{"id":794,"date":"2021-01-31T17:31:26","date_gmt":"2021-01-31T17:31:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.softwaretools.tech\/?p=794"},"modified":"2022-03-19T10:38:47","modified_gmt":"2022-03-19T10:38:47","slug":"best-podcast-hosting-websites","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.softwaretools.tech\/best-podcast-hosting-websites\/","title":{"rendered":"15 Best Podcast Hosting Websites in 2022 [Ultimate Guide]"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

We all love a good podcast now and then – and if you are looking to start one of your own then you’ve come to the right article. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The idea of podcasting seems very interesting; having the opportunity to share your audio content and its insights with the world. This is why if you want to do it, you need to do it right. And to do it right you need a podcast hosting service.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now there are a multitude of podcast hosting services and even website hosting services that offer podcast file management.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this article, we have tested and reviewed them and highlighted the best podcast hosting websites that would suit you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n


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Best Podcast Hosting Websites<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

1. Podbean<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

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Podbean is a simple podcasting website that is user-friendly and great for the beginning <\/p>\n\n\n\n

podcaster while also meeting the standards of the professional podcaster.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The dashboard of Podbean is very easy to understand and its interface is generally clean. You can monitor your podcasts’ statistics, distribution, and episode management.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some of the features offered by Podbean are unlimited hosting, easy publishing, social media sharing as well as integration with customer email for effective email marketing, and promotion on iTunes, Google Play, Spotify, Amazon Alexa, and all the major apps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A free plan is offered which comes with basic stats, 100GB of bandwidth and you can upload up to 5 hours of content per month with the major downside being that you won\u2019t be able to use your own domain name on this tier.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The paid plans start from $9\/month and the features include unlimited storage and bandwidth as well as advanced podcast stats.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The recommended plan for professional podcasters is the Unlimited Plus which goes for $29\/month. It includes all the features of the $9 plan including unlimited video hosting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Also, an added advantage of Podbean is that it is compatible with your phone and you can publish podcast episodes right from your phone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n


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2. BuzzSprout<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

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BuzzSprout has been around since 2009 and they are one of the most trusted and patronized podcast hosting services.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is very beginner-friendly and they even provide excellent instructional videos and articles that provide all you need to know about starting a podcast.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

BuzzSprout offers a completely free plan with allows you to upload 2 hours of content per cycle (each month). The free plan comes with all the basic features including advanced statistics and unlimited team members.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can start out with this plan and get an upgrade if it suits you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are even cooler features with the paid plans. Some of those features include Magic Mastering; which levels out your audio and improves its overall quality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Also, your podcast would be hosted indefinitely as opposed to the free plan where it’s only hosted for a period of 90 days.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

BuzzSprout constantly aims to update and add new features and options for their 100,000+ users. Some of these unique features include the Embed Player from BuzzSprout which allows you to embed a podcast on your website.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Once you upload new content, it is automatically submitted to all the top podcast directories ensuring that your podcast is properly distributed across all devices and apps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With their thorough statistical analysis and predictions, you get to monitor your podcast closely, and also you can monetize your podcast by making use of their affiliate marketplace and their other options in the ‘Monetization’ section which is visible on your dashboard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

BuzzSprout’s paid plans start from $12 to $24\/month and vary mostly based on the hours of content you can upload per month.<\/p>\n\n\n\n


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3. Castos<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

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A great catch Castos offers is that you ‘Never run out of storage or bandwidth, no matter which plans you choose.’ That alone is an advantage that many Podcast hosting websites do not offer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Castos is mostly favorable by WordPress users but, you can directly sign up on their site and start hosting your podcast straight on the platform.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To take advantage of its seamless integration with WordPress, you can simply install the WordPress Plugin called ‘Seriously Simple Podcasting’ and easily upload new podcasts to your site.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It gets even better, the WordPress Plugin enables you to add a customizable media player that you can tailor-make to look how you want it to look and thereby fit in perfectly with the original look of your site.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Castos hosting services come with some pretty useful features for veteran podcasters like a simple importing system that helps you import all your podcasts from previous platforms into your Castos dashboard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You also get to make use of features like automatic republication if you are a YouTuber and easily link your YouTube account with your podcasts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A 14-day free trial option is available and after that, you get to decide which of the plans is suitable for you based on what features you are most interested in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The starting plan is at $19 per month offering all basic features including unlimited storage and bandwidth with the exception of the YouTube republication feature.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To have access to the YouTube republishing and video podcasting you’d have to go for the higher plans which are $34\/month and $49\/month respectively.<\/p>\n\n\n\n


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4. Spreaker<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

