Castopod

Castopod is open source software you install on your own server, or pay a third party to run for you. It handles the RSS feed, episode pages, and analytics like any other host, but it also plugs into the fediverse, so your show can get replies and boosts from Mastodon users.

It suits technical hobbyists, activist media collectives, and anyone allergic to vendor lock in. If you already run a VPS for other projects, adding Castopod is not a big lift. If you don't, the learning curve is real.

The fediverse angle is genuinely different from every other host on this list. Comments and interactions show up as native social posts instead of living in a walled garden, which some indie shows find brings back a sense of actual community.

The catch is maintenance. Software needs updating, servers need monitoring, and when something breaks at 2am nobody's support chat is picking up. Budget time for this, not just money.