There are a lot of different tools for podcast audio editing. Some of them are free while others come with expensive price tags. In fact, our audio engineers can use any program they feel most comfortable in because there isn’t one tool that is considered the holy grail in the audio world, and personal preferences vary.

Now, let me go over all the possible options on the market, so you can decide what fits your needs the most.

1. Audacity (Mac & PC, Paid)

You’ve probably heard of Audacity, a easy-to-use, multi-track audio editor and recorder. It’s been around since 1999 and it comes with everything you would need to edit and produce a great podcast episode.

Don’t let the interface scare you off, because with Audacity, you are be able to quickly edit multiple tracks, cut out noises, place sound clips, adjust volumes and fades and add effects without any extra plugins.

Even though, it might take a while to get used with it and understand all of its features, you’ll be able to find so many great support forums and tutorials that will speed up the learning process.

2. GarageBand (Mac, Free)

If you have a mac, you’ll see GarageBand, a digital audio workstation preinstalled on your computer. As you take closer look, GarageBand has a simple and robust interface and all of the menus and different options have been arranged intuitively.

GarageBand gives you the option to use various compressions, noise gates and other plugins that can make a big difference in the final audio file. Once you spend a few hours playing around with different features, you should be able to get over the initial learning curve and understand the basis of the app.

Despite the lack of more advanced features, if you are just getting into podcast editing & production, GarageBand is a good starting place.

3. Logic Pro X (Mac, Paid)

I’ve been using Logic Pro for almost a decade now for and I’ve fallen in love with the program. Logic Pro gives you an  expansive of audio editing tools and audio processing effects that lets you create world-class audio.

You’ll notice hundreds of different features and effects but most importantly, the program is so in intuitive and it can really speed up your overall workflow.

Logic Pro is highly approachable and a complete package for anyone who wants to step up their game and take audio production to the next level.

4. Adobe Audition (Mac & PC, Paid)

Adobe Audition is full-featured digital audio workstation, that was previously called Cool Edit Pro and was acquired by Adobe in 2003. Now, it’s part of Creative Cloud suite, so you can get the access for a small monthly fee with other Adobe products.

Adobe Audition has top notch noise-reduction features, world-class effects, great multi track editing and quick crossfades. Many audio engineers have noticed the simplified workflow and boost in productivity. For example, you can create batches for effects or templates for your intro’s and outro’s that you can just apply to your newer episodes.

Adobe Audition is a great choice for both beginners and audio veterans.

5. Reaper (Mac & PC, Paid)

Reaper is a complete digital audio production software for MIDI recording, editing, processing, mixing and mastering.

One of my favorite things about Reaper is the amount of built-in plugins that make all the difference. For example, they have a plugin called ReaFIR, which removes hum or buzz in the background of improperly recorded audio and it’s incredible how well it actually works.

Even though, their interface might not be the most intuitive one, Reaper has great amount of features and customization options that make it worth the investment for more veteran audio engineers.

6. Hindenburg Journalist (Mac & PC, Free) 

Most of the audio production programs out there were created with music production in mind but Hindenburg Journalist was created solely for spoken audio productions.

Hindeburg is ideal for podcasters who have a lot of different tracks and parts to their show. For example, if you want to put together hundreds of different clips for a narrative style episode, you can add these files into an organized structure using clipboards. You can even add a section for your most used or favorite clips, that can become incredibly handy for more complex shows.

Hindenburg Journalist has powerful features that actually work, like auto-adjusting clip volumes and all new noise reduction that not only identifies persistent noise, but also hum and hiss and then reduces them. The software also allows you to integrate with some podcast hosting provides and has built-in Skype call recorder among other features.

Overall, Hindenburg Journalist is a great choice for serious podcast engineers.

Summing it up

As you noticed, there are so many great options for audio production and we just scratched the surface of each of these programs. A good idea is to try out different software (many of them offer free trial) and see what works best for you.

Invest some time to get over the initial learning curve and don’t forget to enjoy the process!