OP3

OP3 is a free, open-source analytics service for podcasters and podcast hosting companies that want to measure episode downloads through a feed prefix. It is best suited to projects comfortable with public show statistics and a lightweight setup; its appeal is open access to metrics, exports and an API without a subscription.

Overview

To track downloads, a podcaster or host places https://op3.dev/e/ before episode URLs in the podcast feed. Each measured show receives a public statistics page with download metrics, detailed breakdowns and spreadsheet exports covering its full history. Sharing is built into that model, but teams that need private analytics pages should choose another service.

OP3 is an independent project by John Spurlock, and its terms identify SKYMETHOD LLC as doing business as OP3. The project describes itself as open-source and committed to open data and listener privacy.

Key features

Public metrics, exports and API

The public pages make show performance easy to share, while full-history spreadsheet exports support analysis outside the site. The API exposes collected podcast data, but requests require a bearer token associated with a valid API key. Hit-query results can be filtered by URL or hashed IP address only for the last 90 days. That limit matters for investigations of older requests; the full-history exports do not remove it for API hit-query filtering.

Privacy and delivery

OP3 says it stores basic request attributes and hashes and encrypts listener IP addresses before storage. It says it does not combine those addresses with third-party data or services, and its privacy policy says it uses no cookies. Cloudflare is identified as the sole hosting provider and data store. OP3 also says its redirect service uses a global CDN with edge nodes in more than 335 cities across more than 125 countries, a broad delivery footprint for podcast redirects.

Setup and support

The setup guide names Megaphone, Transistor and Castopod as hosts that support adding a custom prefix. The intended audience is podcasters and podcast hosting companies. For questions, the project points users to [email protected] and GitHub Discussions.

Pricing

The Free plan costs nothing and includes the podcast prefix analytics service, public stats pages, and use without signup or login. That makes it a practical starting point for independent shows and hosts willing to make statistics public. There is no free trial because the service has a free plan.

OP3 Sponsorship costs $100 a month, billed $100/mo, and is a way to help fund development. It is not described as a higher-capacity analytics tier, so teams should not treat sponsorship as a purchase of additional features or limits.

Platforms

OP3 is available on the web and through an API. The feed-prefix approach places measurement in the podcast feed, while the API is intended for programmatic access and requires an API key-backed bearer token.

Who it's for

OP3 fits podcasters and hosting companies that want free download measurement, public-facing statistics, and exportable full-history metrics. It is less suitable for teams that require private show pages or need URL- or hashed-IP-filtered hit queries going back beyond 90 days.

Pros and cons

• Pros: The free plan needs no signup or login, lowering the barrier for shows that can use public stats.
• Pros: Public breakdowns and spreadsheet exports provide both shareable metrics and a route to work with the full history.
• Pros: OP3 describes concrete privacy protections, including hashed and encrypted IP storage, no third-party joins and no cookies.
• Cons: Statistics pages are public, which rules out teams that need private analytics.
• Cons: API hit-query filters cover only the last 90 days, limiting older request-level analysis.
• Cons: Measurement depends on adding the OP3 prefix to episode URLs, so it requires a feed change rather than simply importing existing analytics.

Alternatives

Podcast Analytics Software is a useful place to compare more options. Choose Apple Podcasts if you want access to millions of shows without charge across iOS, macOS, web and Windows; its premium subscriptions are set by creators. Hypecast Analytics offers a free Windows desktop tier with three cameras and three microphones, making it an alternative for that recording setup. Podash is a freemium option for Apple platforms from an app studio focused on practical software.

Magellan AI offers a free verified-downloads prefix, with a demo required for full platform access. PodcastStats.com may suit shows that want a dashboard and bot filtering: its free plan includes up to 10K downloads per month and seven-day data retention. Podtrac has a free basic measurement tier and paid growth options. Spotify Ad Analytics is another free option for readers considering that service. Podchaser is worth comparing if API access is central; its Starter plan costs $30 a month and includes 1,000 requests per month.

Verdict

Choose OP3 if you are a podcaster or hosting company that wants free, open-source prefix measurement with public metrics and full-history exports. Its strongest case is the combination of no-cost access, data portability and stated privacy protections. Look elsewhere if analytics must stay private or if your API work depends on filtering hit-query results older than 90 days.