Fusebox Player vs Podcast Player
Updated 13 Oct 2026. 21 features compared side by side.
Podcast players (single track, archive and sticky) plus Easy Hosting and a transcript plugin, sold as a subscription by SPI Labs. Formerly Smart Podcast…
Feed-based podcast player for WordPress: shows any podcast RSS feed in a customisable player, with Pro adding sticky player, episode import and stats.
Choose Fusebox Player if…
- You need podcast RSS feed and Apple podcasts & spotify ready
- You also want podcast media hosting and episode scheduling
- You want the more complete feature set (74/100 vs 50/100)
Choose Podcast Player if…
- You need video podcasts
- You want to start with a free version
- You prefer the more widely used option
Fusebox Player includes 5 features that Podcast Player lacks, including Podcast RSS feed, Apple Podcasts & Spotify ready and Episode scheduling; Podcast Player has 1 that Fusebox Player lacks, including Video podcasts. Both include 10 of the 21 features we track. 1 feature is not yet verified for one or both plugins.
At a glance
Feature comparison
Click a screenshot to see both plugins side by side.
Fusebox Player Podcast PlayerPublishing5/73/7
Easy Hosting, included in both plans, publishes your show's RSS feed.
Reads an existing feed; it does not generate a podcast RSS feed.
Hosting includes guides for listing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube Music and others.
No directory submission or feed tags, since it does not publish a feed.
Display several podcasts with separate player instances, one feed each.
Episodes uploaded to Easy Hosting can be scheduled to publish later.
Episodes come from your host's feed; no scheduling tools.
Add and edit transcripts in the dashboard; WordPress transcript plugin shows them on the page.
Shows transcript text included in episode descriptions; no transcript tooling.
Clickable timestamps jump to points in an episode; no true chapter markers documented.
Chapter markers are not mentioned in features or changelog.
Audio players and hosting only; video is not listed on the pricing or feature pages.
Plays video podcasts including MP4 and HLS/m3u8 streams.
Player4/44/4
Single Track Player embeds an episode on any page or post.
Responsive player via block, shortcode or widget.
Sticky Player at the top or bottom of the site plays the latest episode.
Sticky player tool keeps playback going across pages.
Brand colours, light or dark scheme, speed, download and share controls.
Layouts, accent colour, show/hide elements, speed, download and share; more layouts in Pro.
Archive Player lists the full catalogue with featured episodes first.
Episode lists with search; Pro adds list and grid layouts and filters.
Hosting & importing3/32/3
Easy Hosting with unlimited episode uploads is included in both plans.
Plays files from your existing host; no media hosting.
Migration tool automates moving an existing show from another host.
Import feed episodes as WordPress posts or custom post types.
Shows hosted elsewhere pull details from your host, so players stay up to date.
Player fetches new feed episodes automatically; Pro can update imported posts.
Growth & analytics3/53/5
Downloads, sources, platforms and top episodes in the dashboard.
Listen tracking and stats charts in the Pro version.
Add Apple Podcasts, Spotify and other subscriber links shown with the players.
Subscribe buttons for Apple Podcasts, Spotify and other apps.
Transcript plugin puts searchable text on the page; no episode schema documented.
PodcastEpisode schema on imported episode posts, off when an SEO plugin covers it.
No private or members-only feeds on the pricing or feature pages.
No private or members-only feed features.
No ads, sponsorship or listener support tools; email capture only.
No ads, sponsorship or listener support tools.
Guests & booking0/20/2
No guest application or booking features.
No guest forms or booking integration.
No guest or host profiles.
No guest or host profiles.
Statuses: Yes Pro Add-on Partial 3rd-party No ?
Pricing compared
Fusebox Player Premium
| Starter | $9 per month, Unlimited |
|---|---|
| Pro | $19 per month, Unlimited |
Podcast Player Freemium
| Free | $0 |
|---|---|
| Free | Free per year, Unlimited |
| Standard | $39.99 per year, 1 site |
| Lifetime Pro | $59.95 lifetime, 1 site |
Downloads trend
Fusebox Player
No WordPress.org download data (premium-only plugin).
Podcast Player
1,824 downloads last week
Verdict
Fusebox Player scores higher on our feature checklist (74/100 against 50/100) and includes podcast RSS feed, Apple podcasts & spotify ready and podcast media hosting that Podcast Player does not. Podcast Player still has the edge on video podcasts. Only Podcast Player has a free version. Check the features you rely on in the table below before deciding.
Biggest differences
Fusebox Player: included. Podcast Player: not included. Easy Hosting, included in both plans, publishes your show's RSS feed.
Fusebox Player: included. Podcast Player: not included. Hosting includes guides for listing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube Music and others.
Fusebox Player: included. Podcast Player: not included. Easy Hosting with unlimited episode uploads is included in both plans.
Fusebox Player: included. Podcast Player: not included. Episodes uploaded to Easy Hosting can be scheduled to publish later.
Fusebox Player: partial. Podcast Player: not included. Clickable timestamps jump to points in an episode; no true chapter markers documented.
Fusebox Player: not included. Podcast Player: included. Plays video podcasts including MP4 and HLS/m3u8 streams.
Written from the feature, pricing and install data on this page, not from hands-on testing. How we compare.
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FAQ
Which is better, Fusebox Player or Podcast Player?
Fusebox Player scores higher on our feature checklist (74/100 against 50/100) and includes podcast RSS feed, Apple podcasts & spotify ready and podcast media hosting that Podcast Player does not. Podcast Player still has the edge on video podcasts. Only Podcast Player has a free version. Check the features you rely on in the table below before deciding.
Which has more features?
Fusebox Player includes 15 of the 21 features we track, against 12 for Podcast Player. Feature count is only part of the picture; check which of the differences matter to you.
Is Fusebox Player free?
Fusebox Player is premium only. Paid plans start at $9/mo.
Is Podcast Player free?
Podcast Player has a free version on WordPress.org. Paid plans start at $39.99/yr.
Feature data last changed 13 Oct 2026. Spotted something wrong? Suggest an edit to Fusebox Player or Podcast Player. Some links are affiliate links. We may earn a commission at no cost to you; it never affects our data or rankings.