Podcast Production Proposal Template — Free

What to include in your podcast production proposal template

Episode count and duration per month
Edit level (light cleanup vs. heavy storytelling edit)
Music and SFX provided or sourced
Show notes, timestamps, transcript scope
Distribution (RSS hosting, podcast platforms)
Social/video clips for promotion
Turnaround time guarantee
Onboarding setup vs. ongoing

How to price it

Per-episode editing: $150-$500 (light edit, 30-60 min episode), $500-$1,500 (heavy edit with story structure), $1,500-$5,000 (full narrative production). Monthly retainer for 4 episodes: $1,000-$5,000 typical.

Common mistakes to avoid

Vague 'editing' scope (cleanup vs storytelling are very different)
No raw audio quality requirements (you'll battle bad source forever)
Including transcripts at flat rate (transcripts scale with audio length)
Free re-edits if guest asks for cuts (charge per round)
No exit clause for terminating a difficult client

Sample template content

Here's an example of what a complete proposal looks like for this niche. Use it as a starting point — you'll fill in your own details when you create one.

Scope of Work

Monthly podcast production for [Client Show]: Included each month: • 4 episodes (60-75 min each, raw audio provided) • Audio editing: noise reduction, equalization, compression, level matching • Removal of filler words, false starts, long pauses • Intro/outro with provided assets • Music bed and SFX as appropriate • Show notes (300-500 words) + timestamps • Upload to RSS host (Buzzsprout/Transistor) and scheduling • 2 audiograms per episode for social Turnaround: 5 business days from raw audio receipt

Sample Line Items

Description	Qty	Total
Audio editing (4 episodes)	4	$880.00
Show notes & timestamps (4 episodes)	4	$240.00
Distribution & scheduling	1	$200.00
Audiograms (8 clips)	8	$200.00
Total		$1,520.00

Sample timeline: Month-to-month, 3-month minimum

Terms & Conditions

Monthly retainer billed on the 1st. 30-day cancellation notice after initial 3 months. Raw audio quality minimums: dual-track, 44.1kHz, no compression on source. Below this triggers a remediation fee. Guest re-edits beyond initial delivery billed at $75/edit. Full transcripts (verbatim): $0.10/word add-on. Edited summaries included as standard.

Frequently asked questions

▸ Should I include transcripts?

Edited show notes yes; verbatim transcripts no (price per word add-on). Transcripts take real time and clients undervalue the cost.

▸ What if their audio is terrible?

Define minimum quality in the contract. Below it, charge a 'remediation fee' or refuse. You can't polish a phone-call-on-speakerphone into broadcast quality.

▸ How fast should turnaround be?

5 business days is the sweet spot. Shorter (24-48h) at premium rates. Anything longer than 7 days and clients get antsy.

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