Head-to-head comparison
Beamly vs Spotify Audience Network
Two of the monetization tools podcasters reach for. Here's how they differ on pricing, features, audience, and the trade-offs that actually matter day-to-day.
Membership website builder with zero platform fees and Stripe payouts to your account.
Best for: Owned membership sites
Spotify's audience-based ad network reaching listeners across Spotify and third-party apps.
Best for: Megaphone hosted shows
At a glance
The honest trade-offs
Beamly
Pros
- 0% platform fees on memberships
- Up to 1,000 members free across all plans
- Annual billing saves up to 20%
Watch-outs
- No perpetual free plan post-trial
- Smaller ecosystem than Patreon
- Brand still building awareness
Spotify Audience Network
Pros
- Fill rates up 10%+, CPMs up 40%+ for opted-in publishers
- Programmatic insertion, low ops lift
- Midyear 2026 shift to Spotify ad stack adds direct sales
Watch-outs
- Requires Megaphone hosting
- Price-floor controls weakened in 2025
- Spotify ad sales controls the rate card
Which one should you pick?
Pick Beamly if
You’re building around owned membership sites. Beamly (formerly Podcastpage) sells memberships and digital products with 0 percent platform fees — you only pay Stripe processing. Up to 1,000 members free on every plan.
Pick Spotify Audience Network if
You’re building around megaphone hosted shows. SPAN dynamically inserts ads into Megaphone-hosted shows. Big demand pool, modest publisher control.
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Frequently asked
What does Beamly do better than Spotify Audience Network?
Beamly's standout is "0% platform fees on memberships". Spotify Audience Network doesn't make that promise — it leans into "Fill rates up 10%+, CPMs up 40%+ for opted-in publishers" instead. If the first sentence describes your workflow, pick Beamly; if the second does, pick Spotify Audience Network.
What are the trade-offs?
Beamly: no perpetual free plan post-trial. Spotify Audience Network: requires megaphone hosting. Whether either matters depends entirely on what you actually need — neither is a deal-breaker by itself.
Can I use Beamly and Spotify Audience Network together?
Both are monetization tools so most teams pick one. Some workflows do combine them — for example, using Beamly for one show or episode type and Spotify Audience Network for another. Worth trying both free tiers before committing.