In 2020, podcasts boomed in popularity. Therefore it stands to reason that listeners are hunting down the best podcast apps for 2021 via Google, since there are so many to choose from.
There’s bound to be a podcast that interests you. However, most people tend to get hung up on how exactly to go about getting started in their search for the right podcast app. If you’re already a fan of the medium or need to search the market to partake in all the action, then we’ve provided you with a plethora of options for whichever device you prefer.
Perfect Cross-Platform Podcast Apps for iOS, Android & Web
The Podcast App (iOS, Android, Web)
The benefits of The Podcast App include its ease of use combined with a powerful podcast search feature. The app doesn’t require a sign-in to immediately access more than 550,000 shows and 40 million episodes.
The Podcast App is free to use - in fact it was the first free podcasting app for iPhone users - but it does offer in-app purchases via The Podcast App Premium feature for $9.99. The app is ad-supported, which can be circumvented through the yearly price tag of $9.99. An upgrade option was enabled to remove all visual ads from the application.
Though the podcast app will generally have everything you’ll need to enjoy its vast library of shows, it does tend to fall flat in terms of features. The bulk majority of every other app mentioned in this post will typically outshine it in almost every way.
FEATURES
- Browse charts of the top featured shows
- Search by episode and add them to favorites
- Large library to choose from
- New episodes download for free automatically
- Browse for shows based on category or via curated lists
- Access and subscribe to favorite podcasts
- Listen right away or save episodes to listen later offline
- Easy access to new episodes
- Search for specific people by name or query based on a topic
Luminary (iOS, Android, Web)
Luminary is a new free podcast app that promises listeners exclusive podcast shows from top creators in addition to the regular podcasts they already love. Luminary offers a free version and premium podcast app. Users can try one month of Luminary Premium for free and pay $4.99 per month afterward.
FEATURES
- Advanced search of shows and episodes
- Personalized recommendations that learn from your individual style of listening
- Premium version offers access to more than 40 ad-free podcasts
- Premium access to Luminary Originals
- Continued listening helps you find where you left off and keep listening
- Offline mode
- Listen to episode previews before plunging in
- Get notified of new episodes and follow favorite shows
- Listen from the home screen
- Bookmark individual episodes, sort via drag-and-drop to your preferred order, download/stream all your bookmarks
- Play podcasts on Bluetooth-enabled devices
- Set a sleep timer for 10 minutes, 30 minutes, 60 minutes, or when the podcast episode ends
- Integration with Amazon Alexa
RadioPublic (iOS, Android, Web)
RadioPublic is a free podcast app that doesn’t make users create an account or login to begin listening. RadioPublic is an easy-to-use podcast player for several platforms, with no banner ads.
FEATURES
- Stream or download episodes for offline listening
- Enjoy private RSS feeds
- RadioPublic catalog has 600,000 podcasts
- Seamless streaming experience
- Easy-to-manage downloads and queues
- Human Podcast Librarians bring to light award-winning podcasts
- Uncover podcast stations by subject, theme, or time of day
- Browse podcast playlists
- Bookmark podcast episodes with HearMark™ to return to listening
- Receive notifications for new episodes of favorite shows you follow
- Add episodes to your queue for continuous playlists
- Alter playback speed
- Hop to pre-selected specific moments in podcast episodes
- Use WiFi to download episodes and listen later without mobile data usage
- Immediately stream and play podcast episodes without the need to wait for a download
Podbean (iOS, Android, Web)
Podbean is both a podcast app and a podcast hosting company. The podcast app allows listeners to easily listen to episodes while podcast creators can create podcasts on their phones all within the same app using the Podbean hosting account. The Podbean hosting costs vary from $9 to $39 monthly, based upon the creator’s needs.
As for listeners who don’t require the easy publishing tools that Podbean.com provides individuals to start podcasting, the all-in-one podcasting solution makes available more than 50 million episodes of podcasts around the world to hear.
The Podbean VIP Subscription costs $9.99 annually to remove ads, and includes advanced features such as homepage customization, prioritized support, and unlimited playlists.
