Starting a podcast has been one of your biggest dreams… and it’s finally coming true! You’ve got a podcast studio plus material, guests, and equipment. Maybe you’ve even recorded a few episodes.
Now, you need to find these episodes a “home,” also known as a podcast host. Just as Netflix hosts your favorite tv shows, Podcast hosts provide audio storage and allow you to distribute episodes to Apple Music, Spotify, and other sites.
So where should you host your podcast?
Spreaker is one of the many hosts available to you. In this review, we break down all the key things you need to know about this podcast platform. We drawing from real Spreaker reviews and our own experience to help you decide if this is the right platform for you.
What Is Spreaker?
CEO Francesco Baschieri, Rocco Zanni, and Marco Pracucci founded Spreaker in 2010. Based in New York, Spreaker is an all-in-one tool for audio creators. Using Spreaker lets you create and distribute podcasts, among other things. The podcast software also has options for monetization and listener analytics.
Out of all the podcasts hosting software available, this host isn’t the most popular website. Simplecast, Buzzsprout, etc. are bigger in the industry.
Regardless, audio creators around the United States and the world are using Spreaker as a host platform. Reviews from newbies and veterans alike speak highly of the podcast platform.
Review of Spreaker Best Features
Spreaker Studio has features that make it easy to manage your podcast. Below, we review some of the best ones.
Keep in mind that which features you have access to depends on which plan you have. Later, we review each Spreaker plan in detail.
Clean Interface
Thanks to its well-designed website, using Spreaker Studio couldn’t get much easier. The website has simplistic features, making it a breeze to manage your audio storage. Reviews conclude that you can quickly find what you’re looking for, complete tasks, and switch between working on different podcasts.
Using Spreaker also is a breeze no matter what you’re working with. Podcasters can manage their account on most browsers. The Spreaker Studio desktop app is compatible with Windows 7+ and OSX 10.9+.
And, the Spreaker Studio mobile app is available for people who use iOS Apple and Andriod. This means you can easily work from your smartphone, iPad Pro, or whatever device you have!
Listening Platform to Grow Your Audience
When you upload an episode to Spreaker, it goes directly to the listening platform.
The Spreaker listening platform is similar to SoundCloud. People can use it to listen to and share their favorite shows across different devices.
Spotify and other sites may be more popular than the listening platform. But, this podcasting platform still gives you the opportunity to grow your audience.
One-Click Distribution
Aside from its own listening platform, this host allows you to distribute your podcast episodes to Apple Podcasts, the Google Play Store, Deezer, and other major sites. And you can do it all in one click!
This is great as you want your podcast episodes to be where your competitors are. People will be able to find you regardless of their preferred platform.
Spreaker Studio
Spreaker has plenty of audio storage that lets you upload prerecorded files. But, you can actually record a podcast using the Spreaker Studio!
The Spreaker Studio makes it easy to record and edit directly in the app. You can even live stream to better engage with your listeners! You might want to invest in a nice mic, but with the right setup, the Spreaker Studio will help you produce high-quality audio.
Easy to Transfer From Another Podcast Host to Spreaker
Many new podcasters are using Spreaker as their first podcast host platform. However, many veterans are also using Spreaker for increased storage space, because they like its features, etc.
Luckily, it’s easy to migrate your podcast from another podcast host using the Spreaker RSS Feed Importer. Its website has clear instructions that will have your podcast on Spreaker in no time!
Insightful Analytics
We know how important podcast analytics are to beating out the competition. But, many of us don’t review them because they are too hard to digest.
With this host, you’ll be eager to review your podcast analytics! The website shows you everything from likes to demographics. And, the stats are certified by IAB Tech Lab, so you can rest knowing you are getting the most accurate data possible.
Social Media Sharing and Embedded Players
As we mentioned earlier, this host increases your discoverability through its listening platform. The website creates carefully curated lists that promote your podcast to others.
Additionally, it helps you get the word out though:
- Social media. You can share new episodes directly to Twitter, Facebook, and other popular social media channels. People will tune in, stay engaged, and even be tempted to leave a review.
- Embedded audio players. You can add these to your website, allowing your audience immediate access to the audio.
Flexible Monetization Options
Spreaker gives everyone the opportunity to earn money from their podcast. After review, we can safely say that it gives you freedom over what ads show on your podcast episodes. And, you can use its content management system to select pre, mid, and post-rolls.
Spreaker Customer Service Team
For the most part, this host has good customer service. Its website has a troubleshooting page that reviews almost every question or issue you could come across. There’s even a search feature to help you find what you’re looking for.
That being said, the customer service team is somewhat limited. Reviews note that the only contact method is an email address. It can be frustrating that you can’t talk to a representative on the phone.
One review also notes that they had problems with payment. Know that the company automatically renews memberships. If you aren’t conscious about canceling your membership when you no longer want it, you might not be able to get a refund. Other than these minor issues, reviews conclude that the customer service team is friendly and helpful.
Spreaker Pricing
One of our favorite things about this host is that it has a free plan available! You can host your podcast without paying a dime.
The free plan gives you access to all the basic features and tools you need to manage your podcast. These include:
- Unlimited listeners
- Episode scheduling
- Embedded players
- Basic statistics
- Recording and live streaming capabilities in the Spreaker Studio
Some reviews, however, said that they needed to upgrade a paid plan. This gives you additional features including:
- Increased audio storage/storage space
- Monetization options no matter how big or small your podcast is
- Advanced analytic tools
- Longer live streams for your podcast
- Customizable players
See the full details of each Spreaker plan on its website.
Spreaker Pros and Cons
To conclude our review, here’s a quick breakdown of all the things we like and don’t like about Spreaker:
Pros
- Clean and intuitive interface
- Increases your discoverability with tools like the Spreaker listening platform and one-click distribution
- Spreaker Studio that lets you record new episodes and live stream
- Easy to transfer over from another podcast host
- Digestible analytics that help set you apart from the competition
- Free version available
- Overall positive reviews
Cons
- Somewhat limited customer service
- Hard to get a refund if you neglect to cancel your membership renewal for the software
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Should You Start Using Spreaker?
To successfully host a podcast, you need a reliable program like Spreaker. After our thorough review, we’ve found that Spreaker is one of the best options available. The website has all the features you need to manage your podcasts.
Best of all, the podcast software has a free plan! This alone is enough for us to recommend giving the website a try. If you find that you need more advanced features, you can always upgrade later through its website.
Test out Spreaker for your podcast today, and you’ll be well on your way to learning how to host a podcast!