Podcasting - Good Tools #20

80+ (mostly free) tools to record, edit, transcribe, clean-up, cross-purpose, distribute, promote and monetize audio podcasts.

Welcome to a new edition of Good Tools.

For a few hours I got scared.

Hurricane Beryl just passed by my tiny island, but thanks to its moving path and slowly decreasing force, it did not inflict any serious damage to property or people.

Actually, until the day before its passage, I was quite ready to follow orders and evacuate.

But as the hours progressed and I spoke to more and more locals I started considering not leaving and barricading myself inside my tiny little house.

Locals were saying that notwithstanding all of the warnings and forecasts, nothing terrible would have happened.

Happily I live on the second floor of a small, minimalist, two-story, white-cement cube.

Water cannot inundate my apartment but if the hurricane winds strike strong enough, things could start flying and my five glass windows could easily be shattered and become open gates to all kinds of flying objects.

So, I bought a lot of large packing tape and put it all across my windows to ensure they would not give in so easily if hit by something.

I crossed fingers, holed up inside my bed and hoped for the best.

In the end, it was just a lot of wind and rain. No thunders, no lightning and it went by in less time than I expected.

Pheeeeeew.

Glad to be alive and to have listened to what the locals already knew.

P.S.: This newsletter is a work of love.

I write Good Tools with the goal of helping out people looking for alternative, free or quasi-free tools that can help them save time and money.

I have been searching and reviewing good tools for communication professionals since March 2000, before I had even considered changing my name to Robin Good.

It takes quite a bit of work to find, test and verify all of the tools that fit each collection, but the result is something that (I hope) cannot be found elsewhere.

• I do this because I enjoy searching, verifying and organizing.

• I create lasting information resources that can be useful to others.
  (check / reserve a copy of the new Curation Monetized Examples

  *Database Catalog 2024* I am about to release through my other newsletter

  Curation Monetized
  )

• Please consider supporting this work (like, recommend, subscribe).

• I’d love to keep on searching.

Thank you for supporting me in doing what I love.

from Holbox island
Robin Good

The focus of this issue is on podcasting tools (80+ free or quasi-free tools and paid/commercial ones with generous free plans).

Specifically:

1. Podcast Recording (7)

2. Interviews Recording (6)

3. Finding Guests and Experts (5)

4. Podcast Editing (5)

5. Podcast Post-Production (4)

6. Finding Background Music (13)

7. Transcribing (6)

8. Summarizing (3)

9. Podcast to Video (3)

10. Hosting / Distribution / Monetization (10)

11. Distribution: Podcast Directories (10)

12. Podcast Search Engines (4)

13. Listening Platforms & Players (11)

14. Podcast Website Builder (1)

Podcasting Tools

1) Podcast Recording (7)

.

• Spreaker

  Web-based - Mac, PC, iOS & Android apps - Hosting and distribution - Monetization - Stats
  100% free version: unlimited podcasts of unlimited length - Pro from $20/mo
  .

• Podcastle

  Web-based recording, editing & distribution. Audio editing via text. Music library. Transcription. Multi-track. Silence removal. Clone your voice. AI voices. Host and distribute. iOS app.
  Free version: Unlimited recordings/editing - Unlimited hosting & publishing - Collaboration - Pro version from $11.99/mo
  .

• Audacity
  Cross-platform opne-source downloadable audio recording and editing software for Windows, Linux and Mac.
  100% free
  .

• Adobe Podcasting
  Recording and editing in the cloud. Editing via text. Full transcription. Audio clean-up and microphone check. Royalty-free music library.
  Free version - enhance 30 mins max twice/day - edit 2 podcasts/day max 30 mins

• Tuttu

  Basic web-based voice recording utility. A little work of art. My favorite one.
  Audio hosting - sharing via link or embeddable player - saves in .MP3
  100% free
  .

• Audiomass
  Free online audio recorder, editor, good also for post-production and effects. Exports to .mp3 and .wav.
  100% free
  .

• Online Voice Recorder

  100% free - ad supported - audio trimmer - saves in .MP3
  .

• REV Online Voice Recorder
  100% free - pause function - audio trimmer - saves in .MP3
  

2) Interviews Recording (6)

.

• Skype
  Cross-platform PC and Mac - integrated call recording
  100% free
  .

• Cleanfeed

  Web-based. Everyone in a separate track, perfectly in sync. Mixer. Intros, jingles. Choose audio quality level from minimal to 256kbps mono or 320kbps stereo.
  Free version - No time limits on sessions or recording - Pro from $34/mo
  .

• Streamyard
  Complete web-based recording studio. Excellent for both video and audio interviews with remote guests. Local recording (up to 2hrs/mo on free version).
  100% Free version: 20 hrs of recording / mo - Pro from $25/mo
  .

• Riverside
  Professional web app for recording audio and video interviews with remote guests. Local recording. Text-based editing. AI voices. Captions. Transcriptions.

  Free version: 2-hour recording + editing/mo - Pro starts at $19/mo
  .

