Pinecast
Pinecast is a bootstrapped, self-serve podcast hosting platform serving SMB and individual podcasters with hosting, one-click distribution to major directories, analytics, and Stripe-integrated Tip Jar monetization, operated by a 1–10 person team out of Raleigh, NC.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2015
- HeadquartersChicago, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingSoftware
What Pinecast does
Pinecast is a privately-held, bootstrapped podcast hosting platform founded in 2015 and operated out of Raleigh, NC by a team of 1–10 people. The company provides end-to-end podcast infrastructure — hosting, one-click distribution to 10+ major directories (Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube Music, Amazon Music, etc.), analytics with 48+ data views, integrated monetization via a Stripe-powered Tip Jar supporting 20+ currencies, automatic transcription, clip insertion, IAB-compliant embeddable players, and review monitoring across Apple Podcasts and Podchaser.
The product is delivered as a tiered, self-serve subscription: a no-credit-card Free plan (2 shows, 10 episodes), a Starter plan at $10/mo or $110/yr (unlimited shows, premium analytics, free transcripts, podcast website), and four modular add-ons (Pro Analytics, Crew, Growth at $10/mo each; Hi-Fi at $15/mo) that layer on top of Starter without tier lock-in. An Icebox plan ($2/mo, billed annually) retains content for inactive accounts after 60 days. Technology integrations include Stripe (payments), WordPress (plugin), Slack/Discord/webhooks (notifications), and Google Analytics (website tracking).
Pinecast's go-to-market is fully product-led with a stated $0 advertising budget; customer acquisition runs on word-of-mouth, an extensive Learn education platform, and organic social channels (Bluesky, Reddit). The company explicitly positions itself as 'built by podcasters for podcasters' with no advertising business model, charging only Stripe's standard 2.9% + $0.30 transaction fee on Tip Jar payments and taking no additional cut from creator earnings. The platform has served billions of listens since 2015 and addresses three primary segments: podcast beginners, power users/professional podcasters, and corporate/organizational podcasters, with an SMB and individual creator base served entirely through self-serve sign-up.
Pinecast firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Pinecast
- Legal name
- Pinecast
- Website
- https://pinecast.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2015
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Pinecast is a bootstrapped, self-serve podcast hosting platform serving SMB and individual podcasters with hosting, one-click distribution to major directories, analytics, and Stripe-integrated Tip Jar monetization, operated by a 1–10 person team out of Raleigh, NC.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Pinecast industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Podcast Hosting
- NAICS
- Software Publishers (5132)
- SIC
- Services-Prepackaged Software (7372)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Podcast Hosting Platforms (RSS, Analytics, Distribution) (MPACADAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Podcast Hosting & Enterprise Solutions (Private/Branded Podcasts) (MPACADAF), Podcast Ad Sales Networks & Monetization Platforms (MPACADAD), Podcast Hosting & Distribution Platforms (MPAIADAB)
Keywords
Where Pinecast is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Chicago
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Pinecast business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Subscription Plans: Tiered subscription model with Free, Starter, and Icebox plans. Starter plan at $10/month or $110/year provides unlimited shows, no episode limit, 80MB files, premium analytics, free transcripts, and podcast website. Icebox plan at $2/month for inactive accounts.
- Add-on Features: Pro Analytics ($10/mo), Crew ($10/mo), Growth ($10/mo), and Hi-Fi ($15/mo) add-ons available as separate subscriptions that layer on top of Starter plan. Each adds specific capabilities like advanced analytics, multi-user collaboration, review monitoring, or high-quality file uploads.
- Tip Jar Transaction Fees: Pinecast processes listener tips and subscriptions through its Tip Jar feature. Takes 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction (standard Stripe fee). Does not take additional cut from creator earnings. Payouts weekly.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Pay-as-you-go | Free plan with basic features and limitations |
| Subscription | Monthly | Core podcast hosting with unlimited shows and premium features |
| Subscription | Monthly | Advanced analytics with geographic and growth insights |
| Subscription | Monthly | Network management and multi-user collaboration |
| Subscription | Monthly | Audience engagement, reviews, and website customization |
| Subscription | Monthly | High-quality audio uploads with faster RSS updates |
| Subscription | Annual | Read-only state for inactive accounts |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
Pinecast product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Pinecast is a self-serve podcast hosting platform that provides end-to-end podcast creation, automated one-click distribution to 10+ directories (Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube Music, Amazon Music, etc.), multi-dimensional analytics (19 podcast, 13 episode, 16 network views), and integrated monetization via its Tip Jar listener-support feature that processes payments in 20+ currencies through Stripe. The platform is offered via a free tier and a $10/month Starter subscription, with optional add-ons (Pro Analytics, Crew, Growth, Hi-Fi, $10–$15/month) extending analytics, collaboration, audience engagement, and high-quality audio capabilities.
Product overview
Pinecast is a unified podcast hosting platform providing end-to-end podcast creation, distribution, monetization, and analytics tools. The core offering consists of tiered hosting plans (Free, Starter at $10/mo) with built-in features including distribution to major platforms, analytics with multiple views, the Tip Jar monetization system, and transcription. Add-on modules extend functionality: Pro Analytics ($10/mo) for geographic and growth insights, Crew ($10/mo) for network management and notifications, Growth ($10/mo) for review monitoring and feedback, and Hi-Fi ($15/mo) for larger file uploads. The platform also offers standalone features including clip insertion, embeddable players, short links, podcast websites, review monitoring, and email privacy. Unlike modular platforms, Pinecast's features are either included in base plans or available as clearly-priced add-ons with no tier complexity.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Pinecast Podcast Hosting Platform An end-to-end podcast hosting service providing RSS/JSON feed generation, one-click automated submission to 10+ major podcast directories and apps (Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube Music, Amazon Music, Boomplay, Pandora, Player FM, JioSaavn, TuneIn, iHeartRadio, Pocket Casts), 48+ analytics views (19 podcast, 13 episode, 16 network), built-in podcast websites, automatic transcription (up to 4 hours/month), clip insertion, embeddable IAB-compliant players, short links, SEO optimization, and email-privacy forwarding. Offered via a free tier and paid Starter subscription with optional add-ons (Pro Analytics, Crew, Growth, Hi-Fi), targeting individual podcasters, professional/power users, corporate communications teams, and podcast networks.
