Compare podcast apps
AppBuild.diy compared with 6 providers and the option to vibe code your own app: prices, fees, contracts and whether you get your own branded app.
Best for: podcasts businesses that want their own branded app on the App Store, Google Play and the web, starting free with 0% AppBuild commission on paid plans.
Your business. Your own app.
A look inside AppBuild: branded app starter, live radio example, podcast player example, push notification example.
See podcasts apps
Providers in this comparison
Apple Podcasts SubscriptionsPaid subscriptions inside Apple Podcasts
Spotify for Creators (podcast subscriptions)Paid subscriptions inside Spotify
SupercastPrivate podcast subscription platform
PodbeanPodcast hosting + monetisation
BuzzsproutPodcast hosting
PatreonCreator membership marketplace (used for bonus podcast feeds)
- Vibe coding
Build from scratch with Lovable, Claude, Base44 or similar tools
Price and features at a glance
| Provider | Type | Starting price (as published) | Your own branded app | Order / booking fees | Contract / trial |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 AppBuild.diy | Branded app builder for local businesses | Free (up to 10 users); $49/month or $299/year; $99/month or $499/year | Yes — App Store, Google Play and web | 0% AppBuild commission on paid plans; Stripe card fees apply | No contract; free plan |
| Vibe coding | Build from scratch with Lovable, Claude, Base44 or similar tools | Variable: AI subscriptions / credits, plus hosting, database and any paid services as usage grows. Free allowances may apply; not a fixed all-in price. | Bespoke branding and features; store packaging and submission require additional setup | Depends on your chosen payment provider and services; processing fees still apply | Depends on the tools and services you choose; free tiers may have limits |
| Apple Podcasts Subscriptions | Paid subscriptions inside Apple Podcasts | Annual Apple Podcasters Program fee: $19.99/yr in the US (varies by country, third-party: thepodcasthost.com; fee amount not shown on Apple page fetched) | Shared (listeners use Apple Podcasts) | Creator receives 70% of subscription price per billing cycle, rising to 85% after a subscriber's first year of paid service (minus taxes) | Annual program membership; free trials can be offered to listeners |
| Spotify for Creators (podcast subscriptions) | Paid subscriptions inside Spotify | Free hosting | Shared (listeners use Spotify) | Fee "as set out in the Fee Schedule" (not stated on terms page); 5% fee from 2023 announced at 2021 launch (third-party: axios.com/techcrunch.com) | Not stated |
| Supercast | Private podcast subscription platform | All-in Plan $0.59/mo per subscriber; Custom plan via sales | No (not mentioned) | Stripe 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction, Stripe billing 0.7% per recurring payment; one-time payments 15% (max $1.50) plus Stripe fees | Trial not mentioned |
| Podbean | Podcast hosting + monetisation | Unlimited Audio $17/mo monthly or $12/mo annual; Unlimited Plus $39/mo ($29 annual); Network $99/mo ($79 annual); Business $129/mo ($99 annual) | Shared (Podbean app); Business plan lists a "Pro Podcast app" upgrade option, price not shown | Dynamic ad insertion free on some plans, $1 CPM on others; Patron Program fee 5% of patron processing fees (third-party: thepodcasthost.com, not shown on pricing page) | Not stated |
| Buzzsprout | Podcast hosting | Free plan (2 hrs/mo, 90-day hosting); Audio $15/mo billed annually; Audio + Video $25/mo billed annually; Multi-Podcast $30/mo billed annually | No (not mentioned) | Listener Support and Subscriptions features listed; fees not stated on pricing page | No card required; cancel anytime |
| Patreon | Creator membership marketplace (used for bonus podcast feeds) | Free to start; 10% platform fee for pages published after 4 Aug 2025 | Shared (Patreon app) | 10% platform fee plus payment processing, conversion and payout fees | No subscription |
How AppBuild differs
- vs Apple Podcasts Subscriptions: Apple keeps 30% of subscription revenue in year one (15% after); AppBuild takes zero commission and the podcast gets its own app with background audio from RSS.
- vs Spotify for Creators: listeners stay inside Spotify's app; AppBuild gives the show its own App Store and Google Play listing plus push notifications.
- vs Supercast: Supercast charges $0.59 per subscriber per month plus a 0.7% billing fee; AppBuild pricing is flat (Pro $49/mo up to 1,000 users) with no per-subscriber fee.