FEATURES
- Intelligent speed reduces dead air time seamlessly
- Search by title, name, author
- Volume boost helps to normalize sounds, creating easier listening
- Playlist customizations
- Podcast recommendations based on listening history
- Browse by category or trending podcasts
- Free classic audiobooks, bestsellers
- Stream episodes instantly or download them to listen offline
- Sleep-timer options
- Auto-play next features
- CarPlay Support and Amazon Alexa integration
- Notifications for new episodes of followed podcasts
- Delete-after-playing and automatic download choices
- Delete or download in batches
TuneIn Radio (iOS, Android, Web)
TuneIn Radio allows podcast fans to listen to free internet radio, and gives sports and music fans the ability to stream live events. Listeners can follow the live play-by-play of their favorite sports teams, including coverage of NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL, college football, and NCAA basketball with TuneIn Radio’s premium subscription service.
FEATURES
- Compatible with CarPlay, Apple Watch, Chromecast, Google Home, Amazon Echo, Alexa and more
- TuneIn contains more than 100,000 radio stations worldwide and 5.7 million podcasts
- TuneIn Premium subscribers get ad-free news and music stations
- Curated music stations in many genres
- Live local, national, and worldwide news 24 hours per day
- Stream more than 100,000 radio stations, including AM, FM, and internet
- TuneIn can be accessed across 200 platforms and connected devices
Spotify (iOS, Android, Web Player)
Many people know Spotify as a go-to app for music, but Spotify also has curated podcast selections that have recently expanded, including widely-publicized acquisitions of Gimlet Media, The Ringer, and The Joe Rogan Experience.
Listeners who can’t find their favorite podcast can request that they be listed on Spotify.
FEATURES
- Free app features personal recommendations
- Spotify includes millions of podcasts
- Original podcasts that can’t be found elsewhere
- Curated podcast playlists from Spotify
- The ability to create custom podcast playlists
- Spotify for the Apple Watch lets you control music and podcasts from the device
- Spotify Premium is ad-free, has better sound, and lets users listen offline
Amazon Music (iOS, Android)
While the app bills itself as a music service, Amazon Music has an increasingly large library of podcasts as well. Listeners can access podcasts through both free and paid tiers of Amazon Music, an app available across platforms and serving as the default for all of Amazon’s home speaker systems. This app is separate from Amazon’s subscription audiobook service Audible, which also purports a growing library of podcasts.
FEATURES
- Large library with easy navigation
- Most compatible with home Alexa speakers and other popular Amazon products
- Multi-device sync
- Original podcasts that can’t be found anywhere else
Pocket Casts (iOS, Android, Web)
Pocket Casts offers recommendations, popularity charts, and trending networks in order to help you find the podcast for you. It can even build an Up Next queue automatically so that there’s no downtime in your listening enjoyment.
An awesome feature of the app allows you to trim the silence between episodes, which reduces the wait time between each show. You can also skip past the intros and episodes of the shows you don’t want to hear.
FEATURES
- Build a playback queue from your favorite shows
- Cut silences from episodes so you finish them faster, saving hours
- Increase the volume of voices, while decreasing background noise
- Skip episode intros, jump through episodes with custom skip intervals
- Subscriptions, playback and filters are all securely stored in the cloud, ready to sync across your devices
- Intelligent Playback Resumption, which allows a listener to rewind a bit when restarting after a break
Player FM (iOS, Android, Web)
Easily manage your subscriptions across multiple devices and discover amazing new shows daily with the Player FM podcast app. The app comes equipped with all the standard bells and whistles one expects along with a premium subscription for saving device storage space, ad-free experiences, and more.
Player FM also features Chromecast, which allows you to throw your podcasts onto your smart TV for a larger viewing experience. With a curated catalog of more than 500 niche topics, you’re bound to find something you’ll enjoy.
