Best Podcast Apps and Players for 2025

Elevate your listening experience with the top podcast apps on the market. Pick the right podcast player with ample features and see which app works best for you:

Millions of people worldwide listen to podcasts using their favorite online podcast app or player. The best podcast player on the market has loads of features such as online and offline listening, a personalized playlist, and bonus content.

To help you select the best podcast manager, we have shortlisted the best podcast apps. Our review will help you select the best iOS/Android podcast app that meets your podcasting requirements.

Let us begin!

Top Podcast Player Apps: Listen on Any Device

A podcasting app is used to play podcasts. The term podcast refers to audio streams that focus on a particular topic. A podcast typically features a recurring host who speaks on a topic. Podcasts may also feature guest interviews. You can listen to the podcasts online or download them for offline listening.

A study conducted by Statista found that Spotify and Apple podcasts are the top podcast apps. Other best podcast players include Google Podcasts, Pandora, and Audible. The majority of people, about 65 percent, prefer listening to podcasts on mobile devices, according to Statista’s report.

The following graph shows the market share of the best app for podcasts:

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List of the Best Podcast Apps

Here are some remarkably impressive podcasting apps:

1. Podurama
2. PlayerFM
3. Castro
4. Spotify
5. Listen App
6. Pocket Casts
7. Audible
8. Google Podcasts
9. Stitcher
10. Apple Podcasts
11. Castbox

Comparing The Top Podcast Players

Detailed reviews:

#1) Podurama

Best for listening to podcasts on any device due to its cross-platform sync between iOS, Android, macOS, Windows and Web apps.

Podurama is a leading podcast player with a collection of more than 30 million podcasts in every genre. The app makes it easy to organize your podcasts into folders or create multiple playlists of your favorite episodes. You can also take notes or bookmark within an audio.

Very few podcast players have the ability to search for episodes but Podurama is one of them. You can also create search alerts to notify you if any new episodes with a particular keyword are released. The best feature we liked was the option to play a small snippet of an episode before listening to the full episode which saves a lot of time in deciding which podcast to listen to.

Features:

• Search over 30+ million shows and episodes
• Organize podcasts into folders | Multiple playlists
• Smart playlists, Note taking, Bookmarks
• Sync across mobile, web and desktop apps
• CarPlay and Android Auto support

Pros:

• Allows you to play the episode trailer before the full episode.
• Option to add your own rss feeds and also personal audio files.
• Trim Silence and Volume boost features improve the listening experience.
• Recommendations are a pretty good way to find new podcasts.

Cons:

• Uploading personal audio files is only available in the premium version.

Verdict: Podurama provides an easy way to listen on any of your devices. It can save you a lot of time with its organization features and flexible audio settings.

Price:

• Basic: Free
• Premium: $0.99 per month (also has a lifetime premium option)
• Trial: Yes | 7 days

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#2) PlayerFM

Best for listening to your favorite podcasts on the go on your smartphone or car’s Android.

PlayerFM is a leading independent podcast player and library that enables users to search through more than 20 million free podcasts, find them, bookmark them, and listen to them. You can discover new shows that are related to education, news, business, technology, sports, comedy, music, and more.

The podcast is regularly updated and always contains the latest episodes. Along with that, you can find free audiobooks, documentaries, video podcasts, and interviews using our advanced episode-level search and human-powered catalog.

Features:

• 20+ million podcasts and videos
• Stream or download videos
• Sync across smartphone and tablet devices
• CarPlay and Apple Watch support (Premium version only)

Pros:

• Allows you to customize the podcast app with themes
• Sync podcasts across smartphones, tablets, and car Android devices
• The interface is fast, responsive, and intuitive
• Top Podcasts recommend dozens of popular podcasts

Cons:

• The free version has limited features

Verdict: PlayerFM has one of the largest selections of podcasts compared to competitors. The only downside of the app is that you have to pay a monthly fee to enjoy most of the advanced podcasting features such as Turbo fetch, CarPlay, and more.

