A podcast stack is the set of free and paid tools a creator uses to record, edit, clean up, host and clip a show. In 2026 a typical stack covers five jobs: recording with Riverside, editing with Descript, cleanup with Auphonic, hosting with Buzzsprout and clipping with OpusClip. Most paid tiers cost $15 to $30 a month, so a full paid stack runs about $70 to $100 a month on annual billing.
⚡ Key Takeaways
- A 2026 podcast stack covers five jobs: record (Riverside), edit (Descript), clean up (Auphonic), host (Buzzsprout), clip (OpusClip).
- A full paid stack runs about $70 to $100/month on annual billing; a budget audio stack is $31/month.
- Descript bills by media hours: Hobbyist $16/month annual for 10 hours, Creator $24 for 30 hours, and unused hours don't roll over.
- Buzzsprout free hosting deletes episodes after 90 days; paid audio hosting is $15/month billed annually.
- OpusClip uses 1 credit per minute of video, so Starter (150 credits) covers about 2 hour-long episodes a month.
- 58% of Americans 12+ listen to or watch podcasts monthly (Edison Research), and YouTube reports 1B+ monthly podcast viewers.
Why does your podcast stack need to handle video?
Because a growing share of the audience is watching. Edison Research reports that 58% of Americans 12+ (about 167 million) listen to or watch podcasts monthly and 45% weekly, both all-time highs. YouTube says it has more than 1 billion monthly active podcast viewers and is the most frequently used podcast service in the U.S.
That shapes every pick below: record video even if you publish audio first, and choose a host that can carry both. Most of these tools also bill by usage now (media hours, AI credits, clip credits), so your real cost depends on how many hours you record each month.
Which tool should you use to record?
Riverside
Riverside Pro costs $29/month billed monthly or $24/month billed annually. Higher tiers are Grow and Webinar, plus a custom-priced Business plan. Pro adds 4K video, 48 kHz audio, no watermark and 15 hours of separate-track downloads per month.
The free option is a moving target. The pricing page lists a $0 tier with a watermark, 720p video and 2 hours of separate-track downloads, but a Riverside blog post says the free plan was replaced by a 14-day Pro trial. Treat it as a free tier or trial, and check the live page before you plan around it.
Which editor is worth paying for?
Descript
Descript now charges by media hours (the length of what you upload or record) plus AI credits. Unused hours don't roll over, which matters for weekly shows that record 2 to 3 hours per episode.
| Plan | Annual billing | Monthly billing | Media hours / month | AI credits / month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | $0 | 60 minutes | 100 (one-time) |
| Hobbyist | $16/month | $24/month | 10 | 400 |
| Creator | $24/month | $35/month | 30 | 800 |
| Business | $50/month | $65/month | 40 | 1,500 |
A weekly show recording 2 to 3 hours per episode uses 8 to 12 media hours a month, which can run past Hobbyist. If you run short on Creator or Business, Descript top-ups cost $25 for 5 hours, $80 for 20 hours or $150 for 50 hours, apply only after your monthly allowance runs out, and expire 12 months after purchase.
How do you clean up audio without overspending?
Auphonic
Auphonic is the cheapest upgrade in the stack: 2 hours of processed audio free every month. Unused credit doesn't carry over. Paid recurring plans run from S (9 hours/month) to XL (100 hours/month), and yearly billing saves 20%; check the pricing page for current dollar amounts.
Know the free-tier limits before you rely on it, per Auphonic's pricing FAQ:
- Free productions include an Auphonic jingle.
- Free multitrack productions must be under 20 minutes.
- Billing has a 3-minute minimum per production.
Where should you host and distribute your show?
Buzzsprout
Buzzsprout lists audio hosting at $15/month billed annually, audio plus video at $25/month and multi-podcast at $30/month. On annual billing, one audio podcast is $180/year with 72 hours of uploads, and video plans start at $300/year.
The free plan allows 2 hours of uploads a month, but episodes stay hosted for only 90 days. Use it as a test drive, not a permanent home. If you ever stop publishing, the Archive plan keeps a finished show online for $5/month.
Which tool turns full episodes into short clips?
OpusClip
OpusClip Starter is $15/month for 150 credits, billed monthly only. Pro is $29/month, or $14.50/month billed annually ($174/year), for 300 credits and a 2-seat workspace. The free allowance is 60 credits with a watermark, and OpusClip's help center describes it as one-time, not monthly.
The credit math, per OpusClip Help:
- 1 credit equals 1 minute of imported source video, so a 60-minute episode costs 60 credits.
- Starter covers about 2 hour-long episodes a month; Pro covers about 5.
- Posting to X costs 3 extra credits per post.
- Monthly-plan credits expire after 60 days.
Which tools and plans should you skip?
- Paying twice for the same job. Riverside, Descript and OpusClip all include AI transcription, clipping and some editing. Pick one primary editor and add a dedicated clipper only if you publish clips daily.
- Annual Descript or Riverside plans on day one. Usage-based plans punish guesses. Track your real monthly recording hours first.
- Pricing from old roundups. Many still quote retired plans, like Descript's old Creator/Pro tiers, Buzzsprout's $12/$18/$24 tiers and Riverside's Standard tier. Use the vendor's own pricing page.
- Buzzsprout's free plan as a long-term host. With a 90-day hosting window, your back catalog disappears.
How do you make money once the stack is running?
These tools bill every month, so the show needs a revenue line. On Fanvault, podcast creators can sell memberships, paywalled video posts, paid DMs and authenticated memorabilia from one storefront at an 8% platform fee, keeping 92% of every sale.
What does a starter stack cost per month?
| Stack | Tools | Monthly cost (annual billing) | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free test drive | Riverside free tier or trial, Descript Free, Auphonic Free, Buzzsprout Free | $0 | Testing a format (episodes expire after 90 days) |
| Budget audio | Descript Hobbyist ($16), Auphonic Free, Buzzsprout audio ($15) | $31 | Audio-first shows under 10 media hours a month |
| Video-first | Riverside Pro ($24), Descript Creator ($24), Buzzsprout audio + video ($25), OpusClip Pro ($14.50) | $87.50, plus an Auphonic plan if you outgrow free | Weekly video shows posting clips |
The upgrade path is simple: start on the budget stack, track your real hours for two months, then upgrade only the tool whose limit you keep hitting.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a podcast stack cost in 2026?
You can start at $0 on free tiers, but limits are tight. A budget audio stack (Descript Hobbyist, Auphonic Free, Buzzsprout audio) runs about $31/month on annual billing, and a full video-first stack with Riverside Pro, Descript Creator, Buzzsprout audio + video and OpusClip Pro runs about $87.50/month before any paid Auphonic plan.
Is Riverside still free?
It's unclear. The Riverside pricing page shows a $0 tier with a watermark, 720p video and 2 hours of separate-track downloads, while a Riverside blog post says the free plan was replaced by a 14-day Pro trial. Check the live pricing page before you commit.
Do I need both Descript and OpusClip?
Usually not. Riverside, Descript and OpusClip all include AI transcription and clipping, so stacking all three often means paying twice. Pick one primary editor and add OpusClip only if you publish short clips daily.
Is Buzzsprout's free plan enough to host a podcast?
Only as a test drive. The Buzzsprout free plan allows 2 hours of uploads a month, but episodes stay hosted for just 90 days. Paid audio hosting starts at $15/month billed annually, and the $5/month Archive plan keeps a finished show online.