The Best Podcasting Microphones for Under $200
One of the most intimidating parts of starting a podcast is knowing which equipment is right for you. I’m not an electrical engineer or audio engineer or whoever comes out of college knowing how sound waves work. I’m a regular person who kind of knows how to work my computer and understands that when you talk closer to the microphone it gets louder. This is why it took me a long time to understand what kind of microphone I needed as a new podcaster to fit my recording space, budget, and podcast style.
Turns out there are only so many microphones at that perfect intersection of quality and cost for podcasters, and they are recommended again and again by professionals in the industry. I collected and researched about fifty different podcasting microphones to come up with a list of the best options for every level and every price range. I’ve narrowed the list down to six which represent the best microphones for beginners at an affordable price.
You might be wondering what I mean by “affordable”. If you are going to invest in a podcasting microphone, there is a minimum amount of quality you should expect, otherwise, you might as well just use the microphone on your Apple headphones or your computer. The minimum cost to get that kind of quality is about $60. Can you buy a mic on Amazon for less than $60? Yes. Will it sound good? Probably not. So when we say we have six affordable microphones that we recommend, the price range is between $60 and $200. I don’t sell the mics, I just recommend them. Sound quality is the factor most directly linked with listener adoption, so think of this microphone as an investment in your ability to grow your audience and eventually monetize your podcast, if that’s something you want to do.
✴ Samson Q2U USB/XLR
Dynamic Microphone
This is the best low cost microphone for beginners, full stop. It’s a dynamic microphone, which means it will help to reduce the background noise of your space. You need to keep the mic close to your mouth to get that crystal clear sound though. It has both a USB and XLR connection allowing the mic to grow with you. If you are starting with one or two in-person hosts/guests, the USB cable can connect directly to your computer. But if you are planning to have more than two in-person hosts/guest, you will need to connect through a mixer or interface using the XLR cable.
Your headphones connect directly to the mic, so you can control your volume as your record. At $60, the Samson Q2U comes with a USB cable, XLR cable, and table stand - a great deal for the price. You will want to purchase a foam ball windscreen for optimal quality.
✴ Audio-Technica AT2005USB Cardioid Dynamic USB/XLR Microphone
Audio-Technica is a well-know brand when it comes to audio equipment, especially mics and headphones. This mic has similar features to the Samson Q2U. It is dynamic and comes with a USB/XLR connection.
The microphone head is slightly different and is meant to increase the quality of the sound coming Into the mic while reducing the background noise of your space. This mic would be great for people recording in imperfect spaces that are not professionally soundproofed or on-the-go. This mic will easily pack up and travel with you if you are doing your pod on the road or in the field.
The AT2005 costs $70 and comes with a USB cable, XLR cable, and table stand. You will want to purchase a foam ball windscreen to reduce the harsh sound of plosives.
✴ Audio-Technica ATR2100-USB Cardioid Dynamic USB/XLR Microphone
If you would have asked the podcasting industry at large what is the best low cost microphone, pretty much everyone would have said the AT2100. Unexpectedly, it was discontinued and Audio-Technica came out with a new and improved model - the ATR2100.
The cost increase from the AT2100 to the ATR100 is $40 putting the cost of the new mic at just under $100 ($99 to be exact). The changes were pretty minor though. One notable new feature is the mic stand - pretty snazzy looking. The other update is it has a new USB-C connection vs the original USB. If you have a newer computer with the USB-C port, your sound quality will improve by not having to convert through a dongle. Once again, make sure you purchase a foam ball windscreen.
✴ Rode PodMic Cardioid Dynamic Podcasting Microphone
The PodMic is a slightly more advanced mic because it only has an XLR connection. This means that it does not plug in directly to you computer but instead requires an intermediary device like a mixer or interface. The interface or mixer then connects to your computer. The quality of the mic is slightly higher than the USB mics we mentioned, but you have to be willing to invest in more than just the microphone to get that quality. This is definitely for someone who knows that she is committed to podcasting, cares about quality, but doesn’t want to break the bank doing it.
The PodMic costs $100, which is incredible for it’s quality. It comes with a shock mount so it can easily attach to a boom arm. Again, this is a slightly more advanced setup. The beauty of this mic is it was made exclusively for podcasting, so you know it is going to get the job done right.
✴ MXL BCD-1 Dynamic Podcast Microphone
Another dynamic microphone that is similar in style to the PodMic but costs slightly more at $150. It is an XLR mic, so you will need that mixer or interface before connecting to your computer. It also comes with a shock mount for easily attaching to a boom arm. You can tell by the finish it is slightly higher quality. You will absolutely get that professional sound and look when using the MXL BCD-1.
This mic will work great for podcasters who have multiple in-person guests or hosts as all of them can easily plug into your interface or mixer without issue. It is also ideal if you know you will be recording your podcast in the same location episode after episode. It is not impossible to move a boom arm around, but it is meant to be a more permanent stand that connects to a desk or studio table. Once you get this mic setup, you aren’t going to want to move it around a bunch. Not ideal for podcasts on the road.
✴ Rode NT-USB USB Microphone
You might recognize the name Rode from the PodMic. Rode is an Australian brand know for making great quality mics. This mic is different than the other mics we’ve mentioned because it is a condenser mic as opposed to dynamic. That just means it processes the sound differently. It also means that you have to use the mic differently. Instead of speaking into one end, you talk into the side of it - that’s why it has this upright design with the windscreen on one side instead of the top. Condenser mics can produce great quality sound, you just need to make sure your space is well soundproofed because they can pick up background noise.
This mic is $170, but it is USB only. That means that if you know you are going to have only one to two in-person guests or hosts, this will allow you to connect directly to your computer with ease. But if you plan to have more people in-person, this will not be the right fit. Just depends on the kind of podcast you have.
There you have it: six of the best podcasting microphones for podcasters on a budget. Just a heads up, we use affiliate links in this article so we can get a small commission for any purchases you make based on our recommendations. This helps us keep the lights on, but you can always choose not to use the links in this document. Thanks for your support. Think we missed a microphone that should be on this list? Let us know! Email us at lauren@thewavepodcasting.com or message on Instagram @thewavepodcasting.
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