Price:

• Basic: Free
• Premium: Starts at $3.33 per month
• Trial: Yes | 7 days

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#3) Castro

Best for managing and listening to podcasts on iOS devices.

Castro podcast app is a free podcast that gives you complete control over your listening experience. Your favorite shows are automatically downloaded and added to the queue, with more selective shows added to an inbox that you can later browse.

Castro podcast app allows you to manage each show on an individual basis, unlike most podcast apps that treat every show the same. Many apps don’t have enough features, or worse, they try to cram too many features in, which leads to bugs and unusable interfaces. Castro offers a middle ground with most of the important features that work flawlessly.

New episodes of a podcast that you’ve subscribed to are displayed in your feed. You can review them quickly, select the best option, and disregard the rest.

Features:

• Enhance Voices
• Mono mix
• Dynamic chapter artwork
• Podcast sharing with iMessage
• Apple Watch support

Pros:

• Listen to podcasts at custom playback speeds
• Push notifications allow you to stay up to date with the latest episodes
• Pre-selection chapter feature allows you to skip parts of the podcast
• Trim silence allows you to save up to 20 percent of listening time

Cons:

• Advanced features such as Trim Silence and Enhance Voices are only available in the subscription version

Verdict: Castro provides an easy way to listen to lots of audio on your iOS device. You can save the best episodes and manage every podcast on the list.

Price:

• Basic: Free
• Pocket Casts Plus: $18.99 per year or $2.99 per month
• Trial: Yes | 7 days

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#4) Spotify

Best for listening to your favorite podcasts and songs on desktop and mobile devices.

Spotify is a favorite podcasting app for many. The app is offered on both desktop and smartphone devices. It is available on Windows, MacOS, iOS, and Android devices. You can also stream online from the Spotify website.

You can create a large playlist and list unlimited podcasts and songs. The podcasting web app has an impressive algorithm that suggests popular apps. You can view different podcast categories on the main page.

Features:

• Editor picks
• Create playlists
• Favorite songs
• Music discovery feature

Pros:

• A large selection of podcasts
• Podcasts are neatly arranged in categories such as stories, educational, comedy, news, etc.
• Available in 50+ languages

Cons:

• A bit lacking in audio quality due to low bitrate
• The free version on mobile is restrictive

Verdict: Spotify is one of the best podcast apps for listening to a wide range of podcasts. The only downside to the app is that the audio quality is not great.

Price:

• Basic: Free
• Premium: Starts at $9.99 per month
• Trial: Yes | 30 days

Suggested Reading =>> Best Spotify to MP3 Music Downloaders

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#5) Listen App

Best for creating and sharing podcast snippets and audio stories.

A new podcast platform called Listen App bridges the gap between producers and listeners. The app is designed for both podcasters and listeners. You can create your podcast to join the discussions, or simply listen to other podcasts.

A unique feature of the podcasting app is that it supports social sharing features. You can share podcast lists or view the lists of others. You can voice chat with other listeners and also interact with the host of the podcast.

Features:

• Create and manage playlists
• Stream or download podcasts
• Trending podcasts
• Playback speed toggle
• Host live podcast events

Pros:

• Create podcast snippets and share them with your friends
• Look at podcast lists of friends
• Get notified about new podcast episodes
• Access previously listened to podcasts

Cons:

• Lacks advanced features offered on competing apps

Verdict: Listen to App is a fast and elegant podcast app for smartphones. The free app’s highlight is a social sharing feature allowing friends to share their podcast lists.

Price: Free

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#6) Pocket Casts

Best for listening to hand-curated lists of podcasts for free on Android and iOS devices.

Pocket Casts is the top Android and iOS podcasting app. The podcast app has a simple yet attractive layout. You can select from hundreds of podcasts. You can also select from hand-curated podcast lists. In addition, you can view and listen to trending podcasts.

Navigating the podcasts is easy due to a clean and simple user interface. You can easily search for podcasts with key terms. It has a sleek interface with a grid listing your subscribed podcasts. The app contains new and old podcasts.

