Everyone can use a bit more entertainment in their lives – in the world of Podcasts, there’s something for everyone. From shows for children to those for adults, podcasts can be a useful way to learn more about your hobbies, life and society as a whole. Some may also be motivational – but if you’re short on time, you’ll want to subscribe to only the best Podcasts that deliver a ton of value. So that’s why we’ve compiled this list of some of the best Podcast apps available. Enjoy!
Table of Contents
Best Apps For Listening To Podcasts
In 2002, two years before the word “podcast” was coined, I stumbled on an iTunes station that sounded like an amateur talk radio show. A couple of friends got together each week, recorded an hour or more of their conversation, and posted it as The Great Radio Tiki Experiment. (The show is long gone, but archives of it are still available.) It was one of the earliest podcasts, and I was hooked.
It took another decade for the medium to catch on widely, and now it seems like anyone can create a podcast. Today the podcast market is so overrun with content that the only way to find shows you love, organize episodes you want to hear, and listen to them is to download a dedicated podcast app.
Recently, some Spotify users started looking for an alternative podcast player app after pleas from the medical community and music legends to stop Joe Rogan from spreading false or misleading ideas about COVID-19 went largely unanswered. If you do decide to leave Spotify behind, just know that the company does carry some exclusive podcasts, so you won’t necessarily be able to find all your favorite shows elsewhere. Then again, maybe you’ll discover new shows that are even better.
Having tested around 25 podcast players, I’ve picked nine that offer a great overall experience or something unique. Among these, I have a few personal favorites.
If you’re looking for a streamlined podcast player that isn’t littered with ads and recommendations, and you only have to pay for it once, my recommendation is Downcast for iPhone and DoggCatcher for Android. For a similar experience that’s cross-platform, Pocket Casts takes the cake. Overcast gets an honorable mention for having a loyal and dedicated following for years, and for having some of the best tools for organizing playlists.
What to Look for
Nearly all podcast apps have a few features in common. You should always be able to subscribe to a show so that new episodes appear in your podcast feed. You should be able to control how much content downloads to your device, either manually or by limiting the number of new episodes that download from each show. Some apps also let you set a limit on the amount of storage you’re willing to use.
Most apps have an audio boost feature that automatically enriches human voices. Many, but not all, have a dead air trimmer that, when enabled, automatically snips out silences that are longer than a breath or two.
Any podcast app should let you create playlists, for example, a list of the shows you listen to every morning or a separate list of the shows you save for the weekend.
Start Listening
Below you’ll find the best podcast apps, listed alphabetically, with images of the mobile apps, details on their prices, and a few words about what makes them unique or useful.
Best podcast apps for android
Pocket Casts
Pocket Casts is my favorite podcast app. It’s packed with features but remains easy and intuitive to use, and most importantly, it’s free. It’s simple to find the podcasts you’re looking for, thanks to an easy-to-navigate interface that lets you browse through recommendations, subscribe, or listen directly. Episodes can be organized by season and downloaded manually or automatically to be played offline. It also comes with everything you can possibly need when listening, such as speed controls, silence trimming, a volume booster, and even a sleep timer.
There is a Plus subscription that costs about $1 per month and gives you 10GB of cloud storage, extra themes, and access to a web player and desktop apps.
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Pocket Casts 1
Pocket Casts 2
Pocket Casts 3
Pocket Casts – Podcast Player
Automattic, Inc
NEWS & MAGAZINES
Price: Free
4
Download
PodBean
PodBean is one of the most popular podcast apps thanks to its unique features. In addition to offering similar options to its rivals, two of its features are pretty special compared to the competition. The first is intelligent playback speed, which can automatically be adjusted based on the content you’re listening to, instead of having to do it manually for each episode. This is particularly handy if you listen to podcasts from various hosts with different speaking speeds. The second is the ability to listen to live podcasts and interact in real time instead of listening after they’ve been recorded and edited.
