Top 20 Free Podcast Tools For eLearning Professionals (2018 Update)

Top 20 Free Podcast Tools For eLearning Professionals (2018 Update)
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Summary: Looking for ways to cut down expenses and find more cost-effective ways to create and launch podcasts for eLearning? Wouldn’t you be thrilled to know which are the most remarkable podcast tools out there, for free? This is a list of the top 20 free podcasts tools for eLearning which you can use to record, integrate, and distribute podcasts.

The 2018 List Of Top 20 Free Podcast Tools For eLearning Professionals

eLearning is much more than simple text online. To accommodate for the different learning preferences of your online learners, you must create supplementary online training content in a variety of formats. In the case of podcasts, you may fear that this will significantly increase your costs. But what if you could find free podcast tools online that are easy to use and will enable you to produce, broadcast and distribute quality podcasts? Below you can find a list with the Top 20 Free Podcast tools available online (2018 Update). A useful list for every eLearning pro.

1. Ardour

Ardour is a free, fully-featured digital audio workstation, similar to other software like ProTools, Nuendo, Sonar and Logic, and capable of replacing analog or digital tape systems. Available for Mac OS X, and Linux.

Multi-Track, Multi-Format, Multi-Plugin.

It works with any number of tracks and busses for non-linear editing and non-destructive recording in dozens of file formats. Available plug-ins with full sample accurate automation.

Synced Transport, External Control Surfaces

Touted as best-in-industry sync to MIDI timecode and LTC. MIDI Machine Control in sending and receiving. JACK transport and MIDI clock to sync with. In addition, you get Dedicated Mackie Control protocol support, pre-defined mappings for many MIDI controllers plus dynamic MIDI learn, and you can use OSC, for almost every operation in Ardour.

Powerful Signal Routing

Ardour has simple and elegant complex signal flows. The inputs and outputs connect to your hardware and other applications. You can use sends, inserts and returns freely, and the connections can be one-to-many, many-to-one or many-to-many, as tap signal flows at any point.

2. Audacity

Audacity is free, easy-to-use, cross-platform software for multi-track recording and editing sounds. Audacity is available for Windows, Mac, GNU/Linux and other operating systems. Developed as open source by a group of volunteers.

High-Quality Sound To Record, Export/Import

Audacity supports 16-bit, 24-bit, and 32-bit. Convert sample rates and formats using high-quality resampling and dithering. You can record with microphone or mixer, even digitize recordings from other media. Import, edit and combine sound files. Many file formats to export your recordings, including multiple files at once.

Effect Plug-Ins, And Editing

You can use a number of plugins or write one yourself. Audacity supports LADSPA, LV2, Nyquist, VST, and Audio Unit. You can even preview these effect plug-ins real-time. Especially for Nyquist effects, you can modify them through a text editor. The plugin manager is here to make the installation, addition and/or removal of effects and generators from the menus. As for editing, it is done simply and easily with basic commands, plus unlimited steps of undo and redo.

Accessibility And Analysis

Tracks and selections are fully accessible for manipulation, by using the keyboard. For this reason, there is a large range of keyboard shortcuts. A spectrogram view mode visualizes frequencies for selection, and the plot spectrum window offers detailed frequency analysis.

3. Easypodcast

Easypodcast is a GUI tool for easy podcast publication. Easypodcast is cross-platform, with English and Spanish as working languages, providing the users with the means for easy interaction. It is tested on Windows and Linux (KDE). This is possible thanks to wxPython. You use it following a three-step process.

Automatic id3 Tag Generator

You start the procedure by using Easypodcast’s creation wizard, which will automatically create an id3 tag when you select a working MP3 file.

Automatic RSS Creator Based On Selected MP3 Files

You then go to locating the MP3 files in the directory and selecting the ones to be included in RSS. You let the automatic RSS creator do the rest.

FTP Uploader For Needed Files

After the creation is over, you get to the step of the FTP uploader for both MP3 and RSS files. You simply choose the files and add them, and then you’re on the full configuration screen, with macro support.