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Founded in 2009 by the parent organization, Voxnest.inc, Spreaker is a popular web and mobile platform that helps you create, manage, distribute and monetize your podcast.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Spreaker isn’t only for podcast creation but, for listening to podcasts of others as well. The podcasts are categorized and very well organized and seeing\/listening to all those great podcasts will inspire you to start recording yours. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although, Spreaker offers a free version, to really enjoy this app and all its great features you’d need to go pro and choose one of its paid plans. Options such as joining the monetization program and advanced statistics are only available on Pro plans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Just like most efficient podcast hosting websites, Spreaker integrates with various streaming services such as Spotify, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, etc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other features offered by Spreaker include pre-recording or hosting live broadcasts, audio FX library, and auto-post to social media handles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The pro plan begins at $7 per month and could cost as much as $20 per month or $50 per month for more advanced features. You can find out more about the different plans right here<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n


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5. Podcastics<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

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If you’re a sucker for 100% transparency like myself, then you would absolutely love Podcastics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Podcastics is a relatively new podcast that was created by Podcasters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This reflects from their website interface which is as straightforward as it gets and also their clearly stated features for whichever plan you choose,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Podcastics promises to take podcast hosting seriously and they do just that through their powerful Amazon servers, great distribution plan, and extra services such as a free website builder.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many podcast hosting services talk about monetizing strategy but fail to make it clear and easy to understand for the rookie podcaster, with Podcastics it is hassle-free and explained in detail along with other articles and helpful resources. This makes Podcastics very ideal for a beginner as well as an experienced podcaster.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This platform offers four plans in total. A free plan, which is great for basic podcast management but, unfortunately does not include a hosting plan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The $4 per month plan is also ideal and includes all podcast management, monetization options, and the likes but, it is also not a hosting plan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Podcastics hosting plan starts at $8 per month and it really offers all of the services you would need as a podcaster and even more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The final plan which is the Max plan goes for $39 a month and this plan will enable the distribution of your podcast all over the world! Note that every plan offered by Podcastics is completely free for the first month.<\/p>\n\n\n\n


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6. Captivate<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

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Captivate’s user interface is clean and bordering on the line of beautiful but, that’s not the only reason why it’s one of the best podcasting websites available.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unlike most hosting websites, Captivate doesn’t restrict analytics, the number of shows, upload time, or other features based on the plan you purchase. This is why Captivate prides itself on being ‘the world’s only growth-oriented podcast host’.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Captivate also has a WordPress podcasting connector plugin called ‘Captivate Sync’ that allows you to easily link your WordPress website to your Captivate podcast hosting account and seamlessly publish from one platform to the other, whilst keeping everything synchronized.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When it comes to features, Captivate comes ready. From advanced analytics and a podcast website to brilliant marketing tools, embedded media player, and many more. The best thing is that all these features are available on all the plans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A 7-day free trial is offered (although you need to fill in your card details first). There are three plans available. The starting price is $19 per month. The other plans; audio influencer and podcast brand cost $49 per month and $99 per month respectively. The differences in the prices are based on the number of monthly downloads that are allowed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n


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7. Simplecast<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

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Simplecast has been around since 2013 and they have been providing their users with ‘industry-leading industry-leading publishing, distribution, analytics, and sharing tools’. The user interface is very practical and easy to use with reasonable prices.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This website is great for quality audio broadcasting and supports most audio formats such as MP3, mp3PRO, OGG, and WM9, etc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apparently, Simplecast underwent a major upgrade in features and general interface not too long ago.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This change may have caused some challenges amongst its users who were still stuck with the old version but, as of now, 2021, the new and improved Simplecast platform is available for all users, both old and new.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Just like most recommended podcast hosting platforms, Simplecast provides an embedded player that you can add to your website or page with the details of your episodes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They also provide top-notch analysis tools that present you with the usual data such as listener statistics as well as unique data such as where you are listening in from.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Simplecast offers a free 14-day trial which we tried out but, the full features that would impress you (like access to your shows analytics in the overview section of the audience page) are available when you upgrade to one of their plans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They offer three plans for independent podcasters. These plans start at $15\/month for ‘Basic’ and go as high as $85\/month for the ‘Growth’ plan. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can check out what features each plan offer right here<\/a>. The basic plan for $15\/month does seem to be the most popular.<\/p>\n\n\n\n


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8. FuseBox<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

