Blubrry

Blubrry is a podcast hosting and publishing service with a distinct WordPress workflow. It suits creators who want hosting, feed management and a podcast site to work together. Its strongest case is the combination of PowerPress and hour-based hosting; its lower tiers leave limited room for publishing and analytics.

Overview

Blubrry supports audio and video podcasts, RSS feeds and distribution to major directories such as Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube. Monthly capacity is measured in publishing hours rather than file size, so the hosting allowance is easier to map to a production schedule. A 1.5-hour allowance, however, can constrain a show that publishes frequently or at length.

PowerPress is a free WordPress podcasting plugin for publishing, RSS, SEO, a player and directory integration. It works with self-hosted WordPress.org and WordPress.com Business-level sites, and does not require Blubrry hosting. Hosting plans also include an optional managed WordPress website using PowerPress.

Key features

• WordPress publishing: PowerPress gives WordPress-based shows a way to manage their podcast workflow without committing to Blubrry hosting. That flexibility is useful if you want the plugin but prefer another host.
• Distribution: PowerPress offers destination links or submission support for Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, Pandora, iHeartRadio, Podcast Index, Podchaser, TuneIn, Deezer and YouTube Music, among others. This makes it a practical fit for creators managing directory presence through WordPress.
• Analytics: Statistics can cover plays or downloads, audience locations, listening apps and devices, trends, retention and partial plays, depending on the plan. Standard hosting tiers include standard statistics; advanced hosting tiers add more detailed analytics. Free and paid statistics plans are also available without Blubrry hosting.
• Monetization and video: Blubrry supports monetization and private podcasts, alongside video podcast hosting. Vid2Pod converts YouTube videos or playlists into audio episodes for RSS distribution, which is useful for repurposing existing video content.
• Professional hosting: Pro Hosting includes unlimited storage, 1TB monthly bandwidth, advanced statistics, dynamic and programmatic advertising, FTP and multiple shows. Its REST API integrates with Blubrry's service offerings. The unlimited publishing allowance is tempered by bandwidth usage fees.
• Support and privacy: Blubrry offers phone support, documentation and scheduled video support; its contact form is monitored during business hours seven days a week. It says it does not sell personal information or share it for cross-context behavioral advertising, while acknowledging that absolute security cannot be guaranteed.

Pricing

Blubrry has free options as well as paid hosting and statistics plans. Hosting prices are billed monthly as stated below; the main trade-off between tiers is publishing capacity and access to advanced analytics or monetization tools.

• Standard 1.5 — $7 a month: Up to 1.5 hours per month, audio/video podcasts, standard statistics, a free managed WordPress site and AI podcast tools. It is the lowest-cost hosting option, but its hour cap suits only shows with a modest publishing schedule.
• Standard 3 — $15 a month: Up to 3 hours per month, audio/video podcasts, standard statistics, a managed WordPress site and AI podcast tools. It doubles the entry tier's allowance, but still does not include the advanced analytics and monetization features of the Advanced plans.
• Advanced 6 — $25 a month: Up to 6 hours per month, advanced analytics, AI tools, monetization features and Vid2Pod. It fits a busier show that needs deeper audience data or monetization tools, at a higher monthly cost.
• Advanced 12 — $50 a month: Up to 12 hours per month, advanced statistics, AI tools, monetization features and Vid2Pod. Choose it when six hours is not enough and the Advanced feature set remains important.
• Advanced 25 — $90 a month: Up to 25 hours per month, advanced analytics, AI tools, monetization features and Vid2Pod. It offers substantially more publishing capacity, but the monthly price is also a significant step up.
• Pro Unlimited — $100 a month: Unlimited publishing, multiple shows and users, dynamic advertising, FTP and PowerPress multi-program mode. Bandwidth usage fees apply, so unlimited publishing does not mean unlimited bandwidth at no extra cost.
• Free Statistics — free: Total plays/downloads and top audience locations, listening apps and devices, without Blubrry hosting. It is a useful starting point for basic measurement, but lacks the fuller data and comparisons in the paid statistics tier.
• Standard Statistics — $5 a month: Full location, app and device data, comparisons of the three most recent episodes and listening trends, without Blubrry hosting. It suits publishers who need more than summary figures but do not need hosting.

Platforms

Blubrry is available on web and through an API, and supports self-hosted use through PowerPress. That WordPress option is particularly relevant to publishers who want to keep their site and podcast tools connected without buying Blubrry hosting.

Who it's for

Blubrry is a strong fit for WordPress publishers who want RSS, directory tools and hosting in one workflow, as well as creators who need audio and video support or want to repurpose YouTube content. The separate statistics plans also make it viable for a show hosted elsewhere. It is less compelling for a low-volume creator who needs only a basic feed, or for a frequent publisher whose budget cannot accommodate the higher-hour tiers.

Pros and cons

• Pro: PowerPress is free and can be used without Blubrry hosting, so WordPress users can adopt its podcast tools independently of their hosting choice.
• Pro: Hosting includes an optional managed WordPress site, and plans cover audio and video podcast publishing with directory distribution.
• Pro: Separate free and paid statistics plans let a show measure audience activity without moving its hosting.
• Con: The entry hosting plan allows only 1.5 hours of publishing per month, making it a tight fit for longer or more frequent schedules.
• Con: Standard hosting tiers do not include the advanced analytics and monetization features promoted in the Advanced plans.
• Con: Pro Unlimited charges bandwidth usage fees, despite unlimited publishing.

Alternatives

For a broader comparison of site-focused tools, see Podcast Website Builders.

• Acast is worth considering if you want a freemium podcast host with Android and iOS apps, or an Essential plan with multiple shows, unlimited episodes, ads and sponsorships for $14.99 a month billed yearly.
• Podbean may suit a creator who wants a free plan with 5 hours of storage, 100GB monthly bandwidth and a 100MB single-file limit.
• SupaPass Podcast Website Builder is an alternative for readers focused on a free podcast website with RSS import, episode updates, a sitewide player, member login and comments.
• Jellypod is another option to compare for podcast hosting and a dedicated podcast website.
• Meku Podcast Website Builder is an alternative for readers comparing free website-builder plans with project and credit limits.
• Podcast.page may suit someone who wants a free podcast website with templates and RSS import, accepting a watermark on the free plan.
• PodView is another podcast website option, with a free plan that includes automatic episode sync and uses a PodView subdomain.
• RSS.com is an alternative to compare for a free podcast plan with 30 days of analytics history and one voicemail.

Verdict

Choose Blubrry if WordPress integration is central to your podcast workflow and you want hosting, distribution and analytics options that can scale with publishing hours. PowerPress's ability to work without Blubrry hosting is a particular advantage. Look elsewhere if the entry-tier hour cap is too restrictive, or if Pro's bandwidth fees undermine the appeal of unlimited publishing.