How much does it cost to make a podcast? Marlow, the Thames Valley and London
"How much will a podcast cost?" is usually the first question we're asked, and the honest answer is: it depends on what you want it to do.
A simple audio conversation with a colleague costs very little to produce. A multi-camera video show with clips for every social channel costs more, but it also does a lot more work for your business. This guide breaks down where the money goes, how recording locally in Marlow and the Thames Valley compares with booking a London studio, and what a typical episode costs in practice.
All prices here are our own guide prices. They're a starting point rather than a fixed rate, and we're always happy to build something around your budget.
Where the money goes
Every podcast episode is made of the same building blocks. You can pick the ones you need:
| What you need | What's involved | Guide price |
|---|---|---|
| Recording session | Studio preparation, sound check, monitored recording and the raw files | £250 for up to 90 minutes |
| Mobile or remote recording | Our RØDE kit at your office or venue, or remote guests recorded with Riverside | Quoted to suit |
| Audio editing | A clean, balanced, tightly edited episode ready to publish | From £175 per episode |
| Audio and video editing | Edited audio plus a polished video version for YouTube and Spotify | From £350 per episode |
| Show notes | Episode descriptions and show notes that help people find you | From £95 per episode |
| Transcript | An accurate, readable transcript for accessibility and search | From £85 per episode |
| Social clips | Captioned short clips for LinkedIn, Shorts, Reels and TikTok | From £195 for 5 clips |
| Complete package | Recording, editing, show notes, distribution and three social clips | From around £950 per episode |
You can see everything in more detail on our services and prices page.
Recording locally or in a London studio?
We're based in Marlow, Buckinghamshire, and we record in three ways. Each suits a different kind of show.
On location in Marlow and the Thames Valley
We bring our mobile studio, built around the RØDECaster Pro II, to your office, event or chosen venue, and run the session just as we would in a studio. Nobody has to travel into London, your team can step out of a meeting and straight into the recording, and the setting can become part of the story.
The trade-off is the room. Offices and venues aren't designed for sound, so we spend time choosing the quietest workable space and setting up carefully. We wrote about what that involves in A podcast on the mats.
In a London studio
For a polished, multi-camera look, or when your guests are based in London, we record at venues such as Great Portland Street Studio. The room is acoustically treated, the set is designed for video, and everything is ready before you arrive. You'll need to factor in travel time for anyone coming in from outside London.
Remotely, wherever your guests are
When guests can't be in the same room, we record with Riverside. Each person is recorded in high quality on their own device, so it works for guests anywhere in the world. It's often the most cost-effective option for interview shows, and you can read how the tools compare in Riverside vs Descript.
What a typical episode costs
Here's how the building blocks add up for three common types of show, using our guide prices:
- A simple audio show: from around £520 per episode. A recording session (£250), audio editing (from £175) and show notes (from £95). Ideal for a regular conversation between colleagues or with a guest.
- A video podcast for YouTube and LinkedIn: from around £890 per episode. A recording session (£250), audio and video editing (from £350), show notes (from £95) and a pack of five captioned clips (from £195).
- A complete, hands-off episode: from around £950. Our complete package covers recording, editing, show notes, distribution and three social clips, so you just turn up and talk.
Recording two episodes in one 90-minute session is a simple way to bring the cost per episode down, and regular clients can move to a monthly package built around how often they publish.
What pushes the price up or down
- How many people are recording, and how many cameras you want
- Whether you need video, or audio is enough
- How long each episode runs, and how much editing it needs
- How many clips, posts and articles you want from each recording
- How often you publish, and whether you record several episodes in one session
- Where you'd like to record, and how far we need to travel
Could you do it yourself?
You can. A couple of decent microphones, a recording tool and an editing app will get you started, and plenty of good shows began that way. The real cost is time: setting up, checking levels, editing, writing show notes, cutting clips and publishing every episode. For most businesses, that time is better spent on the conversation itself and on putting the finished episodes to work.
If you're weighing up whether a podcast is worth the investment at all, start with Does your business really need a podcast? and how B2B companies turn a podcast into content and leads.
Questions about podcast costs
How much does it cost to record a podcast?
A recording session with MBMS Podcast Studio costs £250 for up to 90 minutes, including studio preparation, a sound check, monitored recording and the raw audio files. Mobile sessions at your own location and remote recording are quoted to suit the setup and location.
How much does podcast editing cost per episode?
Audio editing starts from £175 per episode, and audio and video editing from £350 per episode. Show notes start from £95 and edited transcripts from £85 per episode.
Is it cheaper to record a podcast in Marlow or in London?
It depends on your team and guests. Recording at your own office or venue in Marlow or the Thames Valley saves everyone travel time, while a London studio such as Great Portland Street Studio suits London-based guests and multi-camera video. We quote both so you can compare.
Get a quote for your podcast
Tell us what you have in mind, whether that's recording in Marlow, on location in the Thames Valley, in a London studio or remotely, and we'll put together a quote that fits your goals and budget.
Not sure what you need yet? A short call is the quickest way to find out.