FEATURES
- Multi-device Sync
- Offline Listening
- Custom Categories
- Advanced Audio Player
- Sleep Timer
- Custom Playlist
CastBox (iOS, Android, Web)
An easily usable podcast player for those who love their podcasts, CastBox offers a super clean layout and easy-to-navigate interface. The app comes with a wide range of categories to choose from and allows for completely free streaming or downloading anywhere, anytime.
Enjoy your shows on the go or even on your laptop at work as all shows are synced across all platforms — allowing for uninterrupted listening no matter which device is used.
FEATURES
- Customized playlists
- One-button subscription options
- Offline listening
- “CashBox,” a trivia game with real money prizes
- Smart Speakers supported, including Amazon Alexa and Apple HomePod
Stitcher (iOS, Android, Web)
Stitcher is an on-demand podcast app focusing on news and informative radio streams. The app provides a free online streaming service and aggregates content from multiple providers, organizing them into various stations for your listening and browsing leisure.
This app provides plenty of customization and personalization through its personalization algorithm. This particular feature builds upon the user’s listening habits to influence recommendations and provide a better overall audio streaming experience.
Acquired by SiriusXM in July 2020, Stitcher remains a standalone app, but its exclusive library is available through Pandora Premium, also owned by the same parent company.
FEATURES
- Listen on Demand
- Personalized Front Page
- Custom Playlists
- Smart Speaker Integrations
- Carplay
- Exclusive Premium Shows
Spreaker Podcast Radio (iOS, Android, Web)
Spreaker is a media host and provider with podcast recording capabilities. It offers plenty of opportunities to listen to your favorite pre-recorded and live shows while also providing users with a live record-and-upload option at their fingertips.
Spreaker Podcast Radio is specifically for mobile devices and enables users to listen to their favorite shows as well as take part in live shows by interacting with the host and fellow listeners. If interested in creating your own podcast, then you’ll want to download Spreaker Studio. This option is available on both desktop and mobile devices.
FEATURES
- Access thousands of podcasts, shows, and live broadcasts
- Curated playlists from Spreaker editors and partners
- Keep all your preferred podcasts in one place with the personalized Favorites section
- Easily search shows and episodes by keywords and tags
- Offline listening
- Like, share, and comment on episodes
- Interact live with hosts and fellow listeners
Anchor FM (iOS, Android, Web)
A majority of podcasters who desire to make a podcast without spending much money turn to Anchor FM to create and host their episodes. The app helps users distribute the show everywhere, whilst containing the ability to listen to existing podcasters within one app for free.
FEATURES
- Free hosting without limits
- Distribute podcasts to Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, and Spotify, with ease
- Podcast monetization
- Create podcasts with guests around the globe
- Detailed analytics
- Record from desktop, iPad apps, or Anchor’s mobile apps
Himalaya (Android, iOS, Web)
The free Himalaya app stepped on the scene in 2019, and deserves an honorable mention. Himalaya is in the process of pivoting to an audio learning platform, but it still has its deep library of podcasts and features.
FEATURES
- Extensive recommendations
- Suggested playlists based on time of day
- In-depth categories
- Specific topics such as aviation, Hinduism, and language
- An “in-show” search engine to find specific episodes of a podcast
Hubhopper (iOS, Android, Web)
The free Hubhopper podcast and publisher app is the top app of its kind in India. Hubhopper has a design that makes it easy for users to find their way around.
- Wide variety of topics, from horror to the supernatural
- “Read sections” provide most recent news from publishers
- Subscription modes help group favorite shows and exclusives
- Podcasts are added to Siri for quick voice access
- Find shows by Indians, for Indians, in local languages
Adori (iOS, Android)
Adori are reimagining the podcast experience. Where actionable elements inserted by the podcast creator surface relevant links, images, polls, locations and more, as you listen, at just the right moment.
This is a complete game changer that transforms audio storytelling. Have you ever wished your favorite podcast could go that extra mile? Where you no longer have to hunt down what the podcaster discusses, but have it on your screen at exactly the right moment? A relevant image, a link to that book recommendation, saving that exclusive offer code, or just providing feedback? Now with Adori’s technology, you can do all of this and more.
