Labor Investment

Your time is your most valuable asset

$75/hr
$0 $500
3 hours

Research, guest coordination, scripting, scheduling

1.5 hours

Actual recording session time

4 hours

Editing, mixing, mastering, show notes

2 hours

Social clips, audiograms, uploading, SEO tagging

The Tech Tax

Hidden costs most podcasters ignore

Select your software subscriptions
$5/episode

Microphone, interface, headphones wear & tear

ROI Metrics

Optional: Calculate your break-even points

Production Tier Comparison

Tier Effort Level Hidden Monthly Cost Est. Episode Cost
The Scrapper Zoom + Free Hosting $0 ~$50
The Semi-Pro Riverside + Descript $45+ ~$250
"Talk is Expensive" Pro Full Suite + Repurposing $150+ ~$800+

Why Track Your Podcast Costs?

Most podcasters quit within 7 episodes, a phenomenon known as "Podfade." The number one reason? They don't realize the true cost of their passion until it's too late. They feel the drain of countless hours but never quantify it.

By tracking every minute of research, recording, and repurposing, you transform podcasting from a hobby that "just takes time" into a business asset with measurable ROI. You can optimize what you can measure.

Your time isn't free. Your message deserves to be profitable.

More Podcasting Resources