---
title: Captivate
canonical: https://saasranked.com/software/captivate/
category: Podcast Hosting Platforms
points: 50
rank: 10 of 10
facts_checked: 2026-10-09
---

# Captivate

Podcast host with three paid plans that differ only by monthly downloads, and no limit on shows.

50 points out of 100. #10 of 10 podcast hosts. Vendor: Captivate. Website: https://www.captivate.fm/

- Personal costs $204 a year ($17 a month) or $19 month to month, with 30,000 downloads a month [1][2].
- Professional (150,000 downloads) is $528 a year; Business (300,000 downloads) is $1,080 a year [1].
- Plans differ only in monthly downloads; you can host as many podcasts as you like [1].
- There is no free plan, only a 30-day free trial [1].
- Private podcasts are included on any plan at no extra cost [3].

Verdict: Captivate suits creators who run several shows or want private feeds and ad insertion included, because every plan has the same features [1][3][10]. Pricing starts at $17 a month billed yearly, and downloads are capped by tier [1]. The catch: there is no free plan, and its redirect guide covers moving to Captivate rather than leaving it [1][6]. Best for: Creators who want private feeds and ad insertion without paying for a higher tier.

## Points

| Criterion | Line | Value | Points | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hosting limits | Unlimited episodes | Not published | 0/4 | Not published on the vendor's plans and pricing FAQ [1]. |
| Hosting limits | No monthly upload cap | Not published | 0/6 | Not published on the vendor's plans and pricing FAQ [1]. |
| Hosting limits | No download cap | No | 0/6 | Personal includes 30,000 downloads a month [1]. |
| Hosting limits | More than one show | Yes | 4/4 | The plans FAQ says there is no limit on podcasts, 'as many as you want' [1]. |
| Publishing | Directory submission guides | Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music | 3/4 | Distribution overview links guides for Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Amazon Music; its YouTube guide names YouTube, not YouTube Music [8]. |
| Publishing | Private podcasts | Yes | 6/6 | Help centre says private podcasting is available on any plan at no extra cost; each subscriber gets a personal feed link [3][4]. |
| Publishing | Video podcasts | No | 0/4 | Video to Apple Podcasts is a separate add-on at $12 a month per podcast [19]; the Spotify video article uploads in Spotify, not Captivate [14]. |
| Publishing | Automatic transcripts | Not published | 0/3 | The transcription FAQ covers importing and Descript transcripts; it does not say Captivate creates them [11]. |
| Publishing | Team members | Yes | 4/4 | Invited members set up their own logins; the plans FAQ says every plan has all features [13][1]. |
| Publishing | Public API | Yes | 3/3 | Public API documentation lists Create Episode and Update Episode endpoints [20]; the help centre says API credentials are in the dashboard account page [12]. |
| Publishing | Show website and player | Yes | 4/4 | Every customer gets a free website; each episode gets its own page; four embeddable player styles are offered; every plan has all features [15][16][17][1]. |
| Ads and stats | Dynamic ad insertion | Yes | 7/7 | AMIE inserts pre-, mid- and post-roll content dynamically at no extra charge [10]. |
| Ads and stats | IAB-certified downloads | Yes | 6/6 | IAB Tech Lab's compliant-companies list names Captivate, Podcast Measurement 2.2 (download, listener), dated 2024-07-19 [18]; Captivate's help article says it is IAB Certified [9]. |
| Your data | Import from another host | Yes | 7/7 | Dashboard option 'Switch Your Podcast to Captivate' imports a feed and episodes at no extra cost [5]. |
| Your data | Redirect when you leave | Not published | 0/8 | The 301 redirect guide covers moving to Captivate from other hosts, not away from Captivate [6]. |
| Your data | Download your files | Yes | 6/6 | Each episode's menu has a Download option; files are downloaded one at a time [7]. |
| Price | Free plan that publishes | No | 0/8 | The plans FAQ lists three paid plans and a 30-day free trial; no free plan [1]. |
| Price | Cheapest paid plan | $17/mo | 0/10 | Personal, $204 a year billed yearly; $19 billed monthly [1][2]. |

## Plans

| Plan | Price | Per month (USD) |
|---|---|---|
| Personal | $204/year [1][2] | $17 |
| Professional | $528/year [1][2] | $44 |
| Business | $1,080/year [1][2] | $90 |

Prices are in US dollars; euro and pound pricing also exists. Students, educational organisations and registered non-profits get 25% off all plans [1].

