With an estimated 1.5 million active podcast productions around the globe, this audio format has gone truly mainstream. And, as the industry has grown, the habits surrounding recording and editing podcasts have evolved.
Gone are the days when your choice as a podcaster was between an expensive, complex, professional recording rig and your everyday smartphone-producing podcasts filled with background noise. Instead, with the latest software for recording podcasts, studio-quality sound is possible no matter where you want to record. This is even if your co-host, guests, and audio editor can’t be in the same room.
At Riverside.fm, we’re dedicated to making it easier to record remote podcasts. Podcasters no longer need to turn to old-school desktop programs like Logic Pro, Adobe Audition, and Pro Tools for their recording needs.
Our podcast recording software prioritizes audio and video quality while offering an interface that’s user-friendly, fully web-based, and designed with distance podcasting in mind.
Podcast recording software is a booming niche, as more podcasters want to start recording their show while keeping their setup nimble and affordable.
In this guide, we’ll look at what you need to look for in choosing the best podcast recording software, compare a few different tools, and explain why we think Riverside.fm has the edge.
Podcast Recording Software: What to Consider When Browsing
When you’re launching or running a podcast, you’ve got a lot to consider – the format, the guests, and more. At the same time, your tech is not something you should overlook or underestimate. The podcast recording software you decide on today will have a long-lasting impact. To call it right, you need to dig down into what you want your podcast to sound like now and in the future.
With this in mind, here are some questions to consider when choosing the best recording software for you.
Remote or in-person? The COVID-19 pandemic, and social distancing, have changed podcasting – potentially forever. If recording in-house still works for you, great. Yet, recording remotely doesn’t need to mean sacrificing sound quality to poor or unreliable connections.
Audio alone or video too? Audiences are hungry for new media – and the growth of video podcasting offers a different way for you to engage them. But not all podcast recording software provides video functionality (or video call-in) – so make sure you’re clued-up on what they offer.
Professional or amateur? Whether you’re a pro podcaster or new to the business, experience and skill matter when choosing your recording software. Will you use all the Adobe Audition tools you’re paying for? Or would you prefer simplicity to focus on your content?
Guest numbers? If your podcast is you and a mate chatting, you’re going to need something different than a show with multiple guests every episode. Some podcast recording tools have limited capabilities in terms of guest numbers, so check this out before you commit.
Live release or pre-recorded? Podcasting, traditionally, isn’t live. However, live shows have given podcasters the ability to engage audiences in real-time. In this case, you may want recording software for podcasting live.
And there are other things to consider, including:
Whether you need to add custom branding.
Whether you need screen sharing capability.
Whether you need producers to have access behind the scenes.
Whether you want the podcast host to have control, e.g., managing the waiting room, adapting audio or visual controls, removing participants, or chatting privately with co-hosts.
What is the Best Podcast Recording Software For Remote Interviews?
You’ve pinned down your needs. Now you need to find the software out there to fulfill them.
Here, we’re going to look beyond the classic options for in-person recording and editing: tools like GarageBand, Adobe Audition, Hindenburg, Pro Tools, Audacity. While these are generally useful apps, we want to focus on software that lets you record over distance.
Riverside.fm is unique among remote podcast recording software – even if we say so ourselves. We’re the first browser-based recording platform to offer local 4k video and audio recording. This way, we can help you deliver quality shows to your audience, regardless of your chosen format.
The fact that we’re browser-based means our platform is suitable for both Windows and macOS desktops. We’re also the first podcasting software that offers local podcast recording on a mobile app.
In everything we do, the quality of the recording is our priority. That’s why we record locally, so audio and video don’t need to span internet connections to be captured. Rather, your guests are recorded where they are – meaning crackly connections, lags, and unwanted noise will all be avoided. The host or producer can adjust audio levels live to keep post-production pain to a minimum.
Riverside.fm saves all audio in WAV to keep quality high, while video comes in up to 4k (if your camera supports it). Screen recording, which is also possible on our platform, is saved in high-definition MP4s. All files are uploaded to the cloud progressively as they are being recorded. If one of your guests loses connection, the recording is still safe, secure, and usable for your podcast.
Beyond simple recording solutions, we’ve built plenty of other tools into our podcast recording software.
We offer integrations for platforms including YouTube, Facebook, Twitch, and Twitter, for example, allowing easy live streaming. Users can also stream the live recording on the platform itself, using what we call the “Audience Room.” And uniquely, our platform lets users take live video calls from listeners, too – integrating them into a split-screen alongside as many as eight other users.
Finally, producers can join the conversation without being recorded. This is called “producer mode” – allowing them to monitor progress and communicate with all participants behind the curtain.
Besides our video and audio recording software, we offer podcast editing tools that take your content from beginning to end. After your recording session, you can easily create short, shareable Clips to promote your podcast all over social media. In addition, you can fix your audio with automatic noise reduction and normalization and customize your final project with quick logos and backgrounds.
Summary of Riverside.fm Features:
Riverside.fm’s browser-based software ensures ease of use – and no fiddly installations – for you and your guests.
Locally-recorded WAV audio and 4k video files to maintain sound quality at its highest.
Progressive uploading keeps your recordings safe, even if connections are lost.
Up to 8 participants, including co-hosts and guests, to avoid unnecessary constraints on your show’s format.
In-built live streaming functionality through Facebook, YouTube, and other platforms.
Live video call-ins from guests – a unique feature in podcast recording software.
Producer mode – giving producers an easy way to manage the podcast.
Simple editing tools to create shareable clips, fix audio and customize your finished podcast.
Mobile Apps – Host a recording session from your iPhone on our iOS app and guests can join using this same app, or the new Android mobile app.
