Zencastr Review 2024: Is This The Most Complete Podcasting Platform?
In-depth review of Zencastr, including features, pricing, pros and cons, and why it took 4+ years to win me over.
My relationship with Zencastr — one of the leading podcasting platforms on the planet — has been a rollercoaster.
Zencastr was my first love ❤️
They were the first podcast platform I used way back in 2019, and we were going steady for a few months.
Then, sometime in 2020, we sadly broke up (more on that later) 💔
And now, in 2024, I’ve noticed Zencastr has matured, it’s “done the work” so to speak, it’s had a “glow up” and I’m ready to open my heart to it once again.
In the past year, Zencastr has improved leaps and bounds and, all of a sudden, I think it’s back in the mix as one of the best podcast recording platforms out there — next to Riverside.fm and Squadcast.fm
The Zencastr team have taken their time to understand what podcasters want and their place in the market and have made the necessary changes to become a top contender (maybe the top contender).
But… before we get too far ahead of ourselves, allow me to introduce you to Zencastr.
What is Zencastr? 🤷♂
Zencastr is an all-in-one web-based podcasting platform that allows you to:
- Record high-quality audio and video remotely
- Edit and ‘produce’ your podcast
- Host and distribute your podcast
- Repurpose your podcast clips for social media
- Track your podcast’s analytics
- Monetize your podcast
You don’t need any fancy software. All of this is done in your web browser, making podcast production simple.
Zencastr Review: Is Zencastr Any Good? 🤔
Despite our tumultuous relationship, Zencastr has always been good.
But I think now, in 2024, Zencastr is the best it’s ever been.
Before I get into all of Zencastr’s features, here’s a quick summary of why I feel confident recommending Zencastr.
TL:DR ⏱️
The Good 👍
- Studio Quality Audio
Zencastr has excellent audio quality. Essentially, it offers the best audio possible over an internet connection. The only limiting factor is the microphone you use. - 4K Video Recording
Zencastr records up to 4K video quality, which is super crispy and will make your podcast look like the pros’ if you’re uploading to YouTube or social media. You’ll just need a 4K webcam. - Improved Reliability
Zencastr has taken steps to enhance recording stability and reliability. By saving files locally to your browser and uploading to the cloud, your files are as safe as they can be on a web-based platform. - Built-in Postproduction
Zencastr allows you to edit your podcast, remove ums and ahs, and enhance your audio within the platform in just a few clicks. It’s super simple and makes your show sound a whole lot better. - Creator Network
The Zencastr Creator Network connects podcasters and advertisers so you can start monetizing your show from the get-go.
The Not So Good 👎
- Premium Pricing
Zencastr used to have a free ‘Hobbyist’ plan, which was attractive for beginners. Now it’s one of the more expensive podcasting platforms. I think the new pricing is justified, but it may put some people off, especially if you’re just starting out. - I Think That’s It…
I’ve scoured Reddit for recent issues with Zencastr and there’s very little to speak of, aside from the occasional dropped connection and lost files, which seems to happen with all web-based podcasting platforms.
Take a look at Zencastr’s features for yourself (Free 14-Day Trial)
Want a Zencastr Promo Code? Scroll to the botton 👇
Zencastr Features: How Do They Compare?
Zencastr has been quitly chipping away and consistently shipping new features over the past few years.
It’s got to the point where, I think, it’s arguably the most complete all-in-one podcasting platform on the planet.
And I don’t say that lightly…
Now might be a good time to talk about my ‘bromance’ with Zencastr that I mentioned at the beginning.
The reason we fell out back in 2020 is that, after a few minor glitches during podcast recordings, I lost an entire 1-hour+ episode.
Despite the Zencastr team’s best efforts, the files couldn’t be retrieved and I was devastated.
So I cut ties with Zencastr and experimented with other podcasting platforms, including Riverside and Squadcast.
I never thought I would give Zencastr another chance, but after seeing all of the improvements the team’s made, including fixing the reliability issue that I experienced, and all the new features they’ve released, I have to say I’m seriously impressed.
