Best AI Tools for Podcasters in 2026

AI has made professional podcasting accessible to everyone. From recording to editing to promotion, these tools automate the tedious parts of podcast production.

Top AI Tools for Podcasters

Tool	Price	Best For
Descript	Free / $24/mo	AI audio/video editing
Riverside	Free / $15/mo	Remote recording
Opus Clip	Free / $19/mo	Short-form clip generation
Otter.ai	Free / $16.99/mo	Transcription
Podcastle	Free / $12/mo	All-in-one podcast studio
ElevenLabs	Free / $5/mo	AI voice and intros
ChatGPT / Claude	Free-$20/mo	Show notes, planning

1. Descript — AI Editing

Edit audio and video by editing text. Descript transcribes your recording, then you edit the text to edit the audio. Remove filler words (“um”, “uh”) with one click. Studio Sound enhances any microphone to studio quality.

• Edit audio by editing text
• One-click filler word removal
• Studio Sound AI audio enhancement
• Screen recording and video editing included

2. Riverside — Remote Recording

Record remote interviews in studio quality. Each participant records locally at full quality, then syncs automatically. AI transcription and clip generation built in.

3. Opus Clip — Short-Form Clips

Upload your episode and Opus Clip automatically identifies the most engaging moments and creates short-form vertical clips for TikTok, Reels, and YouTube Shorts.

4-7: More Tools

Otter.ai — Accurate transcription for show notes. Podcastle — Browser-based podcast studio with AI editing. ElevenLabs — AI voice for intros, outros, and narration. ChatGPT — Episode planning, show notes, and social media posts.

Podcast Production Workflow with AI

1. Plan: ChatGPT for episode outlines and guest research
2. Record: Riverside for remote interviews
3. Edit: Descript for text-based editing and filler removal
4. Transcribe: Otter.ai for full transcription
5. Promote: Opus Clip for social media clips

FAQ

What AI tools do podcasters use?

Descript for editing, Riverside for recording, Opus Clip for clips, Otter.ai for transcription.

Can AI edit podcasts?

Yes. Descript edits audio by editing text with automatic filler word removal.

Free options?

Otter.ai, Descript, and Opus Clip all have free tiers.

Final Verdict

Descript is the must-have tool for any podcaster. Add Riverside for remote interviews and Opus Clip for promotion. The combination saves 5-10 hours per episode.