Podcasts have never been more popular. Statistics show that there are now more podcast listeners than ever and that growth looks set to continue; the global podcasting market is expected to be worth $94.88bn by 2028.
Because of these numbers, podcasts are powerful marketing tools. But if you’re thinking about launching a podcast to promote your business, it’s important to get the best podcast mixing software to create a slick, professional sound. To help with that, we’ve shortlisted 8 of the best podcast mixing software available.
Top 8 Best Podcast Mixing Software
- Alitu – Best Podcast Mixing Software for Simplicity
- Apple Logic Pro – Best Podcast Mixing Software for Advanced Mac Users
- Audacity – Best Podcast Mixing Software for Free
- Auphonic – Best Podcast Mixing Software for Beginners
- Garageband – Best Podcast Mixing Software for Mac OS
- Reaper – Best Podcast Mixing Software for Pricing
- Pro Tools – Best Podcast Mixing Software for Experts
- Adobe Audition – Best Podcast Mixing Software for Creatives
1. Alitu – Best Podcast Mixing Software for Simplicity
PRICING: $32/mo
Alitu’s tagline is ‘Podcast editing on easy mode’ and if you’re looking for podcast mixing software that does the hard work for you, this is a good option. In fact, Alitu is more than just podcast mixing software; it’s an all-in-one studio, which you can use to record, edit, mix and publish. The mixing is automated and the editing is straightforward, so you don’t need sound engineering experience to use it.
KEY FEATURES:
- Automated sound mixing
- Simple drag and drop editing
- Publish straight to podcast hosting platforms
REASONS TO BUY:
- Intuitive platform: no audio mixing experience is necessary
- All-in-one software: no need for multiple tools
- Fast-track post-production
REASONS TO AVOID:
- Limited mixing tools compared to other digital audio workstations
2. Logic Pro – Best Podcast Mixing Software for Advanced Mac Users
PRICING: $199.99
Apple Logic Pro is a fully-fledged music production studio. Because of that, it has everything you’d ever look for in podcast mixing software – and more. You’re spoilt for choice if you want to add music and sound effects to your podcast as Logic Pro has an incredible range of instruments, samples and beats to play with. If you have experience in audio production, you’ll appreciate this tool – as long as you’re a Mac user (it’s not available on Windows).
KEY FEATURES:
- Sophisticated editing tools and music software
- Huge library of sound effects
- Compatible with many third-party plug-ins
REASONS TO BUY:
- Professional quality recording, editing and podcast mixing software
- Works with Garageband
- One-off price
REASONS TO AVOID:
- Highly sophisticated software that’s not for beginners
- Only works on MacOS
- Expensive compared to other podcast mixing software
3. Audacity – Best Podcast Mixing Software for Free
PRICING: Free
Audacity has been a favourite for many sound creators for more than two decades. That’s because it’s an open-source, developer-friendly Digital Audio Workstation that’s available for free. Aside from the price point (or lack of one), what makes it such a great choice for podcast mixing software is how simple it is to use. And there’s an active user community, so you’ll find plenty of tips and tutorials online.
KEY FEATURES:
- Available on MacOS, Windows 10 and Linux
- Open source software
- Supports multiple file formats
- Wide selection of audio effects
REASONS TO BUY:
- Free to use
- Simple interface makes recording, editing and mixing easy
- Tonnes of online tutorials thanks to Audacity’s active user community
REASONS TO AVOID:
- Multi-track recording is not the most sophisticated
4. Auphonic – Best Podcast Mixing Software for Beginners
PRICING: Free for up to 2 hours of audio per month
Auphonic is an easy-to-use podcast mixing software that cleans up your sound levels using AI. It’s automated, so you don’t need any sound mixing experience to use it. This podcast mixing software is particularly handy if your recording isn’t of the highest quality (e.g. if you were somewhere noisy). Auphonic will reduce background hums, balance the levels and bring the volume up to broadcast standards.
