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PCMag UK Reviews Software & Service Music - Products Podcasting


SOFTWARE & SERVICE


ANCHOR REVIEW


ANCHOR IS A FREE AND HIGHLY ACCESSIBLE PODCAST CREATION PLATFORM WITH NOVEL
SOCIAL FEATURES AND GREAT PUBLISHING OPTIONS, THOUGH IT LACKS SOME MIXING
FEATURES MORE ADVANCED USERS MAY NEED.

3.5 Good
by Ben Moore 
Sep 10, 2018
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3.5 Good

BOTTOM LINE

Anchor is a free and highly accessible podcast creation platform with novel
social features and great publishing options, though it lacks some mixing
features more advanced users may need.

10 Sep 2018


 * PROS
   
   * Free.
   * Provides both recording and hosting solutions.
   * Easy publishing options.
   * Good monetization and social features.

 * CONS
   
   * Accounts locked to a single podcast channel.
   * Multi-person podcasts limited to the mobile app.
   * App occasionally crashes.
   * Limited host controls.

Recording a good podcast can seem like an overwhelming task, but dedicated
podcast services can simplify the process. Take for example Anchor, a free,
multiplatform service for recording and hosting your podcasts. This podcasting
service prioritizes ease of use with straightforward tools that help you sail
through every part of your podcasting voyage. Anchor is missing some
capabilities you might want, however, such as robust editing and mixing options
across all platforms. Its mobile app also has some stability issues, as shown in
our testing. For beginners or even professionals who want to simplify their
workflow, Anchor offers a good set of tools—and it's free—but we recommend our
Editors' Choice, Cast, for its more complete set of features.


PRICE PLANS AND PLATFORMS

Anchor is, as mentioned, completely free. It does not offer any premium tiers
nor does it limit the number of hours you can record and host on its servers.
The company is backed by venture capital. Anchor recently launched a
monetization tool for podcasters on its platform, called Listener Support.
Similar to how Twitch subscriptions work, listeners can support creators at a
monthly cost of $0.99, $4.99, or $9.99. The best part is that supporters do not
need to have an Anchor account to subscribe to a channel.







Zencastr also offers a free account, which includes up to eight hours of
recordings per month and two guests per episode. For $20 per month (or $18 per
month if paid annually) Zencastr has a plan with no restrictions on total
recording hours and number of guests. That tier also adds access to its Live
Soundboard, 16-bit 44.1kHz WAV recordings, and 10 hours of automatic
postproduction per month.

Cast, on the other hand, does not have a free tier. Cast's entry-level account
costs $10 per month and includes 10 hours of recording time per month, unlimited
editing and mixing, podcast hosting, and analytics. With that plan, you also get
a responsive site for your podcasts, and one RSS feed. Cast's upgraded Pro Plan,
which costs $30 per month, increases the recording limit to 100 hours per month
while retaining the same unlimited editing, mixing, hosting, and RSS feeds.

Anchor is available for both Android and iOS devices as well as via a web
browser. Recently, Anchor added audio-editing features to Android and iOS
devices from its iPad app, but not all features are available on all platforms.
The web interface currently does not have any such features.



DIVE INTO PODCASTING

Before signing up for a podcast service, you need to pick a topic and figure out
how you are going to fill each episode. Stream of consciousness-style episodes
are not typically what people want to hear, and listeners should have a clear
idea of what to expect from your channel. If you need inspiration, check out
PCMag's roundup of the best podcasts.

From start to finish, creating a podcast involves five main steps: planning,
recording, mixing, hosting, and publishing. For recording audio tracks, you can
use audio editing software like Audacity or Adobe Audition, though a dedicated
service such as Anchor makes this step easier by simplifying the interface and
recording options.



However, Anchor lacks Cast's and Zencastr's robust audio-syncing capabilities.
If, for example, a participant does not join at the start of a podcast or loses
their connection mid-recording, Anchor can't help. Mixing tracks is simply the
process of combining them into one, final file for publishing. Post-processing
helps take care of imperfections in the recording, such as background noises or
inconsistent volume levels. Anchor does both of these things, but its
post-processing happens under the hood. Cast and Zencastr give you more control
over the final mix.

