Captivate vs Supporting Cast

Captivate is a web-based podcast hosting service for publishing shows and managing their distribution. It provides an RSS feed and sends podcasts to major directories. Advanced analytics give publishers detailed audience information, while monetization tools support revenue activity. The service also includes private podcasts and video podcast support. Captivate offers three listed plans. Personal costs $204.00 per year, billed annually at $17.00 per month, with 30,000 downloads per month, unlimited podcasts and unlimited uploads and storage. Professional costs $44.00 per year when paid yearly and allows 150,000 downloads per month, unlimited podcasts and unlimited uploads and storage. Business costs $90.00 per year when paid yearly and allows 300,000 downloads per month, with the same unlimited podcast and storage terms and a 300,000-download monthly limit. There is no free plan, but a 30-day trial is offered. Captivate was founded in 2013 and its maker is headquartered at 30 Leicester Square, London, UK WC2H 7LA.

Supporting Cast provides a platform for selling and delivering podcast subscriptions, audiobooks, newsletters, and other members-only benefits. Subscribers can listen to premium material in existing apps such as Apple Podcasts and Spotify without installing another app or copying a private RSS feed. Creators can offer single-show or multi-show bundles, monthly or annual billing, multiple tiers, pay-what-you-want pricing, and one-time payments. Exclusive video can be delivered through Spotify, a Supporting Cast subscription site, an embedded player, or private RSS; creators can also publish free or paid newsletters and blogs. The product supports private and video podcasts, RSS feeds, selected directory distribution, and advanced analytics. Integrations listed include Stripe, Mailchimp, Spotify, WordPress, Zapier, and WooCommerce. Reporting covers subscription growth, revenue, engagement, and individual downloads, with CSV export and data-pipeline queries. Pricing for podcast subscriptions is on request. Internal Podcast Starter costs $99 a month for up to 500 listeners; Enterprise pricing is by contact. Platforms include Android, iOS, web, and API.