The 5 Best Podcast Editing Software Free and Paid (Mac & PC)
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By
Omar - Updated on Jan 7, 2023
Are you planning to start a podcast? Do you want to create a branded show for your business or organization?
Before making a podcast, you must decide which podcast editing software to use.
I can help make the process easier for you.
In this article, I ranked and reviewed the best podcast editing software for aspiring and veteran podcasters.
I’ll also give tips on streamlining your podcast editing workflow right.
Let’s begin. Here are the top five at a glance.
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
The 5 Best Podcast Editing Software
Omar's Take
Alitu is an online podcast editing software that prides itself on being one of the market’s most straightforward podcast editing tools. The program has a minimal learning curve, making editing work relatively easy, even for beginner podcasters and podcast editors.
Alitu also lets you record podcast episodes remotely with up to ten people at a time. This makes the podcast editing tool a great remote recording software on top of being an amazing podcast editing tool.
You can also use Alitu to host your podcasts.
- Best overall podcast editing software
- Price $38 monthly
- Annual Billing $380 a year
- Promotion N/A
Features:
Automations
As one of its key features, has many helpful automation features that remove all the technical bits and pieces that confuse most podcasters.
Alitu automatically converts files without compromising audio quality. It also provides easy-to-use export features that release audio files ready for uploading with a few clicks.
Audio Cleanup
The podcast editing software also has audio cleanup features that remove background noise, hums, and hisses. It can also help turn audio files into transcripts, so you have your episodes in written format.
Cons
Alitu is relatively easy to use, but there are a lot of limitations in terms of what editing you can do to the sound quality.
Also, because it’s a cloud-based software, you won’t be able to use it if you don’t have an internet connection (but in this highly-connected age, who doesn’t?)
Pricing
You can start using Alitu for $38 monthly or $380 if you pay for one year (Roughly $31 monthly).
Omar's Take
Many other podcast editing software are music production apps that edit audio recordings. Hindenburg Journalist is a program specifically for podcasters and journalists.
Unlike most digital audio workstations that’s created mainly as a music production tool that just happens to be helpful for podcast editing, Hindenburg was created mainly for podcasters and journalists.
That said, its features are more lined up with the needs of a podcaster.
- Best For Serious podcasters
- Price $10 monthly
- Annual Billing N/A
- Promotion N/A
Features:
Easy-to-Use Workstation
Hindenburg Journalist is a digital audio workstation with a relatively easy-to-learn audio interface.
Audio Recording
You can also create an audio recording on Hindenburg Journalist or upload an audio file or clip without losing sound quality.
Great Noise Canceling Capacities
Hindenburg also has a tremendous noise-canceling program that’s easy to use and highly effective.
Magic Levels
This feature lets you deal with bleed and uneven audio levels for better quality audio.
Cons
Audacity is free to use, but the user experience is not as intuitive as premium versions.
Pricing
There’s a free version of Hindenburg Journalist.
If you want all the pro features, you must pay $10 monthly for a PRO subscription or $99 monthly for a more advanced Lite plan.
Omar's Take
Arguably one of the most popular podcast editing tools, Adobe Audition is a top podcast editing software choice. Technically, Adobe Audition is also a digital audio workstation (DAW) and is part of the Adobe Creative Cloud package.
Adobe Audition is a highly robust audio editing tool with all sorts of audio effects, editing capabilities, mastering tools, and features. It’s also a great podcast recording software that captures great sounding audio clips.
- Best For Savvy podcast editors
- Price $19.99 monthly
- Annual Billing $239.88
- Promotion N/A
Features:
Robust Editing Features
As an editing software, Adobe Audition is highly robust. You will practically discover new features and capabilities every so often when you use them.
Here are some of Adobe Audition’s editing features.