On top of these features, PodBean lets you browse through recommendations, purchase premium content, and even record your own podcast. The only drawbacks I can think of is its lack of proper season support, making it hard to keep up with some subscriptions. In addition, the interface can be hard to navigate at times. It’s slightly unintuitive, with icons both at the top and the bottom of the screen, making it hard to know where to go, especially when trying to switch from one subscription to the other.
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Podbean 1
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Podcast Player App – Podbean
Podbean – Podcast & Radio & Audiobook
MUSIC & AUDIO
Price: Free
4.7
Download
Castbox
Castbox is similar to PodBean in the sense that it’s packed with features. I personally find its interface a bit complex to navigate, and the ads in the free version can be annoying. Despite these drawbacks, the app has a lot to offer.
Castbox is not only a podcast playback app; it’s a true community of listeners who can comment and interact with each other and even record their own podcast directly from the app. Similarly, it’s a great way to find customized recommendations of what to listen to. The free version limits your subscriptions to 100, but that is more than enough for the average Joe.
Once you’ve found your crowd, listening is easy and customizable. There are speed controls, silence trimming, a volume booster, and a sleep timer. A unique feature is the app’s ability to transcribe podcasts and let you search a specific set of words without listening to the entire podcast. There is a $5 monthly subscription that removes ads, lifts the subscription limit, and gives you even more personalized content and playback settings.
Castbox is probably one of the richest apps on this list in terms of features, but that makes it a bit harder to use. You’ll have to gauge whether you want something straightforward with less functionality, or an app that offers a lot but takes a bit of getting used to.
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Castbox 1
Castbox 2
Castbox 3
Podcast Player App – Castbox
Castbox.FM – Radio & Podcast & AudioBooks
MUSIC & AUDIO
Price: Free
4.8
Download
Google Podcasts
If you’re too busy to think about which app to use, Google Podcasts is a reliable option. It makes it easy to subscribe to podcasts and listen to them without necessarily having to subscribe first. It also provides intelligent recommendations based on what you follow and might be interested in. Sadly, it’s not the best app for browsing various options, both because it can’t group episodes by seasons and because its built-in search isn’t reliable, which is ironic for a Google app. It often returns inconsistent results, and there is no option to search for episodes within a podcast series itself. As someone who mostly listens to podcasts broken down into seasons, I struggle every time to find the right one.
Once you’ve organized your queue, though, it’s straightforward and easy to use. It comes with valuable features, including auto-downloading episodes from your subscriptions, as well as playback speed control, silence trimming, and a sleep timer. The app also syncs with the cloud, making it convenient to pick up where you left off using the free web player.
In essence, Google Podcasts lacks some advanced features, but is a no-brainer app that can be a good option for many users. I recommend it for people who listen to news or content as it’s released, but not necessarily to listen to the back catalog of a published podcast series.
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Google Podcasts 1
Google Podcasts 2
Google Podcasts 3
Google Podcasts 4
Google Podcasts
Google LLC
MUSIC & AUDIO
Price: Free
4.5
Download
Spotify
If you already use Spotify to listen to music, you’ll probably appreciate using a single app for various needs. That being said, the features are relatively limited, especially when it comes to finding what to listen to, as the app doesn’t provide smart recommendations but rather lists a curated selection.Some people may also find it confusing to mix music and podcasts in their library or when browsing for options. There is also no support for seasons, which makes it even harder to find the proper episode.
Spotify is convenient for basic usage, mainly because all your content is in a single place. However, you will need another app if you want more features and need to organize your library more efficiently.
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Spotify 1
Spotify 2
Spotify 3
Spotify: Music and Podcasts
Spotify AB
MUSIC & AUDIO
Price: Free
4.4
Download
Stitcher
Stitcher offers an easy-to-navigate interface, combined with some useful features. The catalog is easy to browse through, but there aren’t smart or customized recommendations. Similarly, if your podcasts are organized in seasons, it’s harder to find what you’re looking for compared to some other apps.
When listening, you’ll enjoy the speed controls, silence trimming, and sleep timer. Stitcher’s pleasant interface and helpful features make it a great option for your daily podcast sessions, but you’ll have to pick another option if you need customized recommendations or season support for your episodes.
Conclusion
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