Apple Podcasts vs PodcastStats.com

Apple Podcasts is a podcast app and service for finding, following, and listening to shows across Apple devices, the web, Windows via iTunes, CarPlay, HomePod, smart speakers, and supported car systems. Millions of shows are free, and episodes can be downloaded for offline listening; new episodes from followed shows can download automatically. It supports video podcasts and private feeds, with listening synced across devices. Transcripts in select languages can be read and searched, navigated by chapter, or used to jump to a point in an episode. Premium shows, episodes, and channels may have monthly or annual subscriptions, with prices set by creators. Subscriber benefits can include ad-free listening, bonus or unreleased content, and other subscriber-only material. Subscriptions can be shared with up to five people through Family Sharing. Creators have production, analytics, audience connection, and subscription tools. They receive 70% initially and 85% after one year of paid service, excluding applicable taxes; other podcast revenue, including advertising, goes to the creator.

PodcastStats.com provides podcast analytics for tracking downloads, understanding audiences and following podcast growth. Its download tracking uses IAB-compliant bot filtering and deduplication to reduce bot traffic and duplicate counts, with live updates. Reports cover geography, devices, platforms, apps, retention and engagement, including city-level geographic detail. To connect a podcast, users can add tracking URLs to an RSS feed or send data through the REST API, which offers webhooks, embeds and custom integrations. Historical data can be imported from Libsyn, Anchor and Buzzsprout. The Free plan costs nothing and allows up to 10K downloads per month, with basic dashboard analytics, seven-day data retention, bot filtering and email support. Premium costs $19 a month, allows up to 1M downloads per month and adds advanced insights, unlimited retention, API access and webhooks, widgets, geographic insights and priority support. Enterprise costs $99 a month and includes unlimited downloads, white-labeling, custom integrations and reporting, multi-user accounts, a dedicated support manager and a 99.99% SLA guarantee. A 14-day Premium trial requires no credit card.