Head-to-head comparison
RSS.com vs Transistor 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.
Genuinely free podcast hosting that monetizes through ads and premium upgrades.
Best for: Free-tier hosting
Transistor's per-subscriber private feed feature
Best for: Transistor users who want to add internal or paid feeds without a separate vendor.
At a glance
The honest trade-offs
RSS.com
Pros
- Free tier with unlimited episodes, no time limit
- Auto-distribution to major directories
- AI transcription included
Watch-outs
- Monetization shallower than Acast
- Interface less polished than rivals
- Premium upsells throughout the UI
Transistor Private Podcasts
Pros
- Private podcasts on every paid plan
- Same dashboard as your public show
- Per-subscriber feed analytics
Watch-outs
- Best value only if you'd buy Transistor anyway
- Less specialised for course-creator workflows
- Lighter on email gating than Hello Audio
Which one should you pick?
Pick RSS.com if
You’re building around free-tier hosting. RSS.com is one of the few hosts whose free tier is actually usable as a permanent home — unlimited episodes and no time limit beats Buzzsprout's 90-day window outright.
Pick Transistor Private Podcasts if
You’re building around transistor users who want to add internal or paid feeds without a separate vendor.. Transistor treats private podcasts as a first-class feature rather than an upsell. Every paid plan supports per-subscriber feeds, signup pages, and email-gated access from the same dashboard that runs your public show.
Also worth comparing
Or see all RSS.com alternatives.
Frequently asked
What does RSS.com do better than Transistor Private Podcasts?
RSS.com's standout is "Free tier with unlimited episodes, no time limit". Transistor Private Podcasts doesn't make that promise — it leans into "Private podcasts on every paid plan" instead. If the first sentence describes your workflow, pick RSS.com; if the second does, pick Transistor Private Podcasts.
What are the trade-offs?
RSS.com: monetization shallower than acast. Transistor Private Podcasts: best value only if you'd buy transistor anyway. Whether either matters depends entirely on what you actually need — neither is a deal-breaker by itself.
Do they support the same platforms?
RSS.com works on iOS, Android where Transistor Private Podcasts doesn't. If you're on a specific OS or device, that may decide for you.
Can I use RSS.com and Transistor Private Podcasts together?
Both are hosting tools so most teams pick one. Some workflows do combine them — for example, using RSS.com for one show or episode type and Transistor Private Podcasts for another. Worth trying both free tiers before committing.