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OpenStudio

github.com

Free plan WebAPISelf-hosted
Visit github.com
Spec score 7.7 #13 of 22 in Podcast Recording Software

What it is

OpenStudio is a free, self-hosted virtual broadcast studio for live call-in shows, multi-host podcasts, and community radio. It runs through web, API, and self-hosted deployments. Browser sessions use peer-to-peer WebRTC mesh audio with mix-minus monitoring for around 15 participants. Operators can send programs through Icecast to unlimited listeners on their own domain. The browser records separate voice tracks and a program mix, exporting WAV or WebM; MP3 export requires ffmpeg. Optional on-device tools add whisper.cpp transcription, audio cleaning, and LLM-generated show notes. Show notes can connect to OpenAI-compatible endpoints, including LM Studio, Ollama, OpenAI, Together AI, and Groq; Anthropic needs a compatibility shim. Self-hosted broadcasts have unlimited airtime, while the live demo expires after 15 minutes. Setup uses git clone, npm install, and npm start, opening localhost:6736. Hosts currently share room URLs manually because invite-link creation is not exposed.

Spec sheet

Purpose
OpenStudio is a self-hosted virtual broadcast studio for live call-in shows, multi-host podcasts, and community radio.Read 5 Oct 2026 · github.com
Audience
The project describes itself as built for creators, including community radio hosts and podcast collectives.Read 5 Oct 2026 · github.com
Free plan
YesRead 21 Sep 2026 · github.com
Integrations
Show notes can use OpenAI-compatible endpoints, with examples for LM Studio, Ollama, OpenAI, Together AI, and Groq; Anthropic requires a compatibility shim.Read 5 Oct 2026 · github.com
Security
The project describes 24-hour JWT room tokens, scoped invite tokens, role-based access, WebSocket message caps, per-IP connection limits, rate limits, CORS controls, and hardened security headers.Read 5 Oct 2026 · github.com
Privacy
The README says the audio stays on infrastructure the operator controls and characterizes the project as having zero tracking.Read 5 Oct 2026 · github.com
Audio
It uses peer-to-peer WebRTC mesh audio with mix-minus monitoring and supports around 15 participants.Read 5 Oct 2026 · github.com
Demo limit
Broadcasts on the live demo automatically expire after 15 minutes; self-hosted broadcasts have unlimited airtime.Read 5 Oct 2026 · github.com
Known limitation
The host interface does not yet expose a button to create invite links, so hosts share the room URL manually.Read 5 Oct 2026 · github.com
Post-production
Optional tools provide on-device transcription with whisper.cpp, audio cleaning, and LLM-generated show notes.Read 5 Oct 2026 · github.com
Recording
It records separate voice tracks and a program mix client-side, with WAV or WebM export and MP3 export when ffmpeg is installed.Read 5 Oct 2026 · github.com
Requirements
Optional transcription and audio-cleaning setup requires ffmpeg, ffprobe, cmake, and about 1.5 GB of free disk space for the default Whisper model.Read 5 Oct 2026 · github.com
Setup
The quick start uses git clone, npm install, and npm start, then opens the app at localhost:6736.Read 5 Oct 2026 · github.com
Streaming
It streams through Icecast to unlimited listeners using the operator's own domain.Read 5 Oct 2026 · github.com

Plans and prices

Free / self-host Free Self-hosted; unlimited airtime when self-hosted; WebRTC mesh supports up to ~15 participants Read 5 Oct 2026 · github.com

Every OpenStudio plan and price →

Strong points and limits

Strong points

  • Free self-hosted plan
  • Supports around 15 WebRTC participants
  • Icecast streaming to unlimited listeners
  • Separate tracks and local recording
  • Optional transcription and show notes

Limits

  • MP3 export requires ffmpeg
  • Optional tools require several dependencies
  • Live demo broadcasts expire after 15 minutes
  • No invite-link creation button

Who it suits

It suits creators such as community radio hosts and podcast collectives needing self-hosted live production. Teams wanting browser recording, separate tracks, and operator-controlled audio infrastructure may also fit.

Verdict

OpenStudio combines browser-based live production, recording, and Icecast delivery in a self-hosted package. Its participant capacity and manual room sharing are important considerations for larger or more automated productions.

Where Specifiction places it

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