Firstory
Firstory is a podcast hosting platform that enables independent creators to distribute episodes via one-click publishing to Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and other directories, while monetizing through Dynamic Ad Insertion, membership subscriptions, and donations across 150+ countries.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2019
- HeadquartersSan Francisco, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingSoftware
What Firstory does
Firstory is a podcast hosting and monetization platform that distributes episodes from independent creators to major listening directories including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, KKBOX, Amazon Music, and Pocket Casts via RSS-based one-click publishing. The platform operates two principal interfaces: Firstory Studio, a self-serve web dashboard where creators upload episodes, configure distribution, and access analytics and AI tooling, and the Firstory App, the listener-facing application supporting content discovery and direct creator support. Creators monetize through Dynamic Ad Insertion (programmatic pre-roll and mid-roll ads at NT$35 CPM, the first such offering in Asia), Membership subscriptions (tiered Basic/Premium paid content with cross-platform sync to Apple Podcasts and Spotify), and donations processed by Firstory as payment collection platform with service fees of 15-40%.
Firstory firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Firstory
- Legal name
- Firstory Ltd.
- Website
- https://firstory.me
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2019
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Firstory is a podcast hosting platform that enables independent creators to distribute episodes via one-click publishing to Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and other directories, while monetizing through Dynamic Ad Insertion, membership subscriptions, and donations across 150+ countries.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Firstory industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Podcast Hosting Platform
- NAICS
- Media Streaming Distribution Services, Social Networks, and Other Media Networks and Content Providers (516210)
- SIC
- Services-Prepackaged Software (7372)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Podcast Hosting & Enterprise Solutions (Private/Branded Podcasts) (MPACADAF)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Creator Tools & Monetization Platforms (Podcasts/Audio) (MPAIADAG), Podcast Discovery & Recommendation Apps (MPACAKAF), Creator Music/SFX Asset Libraries & Licensing Platforms (MPACABAM)
Keywords
Where Firstory is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- San Francisco
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Markets served
Firstory business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Subscription Plans: Tiered subscription model with four levels: Free ($0), Lite ($84/yr), Pro ($180/yr), and Enterprise ($1,908/yr). Plans differ by show limits (1 to unlimited), AI content extraction credits (1-25 episodes/month), and features like advanced analytics, download reports, and ad revenue share rates.
- Dynamic Advertising: Revenue sharing with creators based on NT$35 per thousand impressions (CPM). Free plan users automatically become dynamic advertising partners with mandatory pre-roll ads. Paid tier users (Lite and above) can toggle ad authorization on/off. Platform charges platform service fees on creator earnings.
- Membership/Donation Platform Fees: Firstory acts as payment collection platform for creator donations and subscriptions. Platform service fees: 20% for donations (Firstory-hosted programs) or 40% (non-Firstory-hosted). 15% for subscriptions (Firstory-hosted) or 35% (non-Firstory-hosted). Withdrawal threshold: NT$3,000 minimum.
- Membership Subscriptions: Creators earn recurring revenue through monthly subscription tiers. Data shows creators enabling Membership feature see average 210% revenue increase. Platform supports multiple membership tiers (Basic, Premium) with custom pricing. Members get exclusive content, early access, Q&A sessions, and Discord access.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Monthly | Free tier for starting podcasters |
| Subscription | Annual | AI-powered creation for growing creators |
| Subscription | Annual | Deep analytics and monetization growth |
| Subscription | Annual | Professional brand building with unlimited scale |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels7 records
Marketing channels5 records
Firstory product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Firstory is a podcast hosting platform that enables creators to upload audio episodes and distribute them via one-click publishing to Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, KKBOX, Amazon Music, and Pocket Casts. The platform includes AI-powered content extraction that generates summaries, transcripts, mind maps, and social posts from episodes, along with Dynamic Audio Insertion (DAI) and membership/subscription monetization tools for creators.
Product overview
Firstory is a podcast hosting platform and monetization ecosystem comprising two main interfaces: Firstory Studio (creator dashboard) and the Firstory App (listener platform). The platform offers tiered pricing plans (Free, Lite, Pro, Enterprise) differentiated by show limits, AI credits (1-25/month), and download allowances. Core monetization modules include Membership (subscription revenue with Apple/Spotify sync), Dynamic Ad Insertion (pre/mid-roll ads), and donations. AI-powered tools in AI Studio extract summaries, transcripts, mind maps, and other content from episodes. Distribution integrations cover Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, KKBOX, Amazon Music, and Pocket Casts via one-click publishing. Supporting features include FLink (smart links), Player Integration (embeddable players), Data Analytics (performance tracking), Cross Promotion (creator collaboration), and Voicemail (audience messaging).
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Firstory Studio Web-based podcast hosting dashboard that allows creators to upload, edit, manage, and publish podcast episodes with one-click distribution to major listening platforms. Designed for individual creators, podcast hosts, and media producers.
