Head-to-head comparison

Podnews vs Transom

Two of the resources tools podcasters reach for. Here's how they differ on pricing, features, audience, and the trade-offs that actually matter day-to-day.

Daily podcast industry news read every weekday morning by working podcasters.

Best for: Industry news

Long-running public-radio storytelling resource: articles, tools, workshops, and showcase.

Best for: Audio storytelling craft

At a glance

Field
Podnews
Transom
Best for
Industry news
Audio storytelling craft
Price tier
Freeverify
Freeverify
Platforms
Web
Web
Audience
Solo creatorsSmall teamsAgenciesEnterprise
Solo creatorsSmall teams

The honest trade-offs

Podnews

Pros

  • Updated every weekday since 2017
  • Genuinely global coverage
  • Free with no paywall

Watch-outs

  • Inside-baseball tone
  • Not for casual listeners
  • Light on creative craft topics

Transom

Pros

  • Peabody-winning resource since 2001
  • Free article archive and tools
  • Public radio production lens

Watch-outs

  • Site design is dated
  • Strong narrative-podcast slant
  • Workshops are competitive to get into

Which one should you pick?

Pick Podnews if

You’re building around industry news. If you only read one podcast newsletter, this is it. James Cridland's daily dispatch is short, dense, and global — heavy on platform moves, hires, and tech changes.

Pick Transom if

You’re building around audio storytelling craft. Where serious audio storytellers learn craft. Launched in 2001 by Atlantic Public Media and recipient of the first Peabody Award given to a website (2003).

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Frequently asked

What does Podnews do better than Transom?

Podnews's standout is "Updated every weekday since 2017". Transom doesn't make that promise — it leans into "Peabody-winning resource since 2001" instead. If the first sentence describes your workflow, pick Podnews; if the second does, pick Transom.

What are the trade-offs?

Podnews: inside-baseball tone. Transom: site design is dated. Whether either matters depends entirely on what you actually need — neither is a deal-breaker by itself.

Can I use Podnews and Transom together?

Both are resources tools so most teams pick one. Some workflows do combine them — for example, using Podnews for one show or episode type and Transom for another. Worth trying both free tiers before committing.