Head-to-head comparison
Headliner vs Podchaser
Two of the distribution tools podcasters reach for. Here's how they differ on pricing, features, audience, and the trade-offs that actually matter day-to-day.
Cheap, cheerful audiogram generator that helped invent the category and still works well.
Best for: Audiograms and clips
Podcast database and discovery community that doubles as a directory.
Best for:
At a glance
The honest trade-offs
Headliner
Pros
- Free tier that's actually useful
- Audiogram engine is mature and reliable
- Used by major media outlets like BBC and CNN
Watch-outs
- Auto-clipping trails AI-first competitors
- Mobile app less polished than the web
- Templates can feel a step behind viral aesthetic
Podchaser
Pros
- Public reviews and credits help SEO and discovery
- Owned by Acast, integrated with their ad business
- Tags and lists open another discovery path
Watch-outs
- Listener traffic small versus Apple or Spotify
- Pro pricing aimed at agencies, not solo creators
- Some show pages have stale data without a manual claim
Which one should you pick?
Pick Headliner if
You’re building around audiograms and clips. Headliner more or less invented the podcast audiogram and a decade later it's still one of the most affordable and most-used. Free tier is genuinely usable, paid starts at $7.
Pick Podchaser if
You’re building around . Podchaser is the IMDB of podcasts: public reviews, credits, tags, lists. Owned by Acast.
Also worth comparing
Or see all Headliner alternatives.
Frequently asked
What does Headliner do better than Podchaser?
Headliner's standout is "Free tier that's actually useful". Podchaser doesn't make that promise — it leans into "Public reviews and credits help SEO and discovery" instead. If the first sentence describes your workflow, pick Headliner; if the second does, pick Podchaser.
What are the trade-offs?
Headliner: auto-clipping trails ai-first competitors. Podchaser: listener traffic small versus apple or spotify. Whether either matters depends entirely on what you actually need — neither is a deal-breaker by itself.
Do they support the same platforms?
Headliner works on iOS, Android where Podchaser doesn't. If you're on a specific OS or device, that may decide for you.
Can I use Headliner and Podchaser together?
Both are distribution tools so most teams pick one. Some workflows do combine them — for example, using Headliner for one show or episode type and Podchaser for another. Worth trying both free tiers before committing.