A podcast editing proposal should tell the client which recordings you will edit, what the finished episode includes, when work starts and what a revision covers. Agree those boundaries and the payment terms before opening the full session. The template below helps an independent audio editor sell a defined episode-editing service without promising to repair every recording problem or run the client's entire show.
Download the editable proposal and approval email. Replace every bracket, remove excluded services and send the finished proposal to your client. This is an original commercial starting point, not a legal contract or a tested client engagement.
Copy this podcast editing proposal
Prepared for: [client/business and billing contact]. Prepared by: [editor/business and contact]. Proposal reference and date: [reference/date]. Valid until: [date].
The job: Edit [one episode / named batch] of [show name] for [intended audience]. We will preserve the agreed meaning and speaking style while making the recording easier to follow. The client remains responsible for the accuracy and permission to publish the content.
Source allowance: This price covers [number] source tracks from the same session, with a maximum session duration of [minutes], [number] speakers and [language]. Parallel tracks recorded during one 60-minute session count as one 60-minute session for this allowance; separate sessions, pickups and alternative takes must be listed separately. Accepted inputs: [formats and recording settings]. File delivery method: [private transfer channel].
Included editing: [selected work: remove agreed false starts, trim long pauses, balance voices, reduce suitable background noise, place supplied intro/outro and agreed sponsor segment]. Editing depth is [light cleanup / agreed structural edit]. Decisions to remove or reorder substantive statements require [client approval process]. Audio restoration is limited by the source; unrecoverable clipping, missing words or severe overlap may require a new recording.
Delivered files: [one final listening file, format/settings], [additional master only if included], and [other named deliverables]. Intended destination: [client's podcast host or other destination]. Expected final duration: [range, if useful]. Video edits, clips, transcripts, show notes, cover art, host uploads and publishing are [excluded / specifically listed with their own price].
Schedule: The delivery clock starts after [written acceptance, agreed payment and all usable source files/assets] are received. First delivery: [date or number of business days after that trigger]. The client sends feedback within [days]. A late or replacement recording requires a revised schedule before work continues. A planned publication date is [date]; it is not guaranteed if intake or approval is late.
Revisions: The price includes [number] consolidated feedback round(s) on the submitted source material. Send one timestamped list through [channel]. Corrections to my delivery against the agreed brief will be addressed through [process]. New recordings, a different creative direction, extra versions and additional rounds require a separate price and approval before work. Final approval: [named contact and response method].
Price and payment: [currency and fee], with [applicable tax treatment stated separately]. Payment is due [agreed trigger/date]. Extras are [rate or separate quote] and are never started without approval. Cancellation, work already performed, rescheduling and refunds follow [your stated terms and applicable requirements]. Payment does not override those terms.
Rights and handling: The client confirms the necessary permissions for recordings, guests, music, sponsor material and artwork they supply. Third-party asset licenses remain subject to their own terms. Deliverable rights and any portfolio use are [specific agreement]. Raw files are retained for [period] and transferred/deleted through [method]. AI, cloud processing or subcontractor use is [specific disclosure and permission process]. Nothing is uploaded to an outside processing tool without the agreed permission.
Acceptance: Reply with the approval text below, or use [your agreed acceptance method]. Any change to the scope, fee or dates must be confirmed in writing before payment and work proceed.
Check source minutes before you set the fee
Finished running time does not tell you how much editing there is. A 25-minute episode cut from 80 minutes of recording can require more work than a clean 45-minute interview. State both the input allowance and the promised output.
| Client sends | What the proposal should decide |
|---|---|
| Two synchronized 60-minute speaker tracks | Whether this is one 60-minute session within the allowance |
| A 60-minute session plus a separate 20-minute pickup | Whether both sessions were quoted; do not silently absorb the pickup |
| A replacement guest recording after the first edit | New source, reassembly and schedule must be approved |
| Feedback asking for a captioned video | Separate deliverable unless expressly included |
These are hypothetical scope checks, not actual orders. Estimate listening, edit decisions, cleanup, exports, quality review and client communication before choosing your own fee. A paid trial episode can help both parties agree the sound before committing to a series. Do not advertise a free sample that requires you to edit an entire unpublished episode.
Real production offers use different package boundaries. PodAssist distinguishes episode editing from additional content assets and states a finished-audio allowance. That illustrates why your own allowance must be explicit; it does not establish a universal price or a substitute for evaluating the source.
Give the client an easy approval reply
Subject: Approval — [show], [episode], proposal [reference]
“I approve proposal [reference/version] for [deliverables] at [fee/currency and tax treatment]. The source allowance is [sessions/tracks/minutes]. I will provide the agreed recordings and licensed assets by [date]. The delivery trigger, feedback round, exclusions and payment terms are understood. My billing details are [details]; the person authorized to approve the edit is [name/contact]. Please send the agreed payment link.”
Keep this reply with the exact proposal version. A payment by itself should not leave you guessing which recording or package the client bought. Use a separate suitable agreement when the work needs legal terms or a signature; do not present a checkout as an electronic-signature service.
Turn the approved scope into a paid service
PayRequest service pages let you describe a fixed-price offer, collect client requirements and manage delivery after payment. Create a clearly named editing service that matches the approved proposal. Use short checkout questions for the show, episode reference and contact details. Transfer large or sensitive raw recordings through the private channel you agreed; the payment page is not a production asset-management system.
Connect a payment provider eligible for your business and country. Check confirmed payment in your account before treating the job as funded. Track payment separately from Pending, In progress and Delivered work. Deliver the files and message the client when the edit is ready; keep approval and revision correspondence with your project records.
For an ongoing show, choose between separately agreed episodes and an explicitly recurring service. Do not silently convert a one-episode buyer into a subscription. Review current plans and fees for the features needed: Free standard payments have a 2% platform fee capped at €25 per transaction. Active Premium (€5/month) and Business (€20/month) remove standard platform fees; provider fees and commission-payment exceptions remain separate. Registration or selecting a plan alone does not activate paid access.
Editorial note: AI assisted with the draft and illustrative cover. The proposal and scenarios are editorial tools; no client transaction, audio repair test or revenue outcome was performed. Sources and product pages reviewed on 11 November 2026.