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Fusebox is a really high-end WordPress plugin that provides a handful of features that are intended to make your podcasting journey blissful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There’s just one major con and let’s get it out of the way- it doesn’t work on non-WordPress sites. So if the site you’d like to upload your podcast player on isn’t a WordPress site, then this isn’t the podcasting tool for you. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, if you run a WordPress site and you require a quality podcast player then, Fusebox is one of the best options for you. An additional feature is that it also comes with a Transcript WordPress plugin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Even though Fusebox is often referred to as a podcast hosting website, it doesn’t provide those typical services like recording or live broadcasting and the likes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fusebox is more accurately described as a Podcast player. It does offer additional features like Email capture, social sharing, and advanced customization.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To make it perfectly clear, you can’t record on Fusebox or ‘host’ your podcast on Fusebox. Fusebox is not for starting a podcast or goofing around.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To use Fusebox to be of benefit to you means that you already have a podcast that you would like to share with your audience through your WordPress website.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is made evident when you sign up on Fusebox and to get started you’d need to provide your RSS URL. No need to fret if you don’t know what that is, Fusebox provides helpful tips for any challenge you might encounter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A free version that offers all the basic functionalities is made available. You can try that out but, to have access to the full package as we have described so far, you’d have to upgrade to the pro version.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the prominent differences is that the pro version comes with four players; Single Track Player, Archive Player with Playlist, Full-page Archive Player, and Sticky Player while the free version only has the Single Track Players.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The pro version can be billed either monthly or annually and costs $19\/month and $15.83\/month respectively.<\/p>\n\n\n\n


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9. Transistor<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

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Transistor is a smaller start-up that came around in 2017. When you record your audio and upload it on Transistor, the platform helps you to distribute your podcast to all the popular streaming platforms which include Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Google Podcasts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This platform is for everyone; from creatives to businesses and also professionals. As expected, they also provide audio hosting and analytics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Transistor also provides email marketing services by providing integration with mailing sites like Mailchimp and Hubspot just to mention a few.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the good things about Transistor is that it lets you pay one price and take no extra charge from you for running more podcasts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So essentially, you can run as many podcasts as you want for the price of even the most basic plan; which goes for $19 per month. This way you can run multiple podcasts easily from one account.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Transistor offers a free 14-day trial. For the pricing, they differ based on the number of downloads and subscribers your show has.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The starter plan goes for $19\/month and allows 15,000 downloads per month. This plan offers all you might need but, the branding is not removed from the embed player so if that’s a problem for you or if you have tons of downloads and subscribers, you may prefer to go with some of the other plans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These plans include the pro plan which goes for $49 per month with 75,000 downloads and the business pan which goes for $99 per month for 200,000 downloads per month.<\/p>\n\n\n\n


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10. Resonate<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

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Resonate is as new as they come. It’s official launching date was July 1st, 2020. A breakthrough in the midst of a pandemic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Just because Resonate is new in the podcast hosting game doesn’t mean it’s a rookie service. In fact, Resonate Recordings has been in the audio production, video editing, and content creation business since 2017.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Just like any other top notch podcast hosting service, Resonate provides features which include an embedded media player, distribution across streaming platforms and detailed analytics. But, what is it’s edge?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In addition to providing top-notch hosting services, Resonate serves as a software tool for editing and mixing your podcast. This is an added advantage to you as it will help cut costs and you would be able to handle your podcast on one platform.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One really cool feature is the Podcast Microsite which showcases your podcast by providing a complete episode listing with a player to listen to each episode.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It also provides links to subscribe to your show in popular podcast players and offers you a customizable theme to match your show’s color palette. This feature is available on the premium and pro plans. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The pricing starts at $25 per month for unlimited show episodes and all the other features you would need including advanced analytics. The premium plan costs $49 per month and comes with the podcast microsite feature. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

They also offer a 14-day free trial. Resonate hosting might be new but, it is trustworthy and definitely worth your money and time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n


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11. Soundcloud<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

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Remember the first time you heard about Soundcloud? It was most probably in relation to finding new music or trying to share your music as an artist. If you didn’t know that Soundcloud also serves as a podcast hosting service, then now you know!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Soundcloud has been around since 2007 and over the course of the years, it has grown to be a household name with 175 million+ monthly listeners and accessible from 200 countries. With these numbers, hosting your podcast with Soundcloud automatically comes with some great advantages. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can pin your most popular episodes to the spotlight section, engage directly with your listeners through the comment section or direct messages, and many more!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When you choose to go with Soundcloud, think about how amazing it would be if your podcast becomes noticed. Instantly you are having thousands of listeners and interacting with them as you please. Feels a little bit like a mini-celebrity, to be honest. The familiarity of Soundcloud is wholesome.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Of course, Soundcloud would have been even bigger as a podcast hosting platform but, it does have a few unreconcilable cons.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of them is that Soundcloud’s analytics are not IAB compliant. Basically, there are a set of standard metrics to measure and track podcast listens and downloads and if the website’s analytics does not meet up to it then technically, the numbers are not ‘legitimate’.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This might never get to affect you ever but, it’s information you should know in case your sponsors or advertisers would be thorough and require IAB compliant analytics. You can learn more about IAB compliance<\/a> here.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Soundcloud’s pricing is great. They offer a completely free version which poses some limitations but, you can start with it if you are a beginner podcaster. Their pro unlimited plan goes for $12 per month and has all the features you would need. <\/p>\n\n\n\n


