Best Podcast Recording Software in 2026: Free to Pro, Priced for a Weekly Interview Show
Key facts7 tools compared: Riverside, Zencastr, Descript, Cleanfeed, Async, Adobe Podcast, Audacity
- 7 tools compared: Riverside, Zencastr, Descript, Cleanfeed, Async, Adobe Podcast, Audacity
- Riverside (best for: A show that might go to video): $288
- Zencastr (best for: A zero-budget show): Free
- Descript (best for: Recording and editing in one tool): $192
- Cleanfeed (best for: A paid audio-only show): $144 billed monthly
Short answer: Riverside Pro is the best fit for a weekly remote interview show that might go to video, at $24/mo billed yearly ($288 a year). Zencastr's free plan is the pick if $0 matters more than video, because its card lists separate audio and video recording with no recording cap. Cleanfeed Pro costs $12/mo on monthly billing, but it records audio only.
A weekly interview show is four 30-minute episodes a month, about two hours of recording with one host and one remote guest. That is the scenario we priced. Each person needs a separate audio track so the episode can be edited voice by voice, video is optional, the files must download, and every price is shown billed yearly and billed monthly.
Dupple data: We read 10 vendor pages on October 24, 2026. Three give each person a separate track on a free plan (Riverside, Zencastr and Async), and four name separate tracks on their cheapest paid plan (Riverside, Cleanfeed, Async and Adobe Podcast's Firefly Pro). Descript's pricing page describes separate tracks for multitrack transcription and for exported sessions, but not for each guest's audio being recorded on its own track, so we did not count it.
Quick comparison
| Tool | Best for | Cheapest plan that fits | Yearly cost | Cap that breaks first |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Riverside | A show that might go to video | Pro, $24/mo billed yearly | $288 | 5 hours a month on the comparison table, 15 on the plan card |
| Zencastr | A zero-budget show | Free | Free | 6 participants; the only other card on its pricing page is Enterprise, quote only |
| Descript | Recording and editing in one tool | Hobbyist, $16/mo billed yearly | $192 | 5 hours of remote recording a month |
| Cleanfeed | A paid audio-only show | Pro, $12/mo | $144 billed monthly | Audio only; video needs Cinema |
| Async | A small remote show on a budget | Essentials, $11.99/mo billed yearly | $143.88 | 2 hours of remote multitrack recording (4 on its card) |
| Adobe Podcast | Free audio episodes under 30 minutes | Free | Free | 30-minute projects |
| Audacity | Solo recording and editing | Free | Free | No remote guests |
Read the cost column next to the cap column. Two hours a month rules out Riverside's Free plan (2 hours, one time), Async's Free plan (1 hour, lifetime) and Audacity, which has no remote guest studio.
How we chose the picks
We compared vendor pricing and plan pages checked on October 24, 2026, and used only what they print: plan cards, plan tables and the figures in them. We did not run any of the software, so this is a read of each vendor's own pages, not a product test. Each pick names the cheapest plan we found that gives separate tracks for two people and at least two hours of recording a month, ranked by fit for this show. Where a vendor's pages disagree on a plan's hours, we test the plan on the lower figure and print both. Descript, Adobe Podcast and Audacity are the exceptions: Descript's pages describe separate tracks for multitrack transcription and exported sessions, but not for each guest's audio being recorded on its own track, so it is listed for editing, not for the separate-track test; Adobe's free plan downloads no original recordings, and Audacity has no remote guest studio.
We left out SquadCast, which has joined Descript and now shows Descript's plans. We also left out Alitu, whose pages do not say guests record on separate tracks, and StreamYard, a live-streaming tool whose plans list no separate tracks.
Sources: Riverside pricing, Descript pricing, Cleanfeed pricing, Zencastr pricing, Async pricing, Adobe Podcast plans and Audacity.
