How much does it cost to start a podcast? Zero, if you already own a phone and a pair of wired earbuds.
I know that is not the answer most guides give you. They open with a gear list and a total at the bottom, and the total is usually somewhere north of $500 (₹42,000).
That number is why a lot of people never start.
Here is what I want to do instead. I am going to show you three real budgets. The one that costs nothing, the one I would actually recommend, and the one you might grow into after a year.
Then I will tell you which things are worth paying for on day one and which ones can wait. That second list is much longer than you expect.
I have been podcasting since I was 36. I have produced around 300 episodes for clients and I currently manage five shows. The most expensive mistake I see beginners make is buying gear too early.
How Much Does It Cost to Start a Podcast? The Four Real Categories
Podcast startup costs break into exactly four categories. Something to record with, something to edit with, somewhere to store the files, and a square image for the cover. Everything else you have seen in a YouTube studio tour is optional.
Three of those four have a genuinely free option that works. The fourth, hosting, has free tiers with real limits.
Let me define hosting now, because it confuses almost everyone at the start.
A podcast host is a service that stores your audio files and builds your RSS feed. An RSS feed is a plain text file that lists your episodes, and Apple and Spotify read that file to know you published something new. It is not the same as website hosting, and you do not need a website to have a podcast.
How Much Does It Cost to Start a Podcast If You Buy Nothing?
Nothing at all, and this is not a technicality. A free podcast setup with zero spend looks like this:
- Your phone's voice recorder app, or the free voice memo app already installed
- The wired earbuds that came with the phone, used as a microphone
- Audacity for editing, which is free on Windows and Mac
- A free hosting tier
- Cover art made in Canva, on the free plan
That is a complete podcast. Not a compromised one, not a trial version. A real show that appears on Apple Podcasts next to shows made in studios.
The audio will be a bit softer than a good microphone. Most listeners will not notice, and none of them will stop listening over it.
Want the actual step by step for the recording part? I wrote a full walkthrough on recording a podcast on your phone with no extra gear.
The Lean Setup: What I Would Actually Tell a Friend to Spend
If you asked me over coffee, I would tell you to spend money on exactly one thing in month one. It is not what most people pick.
Buy the microphone. Skip everything else.
A decent USB microphone runs about $70 (₹5,900). That is the whole recommended budget for your first ten episodes.
Here is the reasoning. Your microphone is the only purchase that changes what the listener hears. Editing software, hosting and artwork all have free versions that sound and look identical to the paid ones at your stage.
A USB microphone plugs straight into a laptop with a single cable. There is nothing else to buy and nothing to configure.
The alternative is an XLR microphone, which uses a different connector and needs a separate box called an audio interface to work. That box adds another $60 to $100 (₹5,000 to ₹8,400) before you have recorded a word.
Do not go down that road yet. I cover the specific models in the guide on the best podcast microphone for beginners. That guide includes the free options if $70 is not available this month.
Podcast Hosting: The One Cost That Repeats
Hosting is the only line item that comes back every month, so it deserves more thought than the gear.
Free tiers exist and they are real. Several hosts offer a free plan with a storage cap or a time limit on how long episodes stay up. Acast and Hubhopper both have free options, and Hubhopper is particularly common among Indian podcasters.
Paid plans generally start around $12 a month (₹1,000).
Here is my honest take. Start free, and move to paid when you have proof you will keep going.
A free tier with a 90 day window is genuinely fine for your first few episodes. By the time that window matters, you will know whether this show is going to be part of your life or not.
One thing to check before you pick: whether the host is IAB certified. That is an industry standard for how downloads get counted, and it matters later when you want a sponsor to trust your numbers. Acast and Buzzsprout both have it.
If you want the longer comparison, I put one together on choosing the best podcast host for a beginner.
Editing Software: Free Is Genuinely Enough
You do not need to spend anything here, in year one or year three.
Audacity is free, works on Windows and Mac, and handles every edit a solo podcast needs. Cut a mistake, remove a long pause, make the volume even, export the file. That is the whole job.
The paid option worth knowing about is Descript. It transcribes your episode and lets you delete a sentence by deleting the text, which feels strange the first time and then feels obvious.