- Pinecast Tip Jar (Listener Monetization) An integrated listener-monetization system that enables podcasters to accept one-off tips and recurring subscriptions, mark episodes as paid-only, deliver private RSS feeds to paying subscribers, and manage subscriptions through a web dashboard. Payments are processed in over 20 currencies with weekly payouts and US 1099 tax reporting handled through Stripe; creators pay only Stripe's standard 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction with no additional Pinecast cut.
Quantifiable outcome
- Billions of listens served since 2015
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Pinecast
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Pinecast technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration7 records
Feature16 records
Pinecast partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- StripecorePayment processing services provided by Stripe for Tip Jar monetization. Handles credit card processing, bank transfers, subscription management, fraud monitoring, and currency conversion. Pinecast integrates Stripe Connected Account Agreement for creators receiving payments.
- SpotifycorePodcast distribution partner. When podcasters opt-in, Pinecast submits feeds to Spotify for Creators. Podcasts must comply with Spotify terms: no music-only content, authorization granted for distribution and advertising, content monitoring for copyrighted material.
- Apple PodcastscorePrimary podcast directory with one-click submission. Pinecast monitors reviews across all Apple Podcasts regional listings and notifies podcasters. Integration enables analytics data from Apple Podcasts.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Pinecast competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Buzzsprout: Leading independent podcast hosting platform with tiered subscription pricing, one-click distribution, and detailed analytics. Closely comparable on product surface, target SMB/individual podcaster, and freemium-plus-paid model.
- Transistor: Podcast hosting platform focused on businesses and brands, with unlimited shows, analytics, and private feeds. Comparable in targeting professional and corporate podcasters with per-show pricing.
- Captivate: Growth-focused podcast hosting platform with built-in marketing, monetization, and analytics tools. Comparable in serving serious creators and brands willing to pay for advanced growth features.
- Podbean: Podcast hosting and monetization platform with its own podcast app, ad marketplace, and live audio features. Comparable across hosting, distribution, and creator monetization, with a broader consumer app footprint.
- Libsyn (Liberated Syndication): One of the longest-standing podcast hosting services, offering storage-based pricing tiers, distribution, and monetization. Comparable on core hosting/distribution, with a more legacy enterprise orientation.
- Blubrry: Podcast hosting and stats platform integrated with the PowerPress WordPress plugin. Comparable in serving independent creators with hosting, analytics, and WordPress-centric distribution.
- RSS.com: Podcast hosting and monetization platform with unlimited shows, IAB-certified analytics, and dynamic ad insertion. Closely comparable on feature parity, analytics emphasis, and creator-monetization tooling.
- Spreaker: Podcast hosting and monetization platform owned by iHeartMedia, with built-in ad marketplace and live broadcasting. Comparable on hosting, distribution, and monetization, with stronger ad-network capabilities.
Broad incumbents
- Spotify for Podcasters (formerly Anchor): Spotify-owned free podcast creation and hosting platform with native distribution into Spotify's listener base. Comparable in core hosting/distribution but bundles free hosting with Spotify's massive audience as a major incumbent.
- Acast: Podcast hosting and monetization platform with a large open marketplace for programmatic advertising across multiple shows. Comparable on hosting and monetization, but operates a much larger ad-network business.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Pinecast social profiles
Digital presencePinecast financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Pinecast leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Pinecast funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Pinecast 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 Pinecast
What does Pinecast do?
Pinecast is a self-serve podcast hosting platform that provides end-to-end podcast creation, automated one-click distribution to 10+ directories (Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube Music, Amazon Music, etc.), multi-dimensional analytics (19 podcast, 13 episode, 16 network views), and integrated monetization via its Tip Jar listener-support feature that processes payments in 20+ currencies through Stripe. The platform is offered via a free tier and a $10/month Starter subscription, with optional add-ons (Pro Analytics, Crew, Growth, Hi-Fi, $10–$15/month) extending analytics, collaboration, audience engagement, and high-quality audio capabilities.
Is Pinecast a public or private company?
Pinecast is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Pinecast founded?
Pinecast was founded in 2015. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Pinecast based?
Pinecast is headquartered in Chicago, United States, in the North America region.
How does Pinecast make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Subscription Plans are the primary driver. The others are add-on Features and tip Jar Transaction Fees.
Who are Pinecast's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Buzzsprout, Transistor, Captivate, Podbean, Libsyn (Liberated Syndication), Blubrry, RSS.com and Spreaker. Broad incumbents are Spotify for Podcasters (formerly Anchor) and Acast.
Does Pinecast have an API?
No public API is recorded for Pinecast.
What industry is Pinecast in?
Pinecast's product category is Podcast Hosting. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPACADAA, Podcast Hosting Platforms (RSS, Analytics, Distribution), with a secondary code of MPACADAF, Podcast Hosting & Enterprise Solutions (Private/Branded Podcasts). Its NAICS code is 5132 and its SIC code is 7372.