Riverside: the best fit for a show that might go to video
Riverside Pro is the most complete paid plan here for this scenario. The plan card lists 15 hours a month of separate track downloads. Riverside's comparison table lists 5 for Pro. Pro still clears a two-hour show on either figure, so the pick holds. Its tooltip says each participant's audio and video is downloaded as individual files. Pro also includes up to 4K video, 48kHz audio, no watermark and one studio, which covers a two-person show with room to spare. Podcast hosting and analytics are included too, so you can publish from the same account.
Billed yearly, Pro is the price in the table above, and the page labels that charge as billed annually. On monthly billing the same plan is $29/mo, or $348 across a year at that rate (12 times $29, our arithmetic). Pro has a 14-day free trial. The Free plan is not a trial: its 2 hours of separate-track recording are a one-off allowance, so it cannot carry a weekly show.
Watch out: Riverside's comparison table still shows 5 hours a month for Pro, against 15 on the plan card. Check with Riverside support which figure applies before you commit to a season.
The default pick for a show that might go to video. It costs more than the cheaper audio options, and the free tier's two hours work as a sampler, not a plan. Source: Riverside pricing.
Zencastr: the free plan that already fits
Zencastr's free plan is the only plan on this list that costs nothing and still lists unlimited separate audio and video recording. The card also shows local recording, 6 participants and 4K video quality. A host and one guest use two of those six seats, so the participant limit does not bite for this show.
The page offers no self-serve paid price to compare. The one other card, Enterprise, is quote only, so the free plan is the only price a small show can see on the page.
The free card also lists "Customize Watermark" among its features. Before you publish a free-plan episode, confirm whether it carries a Zencastr mark.
Free, with separate tracks and no recording cap on its card. Start here if a six-seat limit and an unpriced upgrade path are acceptable. Source: Zencastr pricing.
Descript: the pick if you edit in the same tool
Descript's Hobbyist plan suits a team that wants to record and edit in one app. It includes 5 hours of remote recording a month, 10 room participants, 10 media hours for editing and 1080p exports without a watermark. Two hours of recording sits well inside that allowance. The Free plan gives 2 hours of remote recording and 60 minutes of media a month, with 720p exports that carry a watermark.
Hobbyist is $16/mo billed yearly, or $192 a year (12 times $16, our arithmetic). Monthly billing is $24/mo, as the cost section below shows. The price is per person and the plan includes one person, so an editor who joins the project needs their own seat. If you only need transcripts from an existing file, the AI transcription guide covers that job.
Watch out: Descript's pricing page says a multitrack session can be exported with separate tracks for editing. It does not say that each guest's audio is recorded locally, so run one session with a guest before you move a show over.
The right choice for a team that edits in Descript anyway. Billed yearly, it costs more than Cleanfeed Pro on monthly billing, so it has to earn that gap through editing. Source: Descript pricing.
Cleanfeed: the audio-only pick with separate tracks
Cleanfeed Pro is the audio-only plan here that records an isolated track for each guest. The feature table says so in those words: "An isolated audio track for each guest." Recording time is unlimited, and Pro allows 32 guests, far more than a two-person show needs.
Pro is $12/mo, and the page prints $36/mo for businesses. Monthly billing comes to $144 a year (12 times the monthly price, our arithmetic). A yearly renewal takes an extra 20% off, but the page does not print the yearly figure, so we have not calculated one. The Lite plan is free and includes commercial use, but it records two guests without isolated tracks, so it fails the separate-track test.
Watch out: Cleanfeed records audio. The feature table lists video only on Cinema, which the page prices at $2,500 a year for the first seat.
A low-cost route to separate audio. Pick it for an audio-only show, and skip it if the episodes need video. Source: Cleanfeed pricing.
Async, formerly Podcastle: the budget pick for a small remote show
Async, the studio formerly called Podcastle, lists local recording on every plan, Free included, and remote multitrack hours on each plan. Its Pro plan includes 20 hours of remote recording, up to 4K video and 48kHz audio, and the page prints its yearly saving beside the price.
Essentials is $11.99/mo billed yearly, or $143.88 a year (12 times $11.99, our arithmetic).