FEATURES
- Discover shows via handpicked lists from the most trusted curators or join the buzz around you by picking a podcast trending in your location.
- Sample snippets of some popular podcasts that demonstrate this brand new interactive listening experience.
- Nominate your favorite podcasts for “Adorification”.
- Enjoy how relevant information, links, images, polls and more; surface at just the right moment as you listen.
- One-tap creation of audio bookmarks and clips, for saving and sharing those special moments in the podcast.
- Build a custom playlist and save your favorite episodes.
- Automatically save your spot in partially heard episodes and maintains your listen-history to easily revisit any podcast you have ever heard.
- Subscribe to shows, get recommendations based on these, and even choose to receive notifications as soon as new episodes in any of your subscriptions are published.
Breaker (iOS, Android,Web)
Both simple and easy to use, Breaker allows you to manage your podcast subscriptions, importing them from the iOS Podcast app as well as some of the above options — Overcast and Castro.
You’re able to like, comment, and subscribe to all your favorite podcasts. Breaker is touted as the #1 social podcast app for its seamless integration with Twitter and Facebook as well as the ease of sharing with friends.
FEATURES
- Find new episodes from your friends, personalized recommendations, categories, and more.
- Save time by skipping silences and listen from 1/2x to 3x.
- Follow your friends and see which episodes they listen to and like.
- Set a sleep timer for 15, 30, 45, 60 minutes, or to the end of episode.
- Share episodes on Twitter and Facebook or send to a friend on Breaker.
- Create your own custom playlists.
- Send and chat about episodes with your friends.
- Decide light or dark mode by yourself.
- Purchase exclusive episodes from podcasts you follow
Hubl (iOS, Android)
Designed for mobile, Hubl allows podcast listeners to rate and discuss podcast episodes, building out an episodic discovery experience for people who want to find the most popular podcast episodes without digging through a show’s whole catalog. Beyond making podcast reviews more granular, the podcast discovery and rating app boasts that it allows listeners to find podcasts without being bound by subscriber counts or podcast level reviews.
FEATURES
- Ratings and reviews available for each episode, rather than just for podcasts
- Filters and sorting built into an advanced search for podcast episodes
- Direct episode links to listening on Spotify and Apple
- Integration to Instagram Stories for easy sharing
- Designed by podcast listeners
Repod -- Podcast Discovery (iOS, Android, Web)
With personalized recommendations powering its proprietary charts, Repod allows anyone in its community of passionate podcast listeners to easily find and share podcasts with commentary. This is a great listening app for anyone looking to find a social community around podcasting.
FEATURES
- Community of passionate podcast listeners to discuss and share episodes
- Proprietary podcast charts guided by what people in the community are listening to and recommending
- Suggestions and episodes tailored by your interests
- Import subscriptions from Apple Podcasts or another podcast player
- Easily share clip and share episodes in the app or on other social feeds
The Best Podcast Apps Exclusively for Your iOS Devices
Apple Podcasts
The Apple podcast app that is automatically loaded onto iOS products has a lot to offer no-frills podcast fans seeking the best free podcasts. The fact that the app appears prominently on your iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, computer, or Apple TV device is half the battle for folks who don’t want to search the App Store for more apps.
FEATURES
- Browse featured iTunes editors’ selections
- Search by most popular podcasts, titles, or specific subjects
- Manage subscriptions and receive updates
- Stream or download to iOS devices
- iCloud allows users can listen on one device and switch to another device to keep listening
- Slow down or speed up the playback speed
- “Spoken Word” EQ setting improves sound quality
- Create personalized podcast stations
- Smart Playlists allow users to create specific groupings of podcasts, such as news episodes lasting longer than 40 minutes
- Listeners can subscribe to podcasts that aren’t in the iTunes Store by pasting the URL feed in the search box
- Share whole playlists with others
Castaway 2
Castaway 2 isn’t just the name of a game or a hopeful follow-up to a Tom Hanks movie. It is also the name of an app that lets podcast fans stream and download podcast episodes and more. The app features a simple user interface with big, beautiful artwork and controls that are easy to understand.
