Simplecast Free Plan 2026: What's Included & What's Not
Honest breakdown of the free tier limits and features
Simplecast costs Free to $35 per month as of March 2026. Pricing depends on your chosen tier, contract length, and negotiated discounts.
Use the interactive pricing calculator to estimate your exact cost based on team size and requirements.
- Free tier: No free tier available
Yes, Simplecast offers a free trial plan as of March 2026. The free tier includes 2 features with limits on usage. Paid plans start at $15/month (Basic). Pricing verified from 1 sources by CostBench.
Simplecast's free offering is a time-limited trial to test the full product.
What's Included in the Free Plan
- 14-day commitment-free trial
- No credit card required
What's NOT Included (Paid Only)
- 2 team member seats
- Unlimited storage & uploads
- Distribution to everywhere your audience listens
- Basic analytics
- Customizable show website with custom domain
- Manage multiple shows with one account
- Embeddable episode web player
- Secure (HTTPS) site and RSS feed
- Email support
You'll Need to Upgrade When...
- You exceed the user limit
- You need features like 2 team member seats or Unlimited storage & uploads
- You require premium support or SLA guarantees
- You need to remove branding or watermarks
- You need advanced integrations or API access
Hidden Restrictions on Free Plan
- Simplecast branding may appear on your content or communications
- Support is limited to community forums or email with longer response times
- Export options may be restricted or include watermarks
- API access is typically limited or not available
- Advanced reporting and analytics require paid plans
Free vs Paid: Which Do You Need?
Free Plan is Enough If...
- You're an individual or very small team
- You need only basic features
- You don't mind usage limits
- Branding on output is acceptable
- Community support is sufficient
You Need Paid If...
- Your team is growing beyond limits
- You need advanced features
- Professional branding is required
- You need priority support
- Integrations/API access is critical
Free vs Basic Plan Comparison
| Free $0 | Basic $15/month | |
|---|---|---|
| Features | 2 included | 9+ included |
| Support | Community/Email | Priority Support |
| Branding | Simplecast branding | Your branding |
| Best For | Trial before commitment | Independent podcasters just starting |
Frequently Asked Questions
01 Is Simplecast free?
Yes, Simplecast offers a free trial plan with 2 core features included. However, there are limits on users and features that may require upgrading.
02 What's included in Simplecast's free plan?
Simplecast's free plan includes: 14-day commitment-free trial, No credit card required. Key limits include basic usage caps.
03 What's NOT included in Simplecast's free plan?
The free plan excludes: 2 team member seats, Unlimited storage & uploads, Distribution to everywhere your audience listens, Basic analytics, Customizable show website with custom domain. You'll also have Simplecast branding and limited support options.
04 When should I upgrade from Simplecast's free plan?
Consider upgrading when: you hit user or storage limits, need features like 2 team member seats or Unlimited storage & uploads, require premium support, or want to remove branding. The cheapest paid plan starts at $15/month.
05 Is Simplecast's free plan really free forever?
Simplecast's free offering is actually a time-limited trial, not a forever-free plan. After the trial period, you'll need to subscribe to a paid plan to continue using the service.