Spotify is making podcasters–and their listeners- angry. For good reason. Spotify can’t support 192 kbps audio, so they’re forcing listeners to listen to sub-par audio at 128 kbps. There’s ads…but worse, ads for ICE, on Spotify. And most recently, they’ve instituted yet another monthly price hike- now $12.99 per month for an individual plan, $21.99 for a family plan, and $18.99 for the premium duo plan. Students get the cheapest plan, but still saw an increase, with the fees now being $6.99 per month. They’ve also gotten a lot of criticism for their very low payouts to creators (approximately $.004 per play- Apple pays a whole penny per play LOL). All this while 2025 Q3 reporting showed a 28% profit growth year-over year. Ad-supported revenue declined by 6%. (Reference)
So what else is out there for podcasters, if they don’t want to support Spotify? There’s a whole lineup of podcast platforms that are more creator-friendly, higher quality and more flexible than being locked into one of the biggest streaming giants. Here’s how podcasters can break free and pick a platform that actually feels good to put their work on:
1. RedCircle is designed around creator revenue and growth that allows podcasters to earn without being beholden to Spotify’s ad rules.
2. RSS.com is simple, but comes with powerful monetization features. It’s for those who want a no-nonsense, creator-first host.
3. Interested in moving from audio-only podcasting to video podcasting? Check out Podbean. It offers multiple ways to monetize and scale.
4. Riverside offers all-in-one: studio-quality recording + hosting + distribution. One-stop shopping.
5. Libsyn– one of the oldest and most trusted hosts in the podcast space, with excellent reliability and distribution to all major players (Apple, Spotify, Amazon, etc) and strong monetization tools, with fewer restrictions on earnings than Spotify
6. Buzzsprout– a beginner friendly platform with polished tools, good analytics, easy distribution to the major players and optional tools for ads, sponsorships and more. Best for new creators and those who want ease and decent monetization.
Even if you host a podcast outside Spotify, you can still distribute it to Spotify and other major players via your RSS feed. Most hosting platforms let you submit once and syndicate everywhere. When it comes to Spotify, creators often complain that:
– Payouts are low or nonexistent directly from Spotify. Many hosts monetize through ads, listener support, or platform-agnostic revenue- not from Spotify subscribers themselves.
– Analytics are limited and Spotify’s tools aren’t as robust as some dedicated services.
– Platform changes can affect visibility or features without warning.
So if you’re a podcaster itching for better control, better earnings and less dependence on one giant service, these alternatives are not just viable, they’re often superior.
