Podcasts get from “How good can they be?” to “damn good!” quite quickly. Sure, you need to sit through a few podcasts at first. Once you’ve excited your tastebuds, you soon run out of the stuff you want to know more about. And even if you do find podcasts to satisfy your cravings, they’re often exclusive to a dedicated podcast app or two. But if it feels like having an itch you can’t scratch, you better get a hold of the best podcast player from the following list of the best podcast apps for Android and iPhone.
The best podcast player for you should have all your favorite episodes in one place, be easy to navigate, and be compatible with your device. Paid apps are typically more versatile than free podcast apps. However, not everyone’s pockets go deep! This is why I’ve made a list that is a mix of free and paid podcast apps to help you lock on to what you need. So, without further ado, let’s get started!
5 Best Podcast Apps Available for iOS and Android
Below, we have discussed five of the most reliable podcast apps to consider on iOS and Android Devices.
Spotify
Subscription: $10 Monthly. Free (With Ads).
Available Across: Android, iOS, Windows, Mac, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Smart TVs, and Web Player Website.
Unique Feature: Curated podcast playlist based on listening habits.
Besides being the most popular music streaming app, Spotify does a remarkable job covering podcasts. With over 3.2 Million podcasts in its library, there is little that isn’t available in podcasts on Spotify. Spotify features exclusive podcasts like “Renegades: Born in the USA” and “The Michelle Obama Podcast” unavailable on other podcast apps.
Though Spotify does offer a free version with ads and no downloads, subscribing to a premium account becomes necessary if you need to listen to podcasts on the go. But if you’re not a big fan of offline playing, you can still follow your favorite channels, add podcast episodes to a queue, and explore new podcasts with your friends.
Related Guide: How to Delete Spotify Account
TuneIn Radio
Subscription: $10 (One Time Payment for No Visual Ads and Less Audio Ads).
$10/Month (Without any Ads)
Free (With Ads)
Available Across: Android, iOS, Windows, Mac, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Smart TVs, and Web Player Website.
Unique Feature: Features a “Car Mode” with a simplified menu.
TuneIn Radio brings back nostalgic memories of finding new music in the pre-music streaming services era. But it also brings to the table now an unrealistic collection of over 4 Million podcasts! A user-friendly homepage simplifies the overwhelmingly extensive library. You can easily navigate to the podcasts you like by entering categories and sub-categories.
The TuneIn Radio app features a “Car Mode” for a more simplified screen to listen to podcasts. But if that’s not enough, you can set an automatic download for the podcasts you’ve been listening to. Moreover, the app lets you add custom podcasts to listen to if they’re unavailable on TuneIn Radio.
Player FM
Subscription: $3.99/Month or $39.99/Year (Premium). Free (With Ads and Basic Features).
Available Across Android, iOS, and Web Player Websites.
The repetitive appearance of Player FM in the top 10 best podcast apps worldwide speaks a lot for the app. It, too, has an overwhelming library of over 20 Million podcasts that are updated multiple times a day. If you don’t know how to find and listen to podcasts in an extensive directory, the podcasts are categorized into over 500 niches!
Apart from a friendly home screen and easy-to-navigate niche categories, Player FM features curated playlists by the app producers themselves. Suppose it is a sport you need to catch up on listening to motivational talks. In that case, Player FM probably has more than you expect in any category!
Castbox
Subscription: $0.99/Month (Premium). Free (With Ads).
Available Across Android, iOS, and Web Player Websites.
Unique Feature: Google Play Best App, Most Entertaining App, Best Music + Audio App, and Top Trending Apps Winner.
Being the winner of the Google Play Best App reward and with over 2 Billion downloaded episodes, Castbox is everything a podcast addict wants. Its clean layout makes finding and downloading the podcasts you love easy. Though it boasts a collection of around 95 Million uploaded content, not all are dedicated to podcasts alone.
It is available in 27 countries globally and offers top-notch services for free. But if you find the occasional advertisements to disrupt your listening flow, subscribe to a Premium account with an exaggeratedly low price of $0.99. The app is available across different platforms and devices. Also, it is the winner of “The Most Entertaining App” on Google Play.
Laughable
Subscription: $2.33/Month (6 Month Plan for $13.98). Free (On Android Devices).
Available Across Android, iOS, and Web Player Websites.
Unique Feature: It lets you follow a personality rather than just a podcast channel.
