Here’s the gear we recommend if you’d like to start podcasting from home. Need a more personalized suggestion? Book a free consultation with one of our experts, and if you’d like support all the way through your home-based podcast journey, our remote podcast recording sessions are the perfect solution.

Microphones

USB Mics $20-$150:

A USB microphone is the easiest way to get started podcasting from home. They plug into your computer, so no additional equipment is required. These mics are best suited for recording solo and/or connecting with guests online.

For hosts or anyone appearing regularly on your show we recommend the Samson Q2U, Audio-Technica ATR2100x, or Audio-Technica AT2005USB. These mics are all virtually identical, so you can’t go wrong with any one of them.

A cheaper option that we sometimes send to guests is the Andoer 150cm Portable Mini Clip-on lav mic. These won’t sound quite as full and present as the mics mentioned above, but for less that $20 they’re usually a big improvement over a built-in laptop microphone.

Mic Stand

The recommended mics above do come with stands, but they don’t quite raise the mic high enough off the tabletop for our liking (and the XLR mics below don’t come with stands at all). For great sound, you’ll want the mic closer to your mouth. You could use a stack of books to get the mic a little higher, and these Hamilton Nu-Era Tabletop Mic Stands do the job for about $12, but any mic stand or arm that gets the mic high enough will do the trick.

XLR Mics $35-$150

XLR mics won’t work directly with your computer, and require a USB audio interface, digital recorder, or mixer to function at all (more on those below). These mics, and those extra pieces of equipment are what you need if your podcast co-hosts or guests are in the same room with you. If that’s your situation, you’ll want one mic for each participant, plus an XLR cable for each mic (they don’t usually come with the cable).

Here’s what we recommend, from least to most expensive:

Monoprice Dynamic Vocal Microphone ($33)

A cheap mic that punches above it’s weight. A great place to start.

Shure SM58 ($129)

The classic ball-head mic you see on stage at most music venues. Why do they all use it? Because it’s solidly built and provides great price to performance.

Rode PodMic ($149)

A newer entry to the affordable XLR mic world - these are built for podcasting and go well with the RODECaster Pro (see below under “mixer”).

USB Interfaces, Recorders, & Mixers

These pieces of equipment are for recording with at least two people in the same room together, and require XLR microphones like those listed above. Here’s what we recommend, from least to most expensive.

USB Interfaces ($120-$200)

A great way to get started with XLR mics, these interfaces allow you to plug 2-4 XLR mics into your computer. Recording happens on the computer, so it’s required, making these less portable than the digital audio recorders listed below.

Behringer UMC202HD U-Phoria ($120)

Record up to 2 XLR mics into a computer.

Behringer UMC404HD U-Phoria ($200)

Record up to 4 XLR mics into a computer.

Digital Audio Recorders ($300-$460)

These recorders are great portable rigs that connect 2-6 XLR mics (see above). They’re simple to use and record to SD cards without a computer. You can plug them into the wall for power, or run them off AA batteries.

Zoom H4N PRO Digital Multitrack Recorder ($300)

Can you tell we love Zoom recorders around here? It's because they deliver such great sound and versatility for the price. The H4N Pro gives you 2 XLR inputs and stereo internal mics. A great place to start.

Zoom H5 Four-Track Portable Recorder ($400)

A step up from the H4N Pro, the H5 adds analogue gain knobs and the stereo mics are interchangeable this time. The H5 comes with two XLR connections and a stereo mic capsule - but you can swap that out for an additional two XLR connectors and other options.

Zoom H6 Six-Track Portable Recorder ($460)

The Zoom H6 is our primary field recorder. It has four XLR inputs built in as well as an interchangeable mic capsule. This is essentially a tiny battery powered mixer. Very nice.

Mixer

Rode RODECaster Pro ($800)

There are a lot of mixers out there (cheaper ones too), but none provide the ease of use and versatility of the RODECaster Pro. This mixer allows for up to four in-person XLR mics plus two guests connected remotely via computer or phone (USB, wired 3.5mm, and Bluetooth connections). It has pads for playing music or sound effects, plus vocal effects to ensure everyone sounds their best.

There you have it - the essential gear you’ll need to podcast from home.

Questions? Book a free consultation with one of our experts, and if you’d like support all the way through your home-based podcast journey, our remote podcast recording sessions are the perfect solution.