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Transistor
p/transistor"Best podcast hosting platform I've used." Host multiple shows, get analytics, private podcasts, and DAI
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Justin Jackson

Transistor.fm β€” Your podcast's hosting and analytics platform πŸŽ™οΈ

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🎧 Record your audio and upload it to Transistor. We'll help you distribute your podcast to Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Google Podcasts!

πŸ‘‰ Customers include Alexis Ohanian (Reddit), Basecamp, VH1, ProfiWell, Ionic, Laravel, The U.S. Dept of Veteran Affairs.

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Justin Jackson
Maker
πŸ‘‹ This is the most exciting thing I've ever launched on Product Hunt!!! @jonbuda and I have been building Transistor.fm for months. Our mission is to help makers grow their audience through podcasting. Early-access users like Cards Against Humanity's podcast have already done millions of downloads on our platform. If you're looking to start a podcast, we'd love to have you try us out!
Justin Jackson
Maker
@mrahmadawais thank you! πŸ™Œ
Abbas Jaffar Ali
How does this compare to Anchor?
Justin Jackson
Maker
@ajaffarali I admire what Michael and his team are doing with Anchor. They’re trying to make podcasting more accessible to hobbyists and individuals that are new to the medium. That’s awesome. But Transistor is different. We built it for makers who are using podcasts to build their brand and grow their audience. I wrote a full "Anchor vs Transistor" post here πŸ‘‰
Abbas Jaffar Ali
@mijustin Thanks- went through that comparison and it definitely makes more sense to use your platform if you're seriously considering making a business out of podcasting.
DJ Little
@mijustin I wonder is it possible to create podcasts on Anchor (for their user-friendly creation tools), download them, and host them on your service?
Martin Santon
@mijustin Thanks for this great overview. I was thinking what the downsides of Anchor were. Some of the things you mention don't really matter, though, even for bigger podcasts I would say, but some of the points are great. Two questions: What are the "heavy branding" from Anchor you're talking about? It's not like there is a whispering voice over your podcast "This is an Anchor podcaaaast". I have still to try it, but that's not what I'm reading anyone complains about. Secondly, is it easy to move from Anchor to Transistor? I think I need to start with Anchor since it's free. But Transistor definitely sounds like the best long-term solution. Thanks!
Justin Jackson
Maker
@martinsanton there are actually very few "big" podcasts on Anchor, precisely because you give up a lot of control. The biggest I know of is Casey Neistat's Couples Therapy. ☝️ if you look at that page, you'll see some of what I'm talking about. In the header there's a big Anchor logo + links to their website. In the footer is a huge call to action for folks to start an Anchor account. > It's not like there is a whispering voice over your podcast "This is an Anchor podcaaaast". Actually... They do! Read George Kao's review: > Anchor puts an advertisement about their platform into the beginning or end of every podcast episode that you create/upload with their platform.
Ashley Baxter

I've ported an existing podcast to Transistor, which was a really straightforward process. I also use it to host my current podcast and know Justin and Jon have a lot of interesting features planned. They also seem open to hearing feedback about the product. Looking forward to seeing where it goes.

Pros:

Easy to use, lots of tutorials

Cons:

Yet to find any.

Joe Workman
I have been an early access user of Transistor.fm for a few months before they launched. I have wanted to start a podcast for years and came up with every excuse in the book for not doing it. Transistor removes all of the headaches of publishing and maintaining your podcast. The online dashboard easy to use, you will be up and going in minutes. It can even create a website for your podcast. Justin and Jon have been really responsive to feedback as well. If you are looking to start a podcast or tired of managing your existing one, you should really look at Transistor.fm. Its worth every penny.
Justin Jackson
Maker
@joeworkman thanks so much! Having early access users like you give us so much great feedback was really helpful. πŸ™Œ (BTW - check out Joe's show: 🎧 weaverradio.com)
Robert Williams
I've used the app for 3 months now and love it. One of the best looking players on the web. The dashboard is always easy to use. Run by a couple great dudes. A+
Justin Jackson
Maker
@yofolyo thanks Rob. I've been LOVING your show. Your interviews with @natekontny and @nathanbarry were so good: https://folyo.me/one-thing-podcast/
Nate Smoyer

Been a user now for a little more than a month. Officially launching my podcast on Transistor today (TechNest.io). This is the hosting solution I knew I wanted even before I saw the product. So actually getting what I wanted at a really good price is a no brainer. Especially since I'm not a professional podcaster and I needed a simple solution that wouldn't demand a lot of skill to use. It was like Justin had somehow looked into my mind and to see my thoughts and then created the product around that.