Watch out: Its card says 4 hours of recording and its comparison table says 2. A two-hour show fits either figure. A longer season needs Pro, which includes 20 hours at $23.99/mo billed yearly ($287.88 a year).
The cheapest paid Async plan with remote multitrack hours. Pick it for a show of two hours a month, and Pro when hours matter more than price. Source: Async pricing.
Adobe Podcast: free, with a 30-minute cap per project
Adobe Podcast's free plan lists unlimited high-quality remote recording. Its plans page says "No download of original recordings" on the free plan, and speaker-separated downloads are listed only on Firefly Pro. The catch is length: the free plan caps each project at 30 minutes and allows two project downloads a day.
The paid Firefly Pro plan, which includes Podcast Premium, is $19.99 a month on the plans page. It raises the project cap to 2 hours and removes the download limit. A 30-minute episode fits the free cap, but a 40-minute conversation with a guest does not.
Watch out: The plans page does not list video recording on either tier, so a video show should look elsewhere.
A good free start for audio episodes under 30 minutes, and nothing more for a longer interview. Source: Adobe Podcast plans.
Audacity: free, but no remote guest
Audacity is free and open source, and its site says it always will be. It records and edits audio on the computer it runs on, with import, export and plugin support. Its feature list has no remote guest studio, so it can capture your own voice and edit a file a guest sends you, but it does not run the call. For a dedicated editor after recording, the audio editing software guide compares the options.
There are no plans to compare. The price is $0 and the limit is the workflow: your guest has to send you a clean file after every episode.
The right free tool for solo episodes and editing, not for a remote interview. Source: Audacity.
What one host and one guest costs per year
Billed monthly, Riverside Pro comes to $348 a year (12 times $29), Descript Hobbyist to $288 (12 times $24) and Cleanfeed Pro to $144 (12 times $12). Billed yearly, Riverside Pro is $288, Descript Hobbyist $192 and Async Essentials $143.88. The free plans cost nothing, and their caps are the real cost: 30-minute projects, a one-off two hours, a one-off hour or no remote guests at all.
How to choose
- Video in the room, with separate files for each person: Riverside Pro.
- Zero budget and separate tracks: Zencastr's free plan, after the watermark check.
- You already edit in Descript: Descript Hobbyist.
- Audio only, billed monthly: Cleanfeed Pro.
- Free and short episodes: Adobe Podcast's free plan.
The most common mistake is reading a free plan as a trial. Riverside's free tier gives 2 hours one time, which is enough for a single pilot, not a season of weekly episodes. Count your recording hours per month first, then compare the yearly price against that count. For publishing the finished episodes, the podcast hosting guide compares where they go.
FAQ
What is the best podcast recording software for a weekly remote interview in 2026?
Riverside Pro is the strongest pick for a show that might go to video. It lists 15 hours a month of separate track downloads on its plan card and 5 in its comparison table, and either covers a two-hour show. Zencastr's free plan is the choice if the budget is zero.
Is there free podcast recording software with separate tracks?
Yes, three. Zencastr's free card lists unlimited separate audio and video recording for 6 participants. Riverside's free plan has separate tracks too, but only 2 hours one time. Async's free plan lists 1 hour of remote multitrack recording, lifetime.
Riverside, Zencastr or Cleanfeed: which should I pick?
Riverside if you want video and a paid plan with clear separate-file downloads. Zencastr if the budget is zero and you can live with its six-seat limit and the watermark question. Cleanfeed if the show is audio only and the monthly bill matters most.
Is a free plan the same as a free trial?
No. Riverside Pro has a 14-day free trial. Its Free plan's 2 hours of separate-track recording are a one-off allowance, not a monthly one. Zencastr lists a free plan, not a trial.
Does Cleanfeed record video?
Not on Pro. Its feature table lists video only on Cinema, which the page prices at $2,500 a year for the first seat.
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Across our whole catalogue the median is $23.50 a month and 37% of tools advertise a free tier. Figures are the lowest recurring monthly price quoted in our own review of each tool, read on 2026-10-23. Full method and every category.
