Best Podcast Recording Software in 2026
Updated
In short: Riverside is ranked #1 of 22 as of 8 October 2026, ahead of Alitu and Adobe Podcast. The best-ranked option with a free plan is Adobe Podcast. The lowest first paid tier on this page is Craig at $1/mo.
Choosing software to record a podcast means deciding how voices are captured and what you want to take away from a session. Compare local recording, separate participant tracks, and maximum participants to understand the available setup; recording platform and video recording add further considerations. Audio export format and automatic transcription help you assess the outputs. Riverside, Adobe Podcast, and Spreaker are among the options to weigh. Check free-plan availability and paid-from pricing alongside the recording features, keeping your session size, preferred workflow, and required files in view.
22 podcast recording software ranked on what their makers publish — plans and prices, free tiers, platforms and the facts on their own pages.
Podcast Recording Software, ranked on how quickly a newcomer can get going. 17 of the 22 on this page can be tried for free.
- 1 RiversidePaid from $19/mo
- Free to practise on: yes
- Free trial: yes
- Well documented: yes
- Runs where you work: yes
- 2 AlituPaid from $10/mo
- Free to practise on: yes
- Free trial: yes
- Well documented: yes
- Runs where you work: not on record
- 3 Adobe PodcastPaid from $19.99/mo
- Free to practise on: yes
- Free trial: yes
- Well documented: yes
- Runs where you work: not on record
- 4 ElvaPaid from $19/mo
- Free to practise on: yes
- Free trial: yes
- Well documented: yes
- Runs where you work: not on record
- 5 CleanfeedPaid from $12/mo
- Free to practise on: yes
- Free trial: not on record
- Well documented: yes
- Runs where you work: yes
- 6 SpreakerPaid from $20/mo
- Free to practise on: yes
- Free trial: not on record
- Well documented: yes
- Runs where you work: yes
- 7 AsyncFree plan
- Free to practise on: yes
- Free trial: not on record
- Well documented: yes
- Runs where you work: not on record
- 8 Iris.fmPaid from $9/mo
- Free to practise on: yes
- Free trial: not on record
- Well documented: yes
- Runs where you work: yes
- 9 ZencastrFree plan
- Free to practise on: yes
- Free trial: not on record
- Well documented: yes
- Runs where you work: not on record
- 10 BoomcasterPaid from $20/mo
- Free to practise on: yes
- Free trial: not on record
- Well documented: yes
- Runs where you work: not on record
- 11 SureTakePaid from $24/mo
- Free to practise on: yes
- Free trial: not on record
- Well documented: yes
- Runs where you work: not on record
- 12 WaveroomFree plan
- Free to practise on: yes
- Free trial: not on record
- Well documented: yes
- Runs where you work: not on record
- 13 Airtape StudioFree plan
- Free to practise on: yes
- Free trial: not on record
- Well documented: yes
- Runs where you work: not on record
- 14 OpenStudioFree plan
- Free to practise on: yes
- Free trial: not on record
- Well documented: yes
- Runs where you work: not on record
- 15 CraigPaid from $1/mo
- Free to practise on: yes
- Free trial: not on record
- Well documented: yes
- Runs where you work: not on record
- 16 PodsplicePaid from $29/mo
- Free to practise on: not on record
- Free trial: yes
- Well documented: yes
- Runs where you work: not on record
- 17 NowMax
- Free to practise on: not on record
- Free trial: not on record
- Well documented: not on record
- Runs where you work: yes
- 18 HilitePaid from $19/mo
- Free to practise on: not on record
- Free trial: not on record
- Well documented: not on record
- Runs where you work: not on record
- 19 Tributary
- Free to practise on: not on record
- Free trial: not on record
- Well documented: not on record
- Runs where you work: not on record
- 20 WesterAudio
- Free to practise on: not on record
- Free trial: not on record
- Well documented: not on record
- Runs where you work: not on record
- 21 StreamStudio.ai
- Free to practise on: not on record
- Free trial: not on record
- Well documented: not on record
- Runs where you work: not on record
- 22 Podcapture
- Free to practise on: not on record
- Free trial: not on record
- Well documented: not on record
- Runs where you work: not on record
Compare all 22 in a table
| # | Platform | Score | Free plan | From | Free plan | Paid from | Separate participant tracks | Local recording |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Riverside | 8.1 | Free plan | $19/mo | Yes | — | Yes | Yes |
| 2 | Alitu | 7.7 | No | $10/mo | No | — | No | Yes |
| 3 | Adobe Podcast | 7.6 | Free plan | $19.99/mo | Yes | — | Yes | Yes |
| 4 | Elva | 7.6 | Free plan | $19/mo | Yes | — | Yes | Yes |
| 5 | Cleanfeed | 7.5 | Free plan | $12/mo | Yes | — | Yes | No |
| 6 | Spreaker | 7.4 | Free plan | $20/mo | Yes | — | — | — |
| 7 | Async | 7.2 | Free plan | Free | Yes | — | Yes | Yes |
| 8 | Iris.fm | 7.2 | Free plan | $9/mo | Yes | — | Yes | Yes |
| 9 | Zencastr | 7.1 | Free plan | Free | Yes | — | Yes | Yes |
| 10 | Boomcaster | 7.0 | Free plan | $20/mo | Yes | — | Yes | Yes |
| 11 | SureTake | 7.0 | Free plan | $24/mo | Yes | — | Yes | Yes |
| 12 | Waveroom | 7.0 | Free plan | Free | Yes | — | Yes | Yes |
| 13 | Airtape Studio | 6.9 | Free plan | Free | Yes | — | Yes | Yes |
| 14 | OpenStudio | 6.9 | Free plan | Free | Yes | — | Yes | Yes |
| 15 | Craig | 6.8 | Free plan | $1/mo | Yes | — | Yes | Yes |
| 16 | Podsplice | 6.8 | No | $29/mo | No | — | Yes | Yes |
| 17 | NowMax | 6.1 | No | — | — | — | Yes | Yes |
| 18 | Hilite | 5.9 | Free plan | $19/mo | Yes | — | Yes | Yes |
| 19 | Tributary | 5.8 | No | — | — | — | Yes | Yes |
| 20 | WesterAudio | 5.8 | No | — | Yes | — | Yes | Yes |
| 21 | StreamStudio.ai | 5.7 | No | — | Yes | — | Yes | — |
| 22 | Podcapture | 5.5 | No | — | No | — | Yes | Yes |
Is your platform on this list?
Numbered spots on this list can be sponsored, and a sponsored row is labelled as paid.
Questions about this list
Which podcast recording software is ranked first on The Geeks Club?
Riverside is ranked #1 of 22 with a score of 8.1. Alitu is second and Adobe Podcast third.
How many of these have a free plan?
15 of the 22 on this page publish a free plan on their own pricing pages.
Which is the cheapest paid option?
On this page, Craig has the lowest first paid tier we found: $1/mo.
How is this list ranked?
Ranked on how quickly a newcomer can get going: documentation depth, a free tier or trial, and the platforms it runs on.