So let’s dive into Zencastr’s extensive suite of features for recording, editing, hosting, and monetizing your podcast.
Studio Quality Audio 🎤
Zencastr has always had excellent audio quality for remote podcast recording.
All of Zencastr’s plans allow you to record up to 16-bit 48k WAV audio, which is the industry standard for high-quality audio.
As long as you have a decent microphone, there’s no reason why your podcast won’t sound as good as a majority of the big-name podcasts that you know and love.
👉 Check out this example of Zencastr’s audio and video quality
4K Video Recording 📹
Zencastr allows you to record up to 4K video (1080p on the Standard plan) as long as you have a webcam or camera that supports that resolution.
This is considered “professional” quality and will ensure your podcast looks great if you’re sharing it to YouTube or social media.
You might be wondering if recording at this quality will cause your internet or computer to freak out.
It’s possible.
However, Zencastr records all of your files both to the cloud (in real-time) and locally in your browser, so even if things get a bit glitchy your files shouldn’t be compromised.
Zencastr’s Reliability 😌
For me, this was the number one issue I had with Zencastr and I’m pleased to share Zencastr’s reliability is as good as any other podcasting platform — if not better.
As mentioned above, Zencastr saves your files in two places in real-time, which helps to avoid the problem I had back in 2020.
- Progressive Upload: Your audio and video files are uploaded to the cloud as you’re recording and should be ready to download within minutes after your session is finished.
- Local Storage: Your audio and video files are also saved locally in your and your guests’ web browsers, just in case the progressive upload fails.
Additionally, you can sync Zencastr to your Google Drive or Dropbox to create automated back-ups of your files.
While there’s always some risk when it comes to recording high-quality audio and video over the internet, I think Zencastr keeps that risk to a minimum.
Zencastr Hosting
One of the things that sets Zencastr apart from most of the other top podcasting platforms is it doubles as a hosting service.
Usually, you have to subscribe to a separate hosting service for your podcast, which can cost around $15 a month.
When you consider Zencastr’s ‘Standard Plan’ is $18 a month and it includes unlimited hosting (around $15 a month separately), the new pricing structure is actually very reasonable.
You can also use Zencastr to distribute your podcast — both audio and video formats — to all of the main streaming platforms, such as Spotify, Apple Podcasts and YouTube.
Being able to do all of this within the Zencastr platform is HUGE.
It streamlines your podcast production process, making it faster, easier, and much more convenient.
Zencastr’s AI Tools
Artificial Intelligence is transforming podcast production in the same ways it’s transforming all content creation.
Zencastr utilizes AI to make podcast editing and repurposing way more efficient.
Here are a few ways you can harness the power of AI with Zencastr:
- AI Text-Based Editing: You can edit your podcast just like a text document, simply by editing your auto-generated transcript.
- AI Audio Processing: You can enhance your audio, remove background noise and balance levels with Zencastr’s AI.
- AI Clips: You can use AI to find the best highlights in your audio or video and convert them into short clips for social media in seconds.
- AI Captions: You can create captions for your social clips within the Zencastr platform.
- AI Filler Word Remover: Zencastr has created an AI that allows you to automatically remove filler words like “um”, “ah”, “hmm” etc.
- AI Long Pause Remover: Pretty self-explanatory, but you can remove long pauses and make the conversation flow more naturally with AI.
- AI Active Speaker Detection: If you’re recording video, AI can detect who’s speaking to make the video edit much smoother.
When I first started podcasting (Back in MY day), I’d have to use half a dozen different apps to do all of this stuff.
The fact you can all of this within the Zencastr platform makes things so much easier.
It’s true that most other notable podcasting platforms also utilise similar AI tools, but Zencastr is right there at the cutting edge of AI podcasting technology.
🤖 Take a closer look at Zencastr’s AI features
Zencastr Mobile App 📱
I really like that Zencastr has developed a mobile app for recording podcasts when you’re away from your computer.
This adds another level of flexibility to your show, as you can set-up a makeshift podcast studio wherever you go.
