Running an interview podcast means juggling a lot: scheduling guests, recording cleanly, editing efficiently, and actually publishing consistently. Most "best tools" lists are padded with affiliate links. This one isn't. These are the tools that show up repeatedly in podcasting communities because they actually work.
Recording
Riverside.fm is the go-to for remote interview recording. It records each participant locally and uploads the high-quality file in the background, so a bad internet connection doesn't ruin the audio. The video quality is noticeably better than Zoom. Starts at $19/month billed annually (or $24/month billed monthly). Free plan available with 2 hours of recording per month.
Zencastr is the budget alternative to Riverside. It does the same local recording trick and has a free tier that covers most indie podcasters. Audio quality is excellent. The interface is a bit clunkier but the output is the same.
Zoom works fine in a pinch but records the compressed stream rather than local audio, so quality suffers on bad connections. Most serious podcasters use it for pre-interview calls, not the actual recording.
Editing
Descript changed how podcast editing works. You edit the transcript and the audio follows. Filler word removal, silence trimming, and studio sound cleaning are all one click. If you're spending hours in Audacity or GarageBand, Descript will cut that time in half. Starts at $16/month billed annually (or $24/month billed monthly) for the Hobbyist plan. Free plan available with limited features.
Adobe Audition is the professional choice if you want full control. Steeper learning curve but nothing beats it for detailed audio work. Worth it if you edit more than 4 episodes a month.
Auphonic is a simple online tool that levels audio, removes noise, and exports to the right format. $11/month for 9 hours of processing. Useful if you don't want to learn a full editor but need better audio than raw recordings.
Hosting and distribution
Transistor is the best podcast host for indie shows. Clean dashboard, good analytics, unlimited shows on one plan, and it distributes to Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and everywhere else automatically. Starts at $19/month (Starter), $49/month (Professional), $99/month (Business). 14-day free trial, no permanent free plan.
Buzzsprout is slightly cheaper and has a generous free tier (90 days of hosting). Analytics are simpler than Transistor but perfectly adequate for most shows. Good choice if you're just starting out.
Spotify for Podcasters (formerly Anchor) is free forever. The trade-off is less control and weaker analytics. Fine for a passion project, limiting if you're treating it seriously.
Guest management and timing
Calendly handles guest scheduling. Share a link, they pick a time, it syncs to your calendar. The free tier covers everything most podcasters need.
Wyndup solves a problem most hosts don't realise they have until it happens: guests running long because they can't see a clock. You start a session at wyndup.net, get a 4-digit code, tell your guest, and they see a live countdown on their phone the whole interview. The screen turns yellow at 5 minutes and red at 1 minute. No app, no signup, completely free. It sounds simple because it is - but it removes the awkward "we should probably wrap up" interruption entirely.
Show notes and transcription
Otter.ai transcribes recordings automatically and does a decent job with most accents. Useful for show notes, searchable archives, and pulling quotes. Free tier covers 300 minutes a month.
Descript also transcribes as part of its editing workflow, so if you're already using it for editing you don't need a separate transcription tool.
The short list
If you're starting out and want the minimum viable stack: Zencastr for recording, Descript for editing, Buzzsprout for hosting, Calendly for scheduling, and Wyndup for keeping guests on time. Total cost: under $25/month, or free if you stay within the free tiers.
If you're more established and want the best of everything: Riverside for recording, Descript for editing, Transistor for hosting. Same supporting tools.
The tools matter less than the consistency. Pick a stack, learn it, and don't change it every month chasing marginal improvements.