4. Huffduffer

A tool for you to create your own podcast, the Huffduffer way. This is done by finding links to audio files on the web and adding them to your podcast. You can even subscribe to podcasts of other found sounds. To put it simply, if you ever wanted to put together a podcast of audio files that you’ve discovered on the web, the easiest way to do it is by using Huffduffer. As they like to call it, they take the pain out of podcasting found sounds.

Huffduffing: Pin-Pointing By Triangulating

If you don’t know what Huffduffer means and where it derives from, there is a technology called huff-duff. Its use is to triangulate the position of radio transmissions. So primarily, this is a way of pinpointing interesting MP3 files on the web. Once you find it, you huffduff it directly on the site, and it is added to your podcast.

Tag With Key Words

This is a very helpful function for marking your targets. Once you huffduff an audio file, you can then tag it multiply. This way it is easier to find related files, huffduffed by others.

A Page For Every Podcast, For Every Tag

Note that with every tag you use, a separate podcast is created. Using tags you can always discover interesting podcasts by other people. Pretty much every page on huffduffer.com has a corresponding podcast, and anyone can subscribe to the ones they find interesting.

5. Mp3myMp3 Recorder

Touted as the best free recording software you can get for Windows. It saves straight to MP3 or WAV any audio you hear on your computer: Streaming, Skype calls, microphone, analog or digital media to name a few. There’s a wide range of sound qualities also, and you can add your own custom skins as well.

Interface For Recording, And Converting From CD-ROMs

Allowing recording from your sound card, you can capture audio from any source, fine-tune depending on it, even have silence detection. For the conversion, either of individual tracks or an entire CD, Mp3myMp3 will automatically attempt to grab the CD's track data and album cover image from an online CD-ROM database, when connected.

Schedule Your Recordings And Batch Rename Files

All you have to do is specify a day and time, plus URL of internet radio station or podcast, and add to your recording events list. You can also batch rename sound files easily and efficiently. You get to use features such as automatic numbering, adding custom text before or after filenames, or search and replace options.

Playlist Interface And Options Screen

Create podcast playlists by adding MP3, WAV, AU or AIF files. Thanks to its user-friendly interface, you can reorder audio tracks just by dragging and dropping. Extra on-screen options for saving in WAV or MP3 file formats, from 16 to 320 Kbit.

6. PodBean

If you are starting with podcasting, PodBean will prove of great use, as it makes publishing easy, in three steps. It spares you from having to learn tech stuff and offers promotional tools that empower you, along with iTunes preview and statistics. Described as a state-of-the-art podcast hosting solution for internal communications and training, radio networks, and media organizations.

Advertising And Statistics For Podcasts

Efficient PodAds, with opportunities for all types and sizes. Brands are matched with targeted podcasts, in an effort to assist the maximization of revenue. You can get additional help for this task from the extensive statistics available.

Unlimited Podcast Hosting

The hosting plans for podcasts are affordable and unlimited, meaning they hold no caps on storage or bandwidth. You won’t have to deal with increasing costs, should the number of your published podcasts rise significantly.

Podcast Distribution And Promotion

What is evenly great with no limitations is that you’ll enjoy a reliable hosting network with full distribution. Distribute your podcast freely among podcast listeners, to iTunes, Google Play, Spotify, Amazon Alexa, and all the podcast apps. You are at once listed in PodBean’s directory, and your podcast is shared to social networks, especially integrated with Facebook and Twitter.

7. Podomatic

If you have recorded the episodes of your podcast series, you can upload and store them with Podomatic. It gives you the chance to use promotional tools that will bring you the popularity you are after. There is also the availability for receiving in-line calls from listeners. Geographical data of all interactions is here to help, track and analyze the growth of your podcast.

