The question we get asked most often, even before a single episode has been scheduled: how much does it cost? That’s understandable. But it’s actually the second question. The first is: what’s in it for you?
That order isn’t just a gimmick. It’s the essence of how you should evaluate a podcast investment. Because if you only calculate the costs, you’re missing the bigger picture. If you understand the returns, you’ll know how much you can afford to spend.
How much does a branded podcast actually cost?
We work with fixed packages or project-based agreements, so you know exactly what to expect upfront. Sometimes it makes more sense to book the studio by the hour—we’ll always discuss this with you. No hidden hours, no loose ends. For a video podcast, we start at €650 per episode for recording and raw footage. This is the most basic package, and can of course also be done as audio only. If you want to go further, including video editing and audio production, the cost is €925. If you also want social snippets for LinkedIn, Instagram, or YouTube Shorts, the cost is €1,250 per episode.
For an audio podcast, prices start at €650. A more extensive production with full post-production costs €1,250. The Pro production costs €2,000 per episode. Additional services such as concept development, music packages, or sound design are available upon request.
All amounts are exclusive of VAT. You can find a complete price list with all options on the pricing page.
What you get in return
A podcast isn’t an ad campaign. You aren’t paying for reach that stops as soon as your budget runs out. You’re building something that will always be yours.
Every episode represents an hour—or more—of attention from someone who has consciously chosen to listen. A listener who tunes in to your podcast has made that decision themselves. They aren’t just waiting for a commercial to end. They’ve chosen your story. That kind of attention is rare.
On top of that, good podcasts last longer than a single episode. If you produce them seriously, you can get enough material from a single day of recording to last for weeks. That changes the math significantly.
How to Calculate ROI
Many clients start the conversation with a short-term question: how many downloads in the first month, how many leads after the first series? That’s understandable, but it’s the wrong yardstick. Listeners rarely buy after just one episode. They do, however, remember how you sound, how you think, and what positions you take. And a podcast is evergreen content: what you record today can still be listened to two years from now. By the time someone makes a decision, you’ve already been on their mind for a long time.
You can see that in *In het Rijksmuseum*, which has now aired more than 134 episodes. Janine Abbring has become the recognizable voice of the museum. Anyone who listens to that podcast ends up seeing the Rijksmuseum in a different light. You can’t buy that feeling through an advertisement. You build it up, episode by episode.
Or take De Heus’s De KoeCast. Each episode begins on the farm with a dairy farmer and then continues in the studio with an expert. The target audience is small and specific. But those who do listen are truly engaged. Topics like business succession and protein efficiency don’t attract a mass audience, but they resonate exactly with the people for whom the podcast was created. In a niche B2B market, that kind of connection is more valuable than broad reach among the wrong people.
Brand trust, brand awareness, and a loyal customer base that keeps coming back. You don’t build that with a three-month campaign. But once you have it, it doesn’t just disappear when the budget runs out.
When the investment pays off
A podcast pays off if you truly believe in it and make time for it. Publishing three episodes and then giving up because the download numbers are disappointing isn’t podcasting—that’s just a test. A podcast takes time. The organizations that get the most out of it are the ones that know upfront why they’re doing it and are willing to stick with it.
It all starts with a clear goal, a solid format, and a production that works. The rest is just repetition.
Want to know if a podcast is right for your organization? You can find our pricing on the pricing page. Every project is unique, and we offer much more than just recording services. You don’t need to have made any decisions yet for an initial consultation. Get in touch, and we’ll explore the possibilities together.
Jos Jansen is the founder and Creative Audio Director of Big Orange. He studied music technology, plays guitar on Spanish beaches during his vacations, and organizes annual sing-alongs for a few hundred people at a time. He writes about podcasts, audio, and the effects of sound on people.