Descript's paid plans start at roughly $15 a month (₹1,250).
Is it worth it? Not on day one. It becomes worth it around the point where editing is the thing making you dread recording, and that usually happens somewhere after episode ten.
Artwork, Music and a Website
Cover art is the square image that shows up in Apple Podcasts. It has to be at least 1400 by 1400 pixels.
Canva's free plan does this properly. You pick a square template, put your show name on it in large readable text, and export. Twenty minutes.
If you would rather hire someone, Fiverr designers cover podcast artwork for roughly $20 to $50 (₹1,700 to ₹4,200). That is a reasonable spend, though I would not make it your first one.
Theme music is free. freemusicarchive.org has royalty free tracks, which means you can use them without paying or getting permission. Check the specific licence on the track you pick, because a few require credit.
A website is optional at the start. Every host gives you a basic show page, and that page is enough to send people to.
When you do want your own site, shared hosting from a provider like Hostinger runs about $3 a month (₹250). The domain name adds roughly $10 (₹850) a year.
The Gear You Do Not Need Yet
This is the section I wish somebody had written for me at 36.
Here is what beginners buy that they did not need, in rough order of how often I see it:
- An audio interface, which is only needed for XLR microphones
- A mixer, which is for running several microphones at once
- A pop filter, when standing slightly off to the side of the mic does the same job
- Acoustic foam panels, when a wardrobe full of clothes absorbs sound better
- A boom arm, when a $10 (₹850) desk stand is fine
- A second microphone for guests you have not booked yet
- Paid transcription, when your host may already include it
Every one of those is a real product that solves a real problem. None of those problems are yours in month one.
Here is the comparison that matters. Put a $70 (₹5,900) microphone in a room with curtains and a carpet. It will sound better than a $300 (₹25,000) microphone in an empty room with hard walls.
Soft things absorb sound. That is most of what expensive treatment is doing, and your bedroom already has some.
Three Podcast Budget Breakdowns
Let me put actual numbers against the three paths, so you can pick one and stop researching.
The free setup, $0 (₹0): phone recorder, wired earbuds, Audacity, a free hosting tier, Canva artwork. Total spend zero, ongoing spend zero.
The lean setup, roughly $70 (₹5,900) once: a USB microphone plus everything above. Move to a paid host at about $12 a month (₹1,000) once you are past your first few episodes.
The comfortable setup, roughly $250 (₹21,000) in year one: microphone, a desk stand, paid hosting from month two, and designed artwork. Add an editing subscription once editing starts to hurt.
Notice that even the comfortable path is nowhere near the $500 to $1,000 (₹42,000 to ₹85,000) figure that circulates in gear guides.
The gear guides are written by people who love gear. That is not a criticism, it is just a different hobby to the one you are starting.
The Cost Nobody Puts in the Spreadsheet
Here is the real price of a podcast, and it is not money.
A 25 minute episode takes most beginners about three hours end to end. Planning takes maybe thirty minutes, recording takes about forty, and editing eats the rest.
Three hours a week, every week. That is what you are actually signing up for.
I want you to sit with that number before you buy anything, because it is the one that decides whether your show survives. Money is the easy part.
The good news is that the three hours shrinks. By episode ten, most people are down to ninety minutes, because they stop re-recording every stumble and they stop editing out every breath.
Nobody notices the breaths. I promise.
The Mistake That Actually Costs You Money
The expensive mistake is not buying the wrong microphone. It is buying the right microphone too early.
Why it happens: buying gear feels like progress, and it is the only part of starting a podcast that gives you an immediate result. A package arrives. Something happened.
Recording a rough first episode gives you no package and a slightly uncomfortable feeling about your own voice. So people shop instead of recording, and they call it preparation.
What it costs: I have watched people spend $400 (₹34,000) on a setup and record four episodes on it. That works out to $100 (₹8,500) per episode, for a show that no longer exists.
How to fix it: record three episodes before you buy anything at all. Phone, earbuds, free software.
If you still want to record episode four after that, buy the microphone. By then you will have proof that you actually enjoy this. Spending $70 (₹5,900) on a hobby you have already tested is a good trade.
That order matters more than any product recommendation I could give you.