• Squadcast
  Professional web app for recording remote interviews. Local recording. Transcriptions. Captions.
  Free version: 1-hr recording + editing/mo - Pro starts at $19/mo
  .

• Rode Connect  

  Downloadable podcasting recording software for local interviews. PC and Mac. Connect up to four guests to a single computer. Features broadcast-style faders, level metering, sound pads, mute button, multi-channel recording and more.

  100% free

3) Finding Guests and Experts (5)

.

• Matchmaker.fm
  Find and and connect with over 70,000 shows and guests ready to collaborate or be interviewed. Profile page. Communication and recommendation tools.
  Free version (all basic features) max 10 conversations/mo. Pro is $129/year.
  .

• Padverb
  Unique content discovery and social networking tools for podcast interview hosts, guests, and listeners. Profile pages. Find connection path to relevant people. Pro version allows to find *pro* podcast interviewers/guests with adv. filters. iOS app.
  100% free basic and Pro
  .

• Podmatch
  Matches ideal podcast hosts and guests for interviews. Profile pages. AI-assisted matching. Organize and schedule. Gather testimonials.
  Starts at $6/mo for interview hosts, $29/mo for guests and $35/mo for those who want to be both interview hosts and be interviewed by others.
  .

• Rolli
  Searchable database of vetted experts and journalists organized by sectors.
  Useful to find interesting people to interview on just about any subject.
  Free to browse and search.

4) Podcast Editing (5)

.

• Audacity
  Cross-platform open-source downloadable software for PC, Mac and Linux.
  Full audio editor. Export to any audio format. Convert. Filters.
  100% free
  .

• Descript
  Reference platform for text-based audio editing. AI filtering. AI voices.
  Free version: 1hr/mo - Pro from $19/mo
  .

• GarageBand
  Audio-editing software (Mac and iOS-only). Sound library.
  100% free - download

  .

• Podcastle
  Multi-track recording and editing. Collaboration.
  100% free plan - Pro from $14.99/mo
  .

• Adobe Podcast Studio
  Basic cloud-based editing. Fades. Background music library. Transcription. English-only audio editing via text.
  30-day free trial - Pro from apx $10/mo

5) Podcast Post-Production (4)

.

• Auphonic
  Audio post-processing. Cleans up messy audio eliminating all background noises. Auto-balance guests volume. Filtering, audio-EQ. Cut silences and filler words.
  2 free hours/month. Pro from $9/mo for 9hrs of audio processing
  .

• Adobe Enhance
  Clean up audio for free. Eliminates echo, reverb and all background noises. Microphone check tool.
  Free (limited processing time per day) - Pro from apx $10/mo
  .

• Isolate Speech by Eleven Labs
  Removes any background noise from voice audio: street noise, mic feedback, etc.
  Generate speech, translate content with automatic dubbing, create custom synthetic voices, generate sound effects.
  Free plan: includes 10K characters/mo (apx. 10 audio mins). Pro from $5/mo
  .

• OpenVINO for Audacity
  Noise suppression and transcription plugin. Windows-only.
  100% free

6) Finding Background Music (13)

.

• Loudly
  Generate your own music soundtracks with AI.
  Free version: generate up to 25 tracks/mo up to 30” / one download (.MP3) - Pro starts at $10/mo
  .

• Joystock
  Large library of independently produced 100% free royalty music. MP3s.
  100% free - credit required
  .

• Upbeat

  Library of copyright-free music for creators.

  Free version: 3 downloads/mo - Pro starts at $6.99/mo for unlimited downloads
  .

• Hooksounds
  5000+ royalty-free indepedently produced music tracks, 8000+ sound effects and 500+ intros/outros for videos/podcasts. Loops and instrumental versions.
  Free trial - Pro from $9.99/mo
  .

• Chosic
  Background royalty-free music for YouTube and social media and commercial use.
  100% free - ad supported
  .

• Unminus
  Unsplash for copyright free music. Free downloads.
  100% free
  .

• Freesound
  Large collaborative catalog of free sounds and effects under a Creative Commons license.
  100% free
  .

• Dig CCMixter
  Free and paid music tracks by independent musicians. Over 1K downloadable tracks.
  Free and paid.
  .

• Musopen
  Library of public domain and CC-licensed free classical music.
  100% free
  .

• Icons8
  Library of free downloadable music for both commercial and non-commercial use.
  Free version - good for non-commercial applications. Pro from $15/mo
  .

• CCHound
  Searchable directory of all the free music libraries and catalogs available online. AI-assisted search. Reviews, comparisons, tips.
  100% free
  .

• Bandcamp
  Indie music distribution platform. Lots of authors/tracks that can be downloaded and used without having to pay or that cost very little compared to other solutions.

  Free
  .

• Soundcloud

  Huge library of music tracks, sound effects and more. Some content is licensed for free download and re-use.
  Free

7) Transcribing (6)

.

• Podsqueeze
  Transcription, summarization, synthesis. AI-assisted automatic repurposing of transcribed audio into notes, newsletter, blog article, FAQ, etc.
  Free version - 50 mins of audio/mo, 1 upload - Pro starts at $15/mo
  .

