What's the best AI tool for editing a podcast and removing filler words?

Best overall: descript.com

For podcast editing + removing filler words, I’d pick Descript. It lets you edit the podcast by editing its transcript—delete a sentence or an “um,” and the corresponding audio gets cut automatically. It also has AI tools for filler words, retakes, tangents, background noise, and audio enhancement.

My quick ranking

• 🥇 Descript — best all-around: Best if you want to actually edit the podcast with AI, not just clean the audio. Excellent for removing “um,” “uh,” “you know,” repeated phrases, awkward sections, etc.
• 🥈 Cleanvoice — best for aggressive cleanup: Particularly good if your main problem is filler words, mouth sounds, stutters, and dead air.
• 🥉 Adobe Podcast — best for audio quality: Great if the recording itself sounds bad—background noise, echo, room sound, etc. It's less of a full editing workflow than Descript.
• Auphonic — best final mastering: Useful after editing to automatically normalize loudness and polish the final episode.

If I were starting a podcast today: I'd use Descript as the main editor, then optionally run the finished episode through Auphonic for final mastering.

One important tip: don't automatically remove every filler word. Some “ums” and pauses make an interview sound natural; removing all of them can make a person sound robotic. Descript itself recommends treating filler removal as a judgment call.

If you tell me whether your podcast is audio-only or video + audio, and whether you're a beginner or already using something like Audition/Logic, I can recommend the exact workflow and cheapest option.

When it comes to AI-powered podcast editing and filler word removal, a few industry-leading tools stand out, each tailored to a slightly different workflow.

The top choices depend on whether you want an all-in-one recording and editing suite or a dedicated audio cleaner:

• Descript : Best for deep text-based audio/video editing. Descript pioneered the "edit audio like a Google Doc" workflow . Its AI identifies filler words (um, uh, like ) instantly , allowing you to remove them with a single click . It also features "Studio Sound" to make amateur microphone recordings sound professional , and its built-in AI assistant (Underlord ) handles summaries, show notes, and complex multi-track edits.
• Riverside : Best for remote interviews with a seamless workflow. Riverside is primarily a high-end remote recording platform , but its integrated editor features fantastic AI tools . Unlike traditional cuts that can cause choppy video jump-cuts, Riverside offers a unique "automute" option that silences filler words without disrupting the visual or acoustic flow . It also includes "Magic Audio" for one-click background noise reduction and "Magic Clips" for repurposing.
• Cleanvoice : Best dedicated plug-and-play cleaner. If you already use a traditional DAW (like GarageBand, Audition, or Reaper) and just want an automated tool to process your raw audio files, Cleanvoice is exceptional . You simply upload your audio file, and the AI strips out filler words, mouth clicks, long pauses, and background hums before you drop the cleaned file back into your main editor.

If you are choosing a primary hub for your workflow, Descript is the most robust for pure editing , while Riverside is ideal if you record remote co-hosts or guests.

If you tell me whether you are recording solo or with remote guests , and whether it is audio-only or video , I can help you pick the ideal tool and workflow.

If your main goal is editing a podcast quickly and automatically removing filler words, my top pick is Descript.

🏆 Best overall: Descript

Why I’d choose it:

• Edit audio by editing the transcript. Delete a sentence in the text and it disappears from the recording.
• Automatically detects filler words like “um,” “uh,” “you know,” “like,” and repeated words.
• Can remove retakes, awkward sections, and tangents, not just individual filler words.
• Studio Sound can clean up voices and make mediocre recordings sound much more polished.
• It also handles transcription, speaker detection, clips, show notes, and video podcasts, so you don't need several different tools.

Pricing: Descript currently has a free tier, while paid plans start around $12/month when billed annually; the paid tiers expand transcription and filler-word removal capabilities.

Other good options

One important caveat: don't automatically delete every filler word. Removing all hesitation can make a conversation sound unnaturally robotic. A good editor removes repetitive “ums,” awkward pauses, and verbal clutter while keeping natural conversational rhythm.

My recommendation: If you're starting a podcast and want “upload → AI cleans it up → quickly review → export,” go with Descript. It's probably the closest thing to an all-in-one AI podcast editor right now.

If you tell me whether your podcast is audio-only or video + audio, and whether you're looking for free or paid, I can narrow it down to the best 2–3 options for you.

When it comes to AI podcast editing and stripping out filler words ("um," "uh," stutters, and awkward pauses), a few standout tools dominate the market depending on whether you want a full text-based editor or a fully automated background cleaner.

