$29 a month
View plans and limitsMurf vs Podcastle:
which should you use?
Murf and Podcastle, side by side. Find the one that fits what you need to do.
Find your best fitThe 30-second answer
Pricing, simplified
Start free. Upgrade when you need more.
$19.99 a month
View plans and limitsThe 30-second comparison
If you only read one section, make it this one. Rows where both sides say the same thing are left out — the point is where they differ. Where each row came from is listed underneath.
| Category | Murf | Podcastle | Better fit |
|---|---|---|---|
| What it's built for | Generates narration in a range of voices with control over pace and emphasis, aimed at training and explainer video. | Records, cleans and edits a podcast in the browser, with transcription and voice tools in the same place. | Tie |
| Free plan | Yes. Free plan with no card, 10 projects and 10 minutes of voice generation | Yes. Free sign-up, with a free trial of the paid plans; Podcastle now sells as Async at async.com | Tie |
| Cheapest way to pay | $29 a month. | $19.99 a month. | Podcastle |
| What the paid tiers cost |
|
| Tie |
| What to watch out for | Voices are recognisable as synthetic on long listens. Commercial use sits on the paid tiers. | Podcastle has rebranded as Async and now sells a credit-priced creative suite, so the price depends on how many credits you pick. Browser recording is only as good as the connection. | Tie |
| Who it is usually for | working professionals | working professionals, people exploring | Tie |
| Made by | Murf — San Francisco, US. | Podcastle — Berkeley, US. | Tie |
Podcastle is ahead on 1 of the 7 rows compared — cheapest way to pay — and it is not about how well it does the job. On fitness for the work, it and Murf are level. Treat this as a tiebreaker, not a recommendation.
Podcastle
Records, cleans and edits a podcast in the browser, with transcription and voice tools in the same place.
Generates narration in a range of voices with control over pace and emphasis, aimed at training and explainer video.
Murf is the better answer when the job is what it was built for rather than what the pick above does broadly.
How we know
Every row that separated these two, and where it came from. Nothing here is a hands-on test — if a line rests on a vendor’s own pricing page, it says so and links it.
| Row | Favours | Weight | Where it came from |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cheapest way to pay | Podcastle | Everything else | From each vendor’s own pricing page. Dates and pages are listed below. |
The prices
Murf. Read by hand off murf.ai on 4 September 2026. It is not on the monthly re-check, so confirm there before paying. murf.ai/pricing
Podcastle. Read by hand off async.com on 4 September 2026. It is not on the monthly re-check, so confirm there before paying. async.com/pricing
The ratings
The category these two share. Audio, Voice & Music — both are listed there in the catalogue, and the fit recorded against each listing is a judgement made here, by hand.
The nine-category grid below. Derived from what each product is listed for, by one script, once per build — so the same pair always reads the same. It is a derivation, not a review.
What this is not
Neither product was run side by side to produce this page. Nobody was paid to appear on it and nothing here is ranked by commission.
To put the same question to both and read the answers yourself, run them side by side — that is a live test, and this is not.
Choose based on what you’re doing
All ten categories, including the ones where neither of these is the answer. These ratings are derived from what each product is listed for, not from running it — a rating here is a reading of the record, and the record is linked.
General-Purpose AI Assistants
Questions, brainstorming, explanations, everyday tasks, decision-making, general advice.
Search, Research & Academics
Web research, deep research, books, academic papers, citations, news, fact-checking.
Writing, Communication & Language
Emails, reports, essays, editing, summarizing, translation, presentations.
Coding, Data & Technical Work
Programming, debugging, data analysis, spreadsheets, math, engineering, technical research.
Business, Finance & Professional Work
Business strategy, investing, market research, legal, sales, HR, accounting, consulting.
Image & Design
Image generation, photo editing, logos, graphics, product design, advertising creatives.
Video
Video generation and editing, clipping, subtitles, avatars, animation and motion capture.
Audio, Voice & Music
Voice generation, transcription, music, dubbing, sound cleanup and podcast production.
Marketing & Content Creation
Social media, SEO, advertising, copywriting, content ideas, scripts, brand development.
Productivity, Automation & Personal Life
AI agents, workflows, scheduling, meetings, organization, shopping, travel, personal finance.
Generates narration in a range of voices with control over pace and emphasis, aimed at training and explainer video.
San Francisco, USRecords, cleans and edits a podcast in the browser, with transcription and voice tools in the same place.
Berkeley, USPricing, simplified
The plans people actually compare, read from each vendor’s own page.
Tell us what you use AI for
Pick your main job and the verdict below changes to match. Every answer is on the page already, so this works as a reader, not a lookup.
Frequently asked questions
Is Murf or Podcastle better?
Podcastle is ahead on 1 of the 7 rows compared — cheapest way to pay — and it is not about how well it does the job. On fitness for the work, it and Murf are level. Treat this as a tiebreaker, not a recommendation. both have a free plan you can start on; Podcastle is cheaper to start paying for, $19.99 against $29. Murf: Generates narration in a range of voices with control over pace and emphasis, aimed at training and explainer video. Podcastle: Records, cleans and edits a podcast in the browser, with transcription and voice tools in the same place.
Is Murf or Podcastle cheaper?
Podcastle — paid plans start at $19.99 a month against $29 a month.
Do Murf and Podcastle both have free plans?
Yes. Murf: Free plan with no card, 10 projects and 10 minutes of voice generation. Podcastle: Free sign-up, with a free trial of the paid plans; Podcastle now sells as Async at async.com.
What should I watch out for?
Murf: Voices are recognisable as synthetic on long listens. Commercial use sits on the paid tiers. Podcastle: Podcastle has rebranded as Async and now sells a credit-priced creative suite, so the price depends on how many credits you pick. Browser recording is only as good as the connection.
Read more
What it is for, who makes it, what it costs and what to use instead.
What it is for, who makes it, what it costs and what to use instead.
Voice generation, transcription, music, dubbing, sound cleanup and podcast production.