Podcasts have grown in popularity to the point that almost anyone can press the record button and gather an audience online. Podcasts have also grown to become a popular assignment for teachers to assign their students, as podcasts can require research and facilitate discussion.
But the microphone on school tablets or laptops doesn’t always make the cut, so we’ve compiled a top-tier list of the best podcasting software for students of all ages.
Top 10 Podcast Software for Students
- Anchor– Best mobile podcast software
- Adobe Audition– Best paid podcast software
- Audacity– Best podcast audio editor software
- Alitu– Best easy-to-use podcast software
- Zencastr– Best free web-based podcast recording software
- Reaper– Best balanced podcast software
- Cast– Best All-in-One podcast software
- SwitcherStudio– Best podcast software for iPhone users
- Riverside– Best for live podcasts
- Soundcloud– Best large platform podcast software
- Squadcast– Best paid web-based podcast software
1. Anchor – Best mobile podcast software
Pricing: Free to use/download
Anchor is software that is brought to the public by Spotify. This software allows users to record and publish podcasts easily and to the major podcast platforms. Anchor is available for both computer and mobile, making it easy to record on the go.
Key Features:
- Analytics
- Easy posting to Spotify
- Two types of monetization
- Easy music integration
Reasons to Use:
- Recording and hosting in one place
- Ad and listener monetization
- Easy to publish podcast episodes
Reasons to Avoid:
- Collaboration with multiple people can be limited and difficult
- Only one podcast channel per account
- Multi-person use restricted to mobile app use
» MORE: Top Podcasting Software (Both Free and Paid)
2. Adobe Audition – Best paid podcast software
Pricing: $20.99 per year or $31.49 per month; package deal of $19.99
In terms of software, Adobe is one brand that is the most well-known and used in schools, especially for college students. Adobe Audition is a professional audio editing software that is great for podcasts, videos, and so on. In terms of effects and post-production, Adobe Audition is a top-tier product.
Key Features:
- Edit, restore, and export audio
- 128 track slots
- 10,000+ effects
- Wide variety of tools
Reasons to Buy:
- Trusted brand
- Cheaper for students and in bundles
- Plenty of room to work in-program
Reasons to Avoid:
- More costly
- Stops working once you stop paying
- Not great for electronic instruments
- Learning curve
» MORE: Paid and Free Apple Podcast Editing Software Apps
3. Audacity – Best podcast audio editor software
Pricing: Free to use/download
Audacity is free-to-use recording software that allows multi-track audio editing on any computer. The software is supported by Windows, Linux, and OS, and can be translated into different languages for ease of use. Audacity is also an open-source software, meaning that its users can program additional features into the program to customize the software to their needs.
Key Features:
- Many editing effects
- Compatible with computer audio and microphones
- Easy import and export
- Various sound qualities support
Reasons to Use:
- Available for all computers
- Plug-in compatible
- Small program file size
Reasons to Avoid:
- Permanent edits
- User interface
- May need to download/create custom plug-ins
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4. Alitu – Best easy-to-use podcast software
Pricing: 7-day free trial; $32 a month or $320 a year
Alitu is a program designed specifically for podcasters in mind, as it is a one-stop-shop for editing, optimization, posting, and so on. Alitu is simple, easy-to-use, and convenient, which is great for students.
Key Features:
- Episode Builder
- Musical Clip Editor
- Automatic audio cleanup
- Ability to upload multiple recordings
Reasons to Buy:
- Easy to use and convenient
- Great UI
- Additional support available
- Hosting included
Reasons to Avoid:
- Expensive
- Limited editing options and tools
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5. Zencastr – Best free web-based podcast recording software
Pricing: Free with paid plans available ($20 to $250 per month)
Zencastr is a highly recommended in-browser software that is known for its exceptional recording quality. The free version is available to anyone, and the software is simple to use. Zencastr is strictly a recording software, however, so students do need a separate host/editor program.
Key Features:
- Supported by Windows and macOS
- Superior audio quality
- Recording capabilities
Reasons to Use:
- Great sound and recording quality
- User-friendly UI
- Free version available for casual podcasters
- Easy to organize co-hosting with
Reasons to Avoid:
- Expensive subscription plans
- No editing tools
- No hosting or publishing options
» MORE: Top Software for Student Attendance
6. Reaper – Best balanced podcast software
Pricing: 60-day free trial and $60 one-time purchase
Reaper is the Editor’s Choice of podcast software because of how affordable it is and the capabilities it has. With its plug-ins, built-in tools, and accessibility, Reaper is a great choice for students.
