One of the beautiful things about podcasting is that your guests or co-hosts don’t have to be physically present for interviews. There are plenty of great applications that allow you to interact and record remotely.
As of April 2022, Acast has teamed up with Podcastle to use their free and easy service for recording and editing podcast episodes.
As well as recording, editing and many more fantastic features, they also allow you to remotely record interviews (with up to 10 members).
You can navigate to their service from your episodes page. Simply click 'new episode' and you will see the option to 'record and edit audio file'.
From here you can open the link to Podcastle's free recording service.
Or follow this link to start using Podcastle.
For those looking at other options we have compiled this list of other popular options.
Please note: Acast does not officially endorse or recommend any of the following platforms.
Zoom
Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, Zoom has become part of our everyday vocabulary. But, it’s not just for work calls and virtual happy hours. Zoom has also become an option to record and create podcasts.
How it works: Once you and your guest or co-host or guest are in the chat you press record and stop when you are finished. We strongly recommend recording your audio tracks as separate files as this will result in a better editing experience. When you are finished your tracks will be downloaded. The audio will be saved as an MP4, so you will need to convert the files to MP3 or WAV files before editing (there are several free conversion sites out there).
Pros: The best perk of using Zoom is that just about everyone is already familiar with this platform and has it on their computers or phones! Another great perk is that it’s free if your interview doesn’t run over 40 minutes.
Cons: The process of downloading files and converting them to MP3s and downloading them again is clunky, at best. Also, Zoom wasn’t created with podcasting in mind and the audio can sometimes reflect that. Zoom’s compressed audio files often aren’t as clear as a podcaster may want them to be.
Luckily, there are several platforms that were designed for remote podcasting with podcasters in mind. Here are a few:
Zencastr
Zencastr has a simple interface and is easy and intuitive to use. Link your account to your Google Drive or Dropbox and your recordings will appear as MP3s and WAV files in a new folder automatically once you’re done recording. Zencastr provides various subscription options tailored to individual and business needs.
Squadcast
Squadcast is a platform growing rapidly in popularity. Unlike Zencastr, the feel is a little more professional and the interface more robust. Experienced podcasters will feel right at home, but the newbie may be a little intimidated at first. Squadcast provides flexible billing options, including monthly and annual plans, as well as a free tier for users.
Riverside.fm
Riverside.fm offers most of the features as Squadcast but puts a little more focus on their video and other popular remote recording options. If you plan on going live on social media while recording your podcast (a perk some creators provide for their private supporter's group) this might be the perfect platform for you! Riverside.fm offers subscription plans for both individuals and businesses, available for monthly and yearly billing. A free tier is available for individual users, providing them with access to certain features without any cost.
