What AI tools do I need for a podcast?

record & clean audio (OpenAI Whisper (API)), transcribe & take notes (Fellow), write show notes & promo (Wordtune). That's 3 jobs; you don't need one expensive all-in-one.

How much does an AI podcast stack cost per month?

Picking the cheapest paid tool for each job, about $14/mo total. 3 of 3 jobs also have a genuinely free option, so you can start at or near $0.

Can I build a podcast stack for free?

Yes — every job here has a free tier, so a fully-free stack is possible (with the usual free-tier limits).

The cheapest AI tool stack for a podcast

Running a podcast takes 3 AI jobs. Pick the cheapest solid tool for each and the whole stack costs about $14/mo — or as little as $0 using the 3 free options. Here's the build, with each tool's honest catch.

A podcast workflow has three AI-shaped jobs: clean and enhance the raw audio, transcribe it accurately for show notes and search, and turn each episode into written promo. Specialised audio tools beat a do-everything app on quality here. This is the cheapest stack, with free tiers where they hold up.

Job	Cheapest pick	From	Free option
Record & clean audio	OpenAI Whisper (API) AI Voice & Audio	$0.006/mo	ElevenLabs
Transcribe & take notes	Fellow AI Productivity & Meetings	$7/mo	Avoma
Write show notes & promo	Wordtune AI Writing & Content	$7/mo	Copy.ai
Total to run this stack		~$14/mo (3/3 jobs free-capable)

The honest catch on each pick

Record & clean audio: OpenAI Whisper (API)

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Best for: Developers building transcription pipelines or meeting-note tools who want a proven, high-accuracy ASR model via API.

Watch out: Non-technical users who need a polished UI or real-time live transcription — the API requires code integration.

No free tier — from $0.006/mo

Transcribe & take notes: Fellow

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Best for: Teams running recurring 1:1s and team meetings that want agendas, notes, and follow-ups in one shared space.

Watch out: Individuals with no team — the collaborative agenda features need multiple participants.

Has a free tier

Write show notes & promo: Wordtune

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Best for: Professionals who want to rewrite and polish their own sentences for tone and clarity in real time.

Watch out: Teams needing full content production, SEO tooling, or large-scale campaign generation.

Has a free tier

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Frequently asked questions

What AI tools do I need for a podcast?: record & clean audio (OpenAI Whisper (API)), transcribe & take notes (Fellow), write show notes & promo (Wordtune). That's 3 jobs; you don't need one expensive all-in-one.
How much does an AI podcast stack cost per month?: Picking the cheapest paid tool for each job, about $14/mo total. 3 of 3 jobs also have a genuinely free option, so you can start at or near $0.
Can I build a podcast stack for free?: Yes — every job here has a free tier, so a fully-free stack is possible (with the usual free-tier limits).