Last Updated on March 7, 2024 by Alex Birkett
It seems like everyone has a podcast now, and in my opinion, this is only the tip of the iceberg.
For hobbyists, media personalities, as well as B2B brands, podcasting is an intimate channel that can drive tons of loyalty and engagement.
I’ve personally recorded hundreds of episodes of my podcast, The Long Game, and have experimented with different podcast recording software.
There’s no perfect podcast recording software, but there is the right solution for you and your needs.
What is Podcast Recording Software?
Podcast recording software is used to record, edit and publish audio recordings.
It’s designed to make podcasting easy and efficient by providing the necessary tools to capture high-quality audio, mix it with sound effects, and then distribute it through popular platforms like iTunes and YouTube.
The only thing you, as a podcast host, should care about, is conducting a great interview or producing a great show. The podcast recording software you use should make that effortless, spending less and less time on the production details.
The best podcast recording software will be intuitive and feature-rich, with features like multi-track editing, sound effects, and automatic mixing.
Editor’s note: I’m going to use some affiliate links when possible to try to earn some revenue from my content. These don’t change the opinions espoused in the content nor the style in which they are written. If I think a product sucks, I’m not going to say otherwise. This is just a bonus and a way to fund the whole operation. Anyway, enjoy the article!
The 11 Best Podcast Recording Tools
- Riverside.FM
- Podbean
- Bouncecast
- Spreaker
- Audacity
- Reaper
- Garageband
- Zoom
- Quicktime
- Anchor
- Alitu
1. Riverside.FM
Riverside.FM is the champion of the podcast recording world right now.
Ask 100 podcasters what their favorite podcast recording tool is, and at least half of them will say Riverside.FM.
Why is it such a great tool? It blends simplicity with power, and it allows for a far greater recording quality than something like Zoom.
My podcast editor had always been hassling me about the recording quality of Zoom calls, and even local records on Quicktime. No longer a problem with Riverside.
The other thing is, it’s built for podcasters. It’s not a generic recording software like other apps. So it’s got a ton of features that help you promote the podcast as well, such as easy publishing to multiple platforms and the ability to mark and cut clips in real time.
You can use it on both desktop and mobile, and it features multi-track editing for up to 8 people, real-time sound effects, automatic mixing, and even built-in analytics to help you understand your audience better.
It actually makes for decent webinar software as well, if that’s your thing.
Price: Starts with a limited free version and then the standard plan is $15 / month
G2 Score: 4.6/5
2. Podbean
Podbean is an intuitive podcast recording and hosting solution that makes it easy for anyone to create professional-level podcasts.
It’s got two sets of features: one for creating your podcast, and one for monetizing your podcast.
On the podcast creation side, you’ve got all the basic stuff (multi-track editing, unlimited storage space, one-click publishing to popular platforms like iTunes and YouTube, and real-time analytics).
It also has a standalone podcast player that you can use to embed on your website.
On the monetization side, there are a few creative features and services. One of them is a podcast ad network that allows you to find podcast sponsors, one of the most common podcast monetization methods.
They also have a premium podcast feature that allows for in-app purchases, so you can finally convert podcast listeners to actual customers. Finally, they have a patrons feature that allows superfans to pay for premium content and bonuses.
Great all-in-one podcast recording platform.
Price: Free plan for up to 5 hours of storage. Unlimited audio storage plans start at $ 9 / mo
G2 Score: 4.5/5
3. Bouncecast
Bouncecast is one of the simplest and easiest to use podcast recording tools out there.
Their basic podcast recording app is free, and it includes only basic features to import audio, record audio, and make basic cuts and edits.
The premium version is much more feature rich, including:
- Audio Recording & Trimming
- Automatic Leveling
- Audio Restoration
- Intelligent Soundcheck
- Interactive Guidance
- Control Unwanted Frequencies
- Export to multiple formats
This takes a lot of the guesswork and manual work out of editing (my least favorite part of the podcast recording process).
Price: the basic recording app is free, and then standard starts at $10.99 per month.
G2 Score: N/A
4. Spreaker
Spreaker, owned by iHeart (the media juggernaut) is a powerful podcast recording and hosting platform that offers the most powerful podcast advertising and monetization platform I know of.
While other podcast recording apps focus on the production and recording, this one’s primary value proposition is on growth (truly one of the most difficult parts of running a podcast).
Their podcast distribution features allow you to sync with all major podcast platforms (Apple podcasts, Spotify, iHeartRadio, etc.) in one click.
The podcast monetization feature allows you to find and secure sponsor slots for your podcast.
Their podcast recording app is minimalist, but it provides the basic infrastructure to get your podcast recorded. You still may want to invest in some podcast editing software in addition to using Spreaker to distribute and grow your podcast.
Price: the basic podcast recording features are free for unlimited episodes, but to get advanced podcast analytics and other features, it starts at $10/mo
G2 Score: 3.7/5
5. Audacity
Audacity is an open-source, multi-track audio editor that offers a wide range of features, including editing audio clips, recording audio from multiple sources, adding effects such as noise reduction, and more.
It also supports a variety of formats including WAV, MP3 and OGG. It basically supports all audio files, making it one of the best audio editing software solutions out there (and it’s free!).
I will say, the user interface is a little complicated. Basically, you should probably be somewhat of an audio engineering nerd to use this one. I think you’ll get up to speed quickly, but if you don’t want to spend a ton of time learning a new interface, this one might not be for you.
However, because of the complexity, it’s also more powerful and customizable than other recording and editing software.
Another downside is that it doesn’t have any built-in collaboration tools so if you’re looking for something specifically for remote recordings or collaborations with other podcasters this might not be the best choice for you.
Price: Free!