The app offers a minimalist design, while still providing features such as notifications of new episodes and playback rate adjustment.
FEATURES
- Browse popular podcasts and networks
- Search for podcast title or author
- Listen individually to episodes or subscribe to favorite podcasts
- Stream or download episodes to your device
- Background refresh keeps podcasts current
- Enable automatic download preferences if you so desire
- Save favorite episodes
- Set playback rate per podcast or across the board
PodCruncher
PodCruncher has plenty of cool options for podcast fanatics, including “unmatched playback control.” There’s stuff like full-screen landscape video mode, sleep-timer options, and advanced gestures for playing, pausing, rewinding, and fast-forwarding that take the cake. It’s an easy, smooth, and fast app.
Podcast users can manage audio and video podcasts without the need to sync to a computer. Episodes can also be played over 3G/WiFi or downloaded to listen offline without size limits.
FEATURES
- Make filtered smart playlists to organize episodes
- Entire iTunes catalog of more than 500,000 podcasts
- Auto-download new episodes
- Control your listening remotely whilst driving or working out
- Enjoy playback speeds of 1x, 1.25x, 1.5x, 1.75x, 2x, 0.5x
- Support for AirPlay, Bluetooth
- Fine scrub with precise slider
- Import subscriptions for immediate listening
- Create auto-download rules for new podcast episodes
Castro Podcast Player
The Castro Podcast Player is a unique iOS podcast player — in a good way. They have a cool Inbox feature that lets you queue or archive new episodes — great for when you don’t want to listen to every episode for every podcast.
There is a night mode you can turn on and off with a two-finger swipe. This is a well-designed podcast app that works great, especially when you are subscribed to many different podcasts. They also have iMessage and Apple Watch support.
Easily manage a flood of podcast episodes with an app that uses a new way of looking at podcast organization. Castro throws away the “master list” approach and ushers in the trifecta of a queue, inbox, and archive. Queue houses the episodes you’re looking to listen to, Inbox provides a list of episodes along with text snippets, and Archive is where all your favorited episodes are stored.
Castro has an innovative feature called Triage that allows you to broaden your listening habits without being hassled by notifications for new podcast episodes. Triage will recommend new podcast episodes based on your previous interests, making it an excellent feature to help you prioritize content.
Castro also offers a premium subscription called Castro Plus which allows for enhanced audio defaults and various ad-ons for audiophiles.
FEATURES
- Sleep Timer
- 3D Touch support
- CarPlay support
- Favorite list of episodes
- Adjustable playback speeds
- Delayed episode deletion, allowing listeners the option to revisit finished episodes for 24 hours before it’s automatically removed from a queue
Overcast
One of the App Store’s “Editors’ Choice” apps, Overcast has an intuitive and easy to navigate interface. Podcasts are organized by category and can be interacted with by a simple click. You can check out any of the episodes offered, commitment-free, or subscribe and add one (or many) to your list.
Smart Speed, one of Overcast’s best features, allows you to speed up podcasts without distorting quality. If you’re the type that likes to speed through conversation to get to the good parts then this function is a real time saver without any diminishing returns.
A privacy-focused player, Overcast is funded by podcasts looking to advertise to podcast listeners, who can turn off these advertisements for $10 per year.
FEATURES
- Download podcasts for playing anytime, even when offline.
- Create custom Playlists with smart filters and per-podcast priorities, and rearrange the list whenever you want.
- Download podcasts over cellular, set a sleep timer, or use Voice Boost to enhance and normalize speech volume.
- Adjust playback speed, and use Smart Speed to pick up extra speed without distorting the conversation.
- CarPlay support
- Privacy-focused, meaning no third-party analytics, external ad services, or tracking code.
Downcast
A lot more flexible and powerful than Apple’s official app, Downcast offers users a large collection of both features and shows. With intuitive downloading options and a superb, easy to navigate interface, Downcast is an amazing podcast app. Easily create playlists, play videos at fullscreen, and adjust various parameters such as playback speed with this podcast app.
