What are the different feed types?
Before you upload a single episode, Hello Audio asks you to choose a feed type. There are two decisions to make: who gets to listen and when will your episodes show up. Once you make those calls, the right feed type is simple. And nothing here is permanent, so you can change your feed type later as your content evolves.
What You'll Accomplish
By the end of this guide, you'll understand:
✅ The difference between private and public feeds (who can access your content)
✅ How Instant, Date-Based, and Drip feeds release episodes (when listeners get them)
✅ Which combination fits your content, and that you can change it later
This takes about 4 minutes to read, and you'll walk away knowing exactly which feed type to choose.
Decision 1: Who can access it?
This is the privacy side of your feed, and it's the first fork in the road.
Private feeds (also known as private podcasts) are invitation-only. They're hidden from search engines and podcast directories, and you grant access through private links, either a unique link for each listener or a universal link you share with a group. This is the right choice for paid courses, memberships, coaching, lead magnets, and anything you want to control access to. (See What is a private podcast?)
Public feeds (also know as public podcasts) are the opposite: discoverable in Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and other directories, open to anyone, and great for marketing, brand awareness, and reaching new audiences. Public podcasts release episodes by date and don't give you individual listener data. (See What is a public podcast?)
Many creators run both: a public podcast as an expert, and private podcasts for premium or gated content. Most of what follows applies to private podcasts, where you control the listening experience.
Decision 2: When do episodes release?
Once you've chosen private, you'll pick how your episodes become available. Here's how the three options compare.
Feed type | Best for | How episodes release | Learn more |
Instant | Complete courses, training series, evergreen collections you won't change much | All at once when someone subscribes, dated from each listener's own start date so your order holds | |
Date-Based | Q&A calls, weekly training, ongoing series, anything you'll add to over time | On the calendar dates you set, the same dates for everyone, like a traditional podcast | |
Drip | Paced courses, memberships, onboarding, challenges | A set number of days after each listener subscribes, so everyone gets the same paced journey whenever they join |
Heads up! Are you adding content later?
Consider Date-Based over Instant.
This is the part that surprises people most. Anything you add to an Instant feed later shows up dated to when you originally built the feed (each listener's start date), not the day you added it. So a monthly call you drop in six months from now won't appear as new. Instead, it slots back into the original sequence, where your listeners may never notice it. Their app also won't tell them there's a new episode.
If you plan to keep adding to a feed (monthly calls, bonus lessons, ongoing material), Date-Based is usually the better fit. Each episode carries a real calendar date, so new content shows up as new. The tradeoff is that ordering follows the dates, so you'll set the date on each module to get them in the sequence you want.
Our usual recommendation: keep evergreen course content in its own Instant feed and put recurring monthly calls in a separate feed of their own, so each feed does one job well. We know this part isn't intuitive, so reach out if you'd like a second set of eyes on your setup.
Going further: Drip expiration
On Powerhouse plans, Drip feeds can also expire individual episodes a set number of days after they drip to a listener, which is handy for limited-access content or time-boxed challenges. (See Advanced Drip Feeds)
Changing your feed type later
You're not locked in. You can switch types from the Feed Details tab at any time, though it's worth understanding what happens to your existing episodes and listeners first. (See How do I change my feed type?) When you can, it's easiest to choose your type before adding listeners.
What Happens Next
Pick the access level and release style that match how you want people to experience your content, then create your feed and start uploading. Whichever you choose, the goal is the same: turning material people would skim on a screen into audio they actually finish on the go.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which feed type is the most popular?
Of all private feeds, Instant feeds are the most common, since most creators are delivering course or membership content they want people to access right away. Date-Based and Drip come into play when timing and pacing matter.
Can I have more than one feed type in my account?
Yes. You can create as many feeds as your plan allows, in any mix of types. Check Feed Limits for how many your plan includes.
What if I pick the wrong type?
It's an easy fix. Head to the Feed Details tab to change your feed type, and see How do I change my feed type? for what to expect with existing episodes and listeners.
Do I need to decide the feed type before I upload episodes?
It's best to choose before you add listeners so their experience is consistent from day one, but you can adjust the type afterward if your plans change.
Still weighing your options? Message us in the chat or email [email protected] and we'll help you match the feed type to your goals.