In recent years, podcasts have become a popular way to tell stories, learn, and have fun. There are podcasts about just about anything you can think of, and many people find that listening to audio is a much easier way to learn than watching a movie or reading. Millions of people around the world use their favorite online podcast app or player to listen to podcasts. The finest podcast app on the market has a lot of features, like the ability to listen online or offline, playback speed control, a custom playlist, and bonus content. Some also have extra features like a vocal booster, a sleep timer, and more. In this guide, we list some of the best podcast apps for iPhone, iPad, and Android.
What is a podcast?
Podcasts are audio programs that can be listened to online or downloaded and stored for later listening.
Podcasts are spoken word audio programs that often center on a single topic. While the focus of a video podcast is still on the audio, it does provide the viewer with something to look at while listening.
Hence, podcasts have experienced meteoric growth in listenership in recent years. Possessing both portability and control over one’s listening experience is the holy grail of audio consumption.
What Are Podcast Apps?
Podcast apps are basically applications that you can use to listen to podcasts. They’re your go-to platforms for accessing and enjoying all sorts of podcasts.
Podcast apps are basically directories that you can download and install on your Android or iOS device. They make it easy for you to listen to podcasts. Usually, it’s your smartphone, but it could also be something like your Apple Watch or Amazon Echo smart speaker.
With one of these apps, you can make it your go-to place for listening to and subscribing to all your favorite podcasts.
Best Podcast Apps Android
Being a fan of podcasts is something that is basically awesome. They offer a ton of stuff for you to enjoy whenever you want, without you having to do anything. It’s perfect for watching documentaries, reading news articles, listening to audiobooks, watching entertaining shows, and tuning in to different types of discussion podcasts. In addition, they’re great for those moments when you’re just winding down, going on a long drive, or trying to fall asleep. They really help fill the silence, don’t they?
The cool thing is, this type of entertainment has been around for a while. But nowadays, modern technology has made it even easier to enjoy audio content on the best Android phones. There are podcast apps and specialized services that cater to all your listening needs on your Android phone.
#1. Pocket Casts
This tool has so many cool features, but the best part is that it’s super easy to use and totally free! Finding the podcasts you want is a breeze! The interface is super user-friendly, making it a piece of cake to browse through recommendations, subscribe, or listen right away. You can easily organize episodes by season and download them either manually or automatically, so you can enjoy them offline.
Generally, it has all the things you could possibly want for listening! Like speed controls, trimming silence, a volume booster, and even a sleep timer, while there is actually a Plus subscription available! It costs around $1 per month and comes with some cool perks. With the Plus subscription, you’ll get 10GB of cloud storage, extra themes, and access to a web player and desktop apps.
#2. Castbox
Castbox is basically a feature-rich podcasting app. The free version’s advertisements, however, are a pain, and the design isn’t exactly user-friendly. The app’s flaws are minor compared to its many benefits. Castbox is more than just a podcast player; it’s a hub for a vibrant community of podcast fans to discuss shows, share ideas, and even create their own shows from within the app itself.
In addition, it’s a fantastic resource for discovering new music to your liking. Meanwhile, you can only manage up to 100 subscribers with the free version. Isn’t that plenty for the average user? Once you’ve located your people, tuning in is simple and adaptable to your needs.
It includes a sleep timer, volume booster, silent trimmer, and speed controls The option to search for a specific group of words without having to listen to the entire podcast is a unique feature of this software. A $5 monthly subscription gets you rid of commercials, unlimited access, and further customization options for your material and playback. Castbox is one of the most feature-packed programs on this list, but its complexity makes it less accessible to new users. You need to decide if you want a simple app with few features or a powerful app with a steep learning curve.
#3. PodBean
Because of its innovative design, PodBean has quickly become one of the most downloaded podcast apps. While it shares certain similarities with its competitors, two of its qualities set it apart. Intelligent playback speed is the first, allowing you to skip through episodes without having to manually modify the playback speed for each one. This comes in especially handy if you listen to podcasts with hosts who all talk at different speeds. The second is the availability of live podcasts, which may be listened to and interacted with in real-time instead of after the fact. In addition, PodBean provides a recommendation section, premium content for purchase, and the option to create your own podcast.
The only real negative is that it can be difficult to keep up with certain subscriptions due to a lack of adequate seasonal support. Furthermore, there are occasions when the UI is difficult to use. Icons are located at the top and bottom of the screen, making it unclear where to go—especially when switching between subscriptions.
#4. Spotify
If you currently use Spotify for music, you may find that having just one app for all your needs is convenient. However, the capabilities are fairly restricted, especially in terms of discovering new music to listen to, as the app does not provide intelligent recommendations but rather lists a selected collection. Mixing music and podcasts in a library or while browsing can be disconcerting to some. Seasonal support is lacking, making it more difficult to locate the desired episode. Because everything is in one spot, Spotify is great for casual use. If you require additional functionality and want to better manage your library, you’ll need to go elsewhere.
#5. Google Podcasts
When time is of the essence and you need a dependable tool, Google Podcasts is a good choice. It facilitates podcast subscriptions and listening without requiring a prior subscription. In addition, it makes insightful suggestions based on your followers and interests. As strange as it may sound for a Google app, the program’s built-in search isn’t trustworthy, making it less than ideal for browsing numerous possibilities. It provides unreliable results, and you can’t even search for specific episodes within a podcast series.