The top options ranked by their strengths include:

1. Descript (The Industry Gold Standard for Text-Based Editing)
   • Best for: Complete control over your final cut using a word processor-style transcript.
   • How it works: It transcribes your audio and lets you edit the recording simply by highlighting and deleting text. It features a dedicated "Remove Filler Words" button that zaps all "ums" and "ahs" across multiple speakers in a single click, while keeping the natural cadence of the speech intact.
   • Why it shines: It also handles studio-sound enhancement, overdubbing (fixing a misspoken word by typing the correction), and automated show notes.
2. Riverside (Best All-in-One for Recording & Quick AI Polish)
   • Best for: Remote interview-style podcasts where you record high-resolution audio/video and want to edit immediately.
   • How it works: Riverside captures separate local tracks for each guest. In their built-in text editor, you can pull up the AI producer tools to remove filler words and clean up long pauses instantly.
   • Why it shines: It seamlessly combines high-quality multi-track recording with fast transcript-based editing and social clip generation without needing to export files to another program.

Watch this video to see a walkthrough of how Riverside's AI text-based editor quickly cleans up filler words and pauses from your recording:

4:57 Best Way to Remove Filler Words and Silences from Your ...3.2K views  · 1 year ago YouTube · Riverside

1. Cleanvoice AI (Best for Pure Automation)
   • Best for: Creators who just want to drop an audio file in and get a clean, polished track back without touching a timeline or transcript.
   • How it works: You upload your finished or raw audio file, and Cleanvoice’s AI automatically detects and strips out filler words, mouth clicks, heavy breathing, and dead air.
   • Why it shines: It's fast, requires almost zero learning curve, and does the tedious grunt work of minute-by-minute audio scrubbing automatically.

Which one should you pick?

• Choose Descript if you want deep, granular control over the story, narrative flow, and text-based timeline.
• Choose Riverside if you record remote video/audio interviews and want an integrated workflow from recording to final polish.
• Choose Cleanvoice if you already edit in a traditional audio workstation (like GarageBand, Audacity, or Reaper) and just want an automated plugin/upload step to handle the dirty work of removing ticks and "ums".

If you'd like, tell me:

• Do you record solo or with remote guests?
• Are you working with audio only or video too?

I can recommend the most cost-effective plan or workflow for your setup.

See how platforms like Riverside handle automated filler word and silence removal in practice:

The best AI tools for editing a podcast and removing filler words are Descript for text-based deep editing and Riverside for an integrated recording-to-edit workflow.

Choosing the right AI podcast editor depends on your specific workflow, whether you prefer editing via text transcripts or need specialized audio cleanup.

Top AI Podcast Editors

• Descript : Best for text-based editing . It transcribes your audio into a text document; deleting a word, "um," or "uh" from the text automatically edits the audio file. It also features Overdub voice cloning and Studio Sound enhancement. Pricing starts around $12–$24/month with a free tier available.
• Riverside : Best for remote recording and quick production . Its built-in AI Producer tool detects and removes filler words and adjustable silences across all remote speakers with a single click. It also generates social media clips and automatic show notes. Plans start around $29/month.
• Cleanvoice AI : Best for standalone audio cleanup . You upload raw audio files, and the AI automatically strips out filler words, stutters, mouth clicks, and heavy breathing in over 20 languages without needing a full timeline editor. Pricing is usage-based (e.g., roughly €10 for 10 hours).
• Resound : Best for precision multi-track audio polishing . Built specifically for creators, it uses specialized AI to target filler words and long silences while offering carry-over unused minutes and professional mixing features. Pricing starts around $12/month.
• Gling AI : Best for rapid automated rough cuts . It automatically identifies and removes dead air, bad takes, and filler words from audio and video recordings in seconds before you export to a traditional DAW. Pricing ranges from $10 to $40/month after a free tier.

Quick Comparison

If you'd like, tell me:

• Do you record solo or with remote guests?
• Do you prefer editing via text transcripts or a traditional timeline?

I can recommend the exact platform that fits your setup.

If your main goal is editing a podcast quickly and automatically removing filler words, my top pick is Descript.

🥇 Best overall: Descript

descript.com is particularly good because you edit the podcast by editing its transcript—delete a sentence in the text, and the corresponding audio disappears. It can automatically detect and remove “um,” “uh,” “you know,” repeated words, retakes, and other unnecessary material.

It also has Edit for Clarity, which goes beyond individual filler words and can identify wordiness, rambling, and off-topic sections.

I'd choose it if: you already have recorded episodes and want to turn a 60-minute editing job into ~10–15 minutes of review.

🥈 Best if you also record remotely: Riverside

riverside.com is excellent if you're recording interviews or video podcasts with guests. Its AI editor can remove filler words, pauses, and “fluff,” while its multitrack recording gives you separate tracks for each speaker.

Its filler-word tool lets you choose Smart, Cut, or Mute, which is useful if you don't want every “um” to create an obvious edit.