Create Your Own Site

Through a partnership with Weebly, Podomatic gives all premium level members the chance to have their very own website. Its features include eCommerce, blogging, responsive web layouts, podcast exclusive themes, social media integration, and integrated podcast feed.

Free Podcast Hosting, And App For iOS And Android

This great app lets you in on one of the world's largest communities of podcasters and DJs with the Podomatic podcast player. If you check the features that come with the free accounts for podcast hosting, you’ll see that you’ll have all you need to get started with our free accounts.

Promote Your Podcast

More tools are at your disposal when it comes to promoting your podcast. For instance, direct display on Facebook and Twitter feeds, as well as embedment of your episodes on your site, and social media networks. Advertising and crowdsourcing are also supported.

8. SoundCloud

If you are in the podcasting business, or about to step in, you should know that this popular platform serves for a lot more than sharing, discovering and listening to great music. As a podcaster, you can be a part of a community, uploading 12 hours of audio every minute, consisting of 175 million unique monthly listeners, spread around 200 countries.

Solid Podcasting, Accessible 24/7

Rely on SoundCloud for building on the same infrastructure that serves audio to million listeners. You just upload, and your podcast will play anywhere on the web, as well as in podcast apps.

Embedded Players, Smart Stats

Though your podcast will play literally everywhere, it won’t get chaotic. You’ll have control and insight into play activity, at all times. Plus, intuitive, detailed stats help you understand and grow your audience.

Timed Comments And Twitter Cards

As far as your aforementioned audience is concerned, you can keep them close, read their comments on your episodes and respond. A big extra is sharing your episodes in people’s Twitter streams. So easy. In fact, seamless integrations are available with all major social networks.

9. StudioRack

If you consider yourself a demanding podcaster who wouldn’t be satisfied with a free solution, then you should give StudioRack a chance. This modular live audio and video production system lets you run up to 8 plugins on just one insert, save chain presets, open them on any DAW, or monitor in low latency via a SoundGrid server. It is compatible with the most popular hosts, has a dedicated component for Pro Tools TDM and HDX systems, and gives you access to both Avid and Waves offload capabilities.

Integration In Three Ways

You can integrate it with your system by using the Waves SoundGrid ASIO/Core Audio driver, or the HD/HDX or HD Native Avid playback engine, or by local processing – using any ASIO/Core Audio driver.

Local CPU Or SoundGrid DSP Server Processing

Choose between these two options for processing your StudioRack plugin chains. Either directly to your host computer's CPU or to a SoundGrid DSP server. There is a processing mode switch for that. The second option enables you to use hundreds of plugins simultaneously.

System Compatibility That Is Interchangeable

You can use the same plugins and settings for your session, no matter if you created it with or without SoundGrid processing. You get to maintain your workflow and chain presets to make your job even easier.

10. TalkShoe

Create, schedule and run your live interactive podcasts, οr Community Calls as they are called in TalkShoe. This website encourages people to participate, by live or recorded listening, calling, or texting in. You can even integrate the recording of your podcast on your website, which can be downloaded either way.

Easy Creation

You name it and you are good to go. Simple as that, you either start your community call right away or schedule it for any future time.

Promotion And Invitations

Invitations can be sent on the spot from TalkShoe, but this is not the only way you can promote your podcast. You are enabled to use a widget, placed on your blog or social network pages.

Multiple-Device Interaction

Your audience can join your Community Call either by listening to the stream, chatting on the website or calling in via phone or PC. In fact, they do not even need to be TalkShoe members. Anyone can participate.

11. VozMe

Sooner or later, most podcasters face the modest results of converting text to MP3. While there’s still no app to give a human feel to the speech coming out, you describe what you get from VozMe "as good as it gets”. It follows a simple procedure and lets you hear it as an audio stream, or download it as an MP3. Embedded to your website or used through an iGoogle gadget, are also options.

Instant Conversion From Two Languages

VozMe is available for English or Spanish text. All you have to do is type or paste the text for your podcast and it will be available for you in both languages as an MP3 file.

