Podcast Player vs Seriously Simple Podcasting
Updated 13 Oct 2026. 21 features compared side by side.
Feed-based podcast player for WordPress: shows any podcast RSS feed in a customisable player, with Pro adding sticky player, episode import and stats.
Free podcast plugin by Castos that publishes episodes and feeds from WordPress, with players, blocks and optional Castos hosting and analytics.
Choose Podcast Player if…
- You need sticky player and auto-sync new episodes
- You want the lower entry price ($39.99/yr vs $190/yr)
Choose Seriously Simple Podcasting 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 (84/100 vs 50/100)
- You prefer the more widely used option
Podcast Player includes 2 features that Seriously Simple Podcasting lacks, including Sticky player and Auto-sync new episodes; Seriously Simple Podcasting has 8 that Podcast Player lacks, including Podcast RSS feed, Apple Podcasts & Spotify ready and Episode scheduling. Both include 10 of the 21 features we track.
At a glance
Feature comparison
Click a screenshot to see both plugins side by side.
Podcast Player Seriously Simple PodcastingPublishing3/77/7
Reads an existing feed; it does not generate a podcast RSS feed.
Generates an RSS feed for each podcast plus an optional combined feed.
No directory submission or feed tags, since it does not publish a feed.
Feed settings for Apple Podcasts, Spotify and other directories.
Display several podcasts with separate player instances, one feed each.
Unlimited podcasts on one site, each with its own feed and settings.
Episodes come from your host's feed; no scheduling tools.
Episodes take a publish date and scheduled episodes sync to Castos when they go live.
Shows transcript text included in episode descriptions; no transcript tooling.
Transcript file field and podcast:transcript tag; AI transcriptions with Castos.
Chapter markers are not mentioned in features or changelog.
Chapters are added in the Castos dashboard and output in the Castos feed; no plugin field.
Plays video podcasts including MP4 and HLS/m3u8 streams.
Embed Vimeo, VideoPress or video blocks; Castos Pro hosts video files.
Player4/43/4
Responsive player via block, shortcode or widget.
Compact or HTML5 player shown above or below episode content.
Sticky player tool keeps playback going across pages.
No persistent player is listed in the plugin or its blocks.
Layouts, accent colour, show/hide elements, speed, download and share; more layouts in Pro.
Custom background and progress colours, dark mode, download and new-window links.
Episode lists with search; Pro adds list and grid layouts and filters.
Playlist player and Episode List blocks/shortcodes with a cards layout.
Hosting & importing2/32/3
Plays files from your existing host; no media hosting.
Castos hosts audio on a podcast CDN with unlimited storage and downloads.
Import feed episodes as WordPress posts or custom post types.
Imports from Libsyn, Buzzsprout, Podbean, SoundCloud, Simplecast and PowerPress.
Player fetches new feed episodes automatically; Pro can update imported posts.
Castos to WordPress sync is not offered; the connection is one-way from WordPress.
Growth & analytics3/55/5
Listen tracking and stats charts in the Pro version.
Free Seriously Simple Stats add-on; deeper analytics with Castos plans.
Subscribe buttons for Apple Podcasts, Spotify and other apps.
Customisable subscribe links per podcast for Apple, Spotify and others.
PodcastEpisode schema on imported episode posts, off when an SEO plugin covers it.
Episode and series schema is added through the Yoast SEO integration.
No private or members-only feed features.
Password-protected feeds free; Castos adds private subscriber feeds and membership links.
No ads, sponsorship or listener support tools.
Funding and Value4Value tags; Castos Ads and listener donations with Castos.
Guests & booking0/21/2
No guest forms or booking integration.
No guest application or booking tool integration.
No guest or host profiles.
Free Seriously Simple Speakers add-on adds speakers with archive pages.
Statuses: Yes Pro Add-on Partial 3rd-party No ?
Pricing compared
Podcast Player Freemium
| Free | $0 |
|---|---|
| Free | Free per year, Unlimited |
| Standard | $39.99 per year, 1 site |
| Lifetime Pro | $59.95 lifetime, 1 site |
Seriously Simple Podcasting Freemium
| Free | $0 |
|---|---|
| Free plugin | Free per year, Unlimited |
| Castos Essentials | $190 per year, 1 site |
| Castos Growth | $490 per year, 1 site |
| Castos Pro | $990 per year, 1 site |
| Castos Premium | $4,990 per year, 1 site |
Downloads trend
Podcast Player
1,824 downloads last week
Seriously Simple Podcasting
4,085 downloads last week
Verdict
Seriously Simple Podcasting scores higher on our feature checklist (84/100 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 sticky player and auto-sync new episodes. Paid plans start at $39.99/yr for Podcast Player and $190/yr for Seriously Simple Podcasting. Check the features you rely on in the table below before deciding.
Biggest differences
Podcast Player: not included. Seriously Simple Podcasting: included. Generates an RSS feed for each podcast plus an optional combined feed.
Podcast Player: not included. Seriously Simple Podcasting: included. Feed settings for Apple Podcasts, Spotify and other directories.
Podcast Player: not included. Seriously Simple Podcasting: paid version (Castos Essentials). Castos hosts audio on a podcast CDN with unlimited storage and downloads.
Podcast Player: not included. Seriously Simple Podcasting: included. Episodes take a publish date and scheduled episodes sync to Castos when they go live.
Podcast Player: not included. Seriously Simple Podcasting: paid version (Castos Essentials). Chapters are added in the Castos dashboard and output in the Castos feed; no plugin field.
Podcast Player: paid version (Standard). Seriously Simple Podcasting: not included. Sticky player tool keeps playback going across pages.
Written from the feature, pricing and install data on this page, not from hands-on testing. How we compare.
Which would you choose?
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Podcast Player vs others
FAQ
Which is better, Podcast Player or Seriously Simple Podcasting?
Seriously Simple Podcasting scores higher on our feature checklist (84/100 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 sticky player and auto-sync new episodes. Paid plans start at $39.99/yr for Podcast Player and $190/yr for Seriously Simple Podcasting. Check the features you rely on in the table below before deciding.
Which has more features?
Seriously Simple Podcasting includes 18 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 Podcast Player free?
Podcast Player has a free version on WordPress.org. Paid plans start at $39.99/yr.
Is Seriously Simple Podcasting free?
Seriously Simple Podcasting has a free version on WordPress.org. Paid plans start at $190/yr.
Feature data last changed 13 Oct 2026. Spotted something wrong? Suggest an edit to Podcast Player or Seriously Simple Podcasting. Some links are affiliate links. We may earn a commission at no cost to you; it never affects our data or rankings.