If you are thinking about hiring someone to run your podcast, the first question is usually a simple one: what will this cost? The answer is less simple, because done-for-you can mean very different things. One quote might cover editing only. Another might cover planning, coaching, recording help, editing, show notes, and publishing. Those are not the same service, even if both are called done-for-you.
This article breaks down what you are usually paying for, why quotes range so widely, and what Expert Frequency charges, in plain terms.
The short answer
For most small business shows, done-for-you production falls into three broad levels:
- Editing only. You record, someone else cleans up the audio and sends it back. This is usually the lowest monthly price.
- Editing plus publishing. You record, someone else edits, writes titles and show notes, and publishes the episode for you.
- Full production. Someone plans topics with you, coaches the recording, edits, writes notes, and publishes, so your time is mostly the recording itself.
A published pricing explainer from Rise25 puts the wider market range from about $100 a month for do-it-yourself production to $10,000 or more a month for full-service production. That range is useful, but it is also the reason a single average price is not helpful. A $100 a month tool and a full agency team are not comparable, even though both touch a podcast.
At Expert Frequency, the prices are published, not custom quote only:
- The Launch: $1,000 one time, for people who want setup and then want to run the show themselves.
- Podcast Partnership: $1,250 a month, with a 3-month minimum, at the founding rate. There are 5 founding spots in total. The next group after that is $1,500 a month, and founding clients keep their rate.
- Hosting is separate, at about $15 a month, set up in your name and billed separately. You own the show, the feed, the files, and the audience.
The rest of this article explains what sits behind those numbers.
What done-for-you usually means
Done-for-you does not have a standard definition, so ask any provider to list exactly what is in the monthly price. In practice, a full service usually includes some or all of these:
- Planning topics and episode titles before you record
- Coaching or preparation for the recording session
- Editing the recording into a finished episode
- Writing show notes and episode descriptions
- Publishing the episode to Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and other directories
- Setting up hosting and the show feed
- Artwork, trailer, and launch setup for a new show
- Music for the show
Some services also include video, short clips, guest booking, social media posts, and transcripts. Those add cost, and they are often sold separately. If a quote looks much lower than others, check first whether video, clips, or planning were left out, rather than assuming the provider is simply cheaper for the same work.
Why quotes range so widely
Five things move the price more than anything else.
1. How many episodes a month
One episode a month costs less to produce than four. Most business shows that publish weekly need four episodes a month, and that is the rhythm Expert Frequency uses: four episodes a month, published weekly.
2. How long each episode is
A finished episode of up to 30 minutes takes less editing time than a finished episode of 60 minutes. Length also affects how much material you need to plan and record. Expert Frequency episodes are up to 30 finished minutes each.
3. How much editing the recording needs
A clean, well recorded conversation needs less editing than a recording with long pauses, interruptions, background noise, or sections that need to be cut and reordered. Good recording help up front usually lowers editing time later, which is one reason coaching and setup matter.
4. Whether planning and coaching are included
Editing only is a production service. Planning topics, shaping titles, and coaching the host is a different service, and it takes a producer’s time before and during recording. If you want to talk for an hour or two a month and have someone else handle the rest, you are paying for that planning and coaching time, not just for audio editing.
5. Whether video and clips are included
Audio-only production and video production are different jobs. A provider that includes video recording, editing, and short clips will charge more than an audio-only provider. At Expert Frequency, video and short-form clips are not included unless separately agreed. That is stated plainly on the Services page, so you are not paying for video work you did not ask for, and you are not surprised later when it is not in the monthly price.
A simple way to compare quotes
Before you compare prices, compare scope. Ask each provider these questions, in writing:
- How many episodes a month, and how long is each finished episode?
- Who plans the topics and titles, and who coaches the recording?
- What exactly is edited, and who checks the finished episode before it goes out?
- Who writes the show notes and publishes the episode?
- Who owns the hosting account, the feed, the files, and the audience?
- Is there a minimum term, and what happens after it?
- What is not included, such as video, clips, guest booking, or transcripts?
- What does the provider not promise? A careful provider will not guarantee downloads, leads, or revenue from a new show.
