Articles on: Private & Unlisted Podcasts

What's the difference between Unlisted Podcasts and Private Podcasts?

Transistor offers two types of private podcast: Unlisted Podcasts and Private Podcasts.


Unlisted Podcasts


Unlisted podcasts are a simple way to hide a feed from public podcast directories.


Unlimited unlisted podcasts are available in all of our plans. They are created in the same way as a public podcast, by clicking the 'Add a Show' button in your Transistor account.


Once you have created a podcast, you hide it from public podcast directories by checking Make this show's RSS feed unlisted in the RSS Feed settings.


See How do I make my podcast unlisted?


With unlisted podcasts you get a single private RSS feed. You share this RSS feed manually with all your intended listeners through email, social media etc.


Whoever has access to the RSS feed can listen to the podcast. It's not possible to remove access for an individual subscriber with unlisted podcasts as all subscribers are using the same RSS feed.


With unlisted podcasts you can:


  • Hide your podcast from public podcast platforms and directories
  • Use embedded podcast players to add your podcast to your website
  • Let subscribers add the RSS feed to any podcast listening app that supports private podcasts (Apple Podcasts, Pocket Casts, Podcast Addict, etc)
  • Check analytics for your show (this includes download numbers, popular apps and devices used and geographical location info)
  • Turn your podcast into a public podcast at any time, by unchecking Make this show's RSS feed unlisted
  • Enable a Transistor provided podcast website


Unlisted podcasts are the lowest cost option and have flexibility to make it as accessible or private as you need.


Private Podcasts


Private podcasts are available on all of our plans.


The plan you choose comes with a quota of Private Podcast Subscribers. You can split this quota equally between any number of private podcasts.


The Starter plan includes 50 private podcast subscribers, Professional includes 500, and Business includes 3,000. See How do account and storage limits work? for every plan.


You can upgrade to add additional subscribers at your convenience, and our Enterprise plans offer subscriber numbers well above 3,000 people.


Each subscriber to a private podcast gets a unique RSS feed emailed to them, so you can add and remove their individual access at any time.


With private podcasts you can:


  • Hide your podcast from public podcast platforms and directories (with Spotify Open Access, your podcast's details are visible on Spotify, but only subscribers can play episodes)
  • Welcome new subscribers with an email that contains their unique RSS feed
  • Automatically notify your subscribers of new episodes by email
  • Use embedded podcast players to add your podcast to your website (private podcasts are usually only embedded on internal or membership sites)
  • Let subscribers add their unique RSS feed to any podcast listening app that supports private podcasts (Apple Podcasts, Podcast Addict, etc)
  • Check analytics for your show and its individual subscribers (you can see which episodes each subscriber has listened to and how many times)
  • Let subscribers listen in Spotify with Spotify Open Access
  • Require a password to listen on the web


Private podcasts do not have a Transistor provided website.


Private podcasts require more infrastructure as each subscriber gets their own RSS feed. This makes them a more expensive option compared to Unlisted Podcasts. However this allows you to control access to your private podcast in a more deliberate way.


Can private podcasts be shared with non-subscribers?


A subscriber could pass on their RSS feed, or record the audio as it plays, so private podcasts aren't meant for sensitive or confidential information. With a private podcast, you can see how often each subscriber listens and remove anyone you think is sharing.


See How secure is a private podcast?


Can I switch a podcast between public, unlisted and private?


Yes. You can switch between public and unlisted yourself, and we'll switch a podcast to or from private for you.


See Can I switch a podcast between public, unlisted and private?


Which type of private podcast should I choose?


If you're wanting to test out an idea or start a private podcast on a budget, or for a very small group of people, then an unlisted podcast would be the best option. Our Starter plan offers the best value.


If you are running a paid private podcast or an internal company podcast and you will want to add and remove access for individuals on a regular basis, then a private podcast would be the best type for you. Our Professional plan is a good place to start and you can always upgrade at any time as your podcast grows.


Want to start your own private podcast?


Check out our guide, How to create a private podcast and take a look at our private podcast features.


If you have additional questions please reach out to us:


Updated on: 02/11/2026

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