The biggest comedy-centric app now debuts for Android devices as well. Laughable offers the largest humor depository on the internet and is by far the most versatile podcast app. A unique feature of this app is that it lets you follow a personality other than following channels of podcast shows.
Elon Musk, Mick Jagger, and Weird AI are only a few personalities. Anyhow, once you follow a personality on Laughable, it notifies you whenever they appear as a guest or a host on any podcast. Moreover, you can also rewind the clocks and stream into old content available for the personalities.
5 Best Podcast Apps Available for iOS Only
Apple Podcasts
Subscription: Free.
Available Across iPad and iPhone with iOS 10.0 and above.
Unique Feature: Can Sync with Siri and allows you to search for podcasts using voice commands.
Being the official podcast front for Apple and iOS devices, Apple Podcasts is easily the best Apple podcast app. It bags over 30 Million episodes for around 1 Million podcast shows you can search for, download, and then listen to.
The search page makes it easier to find sought-after podcasts as it searches for podcast channels and people mentioned in them. However, not every podcast has a transcript, so this feature does not apply to all podcasts. Thanks to the trailers and introduction clips, you can glimpse the podcast without getting into it. Though initially free, Apple Podcasts may ask listeners to subscribe to a Premium for exclusive episodes and an ad-free experience.
iCatcher
Subscription: $2.99/Month.
Available Across iPhone, iPad, and iPod.
Unique Feature: The gesture support feature enables you to use the podcasts app in hands-free mode.
iCatcher is one of the best iPhone podcast apps for iOS and Apple devices. It introduces variable speed to make it easier to understand fast-speaking podcasts. With a gesture support feature, you can skip 15 seconds forward and backward without touching the screen.
It is commonly argued to be the best app for podcasts on iPhone as it packs many additional features. Subscribing to shows, downloading episodes in the background, custom playlists, continuous playback support, sleep timer, and AirPlay support are some prominent features of this app. It is a beautiful way to keep up with the latest news or updates in your field of interest for a relatively low subscription price.
PodCruncher
Subscription: $3.99.
Available Across iPhone, iPad, and iPod.
Unique Feature: Offers complete support for password-protected podcasts.
Though not precisely the best iPhone podcast player, PodCruncher gives its competitors a run for their money. It offers the complete iTunes catalog and 500K podcasts to Apple and iOS listeners. You can download episodes for offline listening. Also, it offers the feature of automatically downloading the latest episodes after release. Isn’t that something nobody has been offering till now?
Coming over the discovery, PodCruncher makes it easier to discover new music with its compact 16 categories. You can search for a podcast, episode, channel, or author and subscribe to them for updates as in other apps. The app also offers numerous social features to share your listening habits with friends on social platforms. But that’s not all. You can sort your liked and downloaded episodes with the intelligent playlist feature.
Pocket Casts
Subscription: $0.99/Monthly or $10/Yearly (Premium). Free (With Ads).
Available Across iPhone, iPad, and iPod.
Unique Feature: Light and Dark Themes for better adaptability and user experience.
Pocket Casts is my favorite pick from the list and is indefinitely among the best podcast apps for iPhone. It is a universal fit for Apple devices and is available on iPhone, iPad, and iPod. What gives this app its fame is how incredibly easy it is to find and discover new podcasts. Also, it integrates with the car, AirPlay, Sonos, and other services to integrate better into your life.
Moreover, Pocket Casts syncs your listening habits and activities to the cloud. This means you can access your playlists and jump right into the episodes where you left off. Your personalization will not be affected even if you try out with a different device. The discovery stays up to par with the top podcast apps for iPhone, with frequent notifications for new releases.
Overcast
Subscription: $9.99/Yearly (May vary in different regions).
Available Across iPhone, iPad, and iPod.
Unique Feature: Smart Speed and Voice Boost.
Overcast is undoubtedly one of the best ways to listen to podcasts on the iPhone. “Proudly Made in New York,” as the developers phrase it, does stand up to its position as various forums claim it. It gets the extra fame from paying close attention to listeners’ preferences. The Smart Speed and Voice Boost satisfy even the most peculiar audiophile ears.
Though Overcast is initially a free app, it relies on ads to fund the podcasts. But if ads are too buzzkill, a $9.99 yearly subscription gives you an ad-free experience. Also, there are optional notifications that you can get after a new release for your favorite show or channel. Moreover, creating custom playlists and applying smart filters make your podcast experience even more fun.
5 Best Podcast Apps Available for Android Only
Google Podcasts
Subscription: Free.
