One of the first decisions you’ll need to make after starting a podcast is which microphone to buy. Enter: my guide to the best cheap podcast microphones under $100 on the market today.
If (like me) you’re hoping to launch your podcast on a reasonable budget, some podcast microphone recommendations are just unrealistic when you’re just getting started. Most new podcasters aren’t in a position to spend $500+ on a mic for recording podcast episodes.
The good news? There are plenty of cheap podcast microphones out there that will actually do a fantastic job of recording high quality audio for your podcast.
In this guide, I’m reviewing 13 of the best cheap podcast microphones with a USB connection—11 of which come in at under $100.
Later on in this buying guide, we’ll talk about what to look for when you’re comparing these different cheap podcast microphones.
13 Best Cheap Podcast Microphones (USB) Under $100
- Samson Q2U USB Recording Microphone & Podcasting Pack: $59.99
- Rode NT-USB Mini Podcasting Microphone: $99.99
- Razer Seiren X Podcast Microphone: $59.99
- Samson Meteor Budget Podcast Microphone: $49.99
- AudioPro Computer Condenser Microphone: $44.95
- Samson Q9U Dynamic Broadcast Podcast Mic: $119.99
- Logitech Blue Yeti USB Cheap Podcast Microphone: $128.99
- FIFINE Studio Condenser USB Microphone: $49.99
- Pardunll USB Microphone: $47.99
- Omoton USB (Cheapest Podcast Microphone): $19.99
- Samson SAGOMIC Go Mic (Portable Podcast Microphone): $39.90
- AKG Pro Audio Ara Professional Podcast Microphone: $69.00
- CAD Audio U37 Budget Podcasting Microphone: $29.99
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Now, let’s dive in. I’ve intentionally chosen podcast microphones that’ll fit into a reasonable budget (all but two of these microphones cost less than $100)—while still being a great value for the money, and offering high sound quality for your podcast.
1. Samson Q2U USB Recording Microphone & Podcasting Pack: $59.99
My best value podcast microphone under $100 is the Samson Q2U, which is an incredible price for a great kit that includes everything you need to get your podcast up and running.
It’s a dynamic mic rather than a condenser, which differs from most of the other microphones on this list. This will make it less expensive and it’ll still be excellent for capturing high quality podcast episodes. It’s also very portable and travel-friendly.
In addition to the easy USB plug-and-play audio recording, you also have the option of an XLR output, which means you can plug it into an audio interface if you want to upgrade your podcasting equipment in the future. I adore this budget-friendly podcast microphone so much since it’s designed to grow with you as your podcast grows in popularity.
This is a great podcasting microphone for the money, as it’s a cardioid pickup pattern, meaning it will pick up you speaking in front of it—not on background noise that you don’t want to record.
Well under $100, the Samson Q2U is a great podcasting mic from a well-known brand in the field, that won’t break the bank. If you’re still undecided about which mic is right for you and you’re impatient to start testing, I’d strongly recommend giving this one a try.
2. Rode NT-USB Mini Podcasting Microphone: $99.99
Our top condenser microphone is the Rode NT-USB Mini. It’s small – but punches well above its weight. The build quality is great and it’s very durable. Because it’s quite small, it’s a good choice if you’re going to be using it on video, as it’s not too intrusive.
You won’t have much change from $100 for this one, but if you can afford it, then it’s definitely worth it.
The on-board pop filter delivers great sound quality, without the “pops” of explosive Ps and Bs.
You can even plug headphones into the mic so that you can easily hear what it sounds like – perfect for troubleshooting and also for checking you’ve got the mic in the correct position. It’s only a cardioid pick-up pattern, so it’s only suitable for a single speaker.
3. Razer Seiren X Podcast Microphone: $59.99
The Razer Seiren is actually built with live streaming in mind, but you can definitely use it as a podcasting microphone too. With its versatility and affordability, it’s a great choice for one of the best budget podcast microphones. This is another super-cardioid condenser microphone, so it’s really good at picking up your voice while rejecting background noises like mouse clicks and keyboard typing.
You can mute the mic immediately and simply with a button press on the front—and there’s a handy light indicator on the mic to let you know whether you’re muted or not.
The podcast microphone is also shock-absorbing, so it’ll minimize vibrations from your desk. You could also mount it on a microphone arm, if you prefer.
Finally, you can flip the microphone around if you want it at a different angle—but remember you can’t adjust the height.
4. Samson Meteor Budget Podcast Microphone: $49.99
The snazzy-looking Samson Meteor Mic has a retro feel and will look great on your desk. It’s light (0.57lbs) and easy to transport around, with legs that fold up when it’s not in use. There’s a storage case included, as well as a long USB cable.
The sound quality and sensitivity are both great, and there’s a mute button and mute indicator – ideal if you’re live streaming.
You can simply plug in a set of headphones to listen to your audio while recording, so it’s easy to keep an eye on how things are sounding.
5. AudioPro Computer Condenser Microphone: $44.95
The AudioPro Computer Condenser Mic is a low-cost mic that’s highly suitable for podcast recording.
It has a 360° tilt, so you can place it in any position you want. The carotid pickup pattern will make sure that it’ll pick up sound that’s in front of this podcasting microphone. There’s no assembly or installation required: plug and play.
The mic comes with a long (5.6 ft) USB cable and also a USB-C cable so that you can use it with your Android phone or other USB-C device. It also comes with a pop filter, to save those plosive Ps.
The mic has buttons on the front to mute the mic, adjust the mic gain, and adjust the headphone volume if you’ve plugged your headphones in to hear what you’re recording.
6. Samson Q9U Best Overall Budget Podcast Microphone: $119.99
While this budget podcast microphone just barely squeaks in over the $100 mark, it’s worth the splurge if you can afford it. By now you’ve noticed that the Samson podcast microphones have taken quite a few places on this list of best podcast microphones, and this is my personal favorite of the bunch.
This podcast microphone is dynamic, meaning it’s super rugged and will record everything but the quietest of whispers. It features an internal shockmount that suspends the recording elements from mechanical noise—and its cardioid pickup pattern delivers great incoming sound without background noise.
The Q9U also boasts an integrated dual-layer windscreen that minimizes crackles and a removable foam pop filter to help minimize the unwanted breath or wind noise that can cut into the sound quality of some other podcast recording microphones.
