Auphonic vs Zencastr

Auphonic is an automatic audio post-production service from Graz, Austria. You upload a recording, pick a preset, and its algorithms level loudness between speakers, normalize to broadcast and podcast targets such as -16 LUFS, remove noise and hum, filter out low rumble and balance multitrack recordings so every voice sits at the same level. It then encodes the result in the formats you need and can publish straight to podcast hosts, YouTube, Dropbox or an FTP server.

Beyond cleanup, Auphonic adds speech recognition for transcripts and subtitles, automatic chapter marks, cut detection for fillers and silences, and ID3 metadata with cover art. Pricing is based on processing hours: a free tier gives two hours a month, recurring plans add more hours each month, and one-time credits never expire, which suits shows that publish irregularly. A REST API and desktop apps let teams automate the whole pipeline.

It is ideal for podcasters, radio stations, universities and video producers who want consistent, professional sound without learning mixing. It is not an editor: you cannot cut a story or rearrange segments, so it is usually paired with Audacity, Descript or a DAW. Compared with Adobe Podcast Enhance, Auphonic gives more control over loudness targets and output formats; compared with manual processing in iZotope RX, it is faster and far cheaper but less precise on difficult recordings.

Zencastr is a remote podcast and video recording platform started by developer Josh Nielsen in the mid-2010s. It made its name as one of the first browser tools to record each guest locally and upload separate tracks, so a bad connection no longer ruined an interview. Today it positions itself as a full studio that also edits, hosts, publishes and helps monetize a show.

Recording supports up to six participants with 4K video, 48 kHz WAV audio, progressive uploads and automatic cloud backups. Editing is built around a chat-style AI "Producer": you ask it to clean up audio, remove filler words and long pauses, write transcripts, show notes and cover art, or apply templates and intros. Hosting covers unlimited audio and video uploads, distribution to Spotify, Apple Podcasts and YouTube, analytics, video RSS and social clip scheduling. Pricing now lists one free plan with four seats and five shows plus a custom Enterprise tier; older paid tiers are gone.

Zencastr fits independent podcasters and small media teams who want recording, editing and hosting in one free tool. Riverside is more polished for high-end video productions and larger teams, Descript is the stronger standalone editor, and Podcastle offers a similar all-in-one bundle with voice tools.

The free-for-all model is recent, so check the limits on the live pricing page before you move a back catalog. Its Earn program unlocks ad-based monetization as a show grows and offers payment for helping improve Zencastr's AI, so read those terms before you opt in.