- Editing previews
- Frequency splitting
- Automatic speech alignment
- Live relinking of assets
- Custom port channelization
- iXML metadata support
- And more
Adaptive Noise Reduction
One of the most significant key features of Adobe Audition is its adaptive noise reduction. This feature removes any background noise from your audio tracks when you edit podcasts.
This feature helps improve audio quality immensely.
Cons
If you’re looking for something cheap and basic, Adobe Audition could end up being an overkill service.
There’s also the issue of not having MIDI editing capabilities.
Pricing
You can get Adobe Audition for $19.99 monthly or part of the $52.99 monthly you’ll pay for the complete Adobe Creative Cloud Suite
Omar's Take
The next option on this list is Logic Pro X, a robust podcast software most popular among music audio engineers.
This podcast editing software option has an intuitive editor interface design, making the editing process relatively easy for users despite all the features and capabilities of the podcast editing software.
- Best For Mac users
- Price $199 one-time fee
- Annual Billing N/A
- Promotion N/A
Features:
Robust Mastering Features
Many professional audio engineers use this podcast editing software because of its solid mixing and mastering capabilities.
macOS and iOS Device Compatibility
Logic Pro X is a product of Apple, making it ideal if you’re a Mac user.
The program allows you to turn an iOS device into a second screen while recording and editing your podcast tracks.
Cons
Logic Pro is only available to Mac users, and the one-time payment could be too heavy for most.
Pricing
Logic Pro costs $199 one time to download and use.
Omar's Take
The last podcast editing software option on this list is Pro Tools for Microsoft Windows and macOS.
This podcast audio editing software has many key features, including editing toolsets that allow individuals and teams to capture any sound and clean them up for public consumption.
- Best For Editing-savvy podcasters
- Price $29.99 monthly
- Annual Billing $299 first year then $99/year
- Promotion N/A
Features:
Collaboration Features for Teams
With Pro Tools, you can easily collaborate with others on the team.
If other people are part of the podcast editing process, you can collaborate easier.
Creating Sound Loops
Create sound loops for opening and closing billboards.
Saving Presets for Ease of Editing
Edit your podcast once and save the preset to keep settings for the next podcast episode.
Cons
Like other options on this list, Pro Tools is mainly a music production app.
However, it’s still capable of audio editing for podcasts.
Pricing
The tool starts at $29.99 monthly. There’s also an education plan for schools and students at only $9.99 monthly.
If you’re getting someone on the team to do editing for your shows, use the podcast editing software they’re most familiar with as much as possible.
Find the best podcast software if you need to do the editing work yourself.
Determine what fits your skillset, experience, and non-negotiable feature wishes.
These are just a few factors podcast editors should consider to find the best podcast editing software.
Factors To Consider When Choosing Best Podcast Editing Software
Unlike video editing, audio-only editing has fewer elements. However, it can still be a relatively complex process.
High-quality podcast editing software can help simplify and streamline the process.
All podcast editing software has strengths and weaknesses, so selecting the best one for your needs can be challenging.
Before looking into podcast editing software options, consider the following factors to make an informed decision.
1 – Your Skill Level
Finding the best audio editing software for a podcast starts with understanding your skill level.
Are you good with technology? If not, you might need a podcast editor that’s simple and easy to use.
Do you have advanced audio engineering skills? Do you know how to use complex audio editing tools?
You might want to get more advanced audio editing tools for your podcast if you have the technical knowledge.
2 – The Features You Need
Sometimes, you might need only basic features for your podcast editing software to simplify your editing process. You might be better off with basic, free editors with only the key features you need.
Simple podcast editing tools with basic features also work better for hobbyists or newbies who want a user-friendly interface.
If you need advanced software, look for advanced features like noise canceling, automation, complex equalizers, royalty-free music libraries, and sound effects.
Advanced tools are often costly, leading me to the next factor.
3 – Your Budget
How much money do you want to pour into your podcast editing software? There are free podcast editing software options, and some could cost a few extra dollars.
Pricey podcast editing software often has more features, but the best podcast editing software isn’t always necessarily the most expensive one.