Where the Money Comes Back
I should be honest that a podcast can pay for itself, though probably not the way you are imagining.
Sponsorships need real download numbers and they take a while. That is not the first money most small shows see.
The first money usually comes from somebody hearing you and hiring you, or buying something you already sell. One of my early episodes had almost no listeners, and one of those listeners emailed me six months later. That turned into a $2,000 project.
That episode cost me nothing to make beyond the time. The equipment was already paid for by then, and it was not expensive equipment.
I am not promising you a client. I am telling you that the money side does not require a big audience, which is the opposite of what most people assume.
Start Before You Spend
So the honest answer to "how much does it cost to start a podcast" is "nothing to begin with." The only thing left is knowing what to do first.
That is exactly what my free 10-day eCourse walks through. One short email a day, covering the basics in the order you actually need them. What the terms mean, what to record first, how to publish it, and how to find your first listeners.
No gear purchase required to follow along. You can grab it at the free 10-day podcasting eCourse and start today with the phone in your pocket.
Listen to the Podcast Episode
Somebody asked me recently whether starting a podcast is worth it, and they meant it as a money question. What does it cost, what do you get back, is the maths any good. In this episode I answer that properly, including the parts that do not show up in a gear list.
I start with the number that stops most people: the $500 (₹42,000) total at the bottom of every equipment guide. Then I take it apart. A phone, a pair of wired earbuds and free editing software is a complete podcast, and I explain why the audio difference matters far less than you think.
I also talk about the three-hour cost. That is roughly what one 25 minute episode takes a beginner from planning to published file, every single week, and it is the number that actually decides whether a show survives. Money is the easy part. Time is the part people underestimate.
Then I get to the mistake I see most often, which is buying the right microphone too early. I have watched people spend $400 (₹34,000) and record four episodes on it. Buying gear feels like progress in a way that recording a rough first episode does not, and that feeling is expensive.
What I cover in this episode:
- Why the honest answer to what a podcast costs is closer to zero than to $500 (₹42,000)
- The four things you actually pay for, and which three have a free version that works
- Why the microphone is the only purchase worth making in month one
- The three-hour weekly cost that no equipment guide puts in the total
- The rule I would give every beginner: record three episodes before you buy anything
- How a nearly unheard episode turned into a $2,000 project six months later
Tools I recommend for podcasters:
- Buzzsprout for hosting, which is the service that stores your audio and builds the feed Apple and Spotify read
- Audacity for free editing on Windows or Mac, which covers everything a solo show needs
- Zencastr once you start recording guests, because a phone call recording will not hold up
Want the whole launch mapped out for you?
If listening to this makes you want to actually start, the 7-Day Podcast Launch Challenge takes you from idea to a live show in seven days, one day at a time. Each day is gated behind proof that you did the previous day's work, which is why people finish it.
You can join here: 7-Day Podcast Launch Challenge
[ACAST EMBED – after uploading this episode to Acast, paste the Acast player embed code here]
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to start a podcast for beginners?
Between $0 and about $70 (₹5,900) for everything you need in your first month. The zero version uses your phone, your wired earbuds, free editing software and a free hosting tier. The $70 version adds a USB microphone, which is the only purchase that changes what your listener actually hears. Hosting becomes a recurring cost of roughly $12 a month (₹1,000) once you outgrow the free tier.
Can I really start a podcast for free?
Yes, completely. Your phone's voice recorder, the earbuds that came with it, Audacity for editing and a free hosting plan add up to a real published show. It will appear in Apple Podcasts and Spotify exactly like any other. The only meaningful difference is a slightly softer sound, which listeners forgive far more readily than boring content.
What is the most important thing to spend money on first?
The microphone, and nothing else. Editing software, artwork tools and hosting all have free versions that are genuinely good enough for your first ten episodes. A USB microphone at around $70 (₹5,900) is the single purchase that improves what people hear. Buy it after you have recorded three episodes on your phone, not before.
How much does podcast hosting cost per month?
Paid plans generally start around $12 a month (₹1,000). Free tiers exist too, usually with a storage cap or a limit on how long episodes stay online, and hosts like Acast and Hubhopper offer them. Starting free is a sensible choice for your first few episodes. Move to paid once you know you are going to keep publishing.
