The Free Podcast Stack for 2026
Starting a podcast in 2026 costs exactly $0 if you use the right tools. Here's the stack.
Step 1 — Record with Riverside (Free Tier)
Riverside records each participant locally and uploads in high resolution. The free tier gives you 2 hours of recording per month, which is enough to validate your concept before spending anything.
What makes Riverside worth using over just recording on Zoom: you get studio-quality audio even with bad internet, and separate audio tracks per speaker for easier editing.
Free tier: 2 hours/month recording, 720p video.
Step 2 — Edit with Descript or DaVinci Resolve
Descript's free plan lets you edit audio like a document — delete words from the transcript and the audio follows. It's the fastest editing workflow for podcasters.
If you need more control, DaVinci Resolve's Fairlight page is a full professional audio editor, free with no limits.
Step 3 — Host with Buzzsprout (Free Plan)
Buzzsprout's free plan submits your feed to Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and all major directories automatically. The catch: episodes are deleted after 90 days.
That's actually fine for testing. Launch on free, see if people listen. If they do, upgrade to $12/month for unlimited storage.
Step 4 — Upgrade When You're Ready
Once you know your podcast has legs, the upgrade decision is easy:
- One show: Stay on Buzzsprout ($12/mo) — simple, reliable, great support
- Multiple shows: Move to Transistor ($19/mo) — unlimited shows on one plan
The Bottom Line
Don't spend money before you know if podcasting is for you. The free stack above gets you live on every major platform in an afternoon. Start free, upgrade when you have listeners.