Look at your finances first and see how much you can set aside.
Most paid podcast production software have monthly subscriptions; sometimes, a podcast editing software option will have an annual plan.
Getting the best free podcast editing software is fine if you don’t want to spend money on podcast software.
4 – Your Equipment
Finding the best podcast editing software depends on your equipment.
Your software must be compatible with your podcast recording equipment, especially if you want to record audio on the editing software itself.
Later, I’ll share podcast editing software compatible with various computers and microphones.
Here are some elements you must consider.
- Your computer specs
- Your device OS
- Your recording equipment, including your microphone
- Camera (If you’re making a video podcast, you also need video editing software)
- An external equalizer if you plan to use one
5 – Automation
Some podcast editors might need a few automation options for their podcast production, such as batch processing capabilities, a text-to-video editor, auto-tune, de-essers, denoisers, and other recording and editing automation.
The right automation can save you considerable time and effort when editing podcasts. However, having too many automation features means paying for services you won’t use regularly.
List all tasks that take time and decide which ones to automate.
Here are podcast editing processes you can automate.
- Splitting separate tracks
- Creating SRT files for promotional videos
- Podcast distribution
- File compression
6 – The Podcast Editor
So now that you know the essential considerations for choosing the right podcast editing software let’s look at some of the most frequently asked questions.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Why Should I Start a Podcast?
Running a podcast is a lot of work.
However, it pays off if you consider it can bring you or your business.
Here are the benefits of having a podcast.
Share Ideas that Resonate With You.
Many people have great ideas worth sharing with the world. By creating a podcast, you can transfer those ideas into audio format and share what insights, knowledge, and reflections you have.
By sharing those ideas, you can potentially make your listeners’ lives better. You could share the following ideas.
- Money and investment tips
- Self-improvement practices
- Spiritual beliefs
- Professional practices
- Mental health facts
- Motivational messages
- Home care and decoration ideas
- Technology trends
- Business ideas
- And so many more
These topics provide value to your listeners. You will also have a great sense of fulfillment from sharing a topic that resonates with you.
Sell a Product or Service.
60% of podcast listeners have bought something from a podcast ad, making podcasting a robust conversion tool.
Get Advertisers.
On top of selling products and services, you can also monetize a podcast by getting advertisers to sponsor your shows.
According to expert predictions, podcast advertising could surpass $2.5 billion by 2024, showing that other brands are more than ready to pay for podcast advertising spots.
If you grow your podcast listener base, you can start getting advertisers. You can either have brands reach out to you directly, work with a podcast agency, or use podcast advertising tools like Anchor.fm.
What Do I Use to Record My Podcasts?
Not all of the podcast editing software I mentioned has audio recording features. You may need to look specifically for podcast recording software.
Alternatively, you can try the following open-source audio recording software.
- Waveshop
- Jokosher
- Libre AV Converter
- Fmedia
What Can I Do if My Audio Recording Is Poor Quality?
If you record low-quality audio, many of the options I listed should give you a certain amount of support.
You can’t save low-quality audio files even with advanced editing tools. Thus, it’s best to get excellent-quality audio from the start.
Using a podcasting microphone should be your first step.
You have many great affordable options available online. Get a microphone you can connect straight to your computer via a USB or USB-c connector.
Should I Hire a Professional Editor?
Having a professional podcast editor has many advantages. You save time by outsourcing the work and avoid learning podcast editing technicalities.
If you find a talented professional editor, you can also tap into the quality work they provide.
Consider how you’ll pay the professional editor you hire. Ensure you have adequate income streams to pay for your editor’s services.
The Bottom Line:
There are many tools and alternatives, but the options I mentioned should make it easier for you to choose. So which of these podcast production software are you planning to try out?
If you’re a podcaster, you should also consider the best podcast platforms to host your content.
Omar
Founder of OJ Digital Solutions
