Looking for some WordPress podcast plugins to help you set up a website for your podcast?
Creating a website is a great way to help grow your podcast and connect with your audience. And when it comes to creating a podcast website, WordPress makes a great option.
To help make your WordPress podcast website the best it can be, you might want the help of a WordPress podcast plugin.
WordPress podcasting plugins can help with all different types of functionality, from letting you create and host podcasts directly on your WordPress site to helping you integrate a podcast that you’ve set up with a dedicated podcast hosting service like Libsyn, Podbean, Spotify for Podcasters, and more.
In this post, you’ll find 13+ WordPress podcast plugins, along with a detailed explanation of how each plugin can help you out.
Because podcast plugins can vary in functionality, we’ll start with an explainer of how podcast plugins work. Then, we’ll get straight into the list.
What Do WordPress Podcast Plugins Do? Why Should You Use One?
At a high level, you can roughly divide WordPress podcast plugins into two buckets:
- All-in-one podcast plugins – they can help you host your podcast and its files on your WordPress site. They offer everything that you need to make a podcast (except for the physical podcasting equipment, of course).
- Podcast integration plugins – these plugins can help you integrate your podcast into your WordPress site if you’re hosting it using a dedicated podcast hosting service.
Let’s go through the two types of podcast plugins so that you can better understand which approach is right for your situation.
All-In-One Podcast Plugins
For WordPress podcast plugins in the first category, they handle every single part of creating a podcast. You will upload audio files directly to your WP Admin and those audio files will be hosted on your WordPress site.
Then, the plugin will also generate the RSS feed that you can use to submit your podcast to directories such as Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and so on.
These types of podcasting plugins can be a great option for keeping your costs down when you’re just getting started. You don’t need to use (or pay for) a separate podcast hosting service – you can do everything right from your existing WordPress site and your WP Admin.
However, as your podcast grows, you might prefer to use a dedicated podcast hosting service because these services typically offer more optimized audio hosting, more advanced analytics tools, helpful monetization tools, and more.
Podcast Integration Plugins
While it’s totally possible to create a podcast using just your WordPress site, many podcasters opt for a dedicated podcast hosting service these days.
Some popular names here include Libsyn, Spotify for Podcasters (formerly Anchor), Podbean, Blubrry, Castos, Audioboom, Podcast.co, and more.
Much like your web hosting service powers your website, a dedicated podcast hosting service does the same for your podcast’s audio files.
You can upload your audio files to the podcast hosting service rather than to your WordPress site. Then, the service will create the proper RSS feed that you can submit to all the podcast directories.
Podcast hosting services also typically offer tools for analytics, monetization, recording, and more.
With a podcast integration plugin, you can still display all of your podcast episodes on your site even though the files are hosted elsewhere.
Typically, you’ll enter your podcast’s RSS feed in the plugin’s settings, and the plugin can help you embed a podcast player and/or automatically create a post for each episode.
It’s important to note that there’s also some overlap between these categories. For example, some of the most popular WordPress podcast plugins can act as both an all-in-one plugin or an integration plugin.
13 Helpful WordPress Podcast Plugins to Consider
Now that you know a little bit more about how WordPress podcast plugins work, let’s get into some of the most helpful options to consider for your site.
Some of these plugins offer all-in-one approaches, while others are more focused on helping you integrate your existing podcast with your WordPress website.
All-in-one plugins will be indicated by this icon:
Integrated plugins will be indicated by this icon:
Seriously Simple Podcasting
Seriously Simple Podcasting is a WordPress podcast plugin from Castos, a popular podcast hosting service. However, you do not need to be using the Castos service to benefit from the plugin (though Castos users do get some special integration features).
Seriously Simple Podcasting gives you two options to set up your show:
- You can self-host the podcast files on your WordPress site. The plugin will help you create the necessary RSS feeds to submit to various podcast directories.
- If you’re using Castos podcast hosting, the plugin syncs your WordPress site to Castos. You can upload a new podcast audio file via your WP Admin, and the plugin will automatically sync it to Castos. Basically, you can still benefit from separate podcast hosting while managing everything from your WP Admin.
Regardless of where you host your podcast audio files, Seriously Simple Podcasting also offers lots of features to help you create a listener-friendly podcast website:
- Manage podcast episodes much like you manage blog posts. You can add titles, descriptions, cover images, and more.
- Automatically create a new episode on your site.
- Display a user-friendly podcast player so that people can listen right from your website.
The developer also offers official add-on plugins to extend the core Seriously Simple Podcasting plugin:
- Seriously Simple Stats – track listen counts for every episode, along with other helpful data.