Pros:

Easy to get started, clean layouts, options to customize if you know a thing or two.

Cons:

Blame it on the ignorance, but I don't have any gripes about Transistor at the moment.

Jonathan Baillie Strong
Looks cool! @mijustin how does this compare to Spreaker and Simplecast (both podcast hosting providers which allow for multiple shows on the one account)?
Justin Jackson
Maker
@jonbstrong Simplecast charges you $12 / month / show. Transistor starts at $19 / month for unlimited shows. Four shows on Simplecast: $48 Four shows on Transistor.fm: $19
Jonathan Baillie Strong
@mijustin thanks for clarifying - wasn’t aware of the simplecast extra cost for multiple shows. You also mentioned usability and aligning pricing with audience growth in earlier replies - I’m interested to know how else you differentiate. (Spreaker starts at $0 / month for unlimited shows FYI) I’m curious as podcast hosting is becoming a very competitive/crowded space - just trying to understand why it would make sense for people to choose this solution over the many other alternatives out there - who would be an ideal customer?
Justin Jackson
Maker
@jonbstrong we're focused specifically on brands that want to use podcasting to grow their audience. This includes big brands like Kickstarter, and smaller personal brands like Ashley Baxter (hi @iamashley πŸ‘‹). As we grow + iterate the differentiation will become more clear. Currently the value we provide brands looks like this: - A customizable (search optimized) website for your podcast. SEO is going to be increasingly important for podcasts going forward. - A shareable landing page for every episode you publish. (It automatically creates embedded tweets like this) - A well-designed audio player that can be embedded anywhere: on your website, on WordPress, and on Twitter. (Check it out on the Goodstuff.fm site) - In-depth analytics, so you know which episodes are popular, and where people are listening (see those here) - An newsletter integration with MailChimp, ConvertKit and Drip, so your podcast helps you get more email subscribers. - Support for multiple users so you can invite your whole production + marketing team to your podcast account.
Jonathan Baillie Strong
@iamashley @mijustin Awesome! Thanks for the v comprehensive answer - can see why this quite compelling now :)
Kyle Fox
I'm not a podcaster (anymore πŸ˜‰) but I can say that Justin & Jon are the dream team for this kind of product. Justin is an absolute expert when it comes to podcasting, and Jon puts a ton of thought & care into what he builds. You'd be hard pressed to find anyone else this obsessed with helping people grow their podcasts. Definitely recommending to every podcaster I know!
Justin Jackson
Maker
@kylefox YESSS! πŸ™Œ (A bit of history: I got into podcasting because of Kyle. Our first episodes together are now hosted on Transistor. productpeople.tv/1)
Joe Workman

I have been an early access user of Transistor.fm for a few months before they launched. I have wanted to start a podcast for years and came up with every excuse in the book for not doing it. Transistor removes all of the headaches of publishing and maintaining your podcast. The online dashboard easy to use, you will be up and going in minutes. They allow for multiple users so that you can have multiple people manage show episodes. It can even create a website for your podcast. Justin and Jon have been really responsive to feedback as well. If you are looking to start a podcast or tired of managing your existing one, you should really look at Transistor.fm. Its worth every penny.

Pros:

Easy to use. Its really a no-brainer if you want to manage a podcast.

Cons:

Don't have any at this time.

