The Podosphere Podcast Tool Price Index 2026
What 34 podcast tools cost to start: the cheapest paid plan and whether there is a free plan, for hosting, recording and editing, and transcription. Every price comes from the company's own pricing page and is stored in The Podosphere directory, so this page updates itself when a price changes.
November 2026 edition. Prices checked between October 11, 2026 and November 6, 2026.
Key findings
- The Podosphere Podcast Tool Price Index (November 2026) found that the median podcast host's cheapest paid plan costs $19 a month, across 15 podcast hosts with published prices.
- The Podosphere Podcast Tool Price Index (November 2026) found that 8 of 16 podcast hosts offer a free plan.
- The Podosphere Podcast Tool Price Index (November 2026) found that the cheapest paid podcast hosts are Blubrry ($7), Libsyn ($8) and Fireside ($9).
- The Podosphere Podcast Tool Price Index (November 2026) found that the median recording and editing tool's cheapest paid plan costs $35 a month, across 7 recording and editing tools with published prices.
- The Podosphere Podcast Tool Price Index (November 2026) found that 5 of 9 recording and editing tools offer a free plan.
- The Podosphere Podcast Tool Price Index (November 2026) found that the cheapest paid recording and editing tools are Hindenburg ($12), Adobe Audition ($22.99) and Descript ($24).
- The Podosphere Podcast Tool Price Index (November 2026) found that the median transcription service's cheapest paid plan costs $22 a month, across 8 transcription services with published prices.
- The Podosphere Podcast Tool Price Index (November 2026) found that 6 of 11 transcription services offer a free plan.
- The Podosphere Podcast Tool Price Index (November 2026) found that the cheapest paid transcription services are VideoText ($14.99), Otter ($16.99) and Happy Scribe ($17).
- The Podosphere Podcast Tool Price Index (November 2026) found that a complete podcast setup (hosting, recording and editing, and transcription) can cost $0 a month on free plans.
- The Podosphere Podcast Tool Price Index (November 2026) found that a typical paid setup, one median-priced tool from each of the three categories, costs about $76 a month.
Podcast hosting: entry prices
16 podcast hosts, median cheapest paid plan $19 a month. Full comparison: Best Podcast Hosting Platforms 2026: 16 Hosts, Prices Compared
| Tool | Cheapest paid plan | Free plan | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blubrry | $7/mo | No | Pricing pagechecked October 11, 2026 |
| Libsyn | $8/mo | No | Pricing pagechecked October 11, 2026 |
| Fireside | $9/mo | No | Pricing pagechecked October 11, 2026 |
| Simplecast | $15/mo | No | Pricing pagechecked October 11, 2026 |
| Ausha | $17/mo | No | Pricing pagechecked October 11, 2026 |
| Podbean | $17/mo | Yes | Pricing pagechecked October 11, 2026 |
| Buzzsprout | $18/mo | Yes | Pricing pagechecked October 11, 2026 |
| Captivate | $19/mo | No | Pricing pagechecked October 11, 2026 |
| Castos | $19/mo | No | Pricing pagechecked October 11, 2026 |
| Transistor | $19/mo | No | Pricing pagechecked October 11, 2026 |
| RedCircle | $19.99/mo | Yes | Pricing pagechecked October 11, 2026 |
| RSS.com | $19.99/mo | Yes | Pricing pagechecked October 11, 2026 |
| Spreaker | $20/mo | Yes | Pricing pagechecked October 11, 2026 |
| Acast | $25/mo | Yes | Pricing pagechecked October 11, 2026 |
| beehiiv | $59/mo | Yes | Pricing pagechecked October 13, 2026 |
| Spotify for Creators | Free (no paid plan) | Yes | Pricing pagechecked October 11, 2026 |
Recording and editing: entry prices
9 recording and editing tools, median cheapest paid plan $35 a month. Full comparison: Best Podcast Recording and Editing Software 2026: 9 Tools, Prices Compared
| Tool | Cheapest paid plan | Free plan | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hindenburg | $12/mo | No | Pricing pagechecked October 13, 2026 |
| Adobe Audition | $22.99/mo | No | Pricing pagechecked October 13, 2026 |
| Descript | $24/mo | Yes | Pricing pagechecked October 13, 2026 |
| Riverside | $35/mo | No | Pricing pagechecked October 13, 2026 |
| CleanFeed | $36/mo | Yes | Pricing pagechecked October 13, 2026 |
| Alitu | $38/mo | No | Pricing pagechecked October 13, 2026 |
| Pro Tools | $99/mo | Yes | Pricing pagechecked October 13, 2026 |
| Audacity | Free (no paid plan) | Yes | Pricing pagechecked October 13, 2026 |
| Zencastr | Free (no paid plan) | Yes | Pricing pagechecked October 13, 2026 |
Transcription: entry prices
11 transcription services, median cheapest paid plan $22 a month. Full comparison: Best Podcast Transcription Services 2026: 11 Options, Prices Compared
| Tool | Cheapest paid plan | Free plan | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| VideoText | $14.99/mo | Yes | Pricing pagechecked October 21, 2026 |
| Otter | $16.99/mo | Yes | Pricing pagechecked October 21, 2026 |
| Happy Scribe | $17/mo | No | Pricing pagechecked October 23, 2026 |
| TurboScribe | $20/mo | Yes | Pricing pagechecked October 23, 2026 |
| Descript | $24/mo | Yes | Pricing pagechecked October 13, 2026 |
| Sonix | $25/mo | No | Pricing pagechecked October 13, 2026 |
| Rev | $29.99/mo | Yes | Pricing pagechecked October 23, 2026 |
| Riverside | $35/mo | No | Pricing pagechecked October 13, 2026 |
| Eddy by Headliner | Not published | Yes | Pricing pagechecked November 6, 2026 |
| Scribie | Not published | No | Pricing pagechecked October 21, 2026 |
| Trint | $100/mo for one seat; $90 a seat for teams of 2 to 5 | No | Pricing pagechecked October 21, 2026 |
How the index is made
The index covers every tool on The Podosphere's hosting, recording and editing, and transcription comparisons that has a directory listing. A tool on two comparisons appears in both. The entry price is the cheapest paid plan when paying month to month; most tools charge less for a year paid up front. A price that depends on team size is shown but not counted.
On the 1st of every month The Podosphere reads each company's own pricing page again. A change is applied only after a person approves it, and the index updates within a day. A row not confirmed in 90 days is marked "Not checked recently".
Citing a figure? Please name "The Podosphere Podcast Tool Price Index" and link to this page. Spotted a wrong price? Tell us.