The podcasting app allows you to switch between light and dark modes. You can also select themes, but they are only available in the Plus version. With the Plus version, you can also download a desktop app that allows you to continue listening to your podcasts on your desktop PC from your smartphone.

Features:

• Expert podcast recommendations
• Curated lists
• Top charts
• Slide view, split view, and picture-in-picture view
• 10 GB cloud storage (Plus version only)

Pros:

• The user interface is clean and intuitive
• Podcasts on different topics
• Compatible with Apple Car Play and Android Auto
• Plus version allows you to organize podcasts in folders and keep them synchronized across devices
• Listen to podcasts on the Apple Watch with Pocket Cast Plus

Cons:

• The desktop app is not free
• Cannot make a list of podcast episodes

Verdict: Pocket Casts is a simple yet versatile podcast player. The free app supports basic podcasting features. If you want custom themes and organizational features, you can opt for the paid version.

Price:

• Basic: Free
• Pocket Casts Plus: Starts at $1.25 per month
• Trial: Yes | 14 days

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#7) Audible

Best for listening to audiobooks on iOS and Android devices

Audible is a podcast and audiobook service that has a sizable library of more than 500,000 titles, including limited editions. You can purchase particular audiobooks from Audible and listen to them with a free account, or you can pay a monthly fee to subscribe to Audible Plus or Premium Plus and get access to thousands of titles and original series.

You receive a free credit when you try Audible, which you can use toward any podcast or book, regardless of price. You will receive one credit each month if you continue after the trial period of 30 days.

Audible is the industry leader in audiobook apps, having one of the largest libraries of any company and being an Amazon subsidiary. Downloads, streaming playback, and the ability to monitor your listening progress across multiple devices are all available through the Audible app.

Features:

• Streaming and downloads
• Monitor progress
• Revisit favorite podcasts
• Up to 80 percent off on audiobooks

Pros:

• Get access to exclusive original podcasts from celebrities
• Find best-selling audiobooks
• Select from a large collection of genres

Further Reading => Most Popular Podcast Headphones of the Year

Cons:

• The audible monthly subscription is pricey.

Verdict: Audible has an extensive collection of podcasts. You can hear the original and popular podcasts from celebrities and more.

Price:

• $14.95 per month
• Trial: Yes | 30 days

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#8) Google Podcasts

Best for listening to popular and trending podcasts on iOS and Android devices.

With a sole focus on podcasts, Google Podcasts harnesses the power of Google to constantly suggest and recommend new content for you to listen to. The app constantly adds new podcast episodes to your library.

The real meat of the mobile experience is on the “Activity” page. You get a list of the shows you’ve manually chosen, a queue for them, a downloads tab that displays the audio files you’ve downloaded, and a “History” tab that displays the episodes you’ve already listened to.

This saves you a long scroll through the main episode interface, which is great if you’re starting through a lengthy series and aren’t sure where you are when listening to a podcast.

Features:

• Activity page
• History tab
• Queue podcast
• Subscriptions

Pros:

• Add podcasts to RSS feeds
• Explore popular and trending shows
• View top podcasts in different categories

Cons:

• Lacks desktop downloads

Verdict: The Google Podcasts interface is one of the best. The screen is loaded with shows displayed in a carousel with recent episodes immediately below in a feed.

Price: Free

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#9) Stitcher

Best for listening to exclusive podcasts on smartphone devices.

Stitcher is a podcast network as well as a podcast app. Stitcher doesn’t have the most extensive feature set or settings for playing podcast episodes, but it does have the essentials, including a sleep timer, forward and back arrows that can be pressed at different intervals, and different playback speed settings.

The apps for Android and iOS, as well as a web player, allowing you to listen almost anywhere else. Additionally, you can use an Amazon Alexa device, Android Auto, CarPlay, or a smart audio system to play Stitcher content while driving. It has more than 50 original shows, such as Comedy Bang! Bang!, How Did This Get Made, The Dream, The Sporkful, and others can be found on Stitcher.

