Blubrry vs Buzzsprout: What’s The Difference?
Podcasts have gained a lot of popularity in the last couple of years and have been utilized in a broad range of entertainment, education, news, and marketing.
For anyone interested in delivering content, podcasts are an awesome idea.
If you are:
- a start-up company
- an artist
- an established business
- a freelancer
- a journalist
- or literally, anyone who has something to say
Congratulations! Podcasts are for you.
Now, if you want to know how to start a podcast, the answer is simple with podcast hosting services such as Blubrry or Buzzsprout.
Who needs a podcast hosting service?
Anyone who wants to start a podcast needs a podcast hosting service. They give you an RSS feed that your listeners can subscribe to, and you can submit to podcast directories (like iTunes) to be listed there.
Consider that podcast files can be very large, too. So hosting them on your own website isn’t ideal.
Before comparing both platforms, let’s take a look at some of their features.
Blubrry
Established in 2005, Blubrry Podcasting now helps more than 100,000 podcasters with hosting, distribution, and audience statistics, among other tools.
It was founded by Todd Cochrane and has headquarters in Columbus, Ohio.
Buzzsprout
Buzzsprout helps you host, promote and track your podcast. It was co-founded by Kevin Finn and Tom Rossi in 2008 and since then has helped over 100,000 people start their own podcast.
Their headquarters are in Jacksonville, Florida.
Main features
Blubrry
- Blubrry Powerpress WordPress Plugin.
- Professional statistics (IAB Certified) in all their plans.
- “No-fault” overage: they allow a 25% storage overage on all their plans.
- Free podcasting statistics.
- Offers audio and video.
- Monetization strategy.
- Offers refunds.
Buzzsprout
- Advanced statistics in all their plans.
- Unlimited storage.
- Monetization strategy.
- Offers chapter markers.
- Automatic episode optimization.
- Magic Mastering.
Blubrry & BuzzSprout Comparison
Now, finally, here you have our in-depth comparison of Blubrry vs. Buzzsprout to help you decide between the two.
Ease of use
Ease of use involves the front and the back end of these online platforms. They must be both great to attract potential customers and keep them coming back.
From the front end aspect
Blubrry
- Displays beautiful pictures and colors.
- Multiple CTA buttons.
- A lot of information.
Buzzsprout
- Clean and minimal design.
- One CTA button.
- Easy navigation.
- Short-form content.
Our verdict
Buzzsprout clearly has the upper hand here. They focus more on the design than Blubrry hence delivering a better user experience. Their landing page is focused on one goal and is free of any distractions.
From the back end and dashboard aspect
Blubrry
- They offer audio and video.
- They have a WordPress hosting integration (Powerpress). You can build 1 to 1000 (or more) shows with it on a single install. Once it’s set up, you can write your blog post and upload your media without ever coming back to Blubrry.
- Professional statistics in all their plans (IAB Certified). Advanced Statistics in the Pro Hosting plan.
- Free podcasting statistics. If you already have a podcast but not a way to measure its success, Blubrry provides Free Basic Podcast Statistics.
- Podcast Network tool.
- Professional Podcast Production. This helps you with tasks such as fine-tuning podcast content and generating transcripts.
- Private Podcasting.
- It allows you to offer premium content.
- Unlimited bandwidth.
Buzzsprout
- They offer audio but not video.
- They have a WordPress plugin.
- Advanced statistics in all their plans (including the free one).
- Automatic episode optimization. No need to worry about ID3 (MP3 metadata).
- Chapter markers.
- Magic Mastering. A tool that optimizes audio files to make them sound really nice.
- Buzzsprout allows you to offer premium content.
- Unlimited storage.
Our verdict
This is a tough one because both companies have great podcast options. However, Blubrry stands out thanks to its Powerpress WordPress plugin that makes publishing your podcast be really easy.
Resources and Knowledge center
We all need a little help when getting started. That’s why it’s so important that a website has all the necessary resources so you can use its features to the optimum.
Blubrry
- They have a Podcast Manual covering all the podcasts basics like monetizing your content and promotion and distribution. Plus, full documentation is available to answer all your doubts.
- Blubrry doesn’t directly link to a FAQ section, but at the end of some pages, such as Podcast Hosting, there are frequently asked questions about the topic.
- They own a Youtube channel covering mainly Blubrry-related topics and is updated sporadically.
Buzzsprout
- They have an entire blog full of information and a Help section with how-tos and articles.