- Seriously Simple Transcripts – add downloadable transcripts to your podcasting episodes to make them more accessible.
- Seriously Simple Speakers – add speaker information to your episodes, which is especially helpful if your podcast has a lot of guests.
The Seriously Simple Podcasting plugin and all of its add-ons are 100% free. You only need to pay if you want to use the Castos podcast hosting service. But again, you do not need to use Castos to use the plugin.
Blubrry PowerPress
Blubrry PowerPress is another popular WordPress podcasting plugin that uses a similar approach to the Seriously Simple Podcasting plugin above.
That is, the plugin comes from Blubrry, a popular podcast hosting service. However, you do not need to use the Blubrry service to use the plugin (though you do get some special integrations if you are).
You have the same two options to set up your show:
- You can self-host the podcast files on your own site, in which case the plugin will help you create the podcast RSS feed that you can submit to various podcast platforms.
- You can integrate with the Blubrry podcast hosting service while still managing your podcast from your WP Admin.
Either way, Blubrry PowerPress is packed with all the features that you need to build a podcast website:
- Multiple options for embedding an audio player.
- Subscribe buttons to encourage listeners to subscribe to your podcast.
- Show notes and transcripts.
The Blubrry PowerPress plugin is 100% free. You only need to pay if you want to use the Blubrry podcast hosting service. But again, you do not need to use Blubrry to use the plugin.
Podcast Player
Podcast Player is a WordPress podcast plugin that lets you take your existing podcast RSS feed and integrate it with your site.
It cannot help you create the feed or host the podcast files, so you’ll still need a dedicated podcast hosting service.
However, once you have your podcast RSS feed, the plugin makes it easy to list podcast episodes on your WordPress site and include a user-friendly player.
You can embed just the player itself anywhere on your site, or the Pro version of the plugin lets you import individual podcast episodes as posts on your site.
The podcast player itself has a stylish design and comes with lots of helpful features, including the following:
- Subscribe buttons for various platforms to encourage users to subscribe to your podcast.
- List multiple episodes in a playlist (you have full control over which episodes to include).
- Lots of controls, such as skip forward/back, next/previous episode, and so on.
There’s a free version of the plugin that lets you get started with the player itself.
If you want to import podcast episodes as WordPress posts and access more layouts/features, the Pro version costs $40 per year or $60 for lifetime updates.
Podcast Importer
Podcast Importer is a WordPress podcast plugin that helps you create a podcast website to go along with a separate podcast hosting service.
You can take your existing podcast RSS feed (e.g., from your podcast hosting service) and add it to the plugin. Then, the plugin will automatically import each episode as a post on your site (or a custom post type if you want to separate podcast episodes from blog posts).
You can also set up a custom schedule to sync episodes to your site to ensure they get added as soon as you publish a new episode to your podcast hosting service.
Podcast Importer does not include its own podcast player. However, it does integrate with 15+ podcast hosting services to automatically import their players as part of the process. So if you’re using one of those supported services, each podcast episode listing on your site will have a working player.
Some of the 15+ supported services include Buzzsprout, Pinecast, Captivate, Transistor, Spotify for Podcasters (formerly Anchor), Libsyn, and more.
Podcast Importer has a free version that lets you import episodes as blog posts on your site. Then, there’s a Pro version that lets you import to any custom post type on your site, along with other enhancements.
Podcast Importer Pro costs $24 for use on one WordPress website.
Podlove Podcast Publisher
Podlove Podcast Publisher is a full-service WordPress podcast plugin that lets you create your own podcast using WordPress and manage everything without leaving your WP Admin.
You can add new podcast episodes much like you’d publish a blog post, with support for both audio and video files. You can host your files on your WordPress hosting, or the plugin also lets you use separate storage services like Amazon S3.
Podlove Podcast Publisher will give each episode its own page on your site with a user-friendly podcast player.
It also creates a podcast RSS feed for your show so that visitors can subscribe using their favorite player, and you can distribute your podcast to various directories, such as Apple Podcasts.
Beyond that, Podlove Podcast Publisher comes with a bunch of features to help you make your show a success:
- Support for podcast chapters to create more structured episodes. You can also link directly to a specific chapter.
- Podcast analytics to track overall download numbers for each episode, as well as more detailed information such as the podcast client, day of the week, download source, and more.
- Podcast subscribe buttons to encourage users to subscribe using their podcast apps.
Podlove Podcast Publisher is 100% free. However, the developer does have an Open Collective donation page if you’d like to support the project – you can donate any amount on a one-time or recurring basis.
