Captivate review

Captivate suits new podcasters who already treat the show as a project to grow. Every plan includes the same features, and the only difference between tiers is the monthly download allowance. The Personal plan costs $17 a month paid yearly, or $19 month to month, and covers up to 30,000 downloads a month with unlimited podcasts, unlimited uploads and storage, and an extensive distribution list. Included tools go well past basic hosting: advanced IAB certified analytics, dynamic content insertion through AMIE, private podcasting, a podcast website and player, network features and Growth Labs courses. All plans start with a 30-day free trial. Captivate states that it will not stop your podcast if you exceed the download limit once. The trade-off is clear in its own FAQ: there is no free plan, because Captivate positions itself for serious creators. Beginners who only want to test an idea may find a free host a better first step.

Who it is for

podcasters focused on growth and monetization tools

Price

Personal $17 a month paid yearly or $19 a month monthly; 30-day free trial.

Personal $17 USD / month, paid yearly
Quoted from the vendor pricing page on November 12, 2026.

Key features

• All features on every plan; plans differ only by monthly downloads
• Personal covers up to 30,000 downloads a month
• Advanced, IAB certified analytics on all plans
• Dynamic content insertion with AMIE and private podcasting included
• Unlimited podcasts and unlimited uploads and storage

Strengths and weaknesses

• Strength: 30-day free trial on every plan
• Strength: No feature gating between tiers
• Strength: Captivate says it will not stop a show that goes over its download limit
• Weakness: No free plan
• Weakness: Plans scale with downloads, so costs rise with audience size
• Weakness: Professional jumps to $44 a month paid yearly

Key facts

• Free trial: 30 days
• Cheapest plan: Personal, $17 a month paid yearly
• Downloads included: Up to 30,000 a month on Personal
• Podcasts: Unlimited
• Analytics: IAB certified

Where it ranks

Captivate is No. 5 in our Best Podcast Hosting Platforms verdict.