Castopod is a free and open-source podcast hosting platform built for podcasters who want to engage and interact directly with their audience while retaining full control over their content.

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🚀 Overview

Castopod is a decentralized podcast hosting solution that empowers creators to connect with listeners through the fediverse, bypassing the limitations of centralized platforms. It enables sharing episodes for likes, comments, and boosts directly from podcast pages, fostering genuine community interaction.

The project solves key pain points in podcasting: lack of direct audience engagement, dependency on big directories for distribution, privacy concerns in analytics, and limited monetization options. Podcasters can promote content with auto-generated clips and soundbites, distribute via standard RSS to Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and more, track listens with GDPR-compliant tools, and earn through subscriptions, tips, or ads.

It's built for independent podcasters, networks, and creators embracing Podcasting 2.0 standards like ActivityPub integration. Ad Aures created it to promote a decentralized, innovative podcasting ecosystem where creators own their data and relationships.

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✨ Key Features

• Fediverse Integration: Interact with audience via ActivityPub – share, like, comment on episodes across Mastodon, Pleroma, and other platforms.
• Promotion Tools: Generate video clips and soundbites for social media to boost discoverability.
• Global Distribution: RSS feeds ensure episodes appear on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Deezer, and directories worldwide.
• Privacy-Focused Analytics: IABv2-compliant stats with anonymized data respecting GDPR, CCPA, LGPD.
• Monetization: Support premium subscriptions, micropayments, listener tips, and cookieless ads.
• Upcoming: Continued enhancements for Podcasting 2.0 features like geolocation and chapters.

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🛠 Tech Stack

• Frontend: Tailwind CSS, TypeScript, JavaScript, Vite, Rollup
• Backend: PHP 8.1+, CodeIgniter 4.7, FrankenPHP
• Database: MySQL 5.7+ or MariaDB 10.3+
• Auth: Custom built-in user management
• Hosting: Self-hosted, Docker with Caddy

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👥 Who Is This For?

This project is useful for:

• Podcasters who want to build direct audience relationships via the fediverse
• Indie creators seeking decentralized hosting with analytics and monetization
• Podcast networks managing multiple shows with unlimited episodes and users

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📸 Screenshots / Demo

• Live demo: Self-host your instance or try hosted version at https://castopod.com
• GitHub: https://github.com/ad-aures/castopod

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🔥 Project Status

• 🟢 Actively building

Last updated: 2026-03-24

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❓ FAQ

Is this project free?

Yes — free and open-source for self-hosting. A paid hosted service is available at https://castopod.com starting at €9.96/month.

Is the source code available?

Yes — primary repository at https://code.castopod.org/adaures/castopod (GitLab), read-only GitHub mirror at https://github.com/ad-aures/castopod

Can I contribute?

Yes — report bugs and submit merge requests on the GitLab repo. Help with translations, documentation, design, or plugins. Join the Discord community for discussions and feedback.

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📬 Contact & Links

• Website: https://castopod.org
• GitHub: https://github.com/ad-aures/castopod
• GitLab: https://code.castopod.org/adaures/castopod
• Discord: https://castopod.org/discord
• Mastodon: https://podlibre.social/@castopod
• Email: hello@castopod.com

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