Polished stack · 3 tools · prices checked Oct 2026

Podcast from zero for $16/mo

Record and edit in Descript, rescue rough audio with Adobe Podcast, make cover art in Canva. One paid plan: Descript Hobbyist at $192/yr upfront ($16/mo) or $24/mo billed monthly, before tax.

The plan

Exactly what to buy.

Tool	Job	Plan to use	Price source
Descript	Edit video & audio	Hobbyist: $192/yr upfront ($16/mo), or $24/mo monthly — 10 media hrs/mo	descript.com/pricing, Oct 13
Adobe Podcast	Clean up audio	Free: Enhance Speech, 1 hr/day, 30-min files	podcast.adobe.com plans page, Oct 13
Canva	Design graphics	Free plan	not re-checked this month
Total		$192/yr upfront (= $16/mo) or $24/mo billed monthly, before tax. $0 to test: Descript's free plan covers 1 media hour/mo.

Each price lists where it came from and when. All prices are before tax and change often — confirm before you subscribe.

Workflow

Step by step.

Record each episode (Descript's recorder, or any mic into a WAV).
If the room sounds echoey, run the raw file through Adobe Podcast Enhance Speech (free: 30-minute files, 1 hour a day).
Import into Descript. It transcribes automatically; delete words in the transcript to cut audio, and use Remove Filler Words.
Use Descript's AI tools to draft show notes and pull a few short clips for social.
Make a 3000×3000 cover in Canva's free plan, export the MP3 from Descript, and upload to a podcast host (Spotify for Creators is free).

Limitations

What it won't do.

Descript Hobbyist includes 10 media hours and 400 AI credits a month. A weekly hour-long show with re-records fits; daily shows won't.
Adobe Podcast's free plan is audio-only, one file at a time. Long episodes have to be split into 30-minute chunks.
Enhance Speech can make good recordings sound processed. A decent mic in a quiet room still beats any cleanup.

The tools

Each tool, up close.

01Edit video & audioFree tier

Descript

text-based editor

“Edit audio/video by editing text”

Why you'd click: Podcasts
Red flags: Heavy app
Price: $0 with these limits1 media hour/mo, 720p exportUpgrade: $24/mo, or $192/yr billed annually (Hobbyist)

Opening line

Remove filler words from my podcast.

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02Clean up audioFree tier

Adobe Podcast

speech enhancer

“One-click studio sound”

Why you'd click: Cleaning recordings
Red flags: Limited editing
Price: $0 with these limitsEnhance Speech 1 hr/day, 30-min files, audio onlyUpgrade: $19.99/mo (Premium features via Adobe Firefly Pro)

Opening line

Enhance this noisy voice memo.

Voice Audio Music

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03Design graphicsFree tier

Canva

“Design suite with Magic Studio”

Why you'd click: Everything visual
Red flags: Templates look familiar
Price: $0 with these limitsfree plan; premium templates and elements are paid

Opening line

Instagram carousel on 5 budgeting tips.

Presentations Design Logos

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