Best Lavalier Microphones for Podcasting & Audio Recording

Looking for a lav mic? You’ve come to the right place. Our guide to lavalier microphones will help you choose the best option for you, your budget, and your podcast.

I’ll take a look at some of the best lavalier mics on the market so you don’t waste your hard-earned money. If you’d like to learn a bit about what makes lav mics such a good option for podcasters, then I get into what they are, how they work, and why they suit later on. Feel free to jump ahead to that if you’d like all the background info. Otherwise, let’s crack on with our best lavalier mic recommendations.

Best Lavalier Mics for Podcasters

A quick heads up before we dive in: We use some affiliate links in our posts, which help support all of our free content, but these never cloud our judgment when it comes to honest opinions and recommendations!

Rode Wireless Micro: Our Most Recommended Lavalier Mic

There are no overall best options that suit absolutely everyone in podcasting, but the likelihood is that the Rode Wireless Micro is probably what you’re looking for.

It’s very similar to the Rode Wireless Pro (the super fancy premium option we’ll cover next) but designed predominantly for smartphone use and is also a lot cheaper.

You can pick up either the Android (USB-C) or iPhone (Lightning) version of the Rode Wireless Pro for around the same price, and it’ll give you first-class audio right into your smartphone.

Check out our Rode Wireless Micro review for the full lowdown on our most recommended lav mic for 2025. Or, see the BOYA Mini as a great budget alternative.

• Costs: £140/$145
• Works With: Smartphone, computer
• Connection: USB-C or Lightning
• Powered By: Battery (USB charged)

Rode Wireless Pro: Highest Quality Lavalier Mic

The Rode Wireless Pro is a phenomenal piece of kit, so it’s much more than “a lav mic”. Lavaliers are just one option amongst many here, as there are two Rode Lavalier II mics in the box. You can record via those or directly into the transmitters, which pin onto your clothing like any other lav (except in a much cooler way, as they use magnets to attach!)

There’s a receiver which can plug into your smartphone, computer, recorder, DSLR, or any other piece of gear. But, each transmitter also stores its recording, giving you an almost infinite number of options.

You can get the full lowdown in our Rode Wireless Pro review, but one last thing to mention here is its 32-bit floating technology, which protects your audio from distortion caused by overly loud sounds or sloppy gain settings.

Naturally, such a brilliant kit doesn’t come at an entry-level price. But considering all you get (and all the options you have), it’s a pretty great deal. If you love the wireless concept but need something cheaper, then check out the Rode Wireless Micro as an alternative.

• Costs: £370/$400
• Works With: Recorder, computer, smartphone, DSLR
• Connection: Has a cable for every situation
• Powered By: Battery (USB charged)

BOYA Mini: Budget Wireless Smartphone Lavalier

If you’re on a very limited budget and $145 for the Rode Wireless Micro seems too much of a stretch, then the BOYA Mini is a more affordable alternative.

Whilst it has a few odd features (AI Voice Changer could be a disaster waiting to happen), on a sound quality basis, it really competes with the Wireless Micro. The BOYA Mini comes in the same style of super handy carry and charging case, which is actually even smaller than Rode’s. See our full BOYA Mini Vs Rode Wireless Micro comparison for more details.

• Costs: £53/$55
• Works With: Smartphone, computer
• Connection: USB-C or Lightning
• Powered By: Battery (USB charged)

Rode Lavalier II

I mentioned the Rode Lavalier II, which comes as part of the Rode Wireless Pro kit, and on its own, this is also a solid lav mic option for podcasters – especially if the Wireless Pro seems like overkill (and over budget) for you.

• Costs: £84/$82
• Works With: A digital recorder, receiver, or mixer, or directly into your computer
• Connection: 3.5mm
• Powered By: Plug-in power

Here’s a sound sample of the Rode Lavalier Go from the Rode Wireless Pro review…

Rode Lavalier Go

At risk of this turning into the Rode show, here’s yet another option from the company – the Rode Lavalier Go. It’s fairly similar to the Rode Lavalier II, with a few small exceptions:

• The Lavalier II mic is slightly bigger and feels more durable
• The Lavalier II has a screw lock to prevent it from being yanked out, mid-recording
• The Lavalier II costs about $25 more

The Rode Lavalier Go is a great ‘all-rounder’ lavalier mic option, and it seems to tick every box in terms of sound quality, build, and price. See our review of the Rode Lavalier Go to get the full lowdown.