Buzzsprout Podcasting
Buzzsprout Podcasting is a WordPress podcast plugin that helps you integrate your Buzzsprout-hosted podcast with WordPress.
That’s the key difference between it and plugins like Seriously Simple Podcasting and Blubrry PowerPress. While those WordPress podcast plugins work even if you’re not using the developer’s hosting, Buzzsprout Podcasting will only work if you’re using Buzzsprout podcast hosting.
However, Buzzsprout does have a free podcast hosting plan that lets you upload up to two hours per month (with some limitations), and the paid plans are still affordable for what they offer.
With the Buzzsprout Podcasting plugin, you can automatically access your podcast episodes from your WP Admin and embed the web player for a podcast episode right from the editor.
This lets you easily spin up new posts whenever you publish an episode. However, it’s important to note that the plugin doesn’t automatically create the post for you – it just makes it easier to embed the podcast player.
The Buzzsprout Podcasting plugin is 100% free. The Buzzsprout podcast hosting service has a limited free plan that lets you upload two hours of audio per month. Paid plans start at $12 per month.
MP3 Audio Player
MP3 Audio Player is a versatile audio player plugin that works great for podcasts, though you can use it for other types of audio, too.
First off, the actual audio player interface has a very modern, stylish design, which is one of the most notable details about this plugin. It also includes all of the elements that podcasters should care about, including the following:
- Cover photos
- Subscribe buttons
- Show notes
- Transcriptions
- Skip forward/backward buttons
- Playlists to include multiple episodes
The plugin also makes it easy to embed audio players anywhere on your site with the following options:
- Editor block
- Shortcode
- Elementor widget
- JavaScript API
The plugin can also help you automatically import your podcast content from your podcast RSS feed. With the premium version of the plugin, you can even import podcast episodes as their own posts or other post types.
Again, you can create this podcast RSS feed using one of the other plugins on this list or a dedicated podcast hosting service. Or, MP3 Audio Player Pro also includes an option to help you create your own podcast feed.
MP3 Audio Player has a free version that should work fine if you just want to create a web player for your existing podcast RSS feed.
If you want access to more advanced features, the MP3 Audio Player Pro plans start at $49.
Podcast Subscribe Buttons
As the plugin name suggests, Podcast Subscribe Buttons lets you add buttons that encourage users to subscribe to your podcast on various platforms.
You can add the podcast subscribe buttons anywhere on your site using a dedicated block, the plugin’s shortcodes, or via an Elementor widget.
The plugin supports 60+ different podcast listening platforms, including all of the big names such as the following:
- Apple Podcasts
- Google Podcasts
- Stitcher
- Spotify
- SoundCloud
- Deezer
You can also choose from different button layouts, including the following:
- Modal popup – show a popup of different platforms when a user clicks the main subscribe button.
- Inline buttons – show individual inline buttons for each platform that you want to promote.
- Icons – show icons with no text instead of full buttons.
The Podcast Subscribe Buttons plugin is 100% free.
Simple Podcasting
Simple Podcasting, not to be confused with the Seriously Simple Podcasting plugin from above, is a WordPress podcasting plugin from 10up, a large WordPress development agency.
It gives you everything that you need to create and host a podcast using your WordPress site, but it isn’t quite as feature-rich as plugins like Seriously Simple Podcasting or Blubrry PowerPress.
To get started, you can create a new podcast, including setting up all of the important metadata for when you submit your feed to podcast directories. If needed, you can also create multiple separate podcasts from the same WordPress install.
From there, you can add new podcast episodes, much like you add new blog posts to your site. Visitors can play episodes using the web player. Or the plugin also adds the episodes to your podcast’s RSS feed so that they’ll be accessible via users’ preferred podcast clients.
The plugin is also extensible with code so that you (or a developer you hire) can customize the podcast RSS feed to your unique needs.
One thing to note is that the default Simple Podcasting web player is very basic. If you want to create a better web experience for your visitors, you might want to pair it with a dedicated podcast player plugin such as the Podcast Player or MP3 Audio Player plugins from above.
Or, if you made your WordPress site with WordPress.com, you can use the included Podcast Player block – more on that later.
The Simple Podcasting plugin is 100% free.
Podlove Subscribe Button
Podlove Subscribe Button is another WordPress podcast plugin from the same developer as the Podlove Podcast Publisher plugin above.
However, Podlove Subscribe Button has a narrower focus, and you do not need to use the Podlove Podcast Publisher plugin to use the Podlove Subscribe Button plugin.
As the name suggests, Podlove Subscribe Button lets you create a subscribe button for your podcast.
