Last Verified: April 3, 2026
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Best Current Deal
Castos offers a 14-day free trial on all plans — no credit card required. If you commit to annual billing, every plan saves ~17%: Essentials drops from $19/mo to $15.83/mo, Growth from $49/mo to $40.83/mo, and Pro from $99/mo to $82.50/mo.
What Castos Does
Castos is a podcast hosting platform built for serious creators and content marketing teams. It integrates directly with WordPress via the Seriously Simple Podcasting plugin — so if your site already runs on WP, you can publish and distribute episodes without touching a second dashboard. All plans include unlimited storage, unlimited downloads, and automatic distribution to Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, and other major directories.
What actually stands out for content teams is private podcasting — password-protected RSS feeds for paid communities, internal training shows, or client-only content. Every paid plan includes this, plus automatic transcription credits (10–100 per month depending on tier) that turn each episode into searchable, repurposable text.
Castos Pricing
| Plan | Monthly | Annual | Key Feature |
|---|---|---|---|
| Essentials | $19/mo | $190/yr ($15.83/mo) | 10 transcription credits/mo, 100 private subscribers, 1 user |
| Growth | $49/mo | $490/yr ($40.83/mo) | YouTube republishing, 25 transcription credits/mo, 250 private subscribers |
| Pro | $99/mo | $990/yr ($82.50/mo) | Video hosting, 100 transcription credits/mo, 500 private subscribers, 10 team users |
| Premium | $499/mo+ | Custom | Agency scale, custom subscriber limits |
All plans include unlimited episodes and unlimited downloads. Extra transcription beyond monthly credits costs $0.10/minute. Private subscribers beyond plan limits cost $50/mo per 500.
How to Get This Deal
- Click the button below to start your 14-day free trial
- Choose your plan — select annual billing to save ~17%
- Optionally connect your WordPress site via the Seriously Simple Podcasting plugin
- Upload your first episode and distribute to all major podcast platforms
Quick Take
Pros:
- Unlimited uploads on all plans — no per-episode limits or storage caps that penalize high-volume publishing teams
- Native WordPress integration via Seriously Simple Podcasting is the cleanest setup for content teams already on WP
- Private podcasting included on every paid plan — genuinely useful for paid communities, internal training shows, and client-facing content
Cons:
- No permanent free tier — unlike Buzzsprout or Podbean, you’re paying after the 14-day trial regardless of volume
- YouTube republishing is locked to Growth ($49/mo) and above — not available on the $19 Essentials plan
FAQ
Does Castos offer a free plan?
No. Castos doesn’t have a permanent free tier. There’s a 14-day free trial with full access, but you’ll need to choose a paid plan after that. If a free tier is a hard requirement, Buzzsprout and Podbean both offer limited free plans.
How does Castos transcription work?
Castos auto-transcribes episodes using built-in AI. Each plan includes monthly credits: 10 on Essentials, 25 on Growth, 100 on Pro. One credit covers one minute of audio. Beyond your monthly allotment, transcription costs $0.10 per minute.
Can I host a private podcast on Castos?
Yes — private podcasting is available on all paid Castos plans. You get password-protected RSS feeds with subscriber management: up to 100 subscribers on Essentials, 250 on Growth, and 500 on Pro. Additional subscribers cost $50/mo per 500 beyond your plan limit.
How does Castos compare to Buzzsprout?
Castos offers unlimited storage and uploads on every plan. Buzzsprout limits monthly upload hours and charges more for high-volume shows. Castos also adds video hosting (Pro) and YouTube republishing (Growth+) — neither of which Buzzsprout supports. Buzzsprout has a free tier; Castos doesn’t.
Does Castos support YouTube republishing?
Yes, on Growth ($49/mo) and Pro ($99/mo) plans. The feature automatically publishes your audio episodes to YouTube with a static image or waveform. It’s not included on the $19 Essentials plan.




