01 · The basics
What podcast software actually has to do
A beginner needs software for four jobs: record, edit, make it sound clean, and publish. You can do each in a different tool, or use one tool for all four. The most common beginner mistake is assembling five apps and then never finishing an episode.
- Record
- Edit out mistakes
- Clean up the sound
- Publish to Spotify and Apple Podcasts
02 · One tool
The all-in-one route (easiest)
In Hilite you record in the browser, edit by deleting words in the transcript, enhance the audio in one click and publish to podcast apps. There is no audio editing to learn, which is why it suits first-time podcasters.
- Nothing to install
- Edit like a document
- Publish from the same place
03 · Free stack
The free stack: Audacity or GarageBand plus a host
If budget is the priority, record and edit in Audacity (any computer) or GarageBand (Mac), then upload to a podcast host. It works, but expect to spend a few hours learning effects like noise reduction and normalizing. More options in the best free audio editing software.
- Audacity: free, any computer
- GarageBand: free on Mac
- Plus a podcast host for publishing
04 · Skip for now
What beginners can skip
You do not need a professional audio workstation, plugins, a mixer or a video setup to start. A decent USB microphone and one piece of software will carry you through your first twenty episodes. See the simple podcast setup.
- Skip: pro DAWs and plugins
- Skip: mixers and interfaces (use USB)
- Skip: video until audio is consistent
05 · Choosing
How to pick
Pick the option you will still be using on episode ten. If you are on a Mac, see podcast software for Mac; if you have remote guests, see podcast recording software.
- Little time: all-in-one
- No budget: free stack
- Remote guests: a tool with local recording
Your first episode, start to finish, in one tool.
Record, edit by transcript, enhance and publish in Hilite. Free to start.