Record studio-quality episodes from anywhere, edit in minutes, and get on every platform. Six tools. Zero excuses.
Spotify for Podcasters
NotionRecord, edit, host, design, distribute, plan. One tool per job.
Records each participant locally in studio quality, then syncs to the cloud. No more "sorry, your internet cut out" moments. Separate tracks for each guest make editing a breeze.
Free local recording for audio-only podcasts
Great free tier for audio-only recording. Records locally like Riverside but with fewer video features. Perfect if you're audio-only and on a budget.
Descript-owned, integrates directly into editing
Owned by Descript, so recordings flow directly into your editor. Slightly smaller feature set than Riverside but the workflow integration is seamless.
Edit your podcast like editing a document. Descript transcribes your episode, then you delete words to delete audio. Remove filler words automatically. Add intro/outro with drag-and-drop.
Free, open-source audio editor
The classic free audio editor. No text-based editing, but rock-solid waveform editing, noise reduction, and effects. Great if you want traditional editing control.
Pro audio if you have Creative Cloud
Industry-standard audio editing. Excellent noise reduction and multitrack mixing. $22/mo, worth it for production-heavy shows.
Freemium - Text-to-speech that sounds human. PDFs, articles, emails - listen instead of rea...
Text-to-speech that sounds human. PDFs, articles, emails - listen instead of read. Productivity hack hiding in plain sight. Try Speechify →
Freemium - Noise cancellation for calls that actually works. Dog barking, construction, kid...
Noise cancellation for calls that actually works. Dog barking, construction, kids screaming - all gone. Remote worker essential. Try Krisp →
Freemium - Record, edit, enhance podcasts with AI. Browser-based, no DAW needed. Background...
Record, edit, enhance podcasts with AI. Browser-based, no DAW needed. Background noise removal is chef's kiss. Try Podcastle →
Freemium - AI music composer for soundtracks and background music. Royalty-free, customisab...
AI music composer for soundtracks and background music. Royalty-free, customisable, and surprisingly emotional. Try AIVA →
Paid - Clone any voice with AI. Custom voice agents, dubbing, speech synthesis. Powerfu...
Clone any voice with AI. Custom voice agents, dubbing, speech synthesis. Powerful and slightly terrifying. Try Resemble AI →
Upload your episode, and Buzzsprout distributes it to Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, and every other platform automatically. Clean analytics, transcriptions, and a podcast website included.
Multiple shows under one account
Best for running multiple podcasts. Clean interface, great analytics, and private podcast support. $19/mo flat, no per-episode limits.
Built-in monetisation and live streaming
Hosting + built-in patron-style subscriptions + live audio. Good all-in-one if you want to monetise early. Free tier: 5 hours of storage.
Design your podcast cover art, episode graphics, audiogram videos, and social cards. Podcast-specific templates sized correctly for Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
Audiograms and video clips specifically for podcasts
Specialised in turning audio clips into shareable video with waveforms, captions, and progress bars. Free tier available. Best for social promotion.
Full design control if you're already a designer
Free and powerful for custom cover art. No podcast-specific templates, but full creative control. Export at any resolution.
Deep listener analytics from the world's biggest podcast platform. See exactly where listeners drop off, which episodes perform best, and demographic breakdowns, all free.
Cross-platform analytics and attribution
See downloads across all platforms in one dashboard. SmartLinks for attribution. Free tier available. Best when you're running ads or cross-promotions.
Analytics for Apple's podcast ecosystem
Similar listener analytics for the Apple Podcasts audience. Free. Use alongside Spotify for Podcasters for a complete picture.
Freemium - Heatmaps and session recordings. Watch real users struggle with your UI. Humblin...
Heatmaps and session recordings. Watch real users struggle with your UI. Humbling, but the fastest path to better UX. Try Hotjar →
Freemium - Auto-captures everything. No manual tracking needed. Go back in time and analyse...
Auto-captures everything. No manual tracking needed. Go back in time and analyse events you didn't know mattered. Retroactive analytics. Try Heap →
Freemium - Customer data pipeline. Send events once, route to every analytics tool. The plu...
Customer data pipeline. Send events once, route to every analytics tool. The plumbing behind modern data stacks. Try Segment →
Free - Open-source Google Analytics alternative. Self-host it, own your data, no cookie...
Open-source Google Analytics alternative. Self-host it, own your data, no cookie banners needed. GDPR dream tool. Try Matomo →
Freemium - Product analytics built for B2B SaaS. Company-level insights, not just user-leve...
Product analytics built for B2B SaaS. Company-level insights, not just user-level. Know which accounts are churning. Try June →
Episode planning, guest research, show notes, content calendar, and sponsor tracking. Podcast templates from the community make setup instant.
Simple, shared, familiar
If you collaborate with a co-host or producer, Google Docs is the path of least resistance. Real-time editing, comments, and everyone already has it.
Spreadsheet-meets-database for episode tracking
If you prefer structured data over documents. Great for tracking episodes, guests, metrics, and sponsors in a visual database. Free tier is generous.
Freemium Knowledge base for small teams. Clean, searchable, AI-powered answers. Like Noti...
Knowledge base for small teams. Clean, searchable, AI-powered answers. Like Notion but focused on documentation only. Try Slite →
Freemium Docs and wiki for modern teams. Templates, approval workflows, and version contr...
Docs and wiki for modern teams. Templates, approval workflows, and version control. Notion meets Google Docs meets GitHub. Try Almanac →
Freemium Beautiful document editor for Apple users. Native macOS/iOS app, gorgeous export...
Beautiful document editor for Apple users. Native macOS/iOS app, gorgeous exports. Notion if it was designed by Apple. Try Craft →
Freemium Beautiful API documentation. Write in MDX, get docs that look like Stripe's. Eve...
Beautiful API documentation. Write in MDX, get docs that look like Stripe's. Every developer tool should use this. Try Mintlify →
Free Open-source wiki and knowledge base. Self-hostable Notion alternative for teams ...
Open-source wiki and knowledge base. Self-hostable Notion alternative for teams that care about data ownership. Try Outline →
Record, edit, and publish your podcast with studio-quality audio
Descript
Edit in Descript
Pick the tools above, book your first guest, and ship episode one.