The Zencastr mobile app has a 4.9/5 star rating on the Apple App Store and most of the reviews are really positive.
I don’t think the app is available on Android at the time of writing.
Trusted by Big Names ✅
Zencastr is the podcast platform of choice for some of the world’s biggest brands and creators, including Netflix, Spotify, NPR, and more.
I’m not sure if that matters to you, but I think a vote of confidence from some tech behemoths is a good sign.
Zencastr Podcast Monetization 🤑
Making money doing what you love is the dream, right?
A lot of people make good money from podcasting, but it can be hard for beginner podcasters to start monetizing their shows.
The Zencastr Creator Network makes it easier to make money with your podcast, faster.
The Creator Network matches podcasters with advertisers.
There are three (soon to be four) types of ads available:
- Ambassador Ads: You promote Zencastr on your podcast and earn a comission when someone signs up with your link.
- Programmatic Ads: This is an automated service where “relevant” brand ads are inserted into pre-assigned ad slots.
- Host-Read Sponsorships: You opt-in to get contacted by Zencastr Campaign Managers to run paid host-read ads.
I think you’ll still need to have a decent audience to start earning good money with your podcast, but Zencastr makes the path to monetization so much simpler.
Listen to the clip below where the hosts of the Gruesome podcast describe going from $0 to tens of thousands of dollars in the space of a year.
💰 Learn more about Zencastr’s Creator Network
Zencastr Analytics
Another new Zencastr feature is its podcast analytics dashboard, which provides valuable insights about your audience and how they’re engaging with your show.
Analytics are important as they help you to see what’s working and what’s not so you can refine your podcast strategy to reach more people and create better content.
Zencastr analytics includes:
- Number of downloads
- Download patterns
- Listener engagement
- Listener retention
- Audience location
Some of this data is available through streaming platorms like Spotify, but it’s super handy to have it all right there in the Zencastr platform.
Zencastr Pricing
Zencastr has four plans available, ranging from $18 USD a month (paid yearly) to $80 USD a month.
Now, let me remind you that this pricing includes hosting, which would usually cost another $12-$15 a month AND the monetization features.
I think the Standard Plan is a great option for beginner podcasters, while the Grow Plan may be best if you’re wanting to focus on video and social media content.
Zencastr Standard Plan
$18 a month (yearly), $20 a month (monthly)
- Unlimited recording and uploads
- Unlimited transcriptions
- Up to 1080p video quality
- High-quality 16-bit 48k WAV audio
- ZenAI editing features
- Manual clipping for social media
- Unlimited podcast hosting and bandwidth
- Distribute to all major podcast apps
- Advanced podcast analytics
- + More
Zencastr Grow Plan
$24 a month (yearly), $30 a month (monthly)
Everything in Standard, plus:
- Up to 4k video quality
- Automatic removal of 20+ filler words
- ZenAI clipping with captions and titles
- Customize clips post-roll
- Instant publish of clips to 4 social platforms
- Direct publish full video to Youtube
I think these two plans will serve most podcasters as the others are more suited to larger teams with two or more shows.
⚖️ Compare all of Zencastr’s plans and features here
The Best All-In-One Podcasting Platform?
I’m not sure if you can tell, but I’m really impressed by how far Zencastr has come in recent years.
I think a case can absolutely be made that it’s currently the best all-in-one podcasting platform out there.
Other platforms have similar features, but none feel quite as cohesive and complete as Zencastr right now.
It may be a bit of recency bias, but I think Zencastr is a solid option for anyone who’s looking to start, grow, and make money from a podcast in 2024.
You can always start with the 14-day free trial and see if you like it.
Get Started with a 14-Day Free Trial of Zencastr
Zencastr Coupon Code: Use the code WELCOME for a discount (% off seems to vary)
Just a heads-up that I’ve included affiliate links for Zencastr in this article. I spent ages researching and testing Zencastr to write this review and I genuinely believe it’s an awesome product. I hope you’ve found it valuable.