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12. Blubrry<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

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Blurbrry is a podcast hosting service made by podcasters and has been around since 2005. Its longevity in the industry represents its reliability and assurance that it is a trustworthy service with satisfied users.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Blurbrry’s podcast hosting helps you publish and distribute your podcast to all major platforms, provides professional analytics, and also provides a free WordPress website. You also get free migration from your previous host and great technical support.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yes, Blurbrry is a standard podcast hosting website with most of the expected features but, what really makes it so popular to this day is its WordPress Plugin; PowerPress. It’s the most trusted podcast plugin since 2008 and helps you control your brand conveniently from your WordPress dashboard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you haven’t guessed it yet, Blurbrry is a great choice for you especially if you use a WordPress website. They also provide podcast production services.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Their pricing varies based on monthly storage mostly. The smallest plan goes for $12 per month and provides 100MB of monthly storage while the largest plan goes for $80 per month for 1000MB of monthly storage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are two other plan options in between with the medium plan of $20\/month for 250MB of monthly storage being the most popular.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A 1-month free trial is available so you can try that out and see if you like this host.<\/p>\n\n\n\n


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13. Libsyn<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

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Libsyn are veterans in the podcast hosting business and have been around since 2004. They are a safe and trustworthy platform and one of the most popular options when it comes to podcast hosting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Libsyn’s pricing is strategically low and starts at $5 per month for 50MB of storage space. The pricing mostly depends on the amount of storage space provided.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most users can get away with the $5 plan and be able to upload content of about 10 minutes weekly with no problem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If your show will require you to post more often like daily for about 10 minutes then you’d need to upgrade to the next plan of $15 per month for 250MB which is still pretty affordable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They provide a very helpful community and also all the typical features of a good podcast host such as Stats and analytics, embeddable HTML5 media player and, a frequently updated platform.<\/p>\n\n\n\n


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14. Podomatic<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

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Podomatic is mostly known for being a free platform that provides podcast hosting and services that would help novice podcaster to manage and promote their podcast efficiently.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, Podomatic also offers extra features that would impress professional podcasters. These features are available on their pro plans which start at $8.32 per month.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With the Pro plan, you can take your podcast to the next level by having access to more features which include Featured placement across Podomatic, Advanced statistics, Expanded bandwidth, Massive storage, Personal customer support, and access to PRO design tools.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since Podomatic is widely known mostly for its free version, let’s highlight some of the basic features available. You have access to promotional tools, statistics and analysis of your episodes, Crowdsourcing, and social media embedding.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Podomatic is really a smart choice for you especially as a novice podcaster and its only drawback might be that when it comes to editing features, it’s not up to the level of other popular podcasting hosts that provide editing tools.<\/p>\n\n\n\n


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15. Audioboom<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

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Audioboom is ‘for Podcasters, for advertisers, and for listeners’. With Audioboom you get to host, distribute and monetize your podcast all on one platform.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They also provide a customizable embeddable player as well as integration with streaming platforms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Even if you are not starting out your podcast with Audioboom, as an already established podcast with at least 10,000 plays per month, they provide a great monetizing scheme for you to make money off your podcast.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you are just starting out your Podcast with Audioboom, the plan available to you goes for $9.99 and provides features which include: Up to 10,000 plays\/month, Advanced site analytics, Distribute via iHeartRadio, GooglePlay, Spotify, Stitcher, and Apple Podcasts, Embeddable Players for social media and website integration. This plan only allows you to publish up to 5 episodes\/month,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Audioboom’s pro plan(available to you if your show has at least 10,000 plays per month) offers a wide variety of features which includes Sponsorships, Host endorsements and live reads from top advertisers, ad network services, and many more. <\/p>\n\n\n\n


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What is Podcast Hosting and How to Start a Podcast?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Most people are familiar with the concept of Website hosting, well Podcast hosting isn’t much different. To efficiently and smoothly run your podcast, you’re going to need a service that enables you to create, manage and distribute your audio files. Podcast hosting entails all the management, distribution, and even customization that goes into branding your podcast. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A podcast hosting service or website is one which provides the following:<\/p>\n\n\n\n