Features:

• Stream and download podcasts
• 60,000+ hours of podcasts (premium version)
• 350+ comedy albums (premium version)

Pros:

• Listen to exclusive podcasts
• Get tickets, free shipping on Podswag.com, and more with a premium subscription
• The premium version gives you early access to podcasts

Cons:

• The free version has limited podcasting features

Verdict: Stitcher has an excellent library of exclusive content. You can listen to podcasts on your smartphone and car android with the premium version of the app.

Price:

• Basic: Free
• Premium: Starts at $2.9 per month

Website: https://www.stitcher.com/

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#10) Apple Podcasts

Best for listening to millions of shows on Apple devices.

Apple Podcasts is a great choice for Apple users. The app offers custom playlists of the top podcasts and becomes smarter as you listen more, providing you with personalized recommendations based on your listening behavior.

Whether it’s a bedtime playlist or a kid-friendly podcast, there are carefully chosen options created to suit your tastes and preferences. You can listen without ads and to exclusive episodes that aren’t available elsewhere when you subscribe.

For added convenience, Apple Podcasts is also compatible with Siri, Car Play, Apple Watch, Apple TV, and HomePod in addition to offline listening.

Features:

• Curated playlists
• Exclusive podcasts
• Sync podcasts across multiple devices
• Voice commands with Siri

Pros:

• Get exclusive access to bonus content
• Compatible with different Apple devices
• Personalized recommendations based on your listening behavior
• Listen to podcasts online and offline

Cons:

• Some podcast shows require you to pay a monthly fee

Verdict: Apple Podcasts is a free podcasting app for Apple devices. You can use your podcasts along with you by syncing content across multiple devices. You also get exclusive bonus content and first access to intriguing new content with the app.

Price: Free

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#11) Castbox

Best for listening to audio content on smartphone and desktop devices for free.

With over 259 million volumes of content available on Android, Apple iPhone, Amazon Alexa, Google Home, Carplay, and Android Auto, Castbox is one of the best free podcast apps.

Castbox displays customized images for every episode. It has an attractive UI allowing you to jump between sections with ease. You can set your playlist to play continuously, allowing you to continue uninterruptedly doing whatever you’re doing, whether it’s driving, jogging, unwinding in the bath, or doing housework.

Features:

• CarPlay support
• Android Auto feature
• Amazon Alexa support
• Google Home

Pros:

• Podcasts are arranged in different categories, including Top Search, Society & Culture, True Crime, Featured, Top Shows, News, and Sports
• Choose your podcasts and arrange them so that you can either stream them or if you’ve already downloaded them, play them from your phone
• Modify the theme of the app

Cons:

• Castbox notification feature is not refined

Verdict: Castbox has a simple user interface with intuitive features. The app has one of the largest categories of podcasts not available elsewhere.

Price: Free

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Other Podcasting Apps You Should Consider

#12) PodCruncher

Best for listening to audio and playing videos with no limits on iOS devices.

PodCruncher is one of the most popular podcast platforms in the world serving 1M+ podcasts and 500M+ episodes worldwide. Podcasts can be played and managed without ever requiring synchronization with your computer.

You can find new podcasts, subscribe to them and play episodes online or offline. The Android app is a top-quality Android podcast app with over 4M downloads, and 90K+ authentic reviews make it a podcast app you can trust.

Features:

• Play through streaming over 3G/WiFi or offline
• Create smart playlists by grouping episodes
• Import existing subscriptions
• Supports iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad

Verdict: PodCruncher makes it simpler for you to manage your podcasts, online radio streaming, audiobooks, and RSS news & blog feed. You can use all of this app’s great features for free

Price: Free

Website: https://podcruncher.co/

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#13) Amazon Music

Best for listening to free podcasts online with a web browser.

You can try three different tiers of Amazon’s music streaming service that includes Amazon Music Free, Amazon Music Prime, and Amazon Music Unlimited. You can get free basic access to “thousands of stations and top playlists” on Amazon Music, as well as to millions of podcasts.

