If your plan is one episode a week, how many hours you book each time changes your entire monthly budget. Here's what you actually need depending on format.
Simple episode, no guests
For a single-host format, 1 hour of studio time is usually enough — time to get settled, record, and leave a margin in case something needs a retake.
Episode with guests
With a host plus one or more guests, 1.5 to 2 hours is the recommended booking — it takes longer to get everyone settled, check levels on each mic, and record without feeling rushed.
Recording multiple episodes in one day
If your podcast is weekly, plenty of creators record 3 or 4 episodes in one long session instead of booking separately every week — it saves repeated setup time and is easier to coordinate with recurring guests.
How this plays out in your quote
The quote calculator lets you adjust the exact hours you need, so you can compare a short weekly session against one long monthly session and see which actually works out better.