Ready-Made Podcasts

As soon as the conversion is completed, you can download and save the converted text as an MP3 file. Your audience can download it, too.

No Registration

VozMe doesn’t require from you to get registered to the website. It is all a simple process.

12. YAKiToMe!

Touted as the voice of the web, YAKiToMe! has made its name as the world's leading text-to-speech (TTS) website. There you can find a large stable of free readers and an unrestricted usage model. First and foremost a cloud Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) TTS provider, it allows you to convert text to speech automatically. User experience and support guaranteed.

Manage Your Podcasts

Along with the conversion app comes software for managing, publishing, and sharing. Reading comprehension and retention are stimulated by providing simultaneous input to auditory and reading/writing learners.

Compliant With Special Needs Of Learners

YAKiToMe! helps readers with visual impairments, dyslexia, and other learning and reading disabilities. The free usage model makes YAKiToMe! TTS technologies available to users of all economic demographics, as well.

Speed Read, Anywhere, Anytime

If your audience lacks the time, they can take advantage of the high-quality voice fonts reading fast combined with text display. Great solution for high retention and comprehension. It can also be done while driving, exercising, doing household chores. Anywhere, anytime.

13. Google Hangouts On Air

Conducting a live online interview brings a new element to your podcasts. You have people watching, commenting and asking questions in real time. Undoubtedly, this is a much more valuable and interesting experience for your audience. Furthermore, the solution of Google Hangouts On Air is a simple three-step procedure, by which you create more dynamic podcasts using the available built-in features.

SEO And Photo Editor

Here, your podcasts will become more than basic audio files, and you can create better SEO for them. Surely you can make a video podcast, but if you don’t deem it necessary, you are provided with useful tools to edit the photos you will use.

Progressive Content Marketing

Google Hangouts On Air are considered to be a progressive form of content marketing. This is due to the fact that they're live events, hosted on Google+. They stream to and record on YouTube simultaneously.

Live Audience

It is important to point out that the result of this is not a pre-recorded call, but a live event with an audience. This feature boasts a series of other characteristics, too.

14. Skype

Everyone has used it for calls and chat. Using Skype for podcasting is a simple as taking the next step when strolling along. Its a great tool for collaboration, as everybody knows how to work with it, and it is pretty reliable as well. The upside is that you are familiar with it. The downside is that you’ll be needing additional software and hardware to complete the task.

Combine With Recording Software

There are many apps and programs that’ll do the work for you. As long as they are compatible with Skype. Choose one, and upgrade your activity and your audience’s experience.

Skype And Digital Recorder

Many consider this as a part of the podcaster's toolbox. There are many options out there, so you have to do your search to find the one suitable for your needs. This will definitely upgrade your ability to record audio.

Mixer For Recording A Skype Podcast

Mixers will throw in that professional touch, sure to make a difference for your audience. Every sound setting will be adjusted more easily, so your powers will focus more on the creative rather than the technical part.

15. Zencastr

If you are searching for something that you can become familiar with in no time, try Zencastr. Recording two or more people on independent channels, from inside your browser, is what it delivers. You won’t even have to download or install anything, and you still can achieve studio quality. Post-production is also in the package.

Live Editing

You can use the soundboard to insert any audio, such as an ad or an intro, instantly on recording, so that you can save time and effort.

Built-In VoIP (Voice over IP)

Zencastr gives you and your audience the option to voice chat directly through it. No need for integration or a combination of other apps.

Cloud Drive Integration

Your Dropbox account is synced, and everything you record is instantly there as well. Available for you to share or edit.

16. Total Recorder

As the name states, this tool allows you to capture any sound played by a computer, instantly or with the time-shift feature, as well as video from the PC screen or from hardware video devices. Additionally, you can merge video with audio tracks, split tracks, and more. You can also process digital audio with the use of add-ons, such as equalizer, audio cleaning, noise cancellation, and automatic gain control.

