{
  "slug": "podcast-episode-production-cost",
  "title": "Podcast Production Cost Per Episode Calculator",
  "heading": "Podcast Production Cost Calculator",
  "category": "financial",
  "url": "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/podcast-episode-production-cost",
  "summary": "Total real cost per episode including editing, hosting, and gear amortization.",
  "description": "Podcasters routinely underestimate cost because gear is a one-time purchase that doesn't feel like a per-episode expense — but amortized over its useful life, it is. This calculator adds recording/editing labor time at your target hourly rate, hosting platform fees divided across your monthly episode count, and gear cost spread over an expected number of episodes, to show the real all-in cost of putting out a single episode.",
  "formula": "Per episode = (edit hours × hourly rate) + (monthly hosting ÷ episodes/month) + (gear cost ÷ expected episode lifespan).",
  "dateModified": "2026-09-30",
  "run_url": "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/api/public/calc?tool=podcast-episode-production-cost",
  "inputs": [
    {
      "id": "editHours",
      "label": "Editing/production hours per episode",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 4,
      "unit": null,
      "min": 0,
      "max": null
    },
    {
      "id": "hourlyRate",
      "label": "Your (or editor's) hourly rate",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 30,
      "unit": "$",
      "min": 0,
      "max": null
    },
    {
      "id": "hosting",
      "label": "Monthly hosting cost",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 15,
      "unit": "$",
      "min": 0,
      "max": null
    },
    {
      "id": "episodesMonth",
      "label": "Episodes per month",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 4,
      "unit": null,
      "min": 1,
      "max": null
    },
    {
      "id": "gearCost",
      "label": "Total gear investment",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 1200,
      "unit": "$",
      "min": 0,
      "max": null
    },
    {
      "id": "gearLifespan",
      "label": "Expected episodes over gear's life",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 200,
      "unit": null,
      "min": 1,
      "max": null
    }
  ],
  "outputs": [
    {
      "id": "total",
      "label": "Cost per episode",
      "format": "currency",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": true
    },
    {
      "id": "labor",
      "label": "Editing/production labor cost",
      "format": "currency",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": false
    },
    {
      "id": "hostingPer",
      "label": "Hosting cost per episode",
      "format": "currency",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": false
    },
    {
      "id": "gearPer",
      "label": "Amortized gear cost per episode",
      "format": "currency",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": false
    },
    {
      "id": "perMonth",
      "label": "Total monthly production cost",
      "format": "currency",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": false
    }
  ],
  "worked_example": {
    "inputs": [
      "Editing/production hours per episode: 4",
      "Your (or editor's) hourly rate: 30 $",
      "Monthly hosting cost: 15 $",
      "Episodes per month: 4",
      "Total gear investment: 1200 $",
      "Expected episodes over gear's life: 200"
    ],
    "outputs": [
      "Cost per episode: $129.75",
      "Editing/production labor cost: $120.00",
      "Hosting cost per episode: $3.75",
      "Amortized gear cost per episode: $6.00",
      "Total monthly production cost: $519.00"
    ]
  },
  "how_to": {
    "title": "How to use this",
    "steps": [
      "Enter editing/production hours per episode.",
      "Enter your (or editor's) hourly rate ($).",
      "Enter monthly hosting cost ($).",
      "Enter episodes per month.",
      "Enter total gear investment ($).",
      "Enter expected episodes over gear's life.",
      "Read your cost per episode on the right — it updates as you type.",
      "Hit Share to keep the scenario or send it to someone."
    ]
  },
  "scenarios": [
    {
      "name": "Conservative",
      "description": "Lower-end numbers — what if things land soft?",
      "values": {
        "editHours": 2.4,
        "hourlyRate": 20,
        "hosting": 9,
        "episodesMonth": 2,
        "gearCost": 700,
        "gearLifespan": 120
      }
    },
    {
      "name": "Typical",
      "description": "Defaults — the most common real-world setup.",
      "values": {
        "editHours": 4,
        "hourlyRate": 30,
        "hosting": 15,
        "episodesMonth": 4,
        "gearCost": 1200,
        "gearLifespan": 200
      }
    },
    {
      "name": "Ambitious",
      "description": "Higher-end numbers — what if things really pop?",
      "values": {
        "editHours": 6.4,
        "hourlyRate": 50,
        "hosting": 24,
        "episodesMonth": 6,
        "gearCost": 1900,
        "gearLifespan": 320
      }
    }
  ],
  "limitations": [
    "Results are estimates before tax, fees, and inflation unless an input explicitly covers them.",
    "Rates are treated as fixed for the whole period — variable-rate products will drift from this projection.",
    "This is educational maths, not financial advice. Check anything contractual with the lender or your accountant."
  ],
  "faq": [
    {
      "q": "Should I count my own editing time as a real cost?",
      "a": "Yes, at minimum as an opportunity cost — if you'd otherwise spend those hours on paid freelance work or another income stream, that's real money forgone. It also tells you clearly when hiring an editor at a similar hourly rate starts making financial sense as your show scales."
    },
    {
      "q": "What's a reasonable gear lifespan to assume?",
      "a": "Interfaces, mics, and headphones commonly last 3–7 years with regular use; if you publish weekly, that's roughly 150–350 episodes. Software and subscriptions should be counted separately as ongoing monthly costs rather than amortized gear."
    },
    {
      "q": "How do most podcasts cover this cost before getting sponsors?",
      "a": "Early on, mostly out of pocket or through Patreon/listener support, since most shows need 5,000+ downloads per episode before CPM sponsorships cover production cost. Many successful podcasters treat the first 6–12 months as a loss-leader investment in audience building."
    }
  ],
  "related": [
    "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/podcast-cpm-revenue",
    "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/studio-session-cost"
  ],
  "license": "CC-BY-4.0",
  "citation": "RevenueLab — Podcast Production Cost Per Episode Calculator (https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/podcast-episode-production-cost)"
}