Spotify is one of the most successful podcast hosting platforms today. It offers a variety of features that help podcasters create and manage their podcasts, as well as distribute them to a wide audience. But is it free to host a podcast on Spotify?
The answer is a qualified yes. Spotify does offer a free tier for podcast hosting, but there are certain restrictions and limitations associated with this option. The main limitation is that your podcast must be shorter than 40 minutes in length, and it must be available for public consumption. This means that if you want to keep certain episodes private or subscription-only, then you’ll need to upgrade to one of the paid plans.
Another limitation of the free tier is that you won’t get access to any of the advanced analytics that come with the paid plans. This means you won’t be able to track how many people are listening to your podcast, or which episodes are generating the most engagement from your audience. You also won’t have access to features like chapter markers and custom RSS feeds, which can help make your podcast more attractive and easier to navigate for your listeners.
On the plus side, the free tier does come with some useful features, such as unlimited storage space, basic analytics, and integration with other popular distribution platforms like Apple Podcasts and Google Podcasts. You’ll also get access to Spotify’s music library so you can include background music or sound effects in your episodes.
So while it’s technically free to host a podcast on Spotify, the restrictions associated with the free tier may not be worth it for some podcasters. If you’re serious about creating an engaging podcast experience for your listeners, then upgrading to one of the paid plans may be worth considering in order to take advantage of all the features available on Spotify.
Conclusion: Is it free to host a podcast on Spotify? Yes, but there are certain restrictions and limitations associated with this option that may not make it worthwhile for all podcasters. If you want access to advanced analytics and other useful features like chapter markers and custom RSS feeds then upgrading to one of the paid plans may be worth considering.