• Costs: £43/$54
• Works With: A digital recorder, receiver, or mixer, or directly into your computer
• Connection: 3.5mm
• Powered By: Plug-in power

The Movo LV8-D XLR Lavalier Microphone

The Movo LV8 is theoretically a more pro-level lavalier microphone than the others here, coming with an XLR connection as standard. This means it plugs directly into a high-quality recorder like the Zoom H5 or the Zoom H6, with no adapters required. Another bonus is that it can then be phantom-powered, so you get a really nice level of gain.

We tested out the Movo LV8 mics and found them to be a decent option if you have an XLR recorder. We did end up with one broken unit, but I’m sure that was just bad luck, and the other unit was great quality and with a solid build.

• Costs: £75/$70
• Works with: Digital recorder or interface with XLR input
• Connection: XLR
• Powered by: Phantom power

Giant Squid Podcasting Omni Stereo Lavs

The Giant Squid Podcasting Omni Stereo mic is a unique, hand-built model that feeds two quality lav mics into one plug, and provides a stereo recording.

It’s ideal for interviews and co-hosted podcasts which are recorded locally. The mics will record on either side of a stereo track, which can be split in post-production, offering independent control over their levels.

• Costs: From $66
• Works With: A digital recorder or mixer, or directly into your computer
• Connection: 3.5mm
• Powered By: Plug-In Power

The Best Lavalier Mics for Smartphones

Plan to podcast exclusively with your smartphone? Our top options, the Rode Wireless Pro and Rode Wireless Micro, are perfect for this type of setup. But they’re not the only options.

The BOYA BY-M1 Smartphone & Digital Camera Lavalier

So, this is definitely the budget option in this best lav mics roundup.

The BOYA BY-M1 is similar to one of our favourite (non-smartphone) lavalier mics in many ways – the (sadly now discontinued) ATR3350.

It has a 6m (236″) long cable, which, like the 3350, can be a curse or a blessing, depending on whichever way you look at it.

• Costs: £15/$15
• Works With: Smartphones, digital cameras, camcorders
• Connection: 3.5mm (TRRS)
• Powered By: Cell battery

The Rode SmartLav+ Lavalier

Price – $60/£55

The Rode Smartlav+ is perhaps the best-known of all smartphone lavalier mics, building on the reputation they built with the original Rode Smartlav.

The Smartlav+ is powered by your phone, so doesn’t need its own battery. This means you’ll need to turn the gain up a little higher than if you were using a self-powered mic like the BY-M1.

The Smartlav’s cable is the shortest of the three of our Smartphone lavalier mic options here, with a length of 115cm (45″). This can be a little awkward if you’re recording a video on your phone while using the mic. But, for many, less cable means less complications!

• Costs: $60/£55
• Works With: A smartphone
• Connection: 3.5mm
• Powered By: Plug-In Power

The Shure MVL Smartphone Lavalier

Shure are a legendary microphone manufacturer. Traditionally a major player in the analogue mic world, they’ve released a handful of USB and smartphone models in recent years as the digital media world continues to grow.

The Shure MVL is their take on the smartphone lavalier, and it’s pretty similar to the Rode Smartlav+ in many ways.

It’s also a ‘plug in and play’ with no battery requirements.

The Shure MVL’s cable length is 50″ (127cm), making it slightly longer than the Rode Smartlav +, though both fall miles short of the BOYA BY-M1 on this front.

• Costs: $70/£60
• Works With: A smartphone
• Connection: 3.5mm
• Powered By: Plug-In Power

Comparing Smartphone Lavalier Sound Samples

Here are all three clips running one after the other: the BOYA BY-M1, the Rode Smartlav +, and the Shure MVL.

These clips were recorded with the Shure MOTIV app on the iPhone 5.

The Smartlav+ and MVL sound samples were recorded with the gain set to 100%, whilst the BY-M1 was recorded at 77%.

If you’re podcasting with your smartphone, be sure to download a recording app that lets you set your gain manually. Otherwise, you can end up with clipped and lower quality audio.

All three samples were normalised to -3dB in Adobe Audition. No cleaning, EQ, or any other post-processing was applied.

The samples were recorded in the office, rather than the studio. As lavs are often an on-the-go option, you’ll rarely record in properly sound-dampened conditions.

Now that we’ve run through our best Lavalier mic options let’s tackle some frequently asked questions about this type of kit.

What Are Lavalier Mics?

‘Lav mics’, as they’re often known (or collar mic, body mic, lapel mic), are most commonly associated with TV and film work. They’re really small microphones which pin to the speaker’s clothing, and I’m sure you’ve seen one attached to your favourite news reporter at some point.

