PPluckly
Comparison

Captivate vs Swell AI

Side-by-side comparison of Captivate and Swell AI.

Tool
Captivate

Podcast hosting built for serious independent creators

Swell AI

Turns podcast audio into written content automatically

Starting price
17/mo
29/mo
Founded
2019
Pricing model
subscription
freemium
Free option
Paid only
Free tier

What they are

Captivate

Captivate is a podcast hosting platform aimed at independent podcasters and small networks who want distribution, analytics, and monetization tools in one place. It handles unlimited podcasts and team members on every plan, which is unusual at this price point. The analytics go deeper than most entry-level hosts, but the platform has no free tier, so beginners testing the waters will need to commit from day one.

Swell AI

Swell AI ingests podcast episodes, YouTube videos, or audio files and generates transcripts, show notes, blog posts, social clips, and newsletters from a single upload. It targets podcasters and video creators who want to repurpose content without hiring a writer. The output quality is solid for first drafts but typically needs editing before publishing. A free tier exists with limited monthly credits.

Choose
Captivate

if you need analytics and podcast hosting. Starts at 17/mo.

  • +Unlimited podcasts and team members on all plans
  • +IAB-certified analytics with listener trend data
  • +Built-in private podcast support for memberships
Choose
Swell AI

if you need transcription and ai writing. It has a usable free tier to start with.

  • +Handles the full repurposing workflow in one place rather than stitching together separate tools
  • +Transcript accuracy is competitive with dedicated transcription services
  • +Generates multiple content formats from a single upload

Which to choose

Captivate and Swell AI solve different problems, so most people would not choose between them directly. The comparison below helps if you are weighing where to spend budget, or deciding whether you need both.

Read the full reviews for Captivate and Swell AI.

Pricing checked 3 Jun 2026.