I see podcasters often think their podcast might grow faster if they switch podcast-hosting providers (like from Blubrry to Captivate, or vice versa). But is this true?
(I earn from qualifying purchases through some of the following links. But I recommend things I truly believe in, regardless of earnings. And I am not currently paid to endorse anything.)
Short answer: no
The growth of your podcast isn't directly affected by where your podcast is hosted or what is generating your podcast RSS feed. Yes, this actually means you could have a successful show hosted on SoundCloud!
This is because hosting is merely a service—and mostly invisible.
There are considerations like whether the provider has the infrastructure to support a popular podcast. But if we started with a base of only 100 downloads per episode for a weekly podcast, no hosting provider is going to make that grow simply by using that provider.
1. Podcast stats may be measured differently
One thing that might cause some confusion is that different hosting providers measure and report stats slightly differently. Although we have the IAB podcast measurement guidelines and certification in podcasting, that still leaves room for variation. And some providers might not be as fortified against fake downloads.
Thus, you might see some difference in your podcast stats from one provider compared to another—sometimes even with significant deltas (depending on the providers)—but that doesn't mean the providers are actually responsible for the size of your audience. They're just measuring the same audience differently.
Also, it's nearly impossible to effectively compare because your episode reach is not a constant that you can rely on for analysis across different platforms.
Even if you're thinking about the advertiser side of this, if one hosting provider reports you have 20,000 downloads per episode while another one reports 10,000, podcast sponsors will not value your show if they're not getting the return on investment (ROI) that they expect. So if will not help you to use inflated numbers!
2. Included podcasting tools may be different
Each podcast-hosting provider offers their own set of features and methods for using the podcasting tools they provide.
But you have to actually use the tools!
This is where hosting providers can be significantly different: one provider will offer a certain suite of tools, while another provider offers a different suite. Sometimes there's overlap, and sometimes there isn't.
But because each feature from a hosting provider is simply a tool, your success depends on your knowledge and ability to use the tools they give you. On top of that, some podcasts benefit more from certain tools than others—if they use those tools!
For example, Captivate offers a guest-scheduling feature. But if you never have guests on your podcast, then this particular feature won't make any difference for your podcast. But even if you do need this tool and actually use it, it won't directly affect your podcast's growth. But it does make some things cost less time, money, or knowledge for you, freeing your resources for you to invest in other places.
Or another example is what I call the “Networking” feature in Podgagement (but Podgagement isn't a podcast-hosting provider). This exposes podcasts that share crossover audience with yours, helping you discover networking opportunities to cross-promote, cross-guest, collaborate, or even simply do some competitive research. You can track this information yourself! All you have to do is check the 2,843,960 other shows in Apple Podcasts yourself (as of July 12, 2025 according to Podcast Industry Insights), then keep track of where your show is recommended, and then repeat that every day.
In the wise words of philosopher Sweet Brown, “Ain't nobody got time for that!”
If you actually learn and use a tool like Podgagement or many of the tools podcast-hosting providers offer, it can be huge for growing your podcast! But the mere passive existence of these features won't get you a single new listener.
3. Look at podcast-hosting providers as toolboxes
With all this in mind, don't look at podcast-hosting providers as some magical solution to grow your podcast. Instead, evaluate each as a collection of different tools, and decide which tools are most important for you to learn and use. Some tools can help you grow your podcast better than other tools can, but you have to use them!
I recently wanted to convert some unused space in my house to an extra food pantry. I got all the tools and supplies I needed, but the pantry never built itself! The tools and supplies just sat there, not becoming a pantry! THE AUDACITY! It wasn't until I set aside the time to use those tools and supplies that I built the pantry! And then I was able to enjoy the results!
Back to podcasting, it's not your hosting-provider's job to grow your podcast; it's yours.
4. My 2025 recommendations for podcast-hosting providers
If you are looking for a great podcast-hosting provider, here are my current recommendations specific to particular needs. Each of these have Podcasting 2.0 support, too. (Yes, the following are affiliate links, but I've thoroughly tested and I genuinely recommend each of these regardless of earnings.)
- Blubrry for the best WordPress-focused workflow—Manage everything about your podcast publishing without leaving WordPress!
- Buzzsprout for the easiest to use without sacrifice—They provide great audio processing, transcription, monetization, and AI-powered features, and more.
- Captivate for everything else—They offer dynamic-content insertion, multi-podcast support (at no extra cost), transcription, monetization, AI-powered features, guest-scheduling, and more.
But before you switch whatever hosting provider you currently use, look at the tools you already have and seriously try them to see if they might be the tools you need so you can grow your own podcast!
Community corner
- Thanks to Randy Black for 101§ and 47§!
- Thanks to Lyndsay Phillips for interviewing me on her show Leverage Your Podcast, talking about Podgagement and how to engage your audience. Follow my social-media accounts to see when the episode is available!
If you love The Audacity to Podcast and value the podcasting inspiration and education I provide, would you please consider giving back what it's worth to you?
Supercharge your podcast engagement and grow your podcast!
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Disclosure
This post may contain links to products or services with which I have an affiliate relationship. I may receive compensation from your actions through such links. However, I don't let that corrupt my perspective and I don't recommend only affiliates.
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