Hosting and publishing are the two last steps. To submit your podcast to an
outside service, such as Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Pocket Casts, or
Castbox, you need to generate an RSS feed. Anchor's one-click publishing option
makes this simple.


GETTING STARTED WITH ANCHOR

Anchor is a bit different from the other podcasting services I tested, in that
the first thing you do is create your podcast channel. During sign-up, you
choose whether you want to create a new podcast or to link an existing one. To
import your podcast, you just need to add its RSS feed and Anchor can sync
everything over without affecting your current setup.

If you go the route of creating a podcast from scratch, Anchor walks you through
the process of adding a name, cover image, description, relevant categories, as
well as customizing your podcast's URL. The last step is to create an Anchor
account with your email and password.

I prefer Cast's and Zencastr's setup procedures, both of which let you record
samples before making you input all the details. With Cast, you also have the
option of creating multiple podcast channels, whereas Anchor locks you into the
first one you specify.

Anchor's web dashboard is clean and well organized. Anchor divides functionally
across a few top-menu categories including Home, New Episode, Settings, and
Help. From the Home dashboard, you can view general information and stats about
your podcast. Your Podcast Profile page links to a standalone site that hosts
your podcast, which you can share with your followers. I prefer Cast's
equivalent feature, called Castettes, since the pages look more professional,
though both Castettes and Anchor's Podcast Profile use responsive design.


RECORDING WITH ANCHOR

Anchor's podcast-creation interface is simple to use and includes most of the
functionality you need. To get started, click on the New Episode button in the
top menu. You compose episodes by adding a series of audio segments to a
vertical timeline. For the most part, the desktop and app experience are
comparable, though I explain some key differences below.

Segments live on the left-hand side of the screen. Your options on the desktop
are Upload, Record, Messages, Library, and Transitions. Some options vary
slightly on Anchor's mobile apps; Anchor features Voice Messages, Record,
Library, Transitions, and Music options on its Android app, as viewed on my
Nexus 5X test device.

The Uploading option is useful in that you can add your fully mixed and
production-ready files that you created elsewhere to take advantage of Anchor's
free publishing and social tools. Anchor also supports multiple import and
export options on mobile devices.

The Recording interface is basic on the desktop. Simply select your input and
hit the Start Recording button. One limitation of recording on the desktop is
that you cannot add multiple people to a session, as you can with Cast or
Zencastr. Instead, you either need to record everyone from the same input or use
a splitter to record separate inputs into the one system. Both methods are only
possible with participants in the same physical location.



Anchor's mobile app is a different story. If you are only recording yourself,
just hit the plus icon on the bottom of the screen and tap the Record button. If
your podcast includes several contributors, hit the Add People button up top
first. In the middle of the screen, Anchor generates an Invite Friends to Join
link, which you can send to participants. Once everyone joins, you are ready to
start recording. After the call ends, Anchor mixes the tracks. Unlike Zencastr,
Anchor does not give the host the option to mute or kick participants off a
recording. The app also lacks Cast's Raise Your Hand feature, for getting
everyone's attention.

Anchor gives you two options for recording on mobile: Telephone Mode and Hands
Free Recording. For the Telephone Mode, just hold the phone up to your ear as
you would with a typical phone call. The Hands Free mode lets you put your phone
down and record. Be sure to stay within a reasonable distance and make sure you
are using the right mode, as failure to do either could result in unusable
recordings. Keep in mind that Anchor does support compatible mobile mics, so
serious podcasters should definitely make that investment. Make sure to check
out Anchor's recording tips as well.

One last recording option on the mobile app is Anchor's Cohost feature. Tap the
Record > Find a Cohost button, select a topic, and Anchor will match you with
someone with like-minded interests. Anchor gives you 30 seconds to get
acquainted with your mystery partner before the app starts recording. I
appreciate Anchor's attempts to push the boundaries of podcasting with these
types of social features, more of which I discuss later.