🥉 Best specifically for filler removal: Cleanvoice

If filler-word removal is the #1 thing you care about, Cleanvoice is worth considering. A recent 2026 comparison specifically ranked it best for filler-word removal, while ranking Descript best overall.

My recommendation

For most podcasters, I'd start with Descript. Its combination of transcript editing + filler removal + retake removal + audio enhancement is hard to beat.

If you tell me whether your podcast is audio-only or video, how long your typical episodes are, and whether you want the AI to automatically edit the whole episode or just remove filler words, I can narrow it down to the best option for your workflow.

If your main goal is editing a podcast quickly and automatically removing “um,” “uh,” “you know,” false starts, pauses, and other fluff, my top pick is Descript.

🥇 Best overall: Descript

Why I’d choose it:

• Edit audio by editing the transcript — delete a sentence in the text and it disappears from the recording.
• Automatically detects and removes filler words such as “um,” “uh,” and “you know.”
• AI can go beyond filler words: Descript's “Edit for Clarity” can remove wordiness, retakes, tangents, and other unnecessary material.
• Studio Sound can clean up background noise, room echo, and inconsistent voice quality.
• It also handles multitrack podcast editing, clips, chapters, and transcription, so you don't need a separate tool for every step.

Other good choices

Riverside also has one-click filler removal with “Smart,” “Cut,” and “Mute” options, which is particularly useful if you're already recording your podcast there.

Adobe Podcast is appealing if you want something extremely simple: upload the recording, edit it like a text document, and download the result.

My recommendation

If you told me, “I have a finished 60-minute podcast and I want AI to make it sound tighter without spending hours editing,” I'd use Descript.

A particularly good workflow is:

Upload → transcribe → remove filler words → remove retakes → shorten excessive pauses → Studio Sound → manually review the cuts → export.

That can turn what would normally be a fairly tedious editing session into a much faster review process.

If you tell me whether your podcast is audio-only or video + audio, and roughly how many episodes you produce per month, I can also tell you which tool gives you the best value.

When it comes to editing a podcast and removing filler words ("um," "uh," "like," "you know"), the "best" tool depends entirely on your workflow preference: whether you want to edit by reading/modifying a text transcript, or if you just want a set-it-and-forget-it automated audio cleaner.

The top AI tools for this job are categorized below by their primary strengths:

Watch this overview of leading AI podcast editors to see text-based editing and filler word removal in action:

7:28 AI Podcast Editing Tools You Need in 2025 1 year ago YouTube · PodcastLaunchLab

1. Best Overall & Best Text-Based Editor: Descript

• How it works: Descript transcribes your audio and lets you edit your podcast just like you would edit a Word document or Google Doc. If you highlight a sentence or an "um" in the text and hit delete, it cuts it out of the audio waveform instantly.
• Filler Word Removal: It features a dedicated one-click "Remove Filler Words" tool that scans your entire transcript, detects all variants of "ums," "uhs," and "likes," and lets you delete them all or review them individually.
• Standout Bonus: Studio Sound (which magically strips out room echo and background noise to make a cheap mic sound like a professional studio setup) and Overdub (which lets you fix a misspoken word by simply typing the correction in your own cloned voice).
• Best for: Creators who want granular control over their final cut while saving hours of timeline scrubbing.

2. Best Fully Automated Cleaner: Cleanvoice AI

• How it works: Instead of a complex text-editing interface, Cleanvoice is an automated post-production cleanup service. You upload your raw audio file, and the AI processes it to strip out filler words, stutters, mouth smacks, heavy breathing, and long dead-air pauses.
• Filler Word Removal: Highly accurate across more than 20 languages and handles subtle noises that standard gates miss. It even offers an option to silence rather than completely cut the filler word if you need to protect strict video timecodes or multi-track sync.
• Best for: Podcasters who already edit in a traditional DAW (like Audacity, Adobe Audition, or GarageBand) and just want an automated pass to clean up the bloat before the final mix.

3. Best for Remote Interview Shows: Riverside

• How it works: Riverside is primarily a high-quality remote recording platform, but its built-in AI editor has evolved into a powerhouse for post-production.
• Filler Word Removal: Using their AI tools/Smooth Speech feature, you can click a single button to auto-detect and remove or mute filler words and adjust the pacing of pauses for every remote participant simultaneously.
• Standout Bonus: It automatically turns your long-form episode into short, vertical social media clips (Magic Clips ) complete with styled captions.
• Best for: Interview-based podcasters who record remotely and want to record, clean, and clip their episodes all in one ecosystem.

Quick Verdict Recommendation

• Choose Descript if you want to visually read and chop up your episode's narrative and want the most robust all-in-one text editing toolkit.
• Choose Cleanvoice if you love your current editing software and just want an automated background "vacuum" for ums, ahs, and mouth clicks.
• Choose Riverside if you record remote guest interviews and want solid recording quality paired with fast AI cleanup.

