It’s no news that starting a podcast requires an initial investment. In some cases, you may even need to hire a team to help with marketing, writing, and planning. But, if you’re on a tight budget or you don’t want to make a huge commitment yet, you probably want to minimize your initial investment as much as possible.

If that’s your case, you’re in the right place.

In this post, we’ll share everything you need to know to build a professional podcast setup on a budget. 

We’ll cover:

• The essentials you need to start a professional-quality podcast
• How to choose an affordable podcasting mic
• How to podcast without an audio mixer
• How to choose the right podcasting headphones
• Budget-friendly podcasting software recommendations

Ready? Let’s dive in!

The Minimum Viable Podcast Setup

Most full-time podcasters work from studios that are filled with expensive equipment. But, contrary to popular belief, you don’t need to invest thousands of dollars to get started. 

When it comes to equipment, the most minimalistic podcasting setup you can build consists of two elements:

1. A USB condenser microphone
2. High-quality headphones

However, this setup is only viable for podcasters running a solo show. Why? Because, if you’re running a show with several speakers, you’ll most likely need multiple microphones, an audio mixer to manage them, and multiple headphones.

In the next section, we’ll explain why USB microphones are a good choice for podcasters on a budget.

What are the Best Cheap Microphones for Podcasting?

If you’re on a tight budget, USB condenser microphones are your best option.

Condensers provide crystal-clear audio quality for indoor recording. Plus, those that connect to your PC/Mac with a USB cable don’t require an audio mixer. That makes USB condenser mics the most cost-effective option for podcast recording.

Need help choosing your podcasting microphone? Discover our top picks. 

Do You Need an Audio Mixer?

As we mentioned previously, if you’re recording solo, and you’re using an USB microphone, or if you have an Audio Interface, you won’t need an audio mixer.

However, if you’ll work with guests or co-hosts, an audio mixer is super useful. 

Basically, an audio mixer connects your PC/Mac to your microphones while giving you granular control over their input. That makes audio mixers a must for professional recording. In fact, you should definitely consider getting one if you’re planning to live stream your episodes.  

Curious about audio mixers? Check out our beginner’s guide. 

How to Choose the Best Podcasting Headphones 

Your headphones should be as good as your microphone. The reason is quite simple: without proper headphones, you won’t be able to monitor and edit your recording accurately. 

Luckily, you can easily get high-quality headphones for under $100. In the audio world, brand name is generally a good quality predictor. So, gravitate towards brands trusted by audio and gaming professionals.

Look for over-ear headphones with:

• A comfortable fit
• A long and sturdy cable
• An L-shaped plug (these tend to last longer than alternatives)

Check out some recommended models and learn more about how to choose the best podcasting headphones for you in this guide.

What is the Best Podcasting Software for Beginners?

Aside from equipment, you’ll also need tools to record, distribute and repurpose your podcast.

In this section, we’ll recommend our favorite for each step:

• Audacity
• Anchor.fm
• Audiotease

Let’s dive deeper.

1. Recording: Audacity

Audacity is a free audio recording and editing tool. An absolute leader in its category, Audacity is lightweight and very easy to use. It’s also worth mentioning that you can run it on almost any computer. Audacity is compatible with most modern Windows and macOS installations, and with a wide range of Linux distributions. 

Building your podcasting toolkit? Check out our list of the 9 tools for podcasters you need to try. 

2. Distribution: Anchor 

There are many podcast distribution platforms out there. Spotify’s Anchor.fm is one of our favorites. Anchor allows podcasters to publish their episodes on the most popular platforms, at once, for free. 

With Anchor, you can publish your podcast on:

• Anchor’s own platform
• Apple Podcasts
• Google Podcasts
• Spotify
• Overcast
• Pocket Casts
• RadioPublic

 Additionally, Anchor includes free content creation and monetization features. 

3. Repurposing: Audiotease  

Properly marketing your podcast is as important as editing and distributing it.

There’s no doubt that video is the most engaging content format out there. Not only it is highly engaging and shareable, but it’s also favored by algorithms. So, turning your podcast highlights into social media videos can accelerate your growth significantly. 

Video production is often associated with high costs and sophisticated software. But it doesn’t have to be that way.

Tools like Audiotease make it possible for podcasters to create high-quality video podcasts in minutes. Audiotease isn’t just technically accessible, it’s also accessible pricing-wise (plans start at $9.99/month). 

In other words, with a video podcasting tool like Audiotease, you can create competitive social media content without expensive software and without hiring a video editor. 

Grow your Podcast with Cost-Effective Marketing

In this post, we shared our favorite budget-friendly tools for new podcasters. 

With Audiotease, you can create professional-looking audiograms, in minutes, from your browser. Curious? Create your first video today, for free.