Download reliable podcast transcripts straight after recording with our automatic transcription software.
Riverside.fm offers a user-friendly platform providing local audio and video recordings of the highest quality. But we understand if you don’t want to just take our word for it, start with our free plan, no credit card required!
And if we’re not your thing, let’s look at some alternatives that might suit your needs…
Zoom
One of the biggest tech names of 2020-2021, no brand represents the idea of socially distant working like Zoom. Yet, you may be surprised to see it here. Zoom wasn’t designed as a podcast recording software. Rather, as a video calling service, the voice-recording feature has been a convenient afterthought.
Despite this, Zoom is frequently used as a platform for recording podcasts. And it gets most of its appeal because it is familiar to use, affordable, and able to record both video and audio.
Yet, anyone who has had a Zoom call knows that the audio is not reliably high quality. Given that recordings are saved as MP4 video files and M4A audio, you may well find that the sound that eventually reaches your listeners’ ears is below their expectations.
On top of this, files are converted and saved only after your Zoom meeting has finished. Compared to the progressive uploading offered by Riverside.fm, this makes lost files a real risk – unless you’re taking a backup recording simultaneously. However, this would defeat the point of using Zoom at all.
Once the undisputed leader of online video chat, Skype has since lost its crown. However, thanks to its ubiquity across devices and people’s familiarity with how it works, Skype is still a popular option. And this is particularly appealing among podcasters who want to give remote guests a simple interface.
Like Zoom, Skype does offer video recording. Yet, unlike Riverside.fm, this doesn’t happen locally – and even if you only want the audio, you’ll get the video nonetheless. This means that sound has to pass through an internet line from where it was spoken, coming out with subpar audio files.
Regardless, Skype is free and widely used, and it is user-friendly. All you have to do is click record. As a result, it could be a suitable option if you're just starting to experiment with podcast episodes.
One well-known remote podcast recording platform is Zencastr. Like Riverside.fm, Zencastr is a browser-based service that records podcasters working at a distance using their local microphones.
Each participant audio is recorded in lossless WAV, whereas the video is captured at up to 1080p HD. All recordings are automatically saved in the host’s computer and the cloud. This means that recording quality should be high. However, you’ll find several stories online about conversation recordings going out of sync and about technical glitches in the recording process. It is also worth noting that Zencastr’s video recording is only in its beta stage and is still being thoroughly tested out.
While Zencastr offers a free option, this is a little limited. Rather than WAV, expect mp3 files – and bank on only beta video recording – among a maximum of 5 guests. Premium, meanwhile, offers WAV files and a soundboard – so you can add intros, jingles, and ads mid-recording. Although, any post-production tools on both plans come at an extra cost.
Squadcast
Although one of the newer names on the podcast recording block, Squadcast offers various features. It’s very similar to Zencastr, but it does have a couple of advantages and drawbacks of its own.
Before we get to these, though, Squadcast is a browser-based recording software – just like our platform, Riverside.fm – and it aims to make participating in podcasts easy. Guests just need to click a link, and a virtual green room allows them to get into the zone before going live.
Initially, Squadcast outdid Zencastr due to its video recording abilities. Now, the two offer similar features except that Squadcast’s video recording is not in beta and that they allow participants to screen share. Also, all Squadcast plans offer WAV audio files, but this comes at a high price.
The cheapest Squadcast plan is $10 per month. However, this only offers 2 hours of audio recording versus their cheapest option for video and audio which is $40 for 5 hours. Their top-tier plans include 25 hours of recording at $150 per month for audio and at $300 for both audio and video recording.
As of now, Squadcast does not offer livestreaming or audience features. It only allows up to 10 participants on the higher-tier plans, and the lower plans allow up to 4.
Finally, Squadcast is held back because it isn’t fully supported on mobile devices like iOS and Android. While Squadcast has Safari compatibility for iPhones in beta, it is purely web-based and has no specialized mobile app.
Summary: Choosing a Podcast Recording Software
With so many podcast recording software options available, the choice can only be yours. Yet, the big names of Zoom and Skype needn’t be your first port of call – particularly when they’re not purpose-built, and while the podcasting industry is evolving so dynamically.
At Riverside.fm, our platform will help you shift your recording over to remote without sacrificing audio and video quality – and let you take advantage of the growing demand for video. To finish, let’s recap some of the key features that our remote recording platform offers:
Local recording in separate lossless WAV audio and 4k video files.
Reliable browser-based platform, meaning easy usability with no downloads or installs required.
Progressive upload and automatic back-up of recordings, ensuring no lost files.
Up to 8 co-hosts per recording.
Live streaming opportunities to Facebook, YouTube, and other platforms.
Live guest call-in, also in video.
Easy editing tools for audio, customization, and shareable clips.
Mobile apps for podcasting on the go.
Automatic, accurate podcast transcription.
Now that you know which podcast software to choose, it's time to start recording. Or you can first read more about remote podcasting.
Recording long-distance interviews can be tricky, but it doesn’t have to be. The following tips show you how to record a high-quality podcast remotely.
This article will provide you with actionable steps to select the right video podcast software to record, edit, and publish your wonderful video podcast.
Riverside.fm is an audio-video tool that collapses the pod/broadcast studio experience into your browser. The service captures lossless audio and up to 4K video locally, syncs it, and uploads as you go.
Riverside.fm is an audio-video tool that collapses the pod/broadcast studio experience into your browser. The service captures lossless audio and up to 4K video locally, syncs it, and uploads as you go.
Riverside.fm is an audio-video tool that collapses the pod/broadcast studio experience into your browser. The service captures lossless audio and up to 4K video locally, syncs it, and uploads as you go.
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