Captivate vs CoHost
A side-by-side look at Captivate and CoHost for podcasters: pricing, features, and where each one wins.
At a glance
| Captivate | CoHost | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $17/mo | $89/mo |
| Free plan | No | No |
| Free trial | Yes | No |
| Best for | Growth-focused podcasters and small agencies who need multi-show hosting, monetization tools, and analytics without paying per show | Brand and corporate podcast teams that need to show ROI and prove audience quality to stakeholders |
| Founded | 2013 | - |
Key features
Captivate
- Unlimited podcast hosting across multiple shows
- IAB-certified analytics included on all plans
- Built-in monetization: memberships, tips, exclusive content
- Guest booking and interview management tools
- Transcription and dynamic show notes via Captivate Assistant
- Private and members-only podcast support
- Podcasting 2.0 support
- Video podcast publishing to Apple Podcasts
CoHost
- B2B company identification of anonymous listeners
- Audience demographics by seniority, department, industry, and income
- Salesforce CRM integration with auto-sync
- Consumption data across Apple Podcasts and Spotify
- Tracking link attribution for campaigns
- IAB Tech Lab certified analytics
- AI-powered episode transcriptions
- PodPromote managed audience growth service (Enterprise)
Pros and cons
Captivate
Pros
- IAB analytics included on every plan, not gated behind premium tiers
- 30-day free trial - longer than most competitors
- Built-in monetization tools without needing third-party add-ons
Cons
- Interface is functional but less polished than some competitors
- Some advanced features feel underdeveloped relative to their billing
- No free permanent tier
CoHost
Pros
- Company-level listener identification is unique in the podcast analytics space
- Salesforce integration makes it viable as a genuine marketing attribution tool
- IAB certified analytics hold up to scrutiny from serious buyers
Cons
- Pricing starts at $89/mo - too expensive for independent or hobbyist podcasters
- No free tier and no free trial mentioned
- Annual billing required for base pricing; month-to-month likely costs more
The verdict
Choose Captivate if
Growth-focused podcasters and small agencies who need multi-show hosting, monetization tools, and analytics without paying per show.
Captivate earns points for including IAB-certified analytics on every plan - not just premium tiers - and for building monetization tools directly into the platform rather than routing you to third-party integrations. The 30-day free trial is genuinely long compared…
Choose CoHost if
Brand and corporate podcast teams that need to show ROI and prove audience quality to stakeholders.
CoHost is solving a real problem: most podcast analytics tell you how many people listened, not who they were. For a B2B company running a podcast as a demand-gen channel, that company-level identification capability is genuinely valuable - and the…