All recordings and uploads are saved in your Anchor library, which is accessible
from either the web or mobile apps. Users can also download files directly from
this repository or delete recordings entirely.

Podcast creators also have the option to add voice messages from listeners to
their podcasts after publishing. I discuss this social feature in more detail
later, but basically, subscribers can send voice messages to creators in
response to a portion of the episode, which the original podcast author can
choose to add in later (for example, if the listener comment adds value).

You can also add Transitions (short audio clips from Anchor's built-in library)
anywhere in your episode. Transitions are useful for when the topic switches or
a new participant joins, for example. This is similar to Cast's Wedges or
Zencastr's sound dashboard feature.

Cast goes one step further, with the ability to add custom audio files as
layers. Anchor includes a similar feature on mobile. After you finish a
recording, you can swipe to add one of Anchors built-in background tracks. You
can also add music from Spotify or Apple Music ($9.99 at iTunes) if you link
your account, but these tracks will only work on those podcasts published to
Anchor's directory. Cast offers greater flexibility here.


BUILD AND PUBLISH YOUR EPISODE

To create an episode with Anchor, all you need to do is add elements into the
vertical timeline editor. Anchor does not impose any structures or limitations
on how you build your episode, so feel free to experiment. The important thing
is to make sure you arrange segments in the correct order.

Although Anchor falters a bit when it comes to mixing audio, it introduced new
editing tools since I initially reviewed it. For example, you can now trim and
split audio tracks from any iOS device. Other useful enhancements include the
ability to rename any split segments and to pin Smart Flags at points in the
recording that you want to revisit later. To get started, click the expand icon
on any audio clip and tap the Edit audio option.

Note that at the time of publishing, only the split audio feature is available
on Android and none of these capabilities are usable via the web interface.
While these new tools are certainly welcome, mixing is still not as robust as
what is offered by Cast or Zencastr. For example, you can't manually or
automatically set volume levels of individual tracks or add custom audio layers.



Once you arrange and edit everything for your episode, hit the Save Episode
button in the upper-left corner. Before Anchor sends your podcast out to the
world, you need to fill in a name and description for the episode and verify the
Advanced Publishing settings. Anchor lets you choose, for example, to publish to
All (a total of 11 platforms) or just to Anchor. The 11 platforms are Apple
Podcasts, Breaker, Castbox, Google Podcasts, Overcast, Pocket Casts, PodBean,
RadioPublic, Spotify, Stitcher, and TuneIn. A recent update to the Anchor app
adds a dedicated Distribution section with the same capabilities to your profile
section. Creators need to designate the episode type (Full, Trailer, Bonus),
whether it is family friendly or explicit, and episode and season info before
publishing. Users can save, schedule, or immediately publish episodes.


HOW DO ANCHOR PODCASTS SOUND?

To test podcast software's audio quality, I set up two scenarios. For the first,
I record a short vocal segment using my Chromebook's built-in microphone to all
the services at the same time to ensure identical conditions. I use the default
post-processing tools for each service and download the final mix for listening.
In this batch of tests, I had Anchor (as well as the Anchor mobile app), Cast,
and Zencastr all running simultaneously.

Since Anchor does not allow you to host multiple people on recordings from the
desktop, I could not run my test with dedicated mics (the Razer Seiren and
Turtle Beach Streaming Mic connect via USB-A). For this test, a colleague and I
simulate a podcast episode by reading alternating paragraphs from a script,
while recording simultaneously on multiple platforms. For Anchor, we recorded
the same content with separate phones via the Anchor mobile app.

Sound signatures vary by person, so it can be difficult to determine what sounds
the best. From a technical standpoint, Anchor records a 127Kbps M4A File (69Kbps
M4A from the mobile recording), Cast's final mixes are in 128Kbps MP3 format,
and Zencastr produces 112Kbps MP3 files. All of these are fairly equivalent,
except for those taken with Anchor's mobile app. Despite these similar specs, I
noticed clear differences in the final mixes.