In television, a big part of their appeal is that they are easily hidden or disguised. This makes them a great fit for video podcasting, but audio podcasters can really benefit from using them, too. Here are some reasons why:

1. They are very small, light, and portable. Not everyone has a permanent recording space, so using a lavalier microphone or two can be great for the ‘whenever, wherever’ podcaster who records in the car, out walking, etc.
2. They are excellent for conducting location interviews. Many people can be engaging speakers until you hold a microphone in their face, and they seize up. Lavalier mics are much less intimidating and lead to a more natural conversation.
3. Smartphone lavalier microphones have really taken off now, so you don’t even need a recorder. That means your recording kit can be small enough to fit in a shirt pocket. Talk about mobile!

With that said, let’s crack on and take a look; what’s the best lavalier microphone for your situation?

What Are We Looking for in a Good Lavalier Mic?

Sound quality, background noise, and durability are priorities for any podcast mic recommendations. Lav mics can have other pros and cons, too, from flimsy, easily broken clips, to short cables or ranges if they’re wireless.

Most lavalier mics will plug into and run through a digital recorder, mixer, or computer. Sometimes, they will run on ‘Phantom Power’, which we’ll cover shortly. Smartphone lavs (which, funnily enough, plug directly into your smartphone) are becoming increasingly popular too.

Smartphone Lavalier Microphone vs Standard Lavalier Mic?

This is a good question, and a big potential confusion. There are loads of different lavalier mics on the market, and not all of them will work with your smartphone.

Lavalier Mics For Older Smartphones

Smartphones have changed considerably in the past decade. Older smartphone lavaliers would plug in via 3.5mm headphone jacks, which you rarely see nowadays.

If you still have an older model with a 3.5mm jack, then looking at a lav mic’s plug is an easy way to tell if one will work. If it has two little bands around it, then it’s a TRS plug (tip-ring-sleeve) and won’t work.

If it has three little bands around it, though, as seen in the illustration, then it’s a TRRS (tip-ring-ring-sleeve) and should work with your older smartphone.

This is basically because we plug a smartphone lav into the device’s headphone jack, which is predominantly an output. Having that extra ring on the plug means it can act as both an input and an output at the same time.

That’s why you can talk through the mic on the default set of earbuds you probably got with your phone – because it’ll be a TRRS plug on there.

Rode has an adapter – the Rode SC4 – which lets you turn a TRS plug into a TRRS so you can use non-smartphone lavs into your phone this way.

This is a handy option in a pinch, but if the lav you’re using isn’t battery-powered, you can end up with a very weak signal in your recording. So, if you’re recording on your Smartphone, it’s generally wise to stick to specific smartphone lavalier microphones.

Lavalier Mics for Smartphones Without Headphone Jacks

The 3.5mm jack is becoming less common on smartphones nowadays. Your phone might have a Lightning or USB-C connection instead.

As we covered at the very beginning, the Rode Wireless Micro and Rode Wireless Pro are superb options for the more modern smartphone. And, as you can no doubt guess from their names, they are fully wireless, too!

Using 2 Older Smartphone Lavaliers at the Same Time

If you already own a couple of older (3.5mm) lavalier mics into your phone, you’ll need an adapter to use them both at once.

In the past, we recommended the Rode SC6 for this. But, as you’ll know by now, many new smartphones don’t even have a 3.5mm jack.

With that in mind, a great alternative is Rode’s AI Micro. It’s a recording interface so small it can fit in your pocket. It weighs in at a whopping 13 grams, and you can plug it into your smartphone, too. In our dedicated Rode AI Micro review, Sarah tested it with a few different lavalier mics. Check it out, take a listen, and see if it’s for you.

Obviously Rode will have designed the AI-Micro for use with their Smartlavs, but it works with any other TRRS mic too, such as the MVL or the BY-M1.

You can mix and match your mics here, but for a more consistent sound level, I’d recommend using two of the same microphones if you can.

Choosing your Lavalier Microphone

If you’re looking for a Lavalier microphone to record podcast episodes or interviews, then, for me, you’ve got three choices.

If you want to record on your Smartphone, especially with in-person guests or co-hosts, the Rode Wireless Micro is the standout choice. But, you might see the BOYA Mini as a viable alternative if your budget is super tight.

BOYA Mini Vs Rode Wireless Micro: Smartphone Audio Made Easy

Read article called: BOYA Mini Vs Rode Wireless Micro: Smartphone Audio Made Easy

Or, if you’re looking for the best possible wireless lavalier kit with options to record into any digital recorder, mixer, or interface, you might consider splashing out on the Rode Wireless Pro. It isn’t cheap, but for what you get and what it does, it’s still tremendous value for money!

Need More Help With Your Podcast?

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