• Audio Notes
  Record and convert audio notes or uploaded audio files into intelligent texts. Transcription. Generate insights, summary, article, etc. Multi-language.
  Free version: Up to 6 mins/note - 30 min/month - Pro from $10/mo
  .

• Podium
  AI copywriter for show notes, articles, transcripts, chapters. Transcription. Show notes, generate social media posts, articles, etc. Multi-language.
  Free trial - 3 hours free. - Pro starts at $14/mo
  .

• Castmagic
  Transcription. AI-assisted content generation. Shownotes, social media posts and more. Multi-language. Support for direct uploads, Youtube/vimeo links, RSS feed, Reels, Zapier, Zoom, Google Drive & more.
  Free trial - includes 300 mins -` Pro from $39/mo
  .

• Dropbox
  Automatic transcription of any audio file uploaded to the platform.
  Free for registered users.
  .

• Rev
  Professional human-based transcription service. $1.50 per minute, 12 hr turnaround time, 99% accurate transcription. Alternatively $0.25 per minute, 5 minute turnaround time, 90%+ accurate transcriptions.
  Paid

8) Summarizing (3)

.

• Glasp YouTube Summarizer
  Summarizes any Youtube video or podcast with ChatGPT/Claude/Mistral. Multi-language. Time-stamped transcript.
  100% free
  .

• Snipcast
  ChatGPT-based assistant summarizes any podcast episode you submit.
  English only.
  Free version: 2 summaries per month - Pro from $5.99/mo

  .

• Scribbler
  Get insights from any podcast/Youtube video. Choose from a library of top podcasts or get a summary on demand. Full transcription and summary.
  Paid: $0.40/hr transcribed / summarized
  

9) Podcast to Video (3)

.

• Headliner
  Generate video clips from podcast audio. Transcription. 1080p. 50 GB storage
  100% free plan: 5 videos/month - Pro from $7.99/mo
  .

• Vokal
  Convert audio to video clips. Transcription. Add logo. Subtitles. 1080p.
  Paid: from $15/mo for 20 min of video/mo
  .

• GoodListen
  Generate clips, highlights, chapters and transcriptions from podcasts.

  Free plan: 1hr of audio/month - Pro from $15/mo for 7hr

10) Hosting / Distribution / Monetization (10)

.

• Substack
  Podcasting host platform where free listeners can be converted into paid subscribers. Distribute to Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
  100% free
  .

• Spreaker
  Hosting and distribution to major platforms.
  100% free plan
  .

• Patreon
  Hosting and distribution. Allows to offer free and paid podcast subscriptions.
  100% free
  .

• Simplecast
  Unlimited storage, hosting and uploads. Distribute everywhere. Analytics.
  Free 14-day trial - Pro from $15/mo with unlimited storage and distribution
  .

• Podserve

  Hosting/distribution to all major platforms. Unlimited storage. Transcripts. Analytics.
  Free 14-day trial - Pro from $19/month
  .

• Dropbox
  Hosting-only
  2GB Free. Pro from $19.99/mo
  .

• Google Drive
  Hosting-only
  15GB Free
  .

• Archive.org
  Unlimited podcast hosting space
  100% Free
  .

• Listnr
  Record, edit, distribute and monetize. 20GB storage. Supports Dropbox/Google Drive. Local recordings. Analytics.
  Free plan: unlimited recordings - 1hr transcription. Pro from $19/mo
  .

• Cast
  Recording, editing and mixing. Hosting.
  Free 30-day trial - Pro from $10/mo for 10hrs of podcasting/mo

11) Distribution: Podcast Directories (10)

*direct URLs to where to submit your podcast RSS feed
.

1. Apple Podcast Connect

2. Spotify for Podcasters

3. Amazon Music and Audible

4. iHeartRadio

5. Podchaser

6. Pandora

7. ListenNotes

8. Player.fm

9. Deezer

10. Overcast

12) Podcast Search Engines (4)

.

• ListenNotes
  The best podcast search engine. Indexes millions of podcasts across different languages.
  100% free
  .

• PodChaser
  Searchable directory of podcasts. Multi-language.
  100% free to search. Pro version allows access to additional info like contacts.
  .

• GoodPods
  Podcast player and podcast discovery app. Multi-language. User recommendations.
  100% free
  .

• YouTube
  Podcasts and videos search engine. (Get your podcast on YouTube).
  100% free (ad supported)
  

13) Listening Platforms & Players (11)

.

• Spotify

• Amazon Music

• Apple Podcasts

• YouTube Podcasts

• IHeartRadio

• TuneIN

• Castro

• Overcast for iOS

• Pocketcasts

• Podmob

• Castbox

Podcast Website Builder

• Podpage
  Simplest way to create a podcast-centered website.
  Free 14-day trial - Pro from $19/mo

N.B.: If you have found errors or inaccuracies in any of the tools reported, please let me know through the comments or by replying to this email.

If you know of tools and apps that would fit this collection but which I did not include, please do let me know.

Special thanks to: festivaldelpodcasting.it and assipod.org

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Thank you.

from Holbox island
Robin Good