Key Features:
- Full electronic instrument compatibility
- Works with Mac and PC
- Several plug-ins and tools
Reasons to Buy:
- Renders quickly
- Easy to edit with
- Inexpensive
- Pay once and use forever
- MIDI compatible
Reasons to Avoid:
- Learning curve
- No free version available
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7. Cast – Best All-in-One podcast software
Pricing: Starts at $10 a month
Cast is another highly recommended software for podcasters. While Cast doesn’t have a free version, it is the best all-in-one software that allows editing, recording, and publishing without any restrictions on recording time.
Key Features:
- User-friendly interfaces
- Publishing tools
- Built-in editing tools
- Unlimited recording time
Reasons to Buy:
- No limit on how long you can record
- Record, edit and publish in one place
- User-friendly
Reasons to Avoid:
- No free version available
- Only works for computers with Chrome
- Background hum in all recordings
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8. SwitcherStudio – Best podcast software for iPhone users
Pricing: Starts at $49 per month
For students who want to record podcasts with their Apple devices, SwitcherStudio is the best option. College students would be the best group to benefit from this software, as Apple devices are more common then.
Key Features:
- Record live footage
- Edit in-app
Reasons to Buy:
- Works with iPhones and iPads
- Pay monthly or yearly
- Great for on-the-go podcasters
Reasons to Avoid:
- Only IOS users can use this software
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9. Riverside – Best for live podcasts
Pricing: $19 a month
Riverside is the platform that is best suited for podcasters who want to go live but also record their sessions at the same time. This software is a great option for college students, as it’s affordable and offers unlimited recording.
Key Features:
- Live to stream
- Recording while live
- Editing capabilities
- Unlimited recording time
Reasons to Buy:
- No time restriction on recording
- 4K video quality
- High audio quality
- Pay monthly or yearly
Reasons to Avoid:
- Once the subscription runs out, you will lose your recordings
- Limited tracks per month
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10. SoundCloud – Best large platform podcast software
Pricing: $5.99 a month
SoundCloud is an established platform that is great for people who want to start simple podcasts, which is helpful for beginners and students. With SoundCloud, you record using the phone or computer’s microphone and upload directly to the platform. This is a straightforward software that has limited features but is easy to use.
Key Features:
- Record and edit in-app
- Pre-made music for use
- Fade in and face out sound effects
Reasons to Buy:
- Available for IOS and Android
- Affordable
- User-friendly
Reasons to Avoid:
- Limited editing features
- Recordings are stopped at three hours
- Squadcast – Best paid web-based podcast software
Pricing: 7-day free trial, then starts at $10 a month
Squadcast is a paid web-based software that allows guests to join in for your recordings, set up similar to Zoom’s set-up. This software is best for students who primarily use Google Chrome. Once the recording is done, the software will also separate the audio tracks into different files for your convenience.
Key Features:
- Share links for guests to join in
- Subscription tiers
- Virtual walk-through for first-time users
- Virtual waiting room for guests
Reasons to Buy:
- Great for recording interviews with others
- Similar to Zoom set-up, so it’s easy to use
- Software lets you know before time runs out
Reasons to Avoid:
- Additional $5 for more recording time
- Not great for non-tech-savvy guests
- Only usable in Google Chrome
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References
- https://www.commonsense.org/education/top-picks/best-podcast-apps-and-websites-for-students
- https://www.videoproc.com/download-record-video/best-podcast-recording-software.htm#best-paid-ones
- https://www.podcastinsights.com/best-podcast-recording-software/
- https://filmora.wondershare.com/audio-editor/best-podcast-recording-software.html
- https://www.audacityteam.org/
- https://anchor.fm/features
- https://www.pcmag.com/reviews/anchor
- https://www.pcmag.com/reviews/adobe-audition
- https://www.buzzsprout.com/blog/alitu-walkthrough
- https://www.pcmag.com/reviews/zencastr
- https://www.pcmag.com/reviews/cast
- https://www.thepodcasthost.com/editing-production/reaper-review/
- https://cofes.com/best-live-podcast-software/
- https://www.podcastmaven.com/squadcast-a-review/