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 June 2026, with 3 plans available including a free tier. Plans: Free (free), Basic at $15/month, and Essential at $35/month. 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: Yes
Simplecast offers 3 pricing tiers: Free, Basic, Essential. A free plan is available. Paid plans include Basic at $15/month, Essential at $35/month. The Basic plan is independent podcasters just starting.
Yes, Simplecast offers a free trial plan as of June 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.