Downcast’s true power lies in its library management. Global settings allow for large downloads, whether to use Wi-Fi or cellular data and provide the ability to determine how long episodes are retained after you watch them. These settings can be overridden for individual podcasts and episodes as well.
FEATURES
- Search, subscribe to and download audio and video podcasts of any size
- Download podcasts automatically
- Continue podcast downloads in the background
- Import and export podcast feeds via OPML as well as audio/video media files
- Support for password-protected podcasts
- Create and edit “smart” playlists
- Ability to tip podcasters through in-app purchases
iCatcher!
iCatcher! is quite similar to Downcast, albeit with a bit of a learning curve. Though once you’re able to master the differences in interface design and intuitive ease, you’re graced with a podcast equipped with quite a few interesting features.
iCatcher! features playlists, extremely customizable settings, AirPlay support, and much more. When searching for shows, the app allows you to break it down into categories and subcategories to find what you’re looking for, quickly. Reviewers of the app indicate that it’s the best on the market for people who listen to many different podcasts.
FEATURES
- Download in the background
- Download multiple episodes at once (up to 3 on WiFi and 2 on cellular).
- Sync subscriptions, episode playback positions and playlists between your devices with iCloud
- Search for all views to find that podcast or episode you are looking for
- Custom playlists with filtering options by podcast, episodes and more.
- Full VoiceOver support
RSSRadio
RSSRadio is a fast podcast app that is ad-supported, but a $3.99 one-time cost gets rid of said ads, which are selected based on your podcast subscriptions. It uses iCloud to sync to multiple devices, such as your Apple Watch
FEATURES
- Removal of silent spaces save listening time
- Clear audio, volume boosting
- Organize by categories
- Receive push notifications
- Download and stream, use podcasts that are password protected
- Sleep timer
- Day/night themes
Podcast Alarm — Player & Alarm
When the alarm blares you just want to make it stop, hit snooze as fast as possible and lay there until it blasts again. What if you actually enjoyed the sound of your alarm? Sure, you could pick your favorite song, and RUIN it forever!
The podcast player lets you wake up inspired. You can select from thousands of podcasts of any genre. Try setting an alarm to wake you up in the morning. Maybe to the next episode in a gripping drama, or start learning early with experts in your field. Select the episode and set the time, after that it’s up to you.
FEATURES
- Play your favorite podcast as an alarm, any time, any day
- Choose from 1000’s of podcasts
- Find your favorite and add it to your personal queue
- Discover more, our themed lists will help you find podcasts you’re into
- Auto download the latest episode and have it set up to play every day
- Nightstand mode, see what’s up next
Humbly
With a simple design that replicates many standard podcast app features, Humbly differentiates itself from competitors by monetizing ad impressions for charity. Beyond selecting the causes and charities you want your listenership to support, the app features a social feed so you can keep up with what shows your friends are listening to as well.
FEATURES
- Business model that allows your listening to support charities
- Social listening feed, with easy-to-manage privacy settings
- Pinning moments in episodes to revisit at a later point
- Intuitive and clean UI
Top Podcast Apps That You Can Only Find On Android
Google Podcasts
Google launched their Google Podcasts app in June 2018. Strictly for Android users, Google Podcasts is a free podcast player that allows listeners to download episodes and listen to episodes that are automatically synced across devices.
Fans of Google Assistant can begin listening to their favorite podcast on one device — their phone, smart speaker, or elsewhere — and resume listening on a different device on Google Home.
FEATURES
- Enjoy a personalized and custom listening experience
- Speed up podcast with faster playback speeds
- Skip silent parts
- Use Google Search App and the Google Assistant to discover new podcasts
- Get recommendations of new and favorite podcast episodes right on your phone
- Find popular and trending podcasts
BeyondPod Podcast Manager (Android, Web)
BeyondPod is a beautiful podcasting app that has been downloaded more than 2.5 million times. Use the sleek interface and power-filled controls to access millions of podcasts.
