Interview vs Live Q&A / AMA

Interview

One guest, tightly cut, produced? Interview. Recurring co-hosts talking for two hours with no edit? Longform Podcast.

Does the audience set the agenda live? If you selected and scripted the questions beforehand, it is Commentary.

Side-by-side comparison of Interview and Live Q&A / AMA
	Interview	Live Q&A / AMA
In one line	An edited, guest-centric conversation in which the host draws out one subject properly.	Audience questions set the agenda in real time. You bring expertise; they bring the running order.
On camera?	On camera	On camera, live
Hours a week	from 6, best around 12	from 2, best around 5
Budget floor	£200–£1,000	Just the phone I own
Editing needed	I can trim and cut	Never edited anything
Schedule	regular	regular
Platforms	YouTube (long), YouTube Shorts	Twitch, YouTube (long), TikTok
Demands	Time Equipment Editing Consistency	Time Equipment Editing Consistency
Choose it if	· People who are already connected in their industry · Good listeners — the format rewards curiosity over charisma · Anyone whose network is more valuable than their own audience	· Anyone with real expertise and an existing small audience · The lowest-preparation format on this list · Turning casual viewers into people who feel known

Still not sure which one is yours?