Conversion In Many Types

Conversion between different audio and video formats (AVI, WMV, FLV, MPEG-4, 3GP, compressed and uncompressed WAV, MP3, WMA, Ogg Vorbis, FLAC, APE) is available. Convert and edit without losing quality.

Enhanced Audio Process

You get to normalize, split, cut, or join compressed audio files. Try editing tags or chunking a long broadcast. Also, perform audio process tasks by the group.

Free Technical Support

Technical support is here for the free-hobbyist edition, as well. Not only free but fast as well, makes the choice of Total Recorder a privileged one.

17. PowerPress

Very popular podcasting plugin for WordPress. It will suit both beginners and experienced podcasters, as it displays more than one modes, players, and subscribe tools, among others. Note that it fully supports iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher, TuneIn, and Blubrry Podcasting directories.

SEO And Subscribe Tools

It is an easy task to create a subscribe page, thanks to the shortcode embed and sidebar widget that is optimized for responsive websites. Make it easy for audiences to discover your podcast through search engines.

Podcast Importing And Migration Tools

Migrate your podcast from a series of other podcast platforms without losing a single episode. You can also import your podcast from SoundCloud, LibSyn, PodBean, Squarespace, or other podcast RSS feed.

Multi-Podcast Support

PowerPress supports you in creating and separating your podcasts either by category or by media format.

18. Spreaker

Spreaker is a solution that is very helping for a podcaster that starts from scratch, offering a vast variety of tools. Every part of the podcasting path is covered, as you’ll get support when recording and broadcasting. You even have apps for analytics at your disposal. All these are multi device-friendly, and they promote the upload of files and the migration of content using the RSS Importer.

Host, Distribute And Measure

Hours of audio storage space and unlimited bandwidth for you. Social networks, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, and other spaces where you can distribute your podcast. Embedding widgets and scheduling episodes are other cool features.

Upload, Connect And Interact

Uploading and publishing new episodes from any device is an easy task. More tools like mixers and broadcasting software can be simply connected. Spreaker also covers you for live interaction, chatting and getting comments on your episode's page while you broadcast.

Desktop, Mobile, And Web-Based Console

Manage your episodes and drafts for mobile or desktop devices. You can also record and upload the podcast whenever, wherever through Spreaker's web-based console.

19. BlogΤalkRadio

This studio is based on the idea that things don’t have to be harder than they need to be. So, the concept of effortless broadcasting, promoted by BlogΤalkRadio, makes the simultaneous managing of multiple elements a child's play. It's a solution that will publish your broadcasting, host and update your RSS feed, as well as sync it to iTunes and other host sites.

Dissemination And Visibility

Use it to get exposure for your broadcasts from its popular website. Furthermore, your show can be shared and embedded via social networks, and the web.

Connectivity And Accessibility

Sharing new content with your audience can be automated by linking your social accounts. Once you share, it will be accessible to all listeners. Post it or embed it so that anyone interested can tune in.

Analytics

BlogTalkRadio tracks all listeners, from every distribution channel, giving you valuable insight as to the demographics of your listeners.

20. Express Scribe Free

Transcribing your podcasts is a basic function, and Express Scribe Free is here to help you do just that. Give those search engines the essential info that is included in your audio, in a format that can be crawled, and found. What is more, having transcripts gives you more options for disseminating your material. Transcribe audio files at their customizable playback speed, “Hotkeys”, and speech recognition software.

Hyperlinks

Add them to your transcript and post it on your blog or site to get the attention of those who prefer reading over listening or watching.

Transcribe Audio Recordings

With its professional audio player software, it will assist you in transcribing audio recordings directly.

Label Milestones

Use transcription as a way of keeping track of important moments. This is common practice among many podcasters, and can be found in their show notes.

Wondering which are the characteristics of a well-produced podcast for eLearning? Read the article 7 Tips To Create Podcasts For eLearning to discover 7 tips on how to successfully create podcasts for eLearning and integrate them into your eLearning experiences.