To evaluate audio quality, I consider a couple of factors: clarity, consistent
volume levels, the absence of background noise, and if the vocal tones sounded
natural. I listened to the recordings using industry standard Sony MDR 7506
over-the-ear headphones, which are known for their neutral sound signature.

For the first test (with the built-in mic on my Chromebook), Anchor sounded
fine. The recording had very little distortion and sounded pretty clean.
However, Zencastr's audio sounded clearer and louder. Cast's recordings had a
noticeable background hum that was not present in any of the other recordings.
The recording with Anchor I took from my phone sounded worse than Cast's. All
services produced mostly usable results, but this test underscores the
importance of using high-quality recording equipment. You just need to make sure
you have the correct inputs for all your devices.



The multi-person test worked fine; my colleague's voice came in loud and clear.
My own audio sounded muted, but I attribute that to not holding the phone close
enough. Recording quality will obviously vary with equipment, but newer phones
with more advanced internal mics should generally produce better results.


SOCIAL AND ANALYTICS

I appreciate Anchor's built-in social features, Applause and Voice Messages.
Both help creators actively engage with their audiences and incorporate
feedback. Listeners can tap the applause button to commend any segment or moment
in the podcast. Subscribers can also send creators Voice Messages (short audio
messages up to one minute) with their thoughts. Keep all communication civil
though; if a podcast owner adds your Voice Message to an episode, you can't
suddenly take it back.

One other neat feature is Anchor's ability to create short transcriptions (under
two minutes) from any of your recordings to share on social media platforms.
Simply navigate to a segment of an episode and tap the Create Video option from
the overflow menu. These videos scroll the transcript text on a background.

In my experience, automatic transcription services are highly variable in their
accuracy and Anchor's built-in capability is no different. On the short segment
I fed through its processing, the final transcript wasn't even close to perfect.
Fortunately, you can edit each word and add any missing ones, though at a pace
of only one word at a time. The next step is to choose one of nine color themes
for your video. Once Anchor finishes working on this last part, you can share it
with all your followers. However, I had major problems with this feature. The
app crashed multiple times during various parts of the process and it took me
three tries to generate a single video.



Anchor's analytics section is great for tracking your podcast's performance over
time. Anchor provides general stats such as total podcast plays as well as
downloads. If you click into an episode from the dashboard, you can view the
same stats specifically for that episode.

If you want to take a break from the creative process or search for inspiration
from other podcasts, head over to the Listen tab on the app, though Anchor's
library of podcasts is not nearly as complete as Castbox or Pocket Casts.
Listeners can choose from a number of Podcast categories, such as News, Music,
Sports, or Hear Something New. Additionally, Anchor includes its own set of
podcasts, including rundowns of the day's news, sports, and entertainment
headlines. The playback interface looks modern, but I don't foresee many people
spending time listening to the Anchor-only podcasts when there are so many more
(and better-produced ones) available from other sources.


ANCHOR AWEIGH!

Anchor is a good service for recording, hosting, and distributing your podcast.
It is also the only podcast creation service we tested that offers a mobile
experience and integrates novel social features. Best of all, Anchor is
completely free. However, Anchor is somewhat limited by its mobile ambitions;
you can't, for example, record multiple people from the desktop or make edits to
tracks across all platforms. For amateur podcasters or creative types who want a
more casual podcasting platform, Anchor checks a lot of boxes. For everyone
else, we recommend Editors' Choice Cast.


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ABOUT BEN MOORE

I’ve been writing and editing technology content for over five years, most
recently as part of PCMag's consumer electronics team, though I also spent
several years on the software team. Before PCMag, I worked at Neowin.net, Tom’s
Guide, and Laptop Mag. I spend too much of my free time reading forums and blogs
about audio and photography.


MORE FROM BEN MOORE

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