Along with audiobooks, podcasts are a great way to consume information on the go. Nowadays, we see more and more people who prefer listening to podcasts while traveling, driving or doing some kind of work around the house.
Despite the fact that monetization of a podcast is a little more difficult than, for instance, a YouTube video, there are still dozens and even hundreds of excellent podcasts.
Listening to a podcast also has a lot of benefits. You can easily find out about the latest news, learn a new language or simply have a good laugh. And all of this in a very convenient audio format.
iPhone users can try the Apple Podcasts app that is installed onto their phones by default. Since this is, obviously, one of the most popular podcast apps for iPhone we cannot skip it. However, if you want to try something new, we’ve prepared a list of podcast apps that are as great as the one Apple offers, if not better.
And now, without further ado, let’s review several free and paid apps that allow listening to your favorite podcasts on the iPhone.
Apple Podcasts
As mentioned earlier, Apple Podcasts is one of the most popular podcast applications simply because it is pre-installed to your iPhone. Probably, the biggest advantage of this app is its integration with the Apple ecosystem. You can use Siri to start playing a podcast and continue listening to the episode from the iTunes desktop version. Another main advantage of the Apple Podcasts is that the app is completely free as well as all of the content.
Other than that, Apple Podcasts offer more than 500 000 shows on various topics from love & relationship to educational programs. Users can subscribe to their favorite shows and get notified about new episodes. There is also a possibility to download any episode to the phone library and listen to it anywhere without the need to have an Internet connection.
Overcast
This is probably Apple Podcasts’ biggest competitor. Overcast is a simple, yet very functional app that is completely free to use. The only reason, why you may want to purchase Overcast Premium is if you’d like the ads to be removed.
The brilliance of this app is in its intuitive interface and a number of unique features. For example, the Smart Speed feature allows skipping the moments of silence and with Voice Boost a user can increase the volume of the speech in relation to the music.
With Overcast, you can also subscribe to the shows and even create playlists. Just like Apple Podcasts, Overcast allows downloading episodes, so that the user can listen to the podcast even when offline.
Downcast
This app is more than just a podcast player, it is a powerful manager with a lot of features. By the way, Downcast is only available for iOS devices. However, there is also a MacOS version, so you can sync playlists and settings via iCloud.
In terms of functionality, Downcast offers a wide range of subscription and playback features. Basic features include a possibility to subscribe to a podcast show, as well as download podcasts even in the background. Additionally, the app offers support for password protected podcasts and the ability to increase the speed of the playback.
Instacast Core
Instacast Core is one of the best free podcast apps for iPhone. The app can boast a neat and well-designed interface. Users can translate the podcast to the speakers or Apple TV directly from the app’s dashboard. Additionally, there is a possibility to adjust a playback speed, bookmark the episode and set up a sleep timer.
There is also a night mode that turns the app’s background black and is great for those who prefer surfing through podcasts at night. Moreover, you can explore Instacast Core and its content while listening to a podcast. In this case, the player screen will be minimized into a small banner on the bottom, which you can click any time and quickly return to the playing episode.
Pocket Casts
If you have a multi-platform arsenal, Pocket Casts is a perfect app to use on all of your devices. Pocket Casts is available for both iOS and Android and additionally has a Web version. You can easily sync subscriptions, playback settings and Up Next queue among all of the devices.
Users can also set up separate settings for each individual episode. One of the options is the ability to skip the intro of the podcast and move straight to the beginning of the episode. Similar to Overcast, Pocket Casts offers a volume boost feature that allows increasing the volume of voices.
Those who are always on the go can control volume and playback effects with the help of Apple Watch app. Moreover, you can listen to podcasts via CarPlay, AirPlay, Chromecast and Sonos.
PodCruncher Podcast Player
This podcast player does not have an impressive design, but instead, its functionality can please even the pickiest user. PodCruncher is a simple, easy to use podcast player that is only available for iPhone users. The app isn’t free. You’ll have to pay $2.99 to download it, but PodCruncher is fully worth it.
PodCruncher can surprise with its content variety. Search for your favorite podcasts or browse the top picks in 16 different categories. Users can create their custom playlists and set rules for auto-downloading new episodes.
With PodCruncher users also have a full control over the playback. In addition to speed and screen mode settings, the app supports gesture control and allows listening to podcasts and even videos in the background.
Castro Podcasts
Castro Podcasts is a perfect app for those who constantly subscribe and listen to many podcasts and now having trouble organizing the episodes.
The app developers came up with a simple solution that helps to select only those episodes that you’d like to listen among all of the subscriptions. Users receive a new episode into their inbox, where they can review the description a then decide whether to add the episode to the queue or not. The rest of the episodes will be archived. Of course, you can come back and browse archived episodes any time.
The app offers standard functional for free. However, if you need more advanced features, there is a paid subscription option. For $8.99/year or $2.99/quarter, you’ll have an access to such features as silence trim, voices enhancement, ability to customize setting per each episode and more.
