Head-to-head comparison
Captivate vs Castos Private Podcasts
Two of the hosting tools podcasters reach for. Here's how they differ on pricing, features, audience, and the trade-offs that actually matter day-to-day.
Podcast host pitched at growth-minded creators who want to monetize and manage many shows.
Best for: Growth-focused podcasters
Castos's private podcast tier for businesses
Best for: Companies running internal podcasts or paid course delivery on top of an existing host.
At a glance
The honest trade-offs
Captivate
Pros
- Unlimited shows per account at every tier
- Strong monetization tools without add-ons
- Growth Labs education is genuinely useful
Watch-outs
- Higher entry price than Buzzsprout
- Some features still in beta
- Interface has a real learning curve
Castos Private Podcasts
Pros
- Private feeds added to existing Castos plans
- Cheaper entry than Hello Audio for small teams
- Tight WordPress integration via Seriously Simple
Watch-outs
- Less specialised than Hello Audio for coaches
- Subscriber gating UX is rougher
- Bundled rather than standalone
Which one should you pick?
Pick Captivate if
You’re building around growth-focused podcasters. Captivate is the host for indies who treat podcasting as a real business — unlimited shows per account, IAB analytics, and monetization tools without an upgrade dance. Entry price is higher than Buzzsprout and a couple of the promised features are still in beta.
Pick Castos Private Podcasts if
You’re building around companies running internal podcasts or paid course delivery on top of an existing host.. Castos Private Podcasts is the private-feed product bolted onto Castos's main hosting. Cheaper to start than Hello Audio or Supercast, and the natural choice if you already run a public show on Castos.
Also worth comparing
Or see all Captivate alternatives.
Frequently asked
What does Captivate do better than Castos Private Podcasts?
Captivate's standout is "Unlimited shows per account at every tier". Castos Private Podcasts doesn't make that promise — it leans into "Private feeds added to existing Castos plans" instead. If the first sentence describes your workflow, pick Captivate; if the second does, pick Castos Private Podcasts.
What are the trade-offs?
Captivate: higher entry price than buzzsprout. Castos Private Podcasts: less specialised than hello audio for coaches. Whether either matters depends entirely on what you actually need — neither is a deal-breaker by itself.
Can I use Captivate and Castos Private Podcasts together?
Both are hosting tools so most teams pick one. Some workflows do combine them — for example, using Captivate for one show or episode type and Castos Private Podcasts for another. Worth trying both free tiers before committing.