Leaky Paywall vs Supporting Cast (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Leaky Paywall grades higher than Supporting Cast: 2.4 against 1.6 out of 4.0.
Checked Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
Leaky Paywall grades higher on the free plan and platforms. They get the same grade on value for money, features and ease of use.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Leaky Paywall
WordPress paywall and subscription plugin for publishers
Free plan
Supporting Cast
Podcast subscriptions delivered through listeners' own apps
Paid
Which one is for you
Pick Leaky Paywall if
- Fits if you publish on WordPress and want a metered paywall
- Works for a small publisher that can accept a revenue share while starting
Look elsewhere if
- Not for you if you're off WordPress, as it runs only inside it
- Pricey if you earn a lot, since the free edition takes 10% of new paid subscriptions
- Watch out: recurring plans, free trials, coupons and group subscriptions are Pro
- Watch out: payments go through Stripe, and Pro prices weren't readable
Pick Supporting Cast if
- Fits if you make a podcast and want paid feeds in Apple Podcasts or Spotify-style apps
- Makes sense if you already have a host and want to keep it
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want a price up front, because none is published and you request a demo
- Tight if you want to try it first, as no free plan or trial is listed
- Watch out: subscriber support is handled by Supporting Cast only if the publisher wants that
- Too light for anything but podcasts, as it is built for audio shows
How we grade them
| 2.4GPALeaky PaywallFair | 1.6GPASupporting CastWeak | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | CThe plugin is free to install, with a 10% revenue share on new paid subscriptions. The vendor's site refused us, so Pro prices are unknown. | CNo price is published and the site sends you to a demo. C is where no price is published. |
| Free plan and trial | BFree with paywalls, a registration wall, unlimited levels and Stripe checkout. The 10% share is the cost. | FNothing free is listed: no plan and no trial, only a request for a demo. |
| Features | CMetered and hard paywalls, levels, a publisher dashboard and Stripe. But recurring subscriptions, free trials, coupons and group subscriptions are Pro. | CPrivate feeds in existing apps, membership setups, branding, piracy protection, reporting and promo codes. It does that one job fully, which is a smaller job than a general store. |
| Ease of use | CNo store rating on record. You install it on WordPress and connect Stripe. | CNo store rating on record, and getting started means a demo and setting up membership tiers and feeds. |
| Platforms and integrations | BWordPress only, with Stripe, Mailchimp, HubSpot, Salesforce, WooCommerce and Zapier links. | CWeb setup, with listener access through their existing podcast apps and three listed integrations. No other apps are listed. |
| Best for | WordPress publishers adding a paywall | paid podcast feeds that work in listeners' own apps |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: Leaky Paywall and Supporting Cast. How we grade
Where they differ
- Leaky Paywall also covers community.
In commonWebPublic APIReportsPaid newsletters
At a glance
| Leaky Paywall | Supporting Cast | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Paid |
| Starts at | Not published | Not published |
| Free plan | Free to install and use, with a 10% revenue share on new paid subscriptions; includes List Builder registration wall and unlimited levels. | None |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| Web | ||
| Made by | ZEEN101 | Supporting Cast |
| Price read from | wordpress.org | Not confirmed |
| Checked | Nov 13, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Leaky Paywall
- Prices for the paid plans could not be read: the vendor's site refused automated access, so only the free edition is listed.
- The free edition takes a 10% revenue share on new paid subscriptions; Pro reduces or removes it.
- Runs only inside WordPress, and paid subscriptions are processed through Stripe.
- Recurring subscriptions, free trials, coupons and group subscriptions are Pro features.
Supporting Cast
- No prices are published; the site directs visitors to request a demo, so pricing is recorded as unverified.
- The site says the platform can host premium content, or publishers can keep their current host.
- The site says it is part of Graham Holdings and that subscribers can take their card relationships and data if they leave.
- Support for subscribers is handled by Supporting Cast only if the publisher wants that.
Key features
Leaky Paywall
- Metered and hard paywalls
- Choose metered, hard, or dynamic and hybrid paywalls, and restrict by post, category, tag, taxonomy, post type or content block.
- Registration wall
- List Builder prompts anonymous readers to register or log in, and registered readers can be exported or sent through Zapier.
- Subscription levels
- Create free, premium, annual or VIP levels, with Stripe checkout including Apple Pay and Google Pay.
- Publisher dashboard
- A dashboard inside WordPress shows revenue trends, new registrations, paid subscription activity and top content.
- Pro revenue tools
- Pro adds recurring subscriptions, free trials, coupons, group and IP-based subscriptions, and churn risk alerts.
- Extensions and integrations
- The listing names more than 50 extensions, including Salesforce, HubSpot, Mailchimp, Zapier and WooCommerce.
Supporting Cast
- Private feeds in existing apps
- Listeners subscribe in two taps and use their current podcast app, with Apple Pay and Google Pay for mobile payments.
- Flexible membership setups
- Single shows or multi-show bundles, monthly or annual pricing, tiered benefits, pay-what-you-want and one-time payments.
- Branding and site integration
- Branded landing pages, no Supporting Cast logo in the member experience, a WordPress plugin and an API.
- Piracy protection
- Sharing thresholds flag members for review or disable access automatically.
- Reporting
- Growth, revenue and engagement reports, with CSV export or a data pipeline.
- Promo codes and localized currencies
- Promo codes and discounts, localized currencies, bulk user invites and single sign-on with two-factor authentication.
Plans
Leaky Paywall
Free$0
Paywalls, unlimited subscription levels and Stripe checkout, with a 10% revenue share on paid subscriptions.
Supporting Cast
Pricing could not be confirmed. See supportingcast.fm.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Leaky Paywall or Supporting Cast?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Leaky Paywall publishes no starting price, and Supporting Cast has no price we could confirm.
Which has a free plan, Leaky Paywall or Supporting Cast?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only Leaky Paywall has a free plan. Supporting Cast does not.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.