KEY FEATURES:
- Post-production sound mixing software
- Uses AI to bring podcast sound up to broadcast standards
REASONS TO BUY:
- Automatically cleans up sound – no experience needed to use it
- Free (as long as you have less than 2 hours of audio to process each month)
REASONS TO AVOID:
- Experienced podcasters may need more control over mixing
5. Garageband – Best Podcast Mixing Software for Mac OS
PRICING: Free for MacOS users
Apple calls Garageband its “fully equipped music creation studio”. That said, it works really well as podcast mixing software too. The user interface is intuitive and simple to use, making it perfect for a beginner to get their head around. As it’s primarily designed for making music, there are tonnes of sound effects, beats and loops to add richness to your podcast too. Garageband works across all MacOS devices, so you can work on your projects anywhere. You can even record on the go as long as you have a microphone.
KEY FEATURES
- Free to download on MacOS devices
- Record and edit on the go
REASONS TO BUY:
- The intuitive interface makes it ideal for beginners
- Massive sound library
- Supports third-party plug-ins
REASONS TO AVOID:
- Not available on Windows
6. Reaper – Best Podcast Mixing Software for Pricing
PRICING: $60 Discounted license; $225 Commercial license
If you have experience using a digital audio workstation but don’t want to pay high monthly subscription fees, you may want to consider Reaper. It’s a sophisticated platform that has all the bells and whistles you’d expect from high-end podcast mixing software (it’s essentially a music production studio). It’s also known for its reliability; Reaper won’t crash your computer!
KEY FEATURES:
- Complete digital audio workstation
- Full multitrack audio
- Recording, editing and mixing studio
REASONS TO BUY:
- Has advanced audio software features at a lower, one-off price
- Fast to load and reliable
- Plenty of online tutorials for beginners
REASONS TO AVOID:
- Not primarily podcast mixing software
- UI isn’t the most intuitive
7. Pro Tools – Best Podcast Mixing Software for Experts
PRICING: Standard $29.99/mo, Pro $79.99/mo
If you’re completely new to podcast production, Pro Tools probably isn’t for you. As the name suggests it’s aimed at professional sound experts – music producers and radio station engineers, for example – so it’s an advanced platform. As a result, it has everything you could possibly need to record, edit and mix a high-quality podcast. But all that comes at a cost; it’s one of the more expensive podcast mixing software options on this list.
KEY FEATURES:
- Professional standard audio mixing
- Tonnes of plug-ins available
- Supports video tracks
REASONS TO BUY:
- Expert-level podcast mixing software
REASONS TO AVOID:
- Functionality may be overwhelming for beginners
- Expensive monthly subscription
8. Adobe Audition – Best Podcast Mixing Software for Creatives
PRICING: Single business license: $33.99/mo; access to Adobe’s full suite of apps: $79.99/mo
Another platform favoured by professionals is Adobe’s digital audio workstation. It comes with a whole bundle of sophisticated features that make it the ideal podcast mixing software. You can record a number of inputs, add sound effects from a vast library of royalty-free audio and mix using some of the best levelling tools available. Audition also works with Adobe’s other creative apps such as After Effects and Premiere Pro so you can add video and visuals to your podcast.
KEY FEATURES:
- Sophisticated all-in-one recording, editing and mixing platform
- Powerful mixing tools
- Works with other Adobe apps
REASONS TO BUY:
- Gives the user complete control over podcast mixing
- Feature-rich software
- Courses available for beginners
- No extra cost if you already have Adobe Creative Suite subscription
REASONS TO AVOID:
- Advanced UI may scare off inexperienced podcasters
References & Links
https://www.grandviewresearch.com/press-release/global-podcast-market
https://www.oberlo.co.uk/blog/podcast-statistics
https://www.investopedia.com/best-audio-editing-software-5191187
https://blog.appsumo.com/podcast-recording-software/
Best podcast software of 2022
https://podcastle.ai/blog/best-free-and-paid-podcast-editing-software/
12 Best Free Podcast Editing Software 2021
https://www.eofire.com/the-best-podcast-software/
7+ Best Podcast Software to Edit and Record Your Show (2022)