- Buzzsprout has a Youtube channel covering the same topics as the blog with new videos each week.
Verdict
Though Buzzsprout has a more updated Youtube channel, it basically has the same information as to their blog posts. Blubrry wins here with more detailed information for users.
Support
Blubrry
- The customer support team is reachable through the phone from 9am-5pm EST, Monday through Friday, for free.
- You can also email them during business hours 7 days a week or schedule a video conference. I send them an email, and they replied in less than a day.
Buzzsprout
- You can email their support team if you have in-depth questions, and they usually respond within 25 minutes. I emailed them, and they literally answered in less than 5 minutes. Still, technical support is only provided via email.
Our Verdict
I’d say they are tied here. Blubrry has more support channels, but Buzzsprout responds to emails quickly.
Payment options and Features
Blubrry
- Blubrry offers promotion codes.
- They accept both cards and Paypal. For their professional customers, they do bank transfers, too.
- Blubrry also offers refunds.
Buzzsprout
- They accept cards but not Paypal.
- Buzzsprout offers refunds.
Our Verdict
Blubrry scores better in payment options. It offers promotion codes and bank transfers.
Marketing and Sales Features
Blubrry
- Blubrry has an advertising network.
- Plus, they have an affiliate program: you get equal to one month of service for each new customer.
Buzzsprout
- Buzzsprout affiliate program: for each new customer, you get 15% of the total purchase.
- “Refer a friend” program. Both you and the other person get a $20 Amazon gift card.
- Buzzsprout has an affiliate marketplace to find sponsors.
Our Verdict
Buzzsprout all the way! They make podcast monetization really easy!
Pricing
Blubrry
- Doesn’t offer a free plan but has a free trial of one month.
- Up to 5 plans.
- Pricing starts at $12 per month for 100MB.
- The highest plan is $100 for Pro Hosting and unlimited monthly storage.
- “No-fault” overage: they allow a 25% storage overage on all their plans.
Buzzsprout
- Offers a free plan. No credit card is required.
- Pricing starts at $12 per month for 3 hours.
- The highest plan is $24 per month for 12 hours.
- They also offer episode transcription for $.25 per minute.
- Except for the free plan, the rest offers the option to add Magic Mastering for an extra buck.
- Overage hours are priced individually and range from $2/per hour to $4/hour, depending on your monthly plan.
Our Verdict
Though Buzzsprout has the advantage of a free plan option, it does have a limit of hours per month. If you want a highly professional plan, Blubrry is a better choice.
Podcast Player
Blubrry
- Their PowerPress podcast plugin is widely used and ranked as one of the best.
- It has many options like subscribe, shares, skip forward and back, changes playback speed, and more.
- Thanks to the Powerpress WordPress plugin, the embed player is automatically added to each episode’s post.
- You can customize colors to match your branding.
Buzzsprout
- It has features like subscribe, share, skip forward and back and change the playback speed.
- You can customize the information that’s shown, the colors, and sharing buttons, among others.
- Gives you the ability to customize the colors and details to match your branding.
- The waveform that is front and center on each embed player adds a cool visual component.
Our Verdict
Once again, when it comes to design skills, Buzzsprout it’s more polished than Blubrry. Talking about ease of use and utility features, the PowerPress WordPress plugin is one of the podcasting plugins.
Want a podcast player that’s even more powerful, easy to use and beautiful at the same time? Check out Smart Podcast Player Fusebox.
Analytics
Blubrry
- Simple and intuitive reporting interface.
- IAB Certified Compliant Statistics.
- It measures traffic sources, world geographics, download totals, platforms and operating systems, and more.
Buzzsprout
- Comprehensive, at-a-glance data.
- It measures performance over time, episode downloads, listener location, and technology used by listeners.
- Buzzsprout has received the IAB Certification.
Our Verdict
For a while, Blubrry was the only podcast hosting company to have an IAB Tech Lab certification, and that was a big deal. But now, it seems both platforms have impressive analytics. But Blubrry’s analytics can’t be matched with any hosting in the industry.
Conclusion
Pick Buzzsprout or Blubrry, and you will have an amazing podcast hosting experience. They are both very professional and have great features.
However, Buzzsprout is better for beginners.
If you are looking for a platform to start and quickly scale your podcast, Blubrry is the service for you.
It’s also our podcast hosting platform of choice. They have everything for beginners to professional podcasters. Blubrry is also the most robust podcast hosting in the market right now.
Get the first month of Blubrry for free now.
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