However, instead of creating a bunch of separate buttons for different podcast clients, the plugin lets you create a single universal podcast subscribe button that lets users subscribe using their favorite clients.
It will automatically detect a user’s device and show the options that are relevant to them. For example, someone browsing on an Apple device will see Apple Podcasts (among other options), while someone browsing on an Android device will see Google Podcasts.
The Podlove Subscribe Button is 100% free. However, the developer does have an Open Collective donation page if you’d like to support the project – you can donate any amount on a one-time or recurring basis.
A WordPress Membership Plugin
This one is a bit of a curveball because it’s not a single plugin.
But if you’re searching for a way to offer premium or restricted podcast content via your WordPress podcast website, you could benefit from combining a WordPress membership plugin with one of the other podcast plugins above.
This would let you offer a members-only podcast – your users could access this for free by registering for an account or you could charge them for access (sort of like creating your own Patreon setup).
If you want to set up this type of private podcast functionality, here are some membership plugins that offer features for private podcasting:
- WooCommerce + WooCommerce Memberships + Groups – Blubrry PowerPress has a special integration to handle premium podcast content with Groups. Then, you could use WooCommerce Memberships or another WooCommerce membership plugin to handle the membership aspect.
- WishList Member – BluBrry PowerPress has a special integration to handle premium podcast content with WishList Member.
- MemberPress – MemberPress has integrations with both the Blubrry PowerPress and Seriously Simple Podcasting plugins.
Jetpack (Podcast Player Block)
Jetpack is a feature-rich plugin that gives self-hosted WordPress sites access to some of the many features that WordPress.com users get.
While it makes lots of additions, such as payment blocks and related posts, the most relevant feature here is the Podcast Player block.
With the Podcast Player block, you can create a listener-friendly web player based on your existing podcast RSS feed.
You could input the RSS feed from a dedicated podcast hosting service. Or, you could add the RSS feed from a self-hosted podcast that you’ve created with one of these other podcasting plugins.
While Jetpack does have paid plans, you can access the Podcast Player block for free.
Speaking of the Podcast Player block, let’s talk about that next.
Alternative: Use the WordPress.com Podcast Player Block
If you made your website with WordPress.com, you might not need a separate WordPress podcast plugin because WordPress.com already offers its own Podcast Player block.
With the Podcast Player block, you can embed a user-friendly audio player on your site for your entire podcast or for specific podcast episodes.
One key difference between the WordPress.com Podcast Player block and WordPress podcast plugins like Blubrry PowerPress and Seriously Simple Podcasting is that the Podcast Player block assumes that you already have a podcast RSS feed.
To create this RSS feed and host your podcast files, you could use a free podcast hosting service like Spotify for Podcasters or one of the many paid podcast hosting services.
Or, you could create a self-hosted podcast with Seriously Simple Podcasting or similar plugins and then just add that RSS feed to the WordPress.com Podcast Player block.
Once you have your podcast RSS feed, the WordPress.com Podcast Player block makes it easy to embed your episodes on your site.
Here’s how it works…
How to Use the WordPress.com Podcast Player Block
To use the Podcast Player block, you’ll first want to open the editor for the piece of content where you want to embed a web player for your podcast.
This could be a blog post, a page, or a custom post type for podcast episodes.
Then, add the Podcast Player block, just like you would add any other block.
After adding the block, you’ll be prompted to enter the RSS feed URL for your podcast:
After entering the RSS feed URL and clicking Embed, the player will automatically import your latest podcast episodes.
By default, the podcast player will include your five most recent episodes.
If you want to change the number of episodes and/or choose specific episodes for this player, you can use the Podcast Player block’s settings.
You can change how many episodes to display using the Number of Items option and choose specific episodes by searching for them using the Episode box.
The settings also give you other options to customize the podcast player, such as whether to show episode cover art.
If you want to add more podcast players, you can repeat these same steps to add blocks elsewhere on your site.
For example, you could create a dedicated page for each episode with its own player in addition to having one main player that lists your latest episodes in a playlist.
Build Your WordPress Podcast Website Today
Whether you want to host your podcast with WordPress or embed episodes from a separate podcast hosting service, there are some great WordPress podcast plugins that can help you get the job done.
When choosing the right podcast plugin for your site, you’ll want to think about how you plan to host your podcast and what type of WordPress-specific podcast functionality you need.
If you build your site with WordPress.com, you might not need a dedicated podcast plugin because the Podcast Player block already lets you embed a user-friendly podcast player for your episodes.
If you’re ready to get started, sign up for the WordPress.com Business plan today to access not just the Podcast Player block but also the ability to install all of these WordPress podcast plugins on your site.
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