G2 Score: 4.5/5
6. Reaper
Reaper is a powerful digital audio workstation (DAW) that allows users to record audio tracks as well as edit them in real time. It has a wide range of features including support for VST plugins, unlimited track counts and support for third-party control surfaces such as MIDI controllers or keyboards.
Reaper is another tool I consider most useful for hardcord audio nerds. To be honest, it’s not for me. I just want to talk into a mic and have people listen to me.
It’s great for both solo podcasters and collaborative teams since it includes powerful collaboration tools such as a central server system for sharing projects across different computers or devices.
However, it’s important to note that Reaper isn’t free; while it does offer a 60-day trial period with full functionality, after that time period has expired users will need to purchase a license in order to continue using it.
Price: $60 for discounted license, $200 for commercial
G2 Score: 4.4/5
7. GarageBand
Ahhh GarageBand. I remember the first time I got a Macbook and would play around endlessly, making stupid little songs with GarageBand.
GarageBand is Apple’s popular music production program designed specifically with musicians in mind. The app offers a wide range of features including virtual instruments, sound effects and mixing tools which makes it perfect for podcasting purposes too.
Personally, I find the interface intuitive when it comes to audio editing software. For audio recording software, it’s probably not ideal, as it’s desktop based (which limits virtual interviews and podcast recordings). The audio quality is also, in my opinion, not the best.
Unfortunately GarageBand only works on Mac but there are some similar programs available for Windows users such as FL Studio or Cakewalk Sonar X3 Producer Edition if you’re looking for something comparable on PC platforms instead.
Still, it’s a free audio editor that is easy to use.
Price: Free
G2 Score: 4.3/5
8. Zoom
I’m going to be honest, and it might make me sound prosaic: Zoom is my ideal podcast audio recording software.
It’s not the best at anything; it’s just the easiest.
The audio quality is poor. There are no editing features.
But you can literally just hop onto a normal Zoom call, click record, and have workable video and audio files.
Zoom is a popular video conferencing software that many podcasters use to record remote interviews or collaborate with other podcast producers even if they are in different locations.
It includes features like screen sharing, group chat and one-click recording so you can easily capture all of your conversations for later editing.
Which, I should note: you’ll need separate podcast production software with editing capabilities. And your podcast editor will yell at you because Zoom doesn’t produce high quality audio recordings.
But I still like it.
Price: Free with time limitations. $15.99/month/user for the upgrades.
G2 Score: 4.5/5
9. Quicktime
QuickTime is a free, easy-to-use audio and video player for Mac computers.
I consider it the default backup option for recording podcasts virtually.
While it doesn’t have as many features as other podcast recording software mentioned above, its basic audio editing tools are still quite useful for podcasters who don’t want to spend lots of time in the studio perfecting their recordings.
It also includes an audio effect feature which is great for adding a bit of flavor to your podcast recordings and allowing you to experiment with different sounds.
This isn’t the best recording software, but it’s free and it’s a good supplement to another platform you choose.
Pro tip: always ask your guest to record locally with QuickTime. This gives you a backup audio file in case your regular podcast software fails. A good editor can also use these files to patch together skips and freezes (if you lose internet connection, for instance) if you have remote recording capabilities, resulting in a high quality podcast with few audio issues.
Price: Free if you’ve got a Mac
G2 Score: N/A
10. Anchor FM
Anchor is one of several tools launched by Spotify for Podcasters.
Bear with me here, because it’s an evolving and changing set of tools.
The stated goal of Spotify is to offer a free all-in-one suite of tools for podcasters.
Anchor FM, previously a standalone free podcasting recording software, is now a part of that suite.
First, let’s talk about Anchor FM.
This is a free podcast recording and editing platform that was historically mobile only. You can record live audio and easily publish it to Spotify and other platforms.
It lacks many of the advanced features of other recording studio setups listed above, namely around audio mixing and the editing process.
Now, Spotify’s free podcast tools include many engagement and monetization features, like the ability to poll your audience, drive Q&As, add video podcasts and video recording clips, and dig into advanced analytics to see how listeners are engaging with episodes.
They also announced a partnership with Patreon to help podcasters monetize their followings.
Price: Free
G2 Score: 4.8/5
11. Alitu
Alitu is an easy to use online podcasting platform that’s designed to take the hassle out of audio editing and production.
Their value prop is literally “try podcasting on easy mode.” Definitely speaks to a noob like me who has no idea how to mix audio or produce high quality podcasts.
It includes a range of useful features such as automated levels, lossless audio, noise removal, music beds and intros to help make your podcasts sound professional without having to do any manual work.
Plus it comes with built-in hosting and analytics tracking so you can easily monitor your podcast’s performance.
Alitu is perfect for podcasters on a budget who want an easy way to record, edit and publish their podcasts without spending hours in the studio.
Their tool is also all-in-one, so you don’t need to patch together a stack of podcast hosting platforms, podcast editing software, and good podcast recording software. It also includes transcripts and has editing tools for video podcasts as well.
Price: $38 / month
G2 Score: G2
Conclusion
At the end of the day, you’ve gotta pick the podcast recording software that works for you.
For me, I’m a simple man with simple taste. I love Riverside, and honestly, I even love just recording podcasts on Zoom (plus Quicktime for local recording). Though I do send that off to my editor who uses editing software with advanced features to mix audio and clean it up ((e.g. Adobe Audition).
If you’re more of an audio nerd yourself, perhaps you want a full multitrack recording studio to record live audio and video + a separate tool for editing software + a separate tool for podcast hosting, distribution, and monetization.
Personally, I’d go with a simpler setup first. See if that works, and then upgrade. Great simple tools include Podbean, Riverside, and Spreaker. That should get the job done for 90% of podcasters.