Do I need a website to start a podcast?
No. Every podcast host gives you a basic show page with a player on it, and that page is enough to share. A website becomes useful later for search traffic and an email list. When you want one, shared hosting runs about $3 a month (₹250) plus roughly $10 (₹850) a year for the domain.
Is an expensive microphone worth it for a beginner?
Not yet. A $70 (₹5,900) microphone in a room with curtains, a carpet and a bed sounds better than a $300 (₹25,000) microphone in an empty room with hard walls. Soft furnishings absorb sound, which is most of what studio treatment does. Fix the room before you upgrade the mic, and the room fix is usually free.
What ongoing costs should I plan for?
Hosting is the only genuinely recurring cost, at roughly $12 a month (₹1,000) on a paid plan. Everything else is either free or a one-time purchase. Some people later add an editing subscription at around $15 a month (₹1,250) or a website at about $3 a month (₹250). A realistic year one total for most beginners sits under $250 (₹21,000).
How long does it take to make one podcast episode?
About three hours for a 25 minute episode when you are starting out. Roughly thirty minutes goes to planning, forty to recording, and the rest to editing. This drops to around ninety minutes by episode ten, mostly because you stop re-recording every small stumble. Time, not money, is the cost that ends most shows.
Do I need an audio interface or a mixer?
Not unless you are using an XLR microphone, which is the type with the three-pin connector. A USB microphone plugs directly into your laptop and needs neither. An interface adds $60 to $100 (₹5,000 to ₹8,400) to your setup. Skip that whole category until you have a specific reason to want it.
Can I use my phone's earbuds as a podcast microphone?
Yes, and they are better than your phone's built-in mic because they sit closer to your mouth. Wired earbuds work better than wireless ones for recording. Keep the mic section a few inches from your chin and off to one side, so your breath does not hit it directly. This setup carries plenty of people through their first ten episodes.
How much should I budget for podcast cover art?
Zero if you make it in Canva, which has square podcast templates on the free plan. A hired designer on Fiverr costs roughly $20 to $50 (₹1,700 to ₹4,200). The image needs to be at least 1400 by 1400 pixels. Whatever you choose, the show name has to be readable at thumbnail size, because that is how nearly everyone will see it.
When does a podcast start paying for itself?
Usually before it gets big, and usually not through sponsorship. Sponsors want download numbers that take a while to build. The first money most small shows see comes from someone hearing an episode and then hiring them or buying something they already sell. That can happen with an episode almost nobody listened to.
What Your First Episode Actually Costs
Go back to the number at the top. Zero, if you own a phone and a pair of earbuds.
Everything after that is a choice you get to make later, with better information than you have today. The microphone can wait three episodes. The paid host can wait until the free tier runs out. The website can wait a year.
What cannot wait is the recording, because the three hours a week is the real price, and no purchase shortens it.
So here is the question I would ask you tonight. If the whole thing costs nothing to begin, what exactly are you still shopping for?
Resources that I recommend
Here are some of the resources that I recommended in this episode and the ones that I recommend in Podcasting.
- Ubersuggest – The Keyword research tool that I recommend
Below are the tools that I recommend for podcasting:
- Buzzsprout – Podcast hosting
- Behringer Audio Interface – You will need an audio interface if you are using an XLR microphone. This is my recommended audio interface.
- Behringer Audio Interface (budget option) – A lower-cost alternative if you're just starting out and want to keep costs down.
- Zencastr – Zencastr is the easiest option to record interviews, both audio-only and audio+video. This is a must for an interview podcast.
- Audacity – This is the best and most feature-rich free audio editing software. It gives you a lot of options while editing your interviews.
- Samson Q2U – My recommended microphone
- Audio Technica ATR-2110x – My recommended alternative microphone
- TidyCal – My recommended calendar and booking solutions
Thank you for joining in
I hope you enjoyed the information that I shared in this episode.
Do subscribe to the show on your favorite podcasting platform in order to stay updated with the latest episodes that I release.
The Podcasting University is available on almost all podcasting platforms. The link to the prominent ones are mentioned below:
Planning to start a podcast?
Then you might want to join my "7-Day Podcast Launch Challenge".
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