Paid Plan Produced Only Pay-to-Play Solicitations
The two 5-star reviews of MatchMaker.fm displayed here on Trustpilot were written by people affiliated with the company. One was written by James Mulvany, MatchMaker.fm’s founder and CEO. The other was written by Jamie Ashbrook, head of marketing for Broadcast.co, the corporate group associated with MatchMaker.fm and Podcast.co. These reviews violate Trustpilot’s rule prohibiting business owners, employees, and others with conflicts of interest from reviewing their own businesses.
As for my own experience, I upgraded to the paid annual plan expecting a platform that connected serious guests with legitimate podcasts. What I found instead is a site dominated by low-engagement shows and pay-to-play solicitations.
Even the top three highest-rated podcasts on MatchMaker.fm have weak engagement. One has roughly 50 YouTube subscribers with recent episodes drawing single-digit or low double-digit views. Another has just 32 subscribers. The third has 39,000 subscribers but averages only a few hundred views per video across more than 2,600 uploads, with many recent full-length episodes still under 100 views.
Every outreach I received followed the same pattern: inflated claims of reach followed by a request for money to appear. I did not receive a single legitimate interview invitation.
Reputable podcasts sell advertising. Charging guests to appear is not the service I signed up for.
I operate a successful consulting and expert witness practice and have significant experience as a podcast guest and mainstream media commentator. I know the difference between a real booking and a sales pitch.
Signing up for the annual membership was a mistake. I have requested a full refund.
Besvarelse fra MatchMaker.fm
Hi Douglas,
Thanks for taking the time to leave detailed feedback. I'm sorry your experience on the platform didn’t live up to your expectations, but I appreciate the opportunity to address your points.
Let’s unpack your comments below:
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#1. "Pay-to-Play" & Show Quality
We completely agree that being hit with unexpected fees after reaching out is frustrating. MatchMaker.fm is designed to connect hosts and guests directly, but because it’s an open directory, individual creators operate independently. We do have a "May Charge a Fee" tag and a "Doesn't Charge a Fee" search filter, but we know some shows don't declare this upfront. We are actively looking at ways to enforce transparency around guest fees even better.
Regarding audience size: platform ratings are based on community feedback, not download or subscriber numbers. Many shows focus on niche, hyper-targeted audiences rather than massive reach. However, we understand that for someone with your background, reaching a broader audience is key.
#2. Internal Reviews on Trustpilot
You raised a fair point. Those early reviews were left when the platform was first launched to show our genuine belief in the tool we were building. However, we understand how that can look to an outside observer. We want our public ratings to reflect authentic, independent user experiences, so we'll review these internally to ensure complete transparency.
#3. Refund & Cancellation
We never want anyone to feel trapped in a plan that isn't delivering value for them. As per your direct request to our team, we will look into issuing you a full refund for your annual membership and cancel your subscription.
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Thanks again for the constructive feedback - it helps us refine where we need to tighten standards for both guests and hosts. And all the best Douglas.
All the best,
The MatchMaker.fm Team