Amazon Music Prime is a free service available to Amazon Prime members. You do have ad-free access to the entire Amazon Music Library with this scaled-back version of AMU, but it is only available in SD quality, and you can only listen by skipping between artists, albums, or playlists.

Amazon Music Unlimited is a paid subscription service that allows you to search deeper into the catalog or listen to higher-quality tracks.

Features:

• Large collection of music
• Scrolling lyrics
• Podcasts
• HD and Ultra audio quality (Premium version)

Verdict: Music, podcasts, and audio are all made available on multiple devices with Amazon Music. You can listen to audio on web browsers, mobile apps, and Amazon’s smart devices.

Price:

• Basic: Free
• Amazon Music Unlimited: Starts at $6.99 per month
• Trial: Yes | 30 days

Website: https://www.amazon.com/music/lp/podcasts

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#14) Podcast Addict

Best for listening to podcasts and live radios on Android devices.

Podcast Addict is the best podcast app for android. The app contains lots of advanced features that let you customize the listening experience. You can also change the playback speed while listening. You can also customize playback speed and skip silence in podcasts.

To make voices stand out in the background, Podcast Addict has a Volume Boost feature. The mono audio converts each stereo channel into a separate mono track. This could be advantageous if you have poor hearing in one ear as some people do.

Features:

• Cloud backup
• Audio effects
• Download or stream podcasts
• Customizable UI
• Android Auto/Chromecast

Verdict: Podcast Addict is the best Android podcasting app. The free Android podcast app contains lots of features that make listening to podcasts fun and engaging on your smartphone.

Price: Free

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#15) TuneIn Radio

Best for listening to clips from your favorite news and sports show.

TuneIn Radio is the best online app for listening to local or national radio. It is intended to give users the freedom to discover an entire audio universe in one location. You can listen to the radio on your desktop PC or a mobile app.

With the app, you can tune in to more than 50,000 stations and 120,000 shows from all over the world. You can even access all of your favorite local stations with the aid of GPS on your smartphone.

Features:

• Stream clippings from popular radio channels such as CNN, Fox News Radio, WTOP Washington DC, WNYC-FM, KQED-FM, WBEZ Chicago, and more.
• Listen to the biggest games on sports channels including ESPN Radio, Fox Sports Radio, talkSport, and more
• Find top podcasts from famous TV hosts and celebrities

Verdict: TuneIn Radio is the best app for listening to radio shows from all over the world. You can find thousands of popular radio and sports shows. The podcasting app will help you keep yourself up-to-date with the latest news, views, and sports events.

Price:

• Basic: Free
• Premium: Starts at $5.8 per month
• Trial: Yes | 7 days

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#16) Podcast Republic

Best for listening to featured podcasts for free.

Podcast Republic is another good app for listening to featured podcasts. You get a decent collection of podcasts from well-known authors such as Jordan Harbinger, AI Scott, and more. The app allows you to add podcasts to your RSS feeds so that you get to know about the latest content from your favorite authors.

Features:

• Podcast discovery
• Automatically download episodes
• Storage management
• Available in 15+ languages

Verdict: Podcast Republic is a good overall app for listening to podcasts. The podcasting app has a simple user interface that makes it easy to find popular podcasts.

Price:

• Basic: Free
• Premium: Starts at $1.99
• Trial: Yes | 30 days

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FAQs About Apps for Podcasts

Conclusion

The best overall podcast player for Android and iOS devices is Podurama. Castro is the best free podcast app for the Apple Watch and smartphones. If you want a podcasting app that supports playback on your car’s infotainment system you should try PlayerFM, Pocket Casts, and Stitcher.

Podcast Addict is the best Android podcast app. Listen to App is the best podcasting app to create your podcasts. If you want to listen to audiobooks, subscribe to Audible.

Research Process:

• Time taken to research this article: Writing the blog on the best podcast apps took us about 8 hours so that you can select the best podcast apps for Android or iOS devices.
• Total apps researched: 30
• Top podcast players shortlisted: 15