## Strengths

- Every plan has the same features; only the monthly download allowance changes [1].
- No limit on the number of podcasts under one account [1].
- Private podcasts are included on any plan at no extra cost [3].
- Dynamic ad insertion (AMIE) is offered at no extra charge [10].
- IAB Tech Lab's public list names Captivate for Podcast Measurement 2.2, covering downloads and listeners [18].

## Limits

- No free plan; only a 30-day free trial [1].
- Personal allows 30,000 downloads a month, so busy shows move to a dearer tier [1].
- Audio files download one at a time; no bulk download is described [7].
- The redirect guide explains moving to Captivate, not away from it [6].

## Vendor claims (not scored)

- Captivate says its download analytics and unique listener counts meet IAB standards [9].

## Sources

1. [Plans & Pricing FAQ](https://help.captivate.fm/en/article/plans-pricing-faq-10rg7d8/), Captivate, accessed 2026-10-09
2. [How do I upgrade my Captivate podcasting plan?](https://help.captivate.fm/en/article/how-do-i-upgrade-my-captivate-podcasting-plan-jfwzzx/), Captivate, accessed 2026-10-09
3. [Captivate help centre](https://help.captivate.fm/), Captivate, accessed 2026-10-09
4. [Private Podcasts FAQs](https://help.captivate.fm/en/article/private-podcasts-faqs-13p02ng/), Captivate, accessed 2026-10-09
5. [Importing your podcast to Captivate: a complete guide](https://help.captivate.fm/en/article/importing-your-podcast-to-captivate-a-complete-guide-iwmsei/), Captivate, accessed 2026-10-09
6. [How to set up a 301 redirect](https://help.captivate.fm/en/article/how-to-set-up-a-301-redirect-1cdxude/), Captivate, accessed 2026-10-09
7. [How to download media files from Captivate](https://help.captivate.fm/en/article/how-to-download-media-files-from-captivate-11adr9/), Captivate, accessed 2026-10-09
8. [Podcast distribution overview](https://help.captivate.fm/en/article/podcast-distribution-overview-how-to-submit-your-show-via-captivate-1eaes2q/), Captivate, accessed 2026-10-09
9. [IAB podcast analytic certification compliance explained](https://help.captivate.fm/en/article/iab-podcast-analytic-certification-compliance-explained-1k9qno9/), Captivate, accessed 2026-10-09
10. [AMIE dynamic ad insertion FAQs](https://help.captivate.fm/en/article/amie-dynamic-ad-insertion-faqs-optzy9/), Captivate, accessed 2026-10-09
11. [Podcast transcription FAQs](https://help.captivate.fm/en/article/podcast-transcription-faqs-1yi8x7q/), Captivate, accessed 2026-10-09
12. [How to find your Captivate API credentials](https://help.captivate.fm/en/article/how-to-find-your-captivate-api-credentials-1mlnjor/), Captivate, accessed 2026-10-09
13. [How to create your podcast team](https://help.captivate.fm/en/article/how-to-create-your-podcast-team-19di8t/), Captivate, accessed 2026-10-09
14. [How to add video podcasts to Spotify](https://help.captivate.fm/en/article/how-to-add-video-podcasts-to-spotify-xui07l/), Captivate, accessed 2026-10-09
15. [How to create a beautiful website for your podcast with Captivate: Part 1, basic settings](https://help.captivate.fm/en/article/how-to-create-a-beautiful-website-for-your-podcast-with-captivate-part-1-basic-settings-wipqeo/), Captivate, accessed 2026-10-09
16. [Captivate Sites: single episode pages](https://help.captivate.fm/en/article/captivate-sites-single-episode-pages-1h8q0n/), Captivate, accessed 2026-10-09
17. [Captivate podcast players overview](https://help.captivate.fm/en/article/captivate-podcast-players-overview-1gchwsy/), Captivate, accessed 2026-10-09
18. [Compliant companies](https://iabtechlab.com/compliance-programs/compliant-companies/), IAB Tech Lab, accessed 2026-10-09
19. [Pricing for Apple HLS video podcasts](https://help.captivate.fm/en/article/pricing-for-apple-hls-video-podcasts-vasx42/), Captivate, accessed 2026-10-09
20. [Captivate API](https://docs.captivate.fm/), Captivate, accessed 2026-10-09