- vs Podbean: Podbean listeners use the Podbean app; AppBuild gives the podcast a branded app with RSS background audio, push notifications and paywalled content.
- vs Buzzsprout: Buzzsprout is a host with no branded app; AppBuild sits on top of any host via RSS.
- vs Patreon: Patreon takes 10% of earnings; AppBuild takes zero commission on subscriptions.
Where AppBuild is strong
- Your own branded app on the App Store, Google Play and the web, starting free with every feature for up to 10 users.
- Pulls in your existing YouTube, Twitch, podcast or radio stream rather than replacing it.
- No revenue share taken by AppBuild.
Where others may suit you better
- Not a video hosting or course platform.
- Smaller community and discussion features than dedicated creator platforms.
Key features by provider
| Provider | Market | Key features | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apple Podcasts Subscriptions | UK + US (global) | Subscriber-only episodes, ad-free, early access, bonus shows | podcasters.apple.com |
| Spotify for Creators (podcast subscriptions) | UK + US (selected markets) | Hosting, subscriber-only episodes | support.spotify.com |
| Supercast | US + UK | Private RSS feeds, subscriber landing pages, uses your own Stripe account | supercast.com |
| Podbean | UK + US (global) | Hosting, distribution, Ads Marketplace, Apple Podcasts Subscriptions integration | podbean.com |
| Buzzsprout | UK + US (global) | Hosting, directory listing, stats, website, video publishing | buzzsprout.com |
| Patreon | UK + US (global) | Memberships, private RSS feeds, community | patreon.com, support.patreon.com |
| Vibe coding | Depends on your chosen tools | Full design freedom. Ordering, bookings, loyalty, permissions and integrations must be built, tested and maintained. Native push, certificates and store submissions need additional technical work or a service such as AppBuild. | lovable.dev, claude.com, base44.com |
Gaps in published data: Apple Podcasters Program annual fee amount not visible on the Apple page fetched ($19.99 US from third-party). Spotify subscription fee percentage not on its terms page. Podbean Patron Program fee and "Pro Podcast app" price not on pricing page. Buzzsprout subscription fees not stated. Supercast Custom plan not published.
Build from scratch with AI, or start with AppBuild?
Lovable, Claude, Base44 and similar tools are a genuine alternative in any industry. A bespoke build gives you more control over the design and business logic. AppBuild offers a shorter route to launch for supported business needs, with ready-made capabilities you can add without building each one yourself.
| Consideration | AppBuild.diy | Vibe coding |
|---|---|---|
| Time to market | Start with ready-made pages and features; configure your content and services. Store review still takes time. | A prototype can be quick; production testing, payments, permissions and store preparation add work. |
| Costs | Published plan price, plus applicable payment processing, store-account and third-party service costs. | Variable: AI subscriptions / credits, plus hosting, database and any paid services as usage grows. Free allowances may apply; not a fixed all-in price. |
| Flexibility & ease of use | Add supported capabilities such as loyalty, bookings and ordering through the builder; less freedom than a fully custom product. | Bespoke layouts and logic; each new capability needs implementation, testing and ongoing maintenance. |
| Push & app stores | AppBuild provides push and app infrastructure, subject to setup requirements and store approval. | Native push certificates, signing and store submissions are technical work, not automatically solved by generating a website. |
| Ongoing responsibility | Shared business-app framework and managed infrastructure; you manage your business content and settings. | You are responsible for security, data access, updates and the services behind your app. |
These approaches can work together: build your bespoke experience with AI, then use AppBuild to wrap your app and add supported native capabilities such as push notifications. Wrapping does not automatically add AppBuild’s business features to your custom app.
Tool pricing and allowances vary: Lovable pricing · Claude pricing · Base44 pricing. Check the services your project actually needs.
AppBuild pricing
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0/month | Up to 10 app users. Your own app on iPhone, Android and the web. |
| Business | $49/month or $299/year | Up to 1,000 app users. 0% AppBuild commission on orders. |
| Business Pro | $99/month or $499/year | Unlimited app users. 0% AppBuild commission on orders. |
Card processing fees are charged by Stripe on top of any plan and are not set by AppBuild. Full details on the pricing page.
More comparisons
Start freeLast checked 7 October 2026. Competitor prices come from their own public pages, linked below each table. Where a price isn't published we say so. Spotted something out of date? Tell us via support.