Captivate vs Transistor
Both hosts let one account run several shows, and both bill by monthly download volume. Captivate is a British company with euro tiers of 17, 44 and 90, a 30-day trial and no stated storage limits. Transistor is a US company with dollar plans at 19, 49 and 99, a 14-day trial and stated allowances for private subscribers. The practical split is trial length and storage on one side, and private feeds, video and API access on the other.
Sebastiaan SmitsFounderVendors can pay for more visibility on this website, for example a higher place in a ranking or more room on a page. Commercial relationships can also affect which products we feature and how prominently. Every vendor link is marked the same, whatever the arrangement behind it. How that works.
Choose Captivate ifyou want a month to test the service, a British provider and no storage ceiling, and your shows sit near the 30,000 download entry band. You also care that the Podcast Growth Labs lessons come with the trial.
Choose Transistor ifyou run members-only or internal feeds and need to know the subscriber count in advance. You also want video publishing, an API or MCP connection, or a podcast network website.
Captivate and Transistor side by side
| Captivate | Transistor | |
|---|---|---|
| Our podcast hosting rank | #1 of 15 | #2 of 15 |
| Established in | United Kingdom | United States |
| List price, 6 November 2026 | Billed monthly, paid yearly: Personal EUR 17, Professional EUR 44, Business EUR 90, entry band from 30,000 downloads | $19 Starter, $49 Professional or $99 Business each month, with 17 per cent off on yearly billing |
| Free tier | — | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Self-hostable | — | — |
| Built for | Marketing teams running podcasts as a demand generation channel | Companies running several shows, including private internal feeds |
| Not for | Shows chasing sponsorship revenue through a marketplace | Independent shows that need sponsorship revenue to exist |
Both are reviewed in full in our podcast hosting ranking: Captivate and Transistor.
Where they differ
Captivate 2 · Transistor 2 · open 2- 01
Cost of getting started
Captivate's Personal plan is EUR 17 a month and starts at 30,000 downloads. Transistor's Starter is $19 a month and stops at 20,000 downloads. The two are in different currencies, so a direct conversion is not made here. Captivate's own FAQ quotes the entry plan as $17, which means its page mixes currencies. Judged on downloads per entry fee as printed, Captivate gives more room to start with.
Edge: Captivate
- 02
When one episode goes viral
Captivate says usage above the monthly limit is charged, and that it will contact you before changing your plan. Transistor shows three fixed ceilings of 20,000, 100,000 and 250,000 downloads, one for each plan. The Transistor page we read does not say what happens once a ceiling is passed. Captivate at least describes the process, but neither page prints an overage rate.
Depends on the buyer
- 03
Members-only feeds and video
Captivate lists private podcasting on every plan, yet the pages we read give no subscriber numbers. Transistor prints them: 50 on Starter, 500 on Professional and 3,000 on Business. Video publishing and dynamic ads start at Professional on Transistor, with Transistor branding removed on Business. A team planning a paid or internal feed can budget from those figures. Transistor's Starter shows no video publishing and no dynamic ads.
Edge: Transistor
- 04
Trial period and file room
Captivate gives 30 days of full access, which includes its Podcast Growth Labs education content. Transistor gives 14 days. On storage, the Captivate FAQ says there are no limits on uploads or storage. Transistor states 500 GB on Professional and 1 TB on Business. Longer trial and an open storage claim make Captivate the easier host to test at length.
Edge: Captivate
- 05
Analytics, directories and ads
Captivate states that analytics are IAB-certified and included on every plan, and lists Podcasting 2.0 support. It also mentions memberships, tips and dynamic ad tools. Transistor lists advanced analytics and live customer support, with dynamic ads only from Professional. Both distribute to Apple Podcasts and Spotify, and Transistor adds YouTube. The pages do not allow a clear winner on reporting quality.
Depends on the buyer
- 06
Company behind the feed
Captivate Audio Ltd is registered in England and Wales, company number 11840222, with a London address in its terms. Transistor, Inc is named in its terms with an address in Fort Collins, Colorado. Transistor also lists API and MCP access plus a podcast network website, and the Captivate pages we read mention neither. That extra developer surface gives Transistor the edge on integration.
Edge: Transistor
When neither fits
If the show has to earn through an ad marketplace, Acast is the closer fit. If you want a French-language host with a built-in website, Ausha is worth a look.
Captivate or Transistor: questions
3 answersWhich service gives me a full month before I pay?
Captivate offers a 30-day free trial with full access. Transistor offers 14 days. Both pages state the trial on the home page we read.
Can a single login hold my customer show and my internal show?
Yes on both. Captivate says multiple podcasts can be hosted under one account on all plans. Transistor lists unlimited podcasts and unlimited team members as standard.
Does paying for a full year change the bill?
Transistor says yearly billing saves 17 per cent on all plans. Captivate says plans are billed monthly but paid yearly. The Captivate page we read does not show a separate yearly discount.
Sources
Checked 6 November 2026- Captivate home page: the three euro tiers, the 30,000 download start, overage wording, the 30-day trial, private podcasting, storage claim and IAB-certified analytics.
- Captivate terms: Captivate Audio Ltd, England and Wales, company number 11840222.
- Transistor home page: the three dollar plans, download ceilings, private subscriber counts, 500 GB and 1 TB storage, 14-day trial, 17 per cent yearly saving, API and MCP listing.
- Transistor terms: Transistor, Inc at its Fort Collins address.