Hiro.fm

Hiro.fm is a platform for creating and selling private podcasts, audio courses and audiobooks. It is best suited to creators and businesses that need gated audio and a direct way to sell it. Solo is a capable starting point, but timed releases require Business-level access.

Overview

Hiro combines audio publishing with sales pages, access controls and listener analytics. That makes it a better fit for paid or private audio products than for someone who only needs to distribute a public podcast. The choice between tiers depends chiefly on how many shows and downloads you expect, and whether you need scheduled or drip releases.

Key features

Creators can upload audio or video, convert video to MP3, or import from YouTube and existing podcasts. This gives businesses flexibility to assemble an audio product from existing material as well as new recordings.

Each show includes a no-code sales page, and listeners can play audio in a browser without downloading an app. Creators can limit access by person and duration, while analytics show who listened, when and for how long. Together, these tools suit sellers who need to manage gated content and understand audience activity, rather than simply publish episodes.

Drip and scheduled episode releases are available on Business-level plans, making them important for course creators who want lessons to unlock over time. Hiro also lists Zapier integration and describes connections with Stripe, Telnyx or Twilio, and Go High Level. SMS and WhatsApp messaging can support audience communication, but usage limits and third-party charges should be included in cost planning.

Hiro supports Android, iOS, web and API, and offers native mobile apps, built-in payments and custom domains. Its privacy policy says it does not sell personal information and describes service-provider sharing for specified purposes. Hiro says it follows industry standards to protect personal information, does not access full card numbers and encrypts its most sensitive stored data. The help center covers setup, shows, integrations, mobile apps, automations and contacting support.

Pricing

There is no free plan, but Hiro offers a free trial; the features page does not state its duration. The entry-level monthly option, Solo, costs $57 a month, billed $57/month. It includes one creator account, three podcasts, 5,000 downloads per month, three keyword opt-ins and ten automations. That should suit a creator with a modest catalog and predictable audience, but its download ceiling and lack of drip or scheduled release make it less appropriate for a growing course business.

Solo Lifetime costs $67, paid once, billed $67 lifetime, and provides three shows with core features subject to limits. It offers a lower one-time price than recurring Solo, but the stated limits mean it is not equivalent to unlimited access. Producer costs $97, paid once, billed $97 lifetime, and provides one show with Business-level access; that is a focused fit for a single show needing higher-tier capabilities.

Business costs $97 a month, billed $97/ month. It includes one creator account, unlimited podcasts, downloads, keyword opt-ins and automations, making it the clearest fit for a growing operation that needs timed releases without the Solo quotas. Agency costs $125 a month, billed $125/ month, and includes five Business accounts plus unlimited downloads, audio shows, keyword opt-ins and automations. Its additional accounts are useful for managing several businesses; a solo creator would pay for capacity they may not need.

Hiro states a member limit of 1,000. SMS and WhatsApp may also involve applicable usage limits or third-party charges, so messaging costs can vary beyond the plan price.

Platforms

Hiro supports Android, iOS, web and API, and has native mobile apps. Browser playback on each show's sales page means listeners can access audio without installing an app.

Who it's for

Hiro is aimed at coaches, course creators, authors, instructors, consultants and businesses selling audio content. Solo suits a small catalog with moderate monthly downloads; Business is more compelling for sellers who need unlimited downloads or scheduled course releases. It is a weaker match for anyone seeking a free tier or a simple public podcast host without gated sales needs.

Pros and cons

Pros: Flexible imports and uploads make it practical to turn existing video, podcast or audio material into a paid product.

Pros: Sales pages, browser playback, access controls and listener insights bring selling and audience monitoring together.

Pros: Business and Agency remove stated podcast, download, opt-in and automation caps, with Agency adding five Business accounts.

Cons: No free plan is offered, and Solo's 5,000 monthly downloads plus exclusion of drip and scheduled releases can constrain a growing or structured course.

Cons: Messaging charges may extend beyond the subscription, making SMS and WhatsApp harder to budget precisely.

Cons: The lifetime options have narrower stated scope—three limited-feature shows on Solo Lifetime or one show on Producer—than the monthly Business plan.

Alternatives

For a broader comparison of services built around private audio, browse Private Podcast Platforms.

Hypecast Analytics is worth considering if a free desktop option is more important than Hiro's private-audio sales and access features; its free desktop plan supports Windows 10/11, three cameras and three microphones without an account.

Podbean is a better starting point for someone who wants a free podcast plan, with five hours of storage, 100GB monthly bandwidth and a 100MB single-file limit.

Springcast may suit a buyer seeking a lower-cost paid podcast plan: Essential is €9 a month, excluding VAT, for one podcast, one user and unlimited episodes and downloads.

Supporting Cast is an alternative to consider for internal podcasting; its Starter plan is $99 a month for up to 500 listeners.

Podcast.co offers a lower-priced entry point for conventional podcast hosting, with Lite at $19 a month or 190.00 USD annually for one user and 15,000 monthly downloads.

AX3Sonic is an alternative to consider for narration and AI-credit purchases.

Internal Cast is an alternative to consider for internal audio publishing.

PodVault is an alternative to consider for podcast hosting.

Verdict

Choose Hiro if you are selling private audio and want publishing, access control, sales pages and listener insights in one platform. Business is the strongest fit when timed releases or uncapped downloads matter; look elsewhere if you need a free plan, or if Solo's quotas and messaging costs do not suit your audience and budget.