BeyondPod provides access to thousands of free podcasts around the world. Additional ones can be imported via sites like Feedly. The mobile podcast catcher gives users control over the episodes they want to download, and how they want to download them.
FEATURES
- Update one feed, a category, or select to update all feeds
- Smart Playlist technology creates automatic playlists based on listening history
- Access the podcast player via Android Phones, Tablets and Wear
- Automatic deletion choices
- Sleep timers and volume boost options
- Choose an ideal playback speed
- Player comes with dedicated “Car” mode that features large fonts and buttons
- Import your audiobooks or other recordings for convenient listening
- Access podcasts with a single button via the Home Screen Widget
- SmartPlay updates from the home screen of your phone
- Chromecast support
Podcast Republic (Android, Web)
Podcast Republic is a popular Android app that has been downloaded more than 4 million times. Enjoy more than 40 million episodes using this app, which supports iTunes, SoundCloud, and YouTube channels.
With live radio streaming, plus the capability of saving podcasts to your SD card, this is an ad-supported fan favorite app. However, the ads can be done away with via in-app purchase.
Podcast Republic is a top quality, trusted podcast app that’s highly customizable. Install it and begin using with minimal permission requirements.
FEATURES
- Major network support, e.g., Ted Talks, BBC, Serial, etc.
- Rate/review favorite shows
- Prioritize playlists
- Sleep timer
- Schedule your favorite podcasts to play during specific times
- Car mode allows simple gestures to operate with the need to look at your device
- Skip beginning, ending of podcasts or other specified positions
- Chromecast, picture-in-picture, Android wear, and Android Auto support
- Day/night themes
- Automated downloads and deletion
Podkicker Podcast Player
The Podkicker Podcast Player app has an ad-supported free version, as well as a paid version called Podkicker Pro, which currently costs $30 for a lifetime subscription in order to get rid of advertisements.
One of the most popular podcast apps to help Android users manage their podcast listening, the free version has been installed more than 500,000 times.
FEATURES
- All standard settings and customizations, including No WiFi Mode
- The Podkicker Pro version is ad-free, and delivers updated features to users first
- Users can add their own RSS feeds
- Ability to search the iTunes directory
- Users can download only episodes they want and format into a queue or playlist
Podcast Go
Podcast Go is elegant and free. The Android app features a streamlined user interface that provides for a plethora of podcast fans’ requirements. With access to more than 800,000 shows, plus millions of audio and video episodes, Podcast Go lets users browse trending and popular categories.
Podcast Go makes it easy to discover, download, and listen to podcasts in plenty of places.
FEATURES
- Playlist customization
- Control the rate of speed of listening
- Sleep timer features
- Support for Chromecast
- Select an app theme.
- Subscribe to favorite podcasts and receive notifications of new episodes
- Save podcast files to an SD card
Podcast Addict
Possibly the most popular podcast on the list, Podcast Addict has more than 10M+ downloads and 500k+ reviews. Search podcasts by name, category, or keyword with this app. It contains a massive library of podcasts, audiobooks, live streaming radio, and even has support for YouTube and Twitch channels.
When you play an episode from the Downloaded list, it makes a queue of all episodes for continuous play. The ability to browse content from so many different sources is a big advantage over other podcast apps. With a bevy of standard as well as exclusive features in a free package, it should make it an obvious choice for Android users.
FEATURES
- Multiple playlists support
- Advanced playback features like Shuffle mode, Loop mode, and Sleep Timer
- Works as a standalone player (MP3, local files, streaming)
- Full chapter support
- Automatic update, download, playlist & deletion (Set a specific time so your favorite podcasts can be downloaded before you wake up)
- Full app backup/restore
CastBack Plus
If you ever wanted a podcast app with great features that also doubles as a social experience, CastBack Plus has you covered. Have open discussions on podcasts by simply posting a comment and the podcast creator, as well as other listeners, will be notified. This allows anyone to check out and join in on the conversation.
CastBack Plus also comes with a clean and beautiful UI with an easy on the eyes home screen layout. Constantly in development, the developers seem to listen to their users/critics and are open to feedback and requests.
