Create a Tool for Podcasters

Build a product or app that helps podcasters manage their workflow.

About Create a Tool for Podcasters

Why Podcasting Tools?

Podcasting continues to grow, and podcasters need help with everything from recording and editing to monetization and audience growth. If you can build a tool that solves a common podcasting pain point, you can sell it as a software-as-a-service product.

This is an excellent opportunity for digital nomads who want to build a product business rather than trade time for money. Once the tool is built, revenue becomes recurring and largely passive—you maintain and improve the product while subscriptions flow in.

Understanding the Podcasting Market

Market Size and Growth

5+ million podcasts worldwide
460+ million podcast listeners globally
Consistent year-over-year growth
Increasing professionalization

Podcaster Segments

Segment	Size	Budget	Needs
Hobbyist	Very Large	$0-20/mo	Simple, free/cheap tools
Serious amateur	Large	$20-50/mo	Quality + ease of use
Professional	Medium	$50-200/mo	Advanced features
Network/Enterprise	Small	$500+/mo	Scale, customization

Most successful tools target "serious amateur" to "professional" segments.

Podcaster Pain Points

Content Creation

Recording:

Remote guest recording quality
Multi-track recording
Equipment recommendations
Mobile recording solutions

Editing:

Time-consuming manual editing
Audio quality enhancement
Removing filler words/silence
Adding music and transitions

Production and Publishing

Show notes and transcription:

Manual transcription is tedious
Show notes take time to write
Timestamps are manual work

Distribution:

Publishing to multiple platforms
Schedule management
RSS feed management

Growth and Monetization

Analytics:

Basic platform analytics
Audience insights
Episode performance comparison

Monetization:

Finding sponsors
Managing ad insertion
Listener support/memberships

Tool Opportunities

Production Tools

Tool Type	Competition	Opportunity
Remote recording	High (Riverside, Squadcast)	Niche differentiation
AI editing	Medium-High	Specific use cases
Transcription	High	Podcast-specific features
Show notes generation	Medium	Quality and integration

Growth Tools

Tool Type	Competition	Opportunity
Advanced analytics	Medium	Podcast-specific insights
Cross-promotion	Low-Medium	Network effects
SEO for podcasts	Low	Underserved market
Social clip creation	Medium	Better automation

Workflow Tools

Tool Type	Competition	Opportunity
Guest booking	Low-Medium	Integration focus
Content calendars	Low	Podcast-specific
Team collaboration	Low	Niche needs
All-in-one dashboards	Medium	Simplification

Building Your Podcasting Tool

Validation First

Before building:

Talk to podcasters - 15-20 interviews minimum
Identify specific pain - Not general problems
Test willingness to pay - Would they pay? How much?
Research competition - What exists? What's missing?
Find your angle - Why you? Why now?

MVP Approach

Start minimal:

Phase	Focus	Timeline
Research	Problem validation	2-4 weeks
MVP	Core feature only	4-8 weeks
Beta	Early users, feedback	4-8 weeks
Launch	Public release	1-2 weeks
Iterate	Based on feedback	Ongoing

Technical Considerations

Common tech needs:

Audio file processing
Cloud storage
Real-time features (for recording)
API integrations
User authentication

Build vs. Buy:

Use existing APIs (transcription, AI)
Leverage cloud services
Focus dev time on unique value

Monetization Models

Subscription (Most Common)

Tier	Price	Target
Free	$0	Limited features, lead gen
Starter	$9-19/mo	Individual podcasters
Pro	$29-49/mo	Serious podcasters
Team	$99-199/mo	Podcast networks

Usage-Based

Charge by:

Minutes transcribed
Episodes processed
Storage used
API calls

One-Time Purchase

For simpler tools:

Templates and presets
Plugins and extensions
Lifetime licenses

Marketing to Podcasters

Community-First

Podcasters are highly community-driven:

Active in Facebook groups
Twitter/X conversations
Podcast-about-podcasting shows
Discord communities

Strategy: Be genuinely helpful in communities before promoting.

Content Marketing

Create valuable content:

Podcasting tutorials
Industry insights
Workflow tips
Tool comparisons

Podcast Appearances

Meta but effective:

Guest on podcasts about podcasting
Sponsor relevant shows
Get reviewed/featured

Influencer Partnerships

Partner with podcasters:

Beta access for reviews
Affiliate relationships
Case studies
Co-marketing

Challenges and Solutions

Limited Budgets

Many podcasters don't monetize:

Solutions:

Generous free tiers
Focus on professional segment
Clear ROI demonstration
Annual discount for commitment

Platform Competition

Established players exist:

Solutions:

Find underserved niches
Superior UX for specific workflows
Deep integrations
Price differentiation

Development Complexity

Audio tools are technical:

Solutions:

Use existing APIs and services
Start with simpler problems
Partner with technical talent
Build incrementally

Building While Nomadic

Remote-Friendly Aspects

Pure software development
Async customer communication
Cloud-based infrastructure
Global customer base

Challenges

Customer calls across time zones
Reliable internet for development
Testing audio features on the road

Solutions

Async support and communication
Flexible call scheduling
Cloud development environments
Buffer time for travel

Who Should Build Podcasting Tools?

This path is ideal if you:

Have software development skills
Understand podcasting deeply
Can commit to long product development
See specific gaps in current tools
Enjoy building products

It's not right if you:

Need immediate income
Lack technical skills
Don't understand podcasting
Can't handle product uncertainty
Prefer service work

The Bottom Line

Podcasting is a growing market with fragmented tooling. Many podcasters cobble together workflows from multiple tools, each solving part of the puzzle. This fragmentation creates opportunity for focused solutions.

Success requires deep understanding of podcasting workflows—either from experience or extensive research. Start with a specific problem, build an MVP, and iterate based on user feedback.

The podcasters who become your customers will tell everyone about tools that genuinely help them. Build something worth talking about, and growth will follow.

Your podcasting tool might be the one that finally solves a problem that's frustrated creators for years. Start building.

Business Models

Product-Based 📦

Frequently Asked Questions

What problems do podcasters need solved?

Common pain points include: episode editing and production, scheduling and booking guests, show notes and transcription, analytics and growth, monetization and sponsorship, audience engagement, distribution and promotion, workflow automation, and equipment recommendations.

How much can podcasting tools earn?

Range varies widely. Simple tools might earn $500-5,000/month. Successful SaaS products can reach $10,000-100,000+/month. Descript, Riverside, and similar tools have raised millions and serve thousands of customers. The market supports products at various price points.

Do I need to be a podcaster to build podcasting tools?

Deep understanding of podcasting workflows helps significantly. If you're not a podcaster, partner with one or do extensive user research. Building tools for problems you don't experience firsthand often leads to missing critical nuances.

How do I compete with established podcasting tools?

Focus on underserved niches, specific use cases, or better UX for particular workflows. Target segments that larger tools ignore (hobbyist podcasters, specific genres, non-English markets). Integrate well with existing tools rather than trying to replace entire workflows.