Head-to-head · Podcast Hosting Platforms
Firstory vs Castos
Firstory leads on 1 check, Castos on 0, and 4 are even. Who comes out ahead on the 5 yes/no, price and count checks where we have data for both products. The editor score weighs everything else too.
Our verdict
- Highest scoreFirstory · 9.0/10
- Free planonly Firstory
- Free trialboth
Firstory scores higher on our rubric for podcast hosting platforms: 9.0 against 8.5 out of 10; our editors rank them #5 and #10.
Firstory offers free plan; Castos doesn't.
Firstory is the better fit for budget-conscious creators wanting premium features. Castos is the better fit for wordPress users needing unlimited podcast hosting.
- Firstory fits best
Budget-conscious creators wanting premium features
- Castos fits best
WordPress users needing unlimited podcast hosting
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Side by side
| Feature | Firstory 9.0/10 Visit ↗ | Castos 8.5/10 Visit ↗ |
|---|---|---|
| At a glance | ||
| Editor score | 9.0 | 8.5 |
| Ranking | #5 in Podcast Hosting Platforms | #10 in Podcast Hosting Platforms |
| Best for | Budget-conscious creators wanting premium features | WordPress users needing unlimited podcast hosting |
| Pricing model | Free plan + paid | Paid |
| Starting price | $7/mo | $190/yr |
| Free plan | ✓ (best) | — |
| Free trial | 14 days | 14 days |
| Free trial length | 14 days · card required | 14 days · no card needed |
| Deployment | Cloud | Cloud, Mobile |
| Platforms | Web | Web, iOS, Android |
| Support | Email, Live chat, Docs | Email, Docs |
| Integrations | 11 integrations | 12 integrations |
| Built for | Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise | Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise |
| Features Firstory 4/4 · Castos 4/4 | ||
| RSS feed | ✓ | ✓ |
| Monetization tools | ✓ | ✓ |
| Private podcasts | ✓ | ✓ |
| Video podcast support | ✓ | ✓ |
| Specs | ||
| Directory distribution | Major directories | Major directories |
| Monthly upload hours | Not checked yet | Not checked yet |
| Analytics level | Advanced | Advanced |
| Our review | ||
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| Our verdict | Firstory is a podcast hosting platform for creators and media businesses that need episode publishing, RSS distribution, analytics, and audience-facing tools. It generates an RSS feed for each podcast, supports automatic or manual… Read the review → |
Castos is a paid podcast hosting platform for independent creators, businesses, agencies, networks, and organizations. It supports multiple shows with unlimited podcasts, episodes, downloads, and storage, plus automatic distribution to… Read the review → |
Strengths and trade-offs
Firstory — where it wins
- Advanced analytics include audience demographics, geography, and listening times.
- AI creates transcripts, summaries, highlights, and newsletter drafts.
- Supports video, private RSS feeds, subscriptions, donations, and advertising.
Where it doesn't
- Video support is in early access and centers on Apple Podcasts synchronization.
- Built-in monetization is available only in selected regions.
- Spotify video requires a separate Spotify for Creators workflow.
Castos — where it wins
- Unlimited podcasts, episodes, downloads, and storage
- Strong WordPress integration through Seriously Simple Podcasting
- Private feeds, analytics, monetization, transcripts, and video support
Where it doesn't
- No permanent free plan
- Advanced features require higher-priced monthly tiers
- Video file hosting is limited to the Pro plan
- Firstory9.0/10 · Free plan · 14-day trial
A low-cost podcast host combining advanced analytics, AI tools, video, and monetization.
Visit FirstoryFull verdict → - Castos8.5/10 · 14-day trial
A capable podcast host for WordPress users who need unlimited publishing and private feeds.
Visit CastosFull verdict →
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Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
Last updated · How we research and update