- Firstory App Mobile listener application that allows audiences to discover, follow, and listen to podcasts hosted on Firstory, with support for offline listening and cross-platform membership access.
- Firstory Advertising Services Programmatic and direct advertising offering that lets brands and agencies place targeted ads in podcasts through Firstory's Dynamic Ad Insertion technology, with revenue shared back to participating creators.
Quantifiable outcome
- Creators enabling Membership feature see average 210% revenue increase
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Firstory
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Firstory technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration9 records
AI capability6 records
Feature5 records
Firstory partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- KKBOXcorePartnership with KKBOX provides Firstory users with access to millions of songs for legal music insertion in podcasts at no additional cost. Also includes automated transcript generation for podcast episodes. Creators need 50+ KKBOX followers to access transcript feature. Limited to 2 transcripts every 7 days. Music insertion exports must use GarageBand for compatibility.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Firstory competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Buzzsprout: Buzzsprout is a US-based podcast hosting platform offering tiered subscriptions, distribution to major directories, and creator monetization tools. Directly comparable freemium SaaS model with podcast hosting, analytics, and AI features at similar price points to Firstory.
- Podbean: Podbean is a podcast hosting platform offering tiered plans, monetization (ads, memberships, Patron-style donations), distribution to major directories, and AI-powered tools. Closely comparable product offering including dynamic ad insertion and membership features similar to Firstory.
- Transistor.fm: Transistor is a podcast hosting platform built for businesses and professional creators, offering unlimited shows, private/team podcasts, analytics, and monetization features. Closely aligned pricing model and target customer base to Firstory's Pro/Enterprise tiers.
- SoundOn: SoundOn is a Taiwan-based podcast hosting platform explicitly targeted at Taiwanese and Asian creators. Firstory's own website features a 'Compare to SoundOn' page, confirming direct head-to-head competition in the same regional market with overlapping creator tools and distribution.
- Libsyn: Libsyn is one of the oldest podcast hosting platforms serving professional and enterprise creators. Offers distribution to all major directories plus monetization tools (advertising, premium subscriptions). Comparable target customer segment of professional and high-volume podcasters.
- Spreaker: Spreaker is a podcast hosting and monetization platform offering Dynamic Ad Insertion, distribution, and analytics. Comparable feature set including programmatic ad technology and tiered creator plans targeting similar podcast creator segments.
- Castbox: Castbox is a podcast app and hosting platform with strong presence in Asia, offering distribution, monetization, and creator tools. Directly comparable Asian market positioning with overlapping creator-focused product features.
Broad incumbents
- Acast: Acast is a global podcast hosting and monetization platform headquartered in Sweden, offering open marketplace dynamic ad insertion and creator tools. While not Asia-focused, Acast represents a comparable DAI-first monetization model that Firstory's DAI capability parallels in Asia.
- Spotify for Podcasters (Anchor): Spotify acquired Anchor in 2019 and offers free podcast hosting with built-in distribution to Spotify plus monetization via Spotify Partner Program. As a global incumbent with deep resources, Spotify for Podcasters represents the primary competitive threat to Firstory's hosting value proposition.
- Apple Podcasts Subscriptions: Apple Podcasts offers native subscription and channel features for creators, integrated into the world's largest podcast directory. As Apple controls primary distribution for Firstory's creators, its native monetization tools represent both a partnership opportunity and a competitive threat.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Firstory social profiles
Digital presenceFirstory financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Firstory leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
Firstory funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds2 records
Investors4 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Firstory M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Firstory
What does Firstory do?
Firstory is a podcast hosting platform that enables creators to upload audio episodes and distribute them via one-click publishing to Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, KKBOX, Amazon Music, and Pocket Casts. The platform includes AI-powered content extraction that generates summaries, transcripts, mind maps, and social posts from episodes, along with Dynamic Audio Insertion (DAI) and membership/subscription monetization tools for creators.
Is Firstory a public or private company?
Firstory is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Firstory founded?
Firstory was founded in 2019. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Firstory based?
Firstory is headquartered in San Francisco, United States, in the North America region.
How does Firstory make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Subscription Plans are the primary driver. The others are dynamic Advertising, membership/Donation Platform Fees and membership Subscriptions.
Who are Firstory's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Buzzsprout, Podbean, Transistor.fm, SoundOn, Libsyn, Spreaker and Castbox. Broad incumbents are Acast, Spotify for Podcasters (Anchor) and Apple Podcasts Subscriptions.
Does Firstory have an API?
No public API is recorded for Firstory.
What industry is Firstory in?
Firstory's product category is Podcast Hosting Platform. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPACADAF, Podcast Hosting & Enterprise Solutions (Private/Branded Podcasts), with a secondary code of MPAIADAG, Creator Tools & Monetization Platforms (Podcasts/Audio). Its NAICS code is 516210 and its SIC code is 7372.