3 Best Skype Alternatives for Podcasting With Studio Quality

Aazar Shad

August 17, 2021
4:45 pm

Looking for the perfect Skype alternative to ramp up your podcasting journey? Look no further because, in this article, I will talk all about Skype alternatives for podcasting!

Skype is one of the most popular conferencing platforms out there. With the pandemic forcing people to work from their homes, meeting applications like Skype have become more widely used.

As a free and reliable platform, Skype has also become a popular choice for hosting podcasts. Given a decent internet connection, Skype offers impressive video and audio quality for the average user.

In hindsight, it can seem like an excellent option for podcasters. However, Skype is not a podcasting platform. Microsoft developed Skype as a conferencing application. As a result, it lacks many of the key features that most Skype alternatives offer.

That said, Skype does have a lot of things going for it. The first and most significant advantage of using Skype is that it is free. Using Skype, podcasters can reduce their operating expenses.

Moreover, Skype is compatible with most operating systems, including Android and iOS. So, it is more accessible than other alternatives.

However, Skype falls behind when it comes to professional podcasting features. Firstly, Skype does not save its recordings locally. So it requires a strong internet connection to record in HD quality consistently.

Also, it saves the files in a single compressed format. As a result, the audio and video cannot be separately edited. There is also a drop in video and audio quality from the source recording. Besides, there is no software optimization for the video and audio quality. The quality is entirely dependent on your hardware and internet connection.

Full transparency time: I may get some commission if you click on these links but it won’t cost you anything. Also, these tools have not paid me to write this review. I use it every day and I support these projects regardless.

Table of Content

Skype Alternatives for Podcasting #1: Riverside.fm – For Creators and Starters
Skype Alternatives for Podcasting #2: SquadCast – For Serious Podcasting Businesses
Skype Alternatives for Podcasting #3: Welder – For Intermediate Podcasters
My Perspectives

So, what are some of the Skype alternatives for podcasting? I have personally used Skype and each of the alternatives in this article. You can check out my podcast here. I will talk about three of the best options for replacing Skype as your podcast platform and compare their prices, pros, and cons alongside reviews from real users. Here is a quick rundown for our busy readers.

Now, let’s take a deep dive into our options.

Skype Alternatives for Podcasting #1: Riverside.fm – For Creators and Starters

Riverside.fm is a popular podcast platform known for its quality video and audio recording capabilities. It is undoubtedly one of the best Skype alternatives for podcasting, and here’s why.

Pros

Riverside.fm takes care of all the shortcomings of Skype. Firstly, it can record audio and video locally in lossless formats. As a result, there is no need for a strong internet connection, and the quality remains consistent.

But Skype can only save its files on the cloud in MP4 format. So, you will need a consistent internet connection throughout the recording session, and the video will only have average quality.

You can use 4K resolution in your Riverside.fm videos. Meanwhile, Skype has no option for manually selecting your video resolution. The video quality is automatically set depending on your hardware and internet connection. And even in ideal conditions, the resolution is capped at 1080p.

Riverside.fm also has built-in integration with platforms like Youtube, Twitch, and Facebook. So you can directly live stream to these websites. On the other hand, you will need a third-party application to live stream Skype meetings.

Cons

The most significant disadvantage of Riverside.fm is its compatibility. It only works properly on Google Chrome. As a result, the experience can be limiting. People who are more comfortable with other browsers may be reluctant to use them.

On the other hand, Skype has an app for every popular operating system. As a result, it is much more accessible for users.

Best suited for

Riverside.fm is ideal for professionals or individuals who are just getting started with podcasting and are serious about it. These individuals are likely to have many visitors and will wish to engage with and develop their audience.

Pricing

Riverside.fm allows you to record for free for up to 60 minutes. Annual subscriptions for 2 hours of recording start at $7.5 per month.

Riverside.fm also provides an enterprise plan that includes all of the Pro features and extra customizations.

Features I wish it had

Transcription: Descript’s automatic transcription feature can significantly improve the experience. Podcasters would no longer have to face the inconvenient task of manually transcribing their shows.

Analytics: It would be helpful if a feature could offer me data about my target audience. Podcasters can benefit from insights and analytical data such as views, reach, demographics, and so on.

An Honest User Review

Product Hunt rating: 4.5/5

(based on ten reviews)

Users liked the video quality and the ability to capture video and audio locally. One user on g2 remarked that the product was a little pricey but well worth the money.

Skype Alternatives for Podcasting #2: SquadCast – For Serious Podcasting Businesses

SquadCast is another popular podcast recording application. It is well-known for its user-friendliness. It recently added video recording to its already extensive feature set.

Pros

SquadCast also saves your recordings locally. So you can easily retrieve your files if you get disconnected. Moreover, you won’t have to worry about the internet to ensure video quality.

There is no audio or video compression. Since you can save in multiple formats, you can choose how much compression, if any, you want to apply.

SquadCast lets you schedule podcasts and invite guests by just their email address. It also helps you keep your schedule organized.

SquadCast saves your files both locally and on the cloud. You can access your cloud files at any time and download them in WAV, MP4, WebM, and MP3 formats. Skype, on the other hand, can only record a single MP4 file. It can only save the entire meeting as a single file.

Cons

SquadCast only allows you to invite three guests at a time, which is a drawback for many podcasters. Their expensive pricing creates the idea that specialists are their target market, which adds to this constraint’s annoyance.