8 Best Podcast Software for Recording, Editing and More

Podcasts are an easy-to-reach source of entertainment and information. There are lots of people listening to them every day, and lots of people start podcasting each passing day.

Whether you are new to podcasting or an experienced podcast host, there are tools you need to create and publish an episode. In this blog post, we will dive into a podcast host's world and explore some of the best podcast software out there.

Best Podcast Software for Each Step of the Way

From production to monetization, there are lots of steps and tools. Choosing the right software that comes in handy throughout the whole process is really important for podcast hosts. They are the key to high-quality audio and efficient workflow management. So if you have your concept and topics ready for your podcast, let's dive in and find out which software to use!

1. Recording & Editing

Audacity

Audacity is an open-source software offering basic editing features. You can remove background noises and record multiple tracks simultaneously. It supports plugins and has a customizable interface.

You can change the layout or shortcuts as you wish. It also supports various audio formats, so you can import, export, and convert files into different formats.

Audacity is highly accessible. It works offline, so you don't need an internet connection to use it. It is ideal for beginners. Experienced podcast hosts can benefit from Audacity too, but it might fall short when it comes to high-end post-production features.

Pricing:

It's completely free and requires no subscription.

Reaper

Reaper is one of the best podcast software. It is a highly customizable digital audio workstation. You can use it for both long and short podcast episodes.

Reaper includes various tools that offer full multitrack audio and MIDI recording, along with advanced audio editing, processing, and mixing features. It allows you to have great control over your podcast, but these advanced features might be difficult to learn for a new beginner.

Pricing:

You can buy a Reaper license with a one-time payment. Its pricing changes depending on its use. There is a commercial license and a discounted license for individuals.

Before purchasing Reaper, you can try it for 60 days without missing out on any features.

2. Hosting & Publishing

Buzzsprout

Buzzsprout is a podcast hosting platform that allows you to upload your episodes. It lists your podcast in various directories such as Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube, enabling you to reach a wide audience.

With Buzzsprout you get a customizable website where you can showcase your episodes. It provides you with listener analytics. You can use it to sweeten audio, and you don't need to worry about file types. Buzzsprout automatically optimizes your episodes.

Pricing:

You can try Buzzsprout for 90 days without a fee. Then there are 4 pricing tiers. They are arranged according to the monthly time limit for your episodes.

The free version is limited to 2 hours per month. The other tiers enable you to upload 3, 6, and 12 hours.

There are other limitations to the free version such as limited hosting time and limited storage. Plus, you need to upgrade to import podcasts and have a website.

Buzzsprout also offers a transcription feature, but using a tool specialized for transcription should be more convenient and provide more accuracy.

Libsyn

With Libsyn, you can distribute your podcast to various platforms. It is one of the oldest podcast-hosting platforms. It enables you to share your podcasts on blogs and websites using a plugin to publish your podcasts from WordPress sites.

Libsyn is one of the best podcast software thanks to its robust features. Whether you are a beginner or a professional, you can make use of this software.

It is mostly known for its advanced integrations and private podcast feature. But, they can also be a drawback for new beginners since there is a learning curve with the advanced features.

Pricing:

Libsyn doesn't have a free plan.

It offers 3 main plans and one extra plan providing only the bare essentials.

All plans offer the same features except for the storage and hours to upload limits.

3. Promoting

While hosting platforms also offer promotion options, here are 2 others that focus on social media presence.

Headliner

Headliner creates engaging audiograms and video snippets for you to promote your podcasts on social media. It offers promo video templates. You can share your podcasts on YouTube. Headliner offers automatic transcription too.

You can create a schedule for Headliner to automatically post content. It also has a mobile app, which allows you to edit and share from anywhere.

Pricing:

There are 3 tiers, Basic, Pro, and Forever Free.

Forever Free plan comes with ads.

Paid plans are ads free, and they offer more advanced features.

Basic and Pro plans can be more economical when billed annually.

Podbean

Podbean is a hosting platform that comes with built-in social media distribution tools. So if you're looking to increase your podcast reach, this software can give you what you want. You can live-stream your podcasts and engage with your audience. There is a mobile app for you to edit or publish on the go.

Podbean provides you with a mobile-friendly website, but keep in mind that these websites might not be as secure and customizable as the ones made with web platforms.

Pricing:

Podbean offers 4 pricing options: Basic, Unlimited Audio, Unlimited Plus, and Network.

The basic version is free and comes with limited storage and bandwidth.

You can choose to be billed monthly or annually.

Paid plans offer monetization features too.

4. Monetizing

Patreon

With Patreon, you can create membership tiers and offer content exclusively to subscribers. You can create an online shop to sell digital products too. You can track revenue and listener analytics using Patreon.

The platform also allows you to engage with your audience with polls and direct messages. All of these help you to build a fan base. You need to focus on promoting your Patreon account in order to gain subscribers continuously and earn a steady income.

Pricing:

It's free to join Patreon.

The platform takes a percentage of your revenue depending on the selected plan.

Acast Marketplace

Acast Marketplace's dynamic ad insertion, sponsorships, and programmatic ads allow you to monetize your podcasts. When using this platform, you need to tread carefully since relying on ads can be offputting for your audience.

You can see detailed analytics related to the performance of the ads and your audience's behavior. The platform enables you to add or remove ads before or after publishing. So you can optimize your strategies as you go.

Pricing:

Acast offers an all-in-one platform for podcast hosts, and there are different pricing options called Starter, Influencer, and Ace. The Starter plan is free of charge.

If you are using one of the paid versions, you can join Acast Marketplace without an additional cost.

Marketplace works with a revenue share system.

Why You Should Start Transcribing Your Podcasts

Transcribing podcasts is crucial for your overall success. It provides many benefits such as enhancing accessibility and engagement, improving SEO performance, and expanding your audience reach.

By making transcripts of your podcasts available, you:

provide a resource that can be skimmed and scanned easily.

appear in search results and become more discoverable.

provide another way to consume content, which increases retention and engagement.

create opportunities to repurpose your podcasts as blog posts.

Using Maestra to Transcribe Podcast Episodes

Specialized transcription tools provide distinctive benefits. They improve the quality of the overall transcription process with tailored features. But, only advanced tools like Maestra ensure high accuracy and efficiency.

You can use the free live transcription tool without creating an account, or you can upload audio files and make the most of your podcasts with Maestra.

Maestra offers customization options, and it can transcribe regardless of technical terms or different accents. Besides, it supports 125+ languages and enables you to reach a global audience.

What's more, you can turn transcripts into subtitles and create videos from your podcasts in various languages using Maestra.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best software for podcasts?

What makes a software the best is how well it addresses your needs. Before deciding, you need to consider at which stage you are going to use the tool and what you want from it.

If you are a beginner, you can go for all-in-one products with easy-to-use interfaces. You can use different tools offering advanced features according to the stage of your production if you are a professional.

What is the best platform to have a podcast?

Choosing the best platform to upload your podcasts depends on various factors. Ease of use, monetization options, and analytics are just a few of them. There are various platforms excelling in different areas. So your decision should be based on your priorities.

How do podcasts make money?

Podcasters can generate income through advertising, creating premium content and paid subscription plans, receiving support from listeners, and selling branded products. They usually use different platforms for these, and they combine different strategies to make money according to their audience and level of engagement.