Available Across Android Devices and Web Player Websites.
Unique Feature: Explore Topics – Search results based on keywords.
Like Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts is the app for podcasts on Android. Though it shares several podcasts with Apple Podcasts, it also features its exclusives. But since it’s a free podcast app, you can add custom audio files through the RSS. Since Google is a pioneer in SERPs and Keywords, it also integrates the same things into its app.
So, if you’ve been listening to an NFL podcast, the recommendations you get will revolve around football events, news, and fixtures. However, the most attractive feature is its Activity tab, which is similar to YouTube’s. If you’ve accidentally quit the app without saving the podcast you’ve been listening to, you can always fetch it back from the Activity section. It is, without a doubt, the best free podcast app for Android.
DoggCatcher
Subscription: $2.99 (Time Buy for Premium). Free (Lite Version).
Available Across Android Devices and Web Player Websites.
Unique Feature: Home Screen Widget.
DoggCatcher is the top contender for the best podcast app for Android. Since it’s one of my favorites on the list, I’ll begin with its most attractive feature, the discovery. The Top 100 DoggCatcher podcasts list lets you in on the most highly rated podcasts worldwide. They may not all be of interest to you, but there’s always something that grasps your attention once in a while.
Besides making it much easier to discover new podcasts, it also emphasizes user-friendliness. It has a home screen widget to toggle controls and faster podcast access. And just like any best Android podcast player, you can search for, download, and listen to podcasts offline. Moreover, it has built-in speed variables to help you adjust better to the pace of the podcast narrator.
Podkicker
Subscription: $30 (One Time Buy for Ad-Free Service). Free (With Ads).
Available Across Android Devices and Web Player Websites.
Unique Feature: Reverse Playlist Mode.
Podkicker, too, comes close to being the best podcast player for Android. Though it is not as extensive and well-categorized as some top podcast apps above, it makes up for it with additional features. The RSS feed in the app allows you to add custom podcasts that you can listen to later. Also, the app offers Chromecast support. So, now you can keep up with your pending episodes while working around the house.
However, a unique feature of this app is its reverse playlist mode. In this mode, you first listen to the most recently downloaded podcast. Not only that, but the entirety of its playlist modes are attractive enough. Anyways, the most attractive feature of this app is that it only asks for a one-time payment for a Premium Ads-Free service.
BeyondPod
Subscription: Free.
Available Across Android Devices and Web Player Websites.
Unique Feature: Feedly Integration – This lets you listen to episodes no longer on the publisher’s feed.
BeyondPod is a free Android podcast player with millions of audio and video episodes in its library. Apart from being a one-stop-shop for big and small podcast channels alike, the lite version lets you listen to Apple podcasts on Android as well. You can search for your favorite podcast channels at the user-friendly homepage and download podcasts, lectures, or audiobooks for offline listening.
Moreover, BeyondPod throws a feature similar to Spotify into the shuffle. It automatically makes curated playlists based on your listening habits. But the best part is how it allows you to cast your podcasts on Chromecast and TV. Another compelling feature of this app is its integration with Feedly. This feature allows you to listen to podcasts not on the publisher’s feed anymore.
Podcast Republic
Subscription: $1.99/Month (Ad-Free). Free (With Ads).
Available Across Android Devices and Web Player Websites.
The Podcast Republic is the best free podcast app for Android devices. Though intrusive ads accompany it, an affordable subscription of $1.99 cuts them off for good. With over 600 Million episodes, Podcast Republic hosts most major Radio and Podcast channels. More than that, the extensive library of Podcasts is put together in an easy-to-navigate menu and player.
Also, it allows you to import RSS news and custom podcasts into the powerful podcast player. But the Podcast Republic gets attractive by letting you set download restrictions. You can download over specific networks (Data/Wi-fi) or even when your phone is charging. Being the most non-intrusive podcast app, Podcast Republic requests the minimum permissions on your device upon installation.
Conclusion
Spotify does top the charts for the best podcast player, thanks to its extensive library of 2.2 Million. But if I had to look for something even more over Apple platforms, iCatcher would be my top pick. My favorite for Android has always been DoggCatcher for its one-time subscription model and one of the most extensive podcast collections.
I hope you’ve made your pick by now, whether it was a paid or a free podcast app that you’ve been eying down. But if you’d like to see more entries on our list of the best podcast apps for Android and iPhone, feel free to leave your mentions in the comments below!