FEATURES
- Podcast Subscriptions
- Smart Play Queue
- Variable Playback Speed
- OPML Import
- Discover New Podcasts
- RSS Import
Doggcatcher
One of the oldest podcast apps on the list, Doggcatcher has received and continues to receive frequent updates to its features and design. Boasting a massive library of podcasts, playlist support, variable speed playback, themes, and various automation and customization features, Doggcatcher is nothing to scoff at.
The app comes with an upfront price of $2.99 but offers users an entirely ad-free experience and absolutely no additional in-app purchases. Doggcatcher offers so much for its price tag that it may be the steal of the list in terms of raw power in a podcast app.
FEATURES
- ChromeCast and Android Auto support
- Auto download and cleanup of media files
- Offline playback of audio and video podcasts
- Customizable audio playlists
- Build in variable speed playback
- Home screen widget for easy access to playback controls
Antenna Pod
Antenna Pod is an easy-to-use, flexible, and open-source podcast manager exclusively for Android. It offers automatic downloading of new episodes as well as playback with variable speed using Prestissimo.
The biggest sell of Antenna Pod is the fact that it is 100% free from the jump. Absolutely zero ads, zero costs, and completely open source.
FEATURES
- Add and import feeds via the iTunes and gPodder.net directories, OPML files and RSS or Atom links
- Enjoy listening your way with adjustable playback speed, chapter support (MP3, VorbisComment, and Podlove), remembered playback position and an advanced sleep timer (shake to reset, lower volume and slow down playback)
- Share episodes and feeds through advanced social media and email options, the gPodder.net services and via OPML export
- Take control over automated downloading: choose feeds, excluding mobile networks, select specific WiFi networks, require the phone to be charging and set times or intervals
- Manage storage by setting the number of cached episodes, smart deletion (based on your favorites and play status) and selecting your preferred location
Tsacdop
A minimalist and open-source podcast app, Tsacdop has started getting a bit of buzz for its clean design and easy search features. The developer claims you “will get a totally different experience” from other podcast players, and named the app podcast spelled backwards to prove it.
FEATURES
- An open source project licensed under GPL v3.0, Tsacdop is free with no ads
- Differently formatted UI than most, if not all, other podcast players
- Auto start sleep timer at scheduled time
- Privacy Friendly - doesn’t upload your data
- Podcast group management
- Most standard features of podcast apps
Top Podcast Apps That You Can Find On Windows Tablet, Mobile & PC
Podcast Lounge 2
This is the most prolific Podcast App on Windows Phone has returned as a new universal Windows 10 app. Now available on your Windows tablet, PC, mobile, and Xbox.
Podcast Lounge is free to download, but background syncing and download functionality will stop after the 30 day free trial expires.
FEATURES
- Access to audio podcasts from all over the world from a library of over 90,000 podcast programs.
- Clean and easy-to use interface allows you to browse, search, stream, download and enjoy your favorite podcasts effortlessly.
- Features the most powerful podcast search facility available; capable of finding even the most obscure podcasts.
- Smart Playlists help you automatically generate your playlist curated to just your requirements; get up and running with your podcasts with just a few presses.
- Advanced background synchronization function means that your podcasts are downloaded and ready for you when you need them.
- Features a tutorial and help system that caters to people who are just starting, or are familiar and want to learn more.
- Lots of customization options allow you to make Podcast Lounge work the way you want to.
CONCLUSION
As mobile functionality and software improve, we’re treated to a more robust variety of features. Those listed above are the current favorites but each new day brings needed improvements and innovation. With such a comprehensive list, you’re sure to find the podcast app that you never even knew you needed.
If you’re totally new to podcasts and prefer to avoid app installations or subscriptions, an alternative is the podcast search engine Listen Notes. You’ll be able to search for specific episodes for people or topics that you’re interested in and listen there without the need to download a thing.
If you have questions about this list, email hello@listennotes.com. We can update it with your app’s new features or add podcast apps we missed.
The Listen API powers a few apps on this list and could help you implement a few new features as well. Get in touch!