If two quotes differ by hundreds of dollars a month, the answer is usually in that list, not in one provider being better value for the exact same work.
What Expert Frequency charges, in plain terms
The Launch: $1,000 one time
The Launch is for people who want setup, then want to run the show themselves. It includes a couple of working calls to pick a topic, vibe, and format, help with gear and setup, artwork and music direction, hosting and distribution set up in your name, and first episodes planned.
Podcast Partnership: $1,250 a month, 3-month minimum
The Partnership is the done-for-you service. It includes the full launch, so artwork, trailer, and setup are included with the 3-month minimum, not charged on top of it. It also includes:
- Four episodes a month, up to 30 finished minutes each, published weekly
- One Riverside recording call a month, 1 to 2 hours in total, from your office
- Coaching sessions, plus topics, titles, and show notes done for you
- Editing by my editing team, and publishing
- Custom music, made with local artists to fit your show
- A Podcast Starter Kit, kept basic and built around how you will actually record, usually headphones and a decent mic, with lapel mics when they fit, plus a setup call
You own the show, the feed, the files, and the audience. Hosting is set up in your name and billed separately at about $15 a month.
Video and short-form clips are not included unless separately agreed. No guaranteed downloads, leads, or revenue are promised.
Why a 3-month minimum
A new show needs time to find its rhythm. The first month is setup and first episodes. By month three, you have a regular publishing pattern, a set of topics that come from real client questions, and a recording habit that fits a busy month. A one-month trial does not test that, which is why the Partnership has a 3-month minimum, with terms applying after that.
When done-for-you is worth it, and when it is not
Done-for-you is worth it when your time is the constraint, not your ability to talk. If you can talk about your work for an hour or two a month, and you want that conversation turned into a weekly show without you becoming an editor, a publisher, and a show planner, a full service fits.
It is less worth it if you want to learn audio editing yourself, if you want a video-first show, or if you want to approve every word in advance, line by line. A show built on conversation and trust works best when the host and the producer trust each other to handle their part, and when the check before publishing is for major issues and gaffs, not a rewrite of the conversation.
I check every episode for major issues and gaffs before it goes out. That check is part of the Partnership, and it is how a show stays on schedule without turning every episode into an editing project.
Questions to ask before you sign
Use these questions with any provider, including Expert Frequency:
- What will I actually do each month, in hours?
- What will you do, in specific deliverables, not just in general terms?
- Who owns what, if we stop working together?
- What is the minimum term, and what changes after it?
- What is billed separately, such as hosting?
- What is not included, and what would it cost if I added it later?
If a provider cannot answer those questions clearly, that is useful information, whatever the price is.
Frequently asked questions
Is $1,250 a month expensive for a podcast?
It depends on what is included. For editing only, it would be high. For four episodes a month with planning, coaching, editing, show notes, publishing, artwork, trailer, setup, custom music, and a starter kit, it is a full production price, not an editing-only price. Compare scope first, then price.
Why is hosting billed separately?
Hosting is set up in your name, so you own the feed and the audience. If hosting were bundled into a provider’s account, leaving that provider could mean leaving your feed behind. Separate hosting at about $15 a month keeps ownership clear.
Do I need video and clips too?
Not necessarily. A trust-based business show can work as audio first, especially if your clients listen while driving, walking, or working. Video and clips can help later, but they are a separate job with a separate cost. At Expert Frequency, they are not included unless separately agreed, so you can start with audio and add them later if you want them.
Will a podcast bring me leads?
No provider should guarantee that. A podcast can help people get to know you, trust you, and remember you when they need your kind of help, but downloads, leads, and revenue depend on your market, your offer, and many things outside production. Any quote that guarantees results should be treated with care.
If you want to talk through scope
If you are a consultant, advisor, or service business owner in the San Francisco Peninsula or California, and you want a show you can keep up with in 1 to 2 hours a month, email me at ranger@expertfrequency.com. Tell me what you do, who you help, and what questions your clients already ask you. That is usually enough to tell whether a Partnership fits, and if it does not, I will say so.
You can also see the full service details on the Services page, learn more about me on the About page, or use the Contact page to start a listening conversation.