Who should choose this?
This plan is ideal if you’re unsure whether you’ll commit to podcasting long-term or if you’re just testing out different formats before upgrading.

2. The $12/Month Plan – Best for New Podcasters Who Want to Keep Costs Low

Once you’ve decided to take podcasting more seriously, the first paid tier unlocks essential features:

Upload Limit: 3 hours per month
Episodes Never Expire: Unlike the free plan, your episodes stay online indefinitely
Unlimited Storage: No need to worry about running out of space
Website & Import Features: You get a simple hosted website, and you can import an existing podcast for free
Subscriptions Enabled: You can accept monthly payments from listeners

👉 Who should choose this?
This plan is perfect if you’re releasing shorter episodes (20-30 minutes weekly) and want basic monetization options without paying too much.

3. The $18/Month Plan – Best for Growing Podcasters with Weekly Episodes

If you’re publishing weekly episodes that are longer than 30 minutes, you’ll likely need more than 3 hours per month. The $18/month plan is a great middle-ground that offers:

Upload Limit: 6 hours per month
Cheaper Extra Hours: Additional uploads cost only $3 per hour (compared to $4 on the lower plan)
Full Monetization Access: Publish premium content and accept listener payments

👉 Who should choose this?
If your podcast is growing in audience size and you need more flexibility in episode length, this plan gives you room to scale while keeping costs manageable.

4. The $24/Month Plan – Best for Serious Podcasters & Content Creators

For those producing multiple episodes per week or long-form content, the highest-tier plan provides:

Upload Limit: 12 hours per month
Most Affordable Extra Uploads: Additional content only costs $2 per hour
Full Access to Monetization & Hosting Perks

👉 Who should choose this?
If your podcast is a core part of your brand or business, this plan ensures you have enough storage and flexibility to release frequent content without worrying about extra costs.

Add-Ons: Magic Mastering & Cohost AI

No matter which plan you choose, you can opt for these extra features:

Magic Mastering (starts at $6/month): Audio enhancement to improve sound quality
Cohost AI (starts at $10/month): AI-powered podcast assistance, with higher prices for advanced usage

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Buzzsprout Pricing & Service Tiers

Plan	Cost/Month	Upload Time	Overage Fee
Starter	$12	3 hours	$4/hour
Professional	$18	6 hours	$3/hour
Unlimited	$24	12 hours	$2/hour

Additional Paid Plan Features:

Unlimited storage for episodes.
Podcast website and custom embed players.
Advanced podcast statistics and distribution to major directories.

Optional Add-Ons:

Magic Mastering: $9–$12/month for automated audio enhancement.
Cohost AI: $20/month for content creation and post-production assistance.

BuzzSprout Pricing Deep Dive

Pros and Cons of Buzzsprout

Pros

Free plan available for testing features.
Beginner-friendly, intuitive interface.
Monthly plans with no long-term commitments.
Advanced monetization options, including ads, subscriptions, and affiliates.
Add-ons like Magic Mastering and Cohost AI enhance production quality and efficiency.

Cons

Free plan only lasts 90 days.
Limited upload hours on lower-tier plans.
Add-ons can increase monthly costs.

What is Buzzsprout and How Does It Work?

Buzzsprout simplifies podcast creation and distribution, allowing creators to easily publish content on major platforms like Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Google Podcasts.

Key Differentiators:

User-Friendly Dashboard: Simple tools make it accessible for beginners.
High-Quality Audio: No unnecessary compression ensures professional sound.
Actionable Insights: Real-time analytics help track audience behavior.

Who is Buzzsprout For?

Buzzsprout is designed for a variety of podcasters:

Beginners: Step-by-step guides and intuitive setup.
Small Businesses: Seamless distribution for storytelling and brand engagement.
Niche Podcasters: Tools for monetization and audience growth.

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Key Features of Buzzsprout

Website Hosting

Free customizable podcast websites.
Host episodes, trailers, transcripts, and more.
Engage listeners with links to social media and feedback forms.

Podcast Distribution

Submit to major directories in just a few clicks.
Platforms include Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube Music.
Social sharing tools for promoting episodes.

Podcast Analytics

Insights into downloads, devices, locations, and listening apps.
Track trends over time to refine your strategy.

Magic Mastering

Automated audio enhancement for professional sound quality.
Noise reduction and volume leveling made easy.

Visual Soundbites

Create engaging video trailers for social media.
Select snippets with custom artwork to drive clicks.

Chapter Markers

Let listeners jump to specific sections.
Increases audience retention by making episodes easy to navigate.

Auto-Transcription

Generate episode transcripts for SEO and accessibility.
Use transcripts as blog posts or downloadable resources.

Add-On Features of Buzzsprout

Magic Mastering

Magic Mastering is a very powerful add-on designed to enhance the audio quality. It functions as an “Instagram filter” for audio, simplifying post-production.

Features:

Automatic Audio Enhancement: Optimizes sound for a polished, professional finish.
Noise Reduction: Eliminates background noise and hissing.
Volume Stabilization: Balances volume across speakers and segments.
Encoding Optimization: Aligns with Apple Podcasts’ best practices for loudness and peak levels.
Industry Standards: Ensures content adheres to professional benchmarks.

Benefits:

Ease of Use: No need for advanced audio editing skills.
Time Efficiency: Automates mastering, freeing up time for content creation.
Consistent Sound Quality: Enhances recordings, regardless of equipment used.

Cohost AI

Cohost AI is another Buzzsprout add-on that integrates artificial intelligence into the podcasting workflow, automating tedious tasks.

Key Features:

Transcriptions: Converts audio into editable text with support for multiple languages.
Episode Titles & Descriptions: Generates engaging titles and summaries.
Chapter Markers: Automatically identifies sections for easy navigation.
Social Media Content: Creates three promotional posts per episode.
Blog Post Drafts: Generates drafts to repurpose podcast content for SEO.

Workflow Integration:

Activated upon episode upload.
Processes within 30 minutes and sends email notifications when complete.