Liteweight Podcast – run your podcast site without the bloat
Lightweight podcast plugin for WordPress. Publish unlimited MP3, WAV, and OGG episodes with a responsive HTML5 player, shortcodes, and themes.
Solid choice
Liteweight Podcast is a solid plugin choice in 2026, with a few things worth checking first. It runs on 500+ sites, is rated 4.3/5 and was last updated 3 months ago, and scores 63/100 on our health check.
- Small user base (500+ active installs)
- Only tested up to WordPress 6.8 (latest is 7.1)
How does it stack up?
Side-by-side on installs, updates, ratings & support
Daily downloads
Download spikes usually follow a new release — each site that auto-updates counts as a download.
Rankings
Where Liteweight Podcast stands todayWordPress.org search rankings
Live position in the plugin search, top 100| Keyword | Position |
|---|---|
| audio player | #88 |
| mp3 player | #22 |
| podcast | #10 |
| Podcast Player | #11 |
| podcasting | #16 |
Version adoption
Share of active sites per release.
Rating breakdown
★★★★★★★★★★ 4.3 from 9 reviews
About Liteweight Podcast
From the official readme · v2.2.7Description
Run your podcasting website with a fast, lightweight player – publish unlimited episodes anywhere on your site with a simple shortcode.
Why Liteweight Podcast?
Liteweight Podcast is a user-friendly podcasting plugin for WordPress with the options and functionality you need to run a podcasting website – without weighing your site down.
Powered by HTML5, the responsive player works across all major browsers and on most mobile devices. Publish your episodes in posts, pages, or widget areas with a shortcode, let listeners download episodes or adjust playback speed, and pick from the included themes to match your site.
Free Features
- Multiple Audio Formats: Podcast MP3, WAV, and OGG audio files.
- HTML5 Player: Plays audio on most mobile devices and all major browsers (IE7, IE8, IE9, Safari, Firefox, Chrome).
- Responsive Design: The player adapts to any screen size.
- Social Share Icons: Integrated sharing built into the player.
- Shortcode Driven: Publish any podcast anywhere in WordPress – pages, posts, and widget areas.
- Download Button: Let listeners download episodes, with full control over the button.
- Playback Speed Control: Listeners can change audio speed from the settings icon on the front end.
- 2 Themes Included: Choose the look that fits your site.
- Unlimited Podcasts: Create and publish as many episodes as you want.
- Fully Customizable & Compact: A user-friendly interface with no complex configuration.
How to Use – Quick Start
- Install and activate the Liteweight Podcast plugin.
- Create a new podcast from the plugin’s sidebar menu and upload your audio file.
- Copy the generated shortcode.
- Paste the shortcode into any page, post, or widget – your episode is live!
Use Cases
- Podcast Shows: Host and publish your episodes right on your own WordPress site.
- Blogs & News Sites: Add audio versions of articles or interviews to any post.
- Widget Areas: Feature your latest episode in a sidebar or footer.
Installation
From your WordPress dashboard (recommended):
- Go to Plugins → Add New.
- Search for “Liteweight Podcast”.
- Click Install Now, then Activate.
- Create your first podcast and place its shortcode in any page, post, or widget.
Manual installation:
- Upload the plugin folder to the
/wp-content/plugins/directory. - Activate the plugin through the Plugins menu in WordPress.
- Use the shortcode in a page, post, or widget.
- To use the shortcode in a theme template file, place
<?php echo do_shortcode('YOUR_SHORTCODE'); ?>in the template.
Frequently asked questions
How do I install this plugin?
You can install it like any regular WordPress plugin – there is no special procedure. Please see the Installation tab for step-by-step instructions.
I am not a web developer. Can I configure the podcast?
Absolutely. The plugin is very easy to use and there is no complex configuration wizard.
What types of audio can I play?
You can play .MP3, .WAV, and .OGG files.
How many podcasts can I create and publish?
The sky is the limit – you can create and publish unlimited podcasts.
Can listeners download my episodes?
Yes. The player includes an audio download button, and you have full control over whether it is shown.
Can listeners change the playback speed?
Yes. Listeners can change the audio speed using the settings icon on the front-end player.
Will the player work on mobile devices?
Yes. The player is HTML5-based and responsive, so it plays audio on most mobile devices and all major browsers.
Can I show a podcast in my sidebar or widget area?
Yes. The shortcode works in widget areas too, so you can add a podcast to any sidebar or footer.
Changelog
2.2.7 – 14 May, 2025
- Improved: Improved Security
= 2.2.6 – 23 Dec, 2024=
* Fixed: jQuery not found in editor
= 2.2.5 – 04/07/2024=
* Tested: WordPress 6.5.5
2.2.4
- Fixed CSS Issue
2.2.3
- Added new podcast skin
2.0.0
- Added Gutenberg Shortcode Generator
- improved code quality
1.3
- Remove jQuery issue for wordpress 5.5 version
- Fix other php warning
1.2
- Shortcode Viewer in The program editor
- Support Responsive Layout.
- Added Ability to disable featured Image
- Added default featured image for podcast.
Screenshots
For developers
Is this your plugin? Show off the numbers.
Add a live badge to your site, docs or GitHub README. It updates on its own — no account needed.
Best Liteweight Podcast alternatives
All audio player plugins →
FAQ
Liteweight Podcast: quick answers
Straight answers, pulled from live WordPress.org data.
Live data from WordPress.org · checked Oct 16, 2026
Is Liteweight Podcast free?
Yes. Liteweight Podcast is free to download and use from the official WordPress.org plugin directory.
Is Liteweight Podcast safe to use in 2026?
Liteweight Podcast is a solid plugin choice in 2026, with a few things worth checking first. It runs on 500+ sites, is rated 4.3/5 and was last updated 3 months ago, and scores 63/100 on our health check.
How many websites use Liteweight Podcast?
Liteweight Podcast is active on 500+ WordPress websites and has been downloaded 22,118 times since it launched in March 2019. It was downloaded 345 times in the last 30 days.
Does Liteweight Podcast work with WordPress 7.1?
Liteweight Podcast is officially tested up to WordPress 6.8.11, while the latest release is 7.1.3. It may still work, but try it on a staging site first.
What PHP version does Liteweight Podcast need?
Liteweight Podcast requires PHP 7.1 or higher. Most hosts run PHP 8.x today, so it works on any modern WordPress hosting.
When was Liteweight Podcast last updated?
The latest version, 2.2.7, was released on July 26, 2026 (3 months ago).
Who makes Liteweight Podcast?
Liteweight Podcast is developed and maintained by bPlugins.
What are the best alternatives to Liteweight Podcast?
The most popular alternatives to Liteweight Podcast are MP3 Audio Player (20K+ installs), Compact WP Audio Player (20K+ installs) and AudioIgniter Music Player (10K+ installs).
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