If you can share what recording setup you use (solo vs. remote guests, audio-only vs. video) and your preferred style of editing (text-based vs. traditional timeline), I can help you pick the exact platform that fits your workflow.

When it comes to editing a podcast and automatically removing filler words like "um," "uh," and "like," a few standout tools dominate the market . The "best" choice depends on your specific workflow—whether you want an all-in-one text-based editor or a specialized processor that cleans up your raw audio file instantly.

Watch this overview of top AI podcast tools to see how text-based editing and one-click filler word removal look in action:

7:28 AI Podcast Editing Tools You Need in 2025 1 year ago YouTube · PodcastLaunchLab

The Top Contenders

• Descript (Best Overall / Text-Based Editing)
  • How it works: Transcribes your audio and lets you edit your podcast by simply editing the text transcript. Delete a sentence or highlight and remove all filler words with one click, and the audio timeline updates automatically.
  • Standout features: One-click filler word removal, Studio Sound (which magically fixes bad room acoustics or echo), and Overdub (voice cloning to fix or change spoken words by just typing).
  • Best for: Creators who want a comprehensive, document-style interface for full podcast production.
• Cleanvoice AI (Best Dedicated Audio Cleaner)
  • How it works: A specialized, automated post-production tool. You upload your finished or raw audio file, and the AI processes it to strip out filler words, mouth clicks, breathing sounds, and awkward silences.
  • Standout features: Highly accurate detection of stutters and mouth noises with minimal disruption to natural breathing patterns.
  • Best for: Podcasters who prefer recording in traditional digital audio workstations (like GarageBand, Audacity, or Reaper) but want to run their audio through an automated cleanup pass before final mixing.
• Riverside (Best for Remote Interview & Video Podcasts)
  • How it works: Originally a high-quality remote recording platform, Riverside includes robust built-in AI editing tools.
  • Standout features: Its "Smooth Speech" and AI producer tools let you cut or mute filler words across all multi-track participant recordings at once. You can also choose whether to fully cut or just mute the words (useful for video tracks to avoid jarring visual jumps).
  • Best for: Co-hosted or interview-style video podcasts recorded remotely.
• Adobe Podcast (Best Quick Web-Based Fix)
  • How it works: A web-based utility from Adobe that offers powerful speech enhancement and transcript-based rough cuts.
  • Standout features: Excellent audio restoration combined with quick-click silence and filler word removal.
  • Best for: Quick, browser-based enhancements without installing heavy software.

Summary Recommendation

• Choose Descript if you want to rewrite and structure your episode by editing text like a Word document.
• Choose Cleanvoice AI if you just want to drop your file in and have an automated pass strip out the "ums" and mouth sounds without changing your primary editing software.
• Choose Riverside if you record remote video/audio interviews and need an integrated platform to handle both the high-quality recording and the cleanup.

To help narrow down the best fit, tell me:

• Do you record solo or with remote guests?
• Are you editing audio only or video too?
• Do you prefer a traditional timeline or a text-based transcript editor?

For most podcasters, the best AI tool for editing a podcast and removing filler words is:

🥇 Descript

It’s the closest thing to “edit my podcast like a document.” You upload your recording, it creates a transcript, and you can delete words from the transcript to cut the audio/video. Its AI tools can detect and remove fillers like “um,” “uh,” and “you know,” plus clean up retakes and tighten pacing.

Best for:

• Interview podcasts
• Solo shows with lots of verbal cleanup
• Video podcasts (YouTube + audio)
• Creators who don’t want to learn a traditional editor

Pros

• Excellent transcript-based editing workflow
• Filler-word removal is built in
• Good audio cleanup with Studio Sound
• Easy for non-editors

Cons

• You should still review AI cuts; removing every “um” or pause can sometimes make a conversation feel unnatural.

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Other strong options

🥈 Riverside.fm

Best if you record remote interviews. It combines recording, transcription, and AI editing features, including filler-word cleanup.

Choose it if your priority is:

• Recording guests remotely
• Separate high-quality tracks
• Recording + editing in one place

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🥉 Adobe Adobe Podcast

Best for making bad audio sound better, especially:

• Room echo
• Laptop microphone recordings
• Background noise

Its speech enhancement is impressive, but it’s less of a full podcast editor than Descript.

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If your main goal is only filler removal:

Cleanvoice AI is worth looking at. It specializes in removing filler words, mouth sounds, stutters, and awkward pauses.

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My pick by use case

For a typical weekly podcast workflow, I’d use Riverside (record) → Descript (edit) → Auphonic (final polish). If you only want one tool, pick Descript.