Furthermore, finding the correct podcast can be difficult if you mostly listen to ones organized by season. But, it’s simple and quick to use once you’ve set up your queue. It has helpful functions like automatically downloading new episodes from your subscriptions, adjusting the playback speed, removing commercials, and setting a sleep timer. The app syncs with the cloud, so you can easily continue listening on the free online player right where you left off. Although it’s not perfect, Google Podcasts is a simple tool that many people will find useful.
Best Podcast Apps Ios, iPad
Do you ever find yourself listening to podcasts during your morning commute, or maybe even during a long run or while cooking in the kitchen? It’s amazing how podcasts can cover such a wide range of topics that they can really capture anyone’s curiosity and interest.
There are actually some really great Apple podcast apps for iOS and iPad that do more than just play your podcasts. They can also help you organize and sort your playlists, which is super handy. There are also some tools that let you easily handle your subscriptions and make sure you never miss a single word during playback.
#6. Overcast
Overcast is a podcast discovery app created by Overcast Radio, LLC, for the inquisitive listener. This is a podcast player that may help you find new shows to like as well as manage your existing favorites. Overcast’s Smart Speed eliminates awkward pauses, and Voice Boost maintains a constant volume level so that even softer voices may be heard.
#7. Stitcher
Stitcher allows you to “stitch” together episodes from several podcasts into one cohesive playlist. With a custom homepage that alerts you to fresh podcast content as soon as it’s released. Stitcher generally analyzes your listening habits to recommend episodes you might enjoy.
It’s constantly updated, like a news site, and its developers are eager to implement changes frequently. However, the search tool is extremely basic, making it impossible to locate certain episodes in the archive.
#8. Castro
With Castro by Supertop, you can sort through all of your podcast subscriptions and decide which ones to listen to now, later, or not at all.
Castro not only has a silence remover, but it also has chapter support and the ability to tweak the preferences for each podcast separately. It helps to record the dates and listening progress for each episode and has a user-friendly layout. However, it’s iOS-only, and you will need a Castro Plus subscription to access certain functions.
#9. Downcast
Jamawkinaw Enterprises LLC’s Downcast is a bare-bones, retro-styled podcast player with robust categorization and personalization options. Downcast not only plays audio and video podcasts but also allows you to pick and choose which episodes to stream and which to download and provides a variety of playback customization options like skipping commercials and starting the episode in the middle.
It’s available in Mac- and iPad-specific variants, and it supports iCloud synchronization of playlists and preferences. However, it has screens where the text is too small to be legible.
#10. Breaker
If you’re a social media junkie, you should download the Breaker podcast player app so you can keep tabs on what your friends are listening to. You may connect with your in-app social network in Breaker and also share your listening history, comments, messages, and suggestions with other users.
You can use the Breaker app to see what your friends recommend. It also provides a plethora of possibilities for categorizing your preferred items. However, there are flaws in this app, like features that allow strangers to follow you and recommend content on occasion.
What Is the Most Used Podcast Service?
Still, Apple Podcasts is the most popular app, but Spotify isn’t too far behind. According to Buzzsprout, 41.3% of people use Apple Podcasts to listen to podcasts.
Is the Apple Podcast Free?
Apple Podcasts has millions of shows available for free. It’s a great way to discover new podcasts without spending a dime! However, some publishers actually have these really cool premium shows, episodes, and channels that you can totally buy with a monthly or yearly subscription. Regardless, it’s pretty awesome!
What Is the Most Popular Way to Listen to Podcasts?
The most popular examples would have to be iTunes and Spotify. If you have either app on your computer, just go to the podcast section, look around, and hit play. The best part – if you use the Spotify app on your phone, your subscription seamlessly carries over to that platform too!
Do You Need a Special App to Listen to a Podcast?
You know, you can actually download podcast episodes straight to your computer as MP3 files and listen to them using iTunes or VLC Player. It’s pretty convenient! However, if you want to listen on the go, you should check out some great smartphone or tablet apps. It comes with quite a few advantages.
Is Google Podcast Any Good?
Google Podcasts might not be the absolute best listening app out there, but it has definitely made a positive impact on the podcasting industry. No doubt about it, bringing podcast plays directly into Google Searches has really helped a lot of podcasters reach new audiences. Oh, and by the way, Google Podcasts still make up 2.6% of podcast listening.
Is It Better to Watch or Listen to Podcasts?
The best recommendation is always to listen to podcasts! Podcasts actually get our brains going by making us actively listen, especially when it’s a topic we’re really into. Another awesome thing about podcasts is that you can actually learn new stuff while you’re busy with other things.
Conclusion
Podcast applications might range widely in design and functionality, but they all accomplish the same things. The primary user interface often displays a handful of suggested podcasts to get you started. These are generally presented in the form of charts, tables, or lists of recommended items.
While podcast apps’ suggested content can be useful, the search feature is where you’ll really discover your groove. If you’re looking for a new podcast to listen to but don’t know where to start, you can just enter the name of a program, a topic, a keyword, or a question, and a list of podcasts or podcast episodes will appear.
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