Best Podcast Recording and Editing Software

Riverside records each guest locally on their own device, then uploads the high-quality file, so a weak internet connection does not lower the audio quality of the finished episode. Pro costs $24 per month billed annually, or $29 per month billed monthly, and it includes 15 hours of separate-track downloads a month, 1 studio, up to 4K video, no watermark, unlimited transcription, Magic Clips, show notes, and the text-based editor. The free plan gives 2 hours of multi-track recording as a one-time allowance at up to 720p with a watermark, plus unlimited single-track recording.

• That is enough to test the workflow, but a regular show will need Pro.
• One limit: recording itself is unlimited, yet the separate-track download cap is the real meter, so a show with long episodes and several guests can r
• Choose Riverside if remote guests are the core of your show.
• Choose a desktop editor instead if you record alone in one room and do not need remote video.

Visit Riverside →

Descript turns a recording into a transcript, and you edit the show by deleting words, sentences, and filler words in that text. Hobbyist costs $16 per person a month billed annually, or $24 per person a month billed monthly, and it includes 10 media hours a month, 400 AI credits a month, and 1080p watermark-free export. Creator costs $24 per person a month billed annually, or $35 monthly, and it includes 30 media hours a month, 800 AI credits a month, 4K export, and full access to Underlord, the AI co-editor.

• The free plan costs $0 and includes 60 media minutes a month, 100 one-time AI credits, and 720p export with a watermark.
• The trade-off: media hours and AI credits run on separate meters, and neither meter rolls over, so a heavy month can use up one meter while the other
• Choose Descript if you edit by reading and cutting text, and if you want Studio Sound, Remove Filler Words, and clip creation in the same place.
• Choose a traditional timeline editor if you prefer to cut waveforms by ear.

Visit Descript →

Adobe Audition costs $22.99 a month on an annual plan billed monthly, which totals $275.88 over 12 months before tax. It is a desktop audio workstation with multitrack editing, waveform editing, and spectral editing, plus tools for noise reduction, click removal, and loudness matching. Audition suits editors who already know a timeline and want precise control over each track, effect, and fade.

• It does not record remote guests on separate tracks by itself, so pair it with Riverside or Zencastr for remote interviews, then finish the mix in Aud
• One limit: the $22.99 figure is tied to an annual commitment, so cancelling early can bring an early termination fee under Adobe terms, and you should
• Choose Audition for polished, long-form audio work.
• Choose Audacity or REAPER if you want a lower cost or a one-time licence.

Visit Adobe Audition →

Audacity costs $0 and has no entry plan to upgrade from, because the full desktop editor is free and open source. Version 4.0.2 is the current version listed on the official download page. You can record a microphone, import audio, cut and arrange multiple tracks, apply noise reduction and compression, and export to common audio formats.

• Audacity is the best starting point for a solo host, a student, or a show with a tight budget.
• Record in a quiet room, edit out mistakes and long pauses, then export the finished file to your podcast host.
• One limit: Audacity does not invite remote guests or record each guest on a separate track, so remote interviews need a separate recorder.
• It also has no built-in transcription or hosting.

Visit Audacity →

Zencastr now has a free Vibecastr plan and a custom Enterprise plan, after it retired its Standard, Grow, and Business tiers on 23 October 2026. The free plan costs $0 and includes unlimited separate audio and video recording for up to 6 participants, 4K video, 48kHz audio, unlimited track storage, unlimited transcription in 11 languages, hosting for up to 5 shows, 4 seats, clips, episodes, live streaming, and distribution. The trade-off: there is no listed price above the free plan, so the starting price here is quote only.

• If you outgrow the free limits of 6 participants, 5 shows, and 4 seats, you must book a sales call for a custom Enterprise quote, with no listed figur
• Choose Zencastr if you want the strongest free remote recorder and you are happy to stay inside its free caps.
• Choose Riverside if you want a clear upgrade path with listed prices and more separate-track download hours.

Visit Zencastr →

Podcastle, now also known as Async after a rebrand announced on 28 January 2026, is a browser studio for recording, editing, and sharing audio and video. Essentials costs $11.99 a month billed annually and includes 2 hours of recording, 450 AI credits a month, and 20GB of storage. Pro costs $23.99 a month billed annually and includes 20 hours of recording, 1,200 AI credits a month, and 120GB of storage.

• Teams costs $49.99 a month billed annually and includes 50 hours of recording, 3,000 AI credits a month, and 1TB of storage.
• The free plan costs $0 and includes 2GB of storage, 10 lifetime AI credits, 1 hour of lifetime remote recording, 1 hour of transcription, up to 720p v
• One limit: those free allowances are lifetime, not monthly, so they do not refresh, and the monthly credits on the entry plans reset at each billing c
• Choose Podcastle if you want recording, AI editing, voices, and hosting in one browser tab.

Visit Podcastle →

Hindenburg PRO is a desktop editor built for podcasts, radio, and spoken-word work, rather than for music production. The Personal Standard plan costs $12 per user a month, or $8.25 per user a month billed annually, which totals $99 a year. Plus costs $15 per user a month and adds 20 transcription hours, while Premium costs $30 per user a month and adds 50 transcription hours and premium Soundly access.

• Hindenburg suits journalists and interview shows because its layout, voice profiler, and loudness tools are tuned for speech.
• You can record, edit on a simple timeline and keep levels consistent across episodes.
• One limit: the Standard tier includes no transcription hours, so you must move to Plus at $15 a month for 20 hours, or Premium for 50 hours.
• Choose Hindenburg if you edit speech all day and want a tool shaped for that job.

Visit Hindenburg PRO →

REAPER costs $60 for a discounted licence or $225 for a commercial licence, both one-time charges. The discounted licence applies to individuals using REAPER for personal use, to individuals or businesses with yearly gross revenue up to $20,000, and to educational or non-profit organisations. A new licence includes free upgrades through REAPER version 8.99.

• You get 60 days of evaluation free, with full functionality, before you need to buy.
• Prices do not include VAT or local taxes, and all licence purchases are final.
• REAPER is a full digital audio workstation with multitrack recording, routing, automation, effects, and rendering, and it runs on Windows, macOS, and
• One limit: after 60 days you need a licence to keep using it in line with the terms, and the interface takes longer to learn than Audacity.

Visit REAPER →