Andy Keil
Awesome to see this in the wild. May have to spin up a podcast.
Justin Jackson
Maker
@alwaysunday thank you! And yes, you should start a podcast. ;) I like @iamashley's format where she reads her blog posts: https://ashleybaxter.transistor.fm/
Val Sopi
I became a Transitor customer a bit before they were launching for the public. Even before launch, I was pleasantly surprised that it worked so well. It allowed me to create a mind-map of every feature and functionality. In other words: It works as it should. Have known Justin for quite sometime and have quickly gotten to speak to Jon as well about Transistor. I love their dedication and passion in making Transitor the best for us makers. No doubt it will fly off the shelves. They are the reason I finally started podcasting. Here's my show for proof : ) https://valsopi.transistor.fm/ Their articles/docs are full of step-by-step tips on how to distribute your Podcast to major outlets and with guidelines on where to even buy the best mic, etc. Muchas gracias JJs x)
Justin Jackson
Maker
@valsopi thanks again for jumping in early. It means a lot that folks are willing to spend their $ before the product was even ready for launch! ❀️
Moe Amaya
Love this idea, adding professional tools to the podcasting market! I’m curious about the pricing model you’ve launched with, is the concept that you align increased pricing with podcast success?
Justin Jackson
Maker
@moeamaya yes! Podcasting is the best way I've found to earn trust with an audience. The hardest part for most shows is getting more listeners. (80% of podcasts get less than 1,100 downloads per episode). Most people put all of their eggs in one basket: they'll start an interview show and try to make that big. But, the best way to get more listeners is to experiment with multiple formats. (This is something @garyvee has been talking about a lot lately) For example: - You could have a 1-hour interview show that gets 1,000 downloads per episode. - Then, take the best moments from that show, and create a 5-minute highlight show. This might get 2,000 downloads per episode. - Finally, take 4 of your best highlight episodes, and turn it into a narrative 30 minute episode. Now, you're giving listeners the choice: do they want a 1-hour interview show, a 30-minute "commuter" show, or a 5-minute highlight show? You're remixing the content so it appeals to different types of listeners! Our goal with Transistor is to help you grow your audience. Our pricing grows with you: we only grow when you're successful. The other benefit? Now you're not paying $12-$19 per month for old archived shows. If you decide to retire a show, it just fits with the rest of the shows on your account.
Maximilien Tyc
Hey πŸ‘‹ congrats for your product, that looks awesome! Quick question: are you able to track user activities on other players (Google / Apple podcast apps)? If yes, what are the analytics that are included in your dashboard? Thanks!
leogdion
Transistor.fm is amazing all-in-one product for serious podcasters. Compared with many of the other products out there, I was impressed by its simplicity and comprehensive set of features. If you are looking for a host, website, analytics and more, I highly recommend Transistor.fm for serious podcasters and makers.
Justin Jackson
Maker
@leogdion thanks so much for being an early access user! πŸ’―
Helen Ryles

I've had a podcasting mic for a while now. I kept looking at it, meaning to create a show but didn't really know what to do with the audio after I recorded and edited it.

Podcast hosting and publishing all seemed pretty complicated. I tried Transistor out earlier this week and I had my show setup and ready to go in about 5 minutes!

It literally takes you step by step through the process, everything you need. Now I can just record my episodes and upload them!

Pros:

Simple upload

Website creator

Analytics

Step-by-step layout

Unlimited shows

Cons:

None I've found yet. Pricing seems to fit multi-show podcast creators and businesses best.

Jason Resnick

I was an early adopter of Transistor and I've always found podcast hosts plain, dated, and not as user friendly as they could be. Analytics always seems like this black box of "estimations."

Since Justin had serveral successful podcasts and thought that if there's anyone who will build a great platform for podcasters, it's Justin.

At the time I joined, I was starting up a daily podcast, so I needed something quick, easy to use, and efficient each and every day. Transistor does it all!!!

I quickly moved my other podcast over and the migration was super simple.

If you've struggled with understanding all the technical aspects of hosting your podcast, give Transistor.fm a run. You won't be disappointed!

Pros:

Easy to work with, fast, embedded (everywhere) player rocks 🀘, integration with podcast services is stellar, growing analytics

Cons:

If I had to, I suppose the show note editor could be better Β―\_(ツ)_/Β― and potentially see in analytics more data around single eps

Davis Baer
Awesome work Justin and Jon!
Justin Jackson
Maker
@daviswbaer thank you! πŸ•Ί
Γ…ke Brattberg πŸ‡ΈπŸ‡ͺπŸ””
Congrats! Looks great guys!!
Alex Bass
Congrats on the launch guys! Have really been enjoying using your platform the past couple months and your podcast has been a very enjoyable look into behind the scenes. Keep up the awesome work and keep the Build Your SaaS podcast coming along!
Nate Smoyer
πŸ‘πŸ‘πŸ‘ @mijustin & @jonbuda - this is both a congrats to you on officially launching and thank you for letting me be an early access customer. This is the platform I needed to launch my podcast the way I wanted to! πŸ™
Justin Jackson
Maker
@natesmoyer thanks so much. We really appreciate you signing up early-on. πŸ‘ (Really dug your latest episode btw! Mixing tech + real estate is good idea)