When it comes to podcasts, there is literally something for everyone. While managing your podcasts can become a chore, there are many Android podcast apps that will download, organize and play your podcasts, allowing you to focus on listening, rather than spending time tracking them down.
Content
1. Castbox
Boasting a handful of awards, Castbox is one of the most popular podcast apps for Android. Featuring a clean, easy-to-use interface, Castbox allows you to subscribe, listen and create customized podcasts playlists.
In addition to podcasts, Castbox boasts a vast library of audiobooks, FM radio programming and more. It also allows you to download episodes for offline listening, perfect for going long stretches without Internet access. Castbox supports syncing across multiple devices, making it easy to pick up where you left off.
Podcast junkies will be happy to know that Castbox is 100% free to use, as it is ad-supported, and some features require payment to unlock. Payment also unlocks various features, like automatically trimming silence, playback speed control, CarPlay support and more. Thankfully, you can cherrypick the features that are important to you and leave the others behind the paywall.
2. Podcast Addict
Do you wish you could manage your podcasts, Internet radio, audiobooks, YouTube, Twitch, SoundCloud and RSS news feeds from a single app? With Podcast Addict, it is possible. The Android app has access to the top podcast networks and features a robust discovery system to help you find new podcasts.
Podcast Addict had cross-platform support, downloadable content for offline listening and cloud backup to Google Drive. Additionally, the app has some unique community building features. For example, you can engage with like-minded podcast fans through reviews and follow content creators via social media platform integration.
Powerful playback options are featured in the app, such as variable playback speeds and full chapter support. You can also configure automatic downloads and deletion. For example, you can set the app to download episodes while sleeping, ensuring the episodes are ready to go when you wake up. While it’s a free app, in-app purchases remove ads and offer more robust customization options. Due to the extensive customization, though, the user interface can be somewhat overwhelming.
3. Pocket Casts
Pocket Casts does pretty much everything all the other podcast apps do. It supports cross-platform syncing, and customizable settings, like playback speed and cutting out the silence. It also supports downloading episodes for offline listening. Other than those standard options, it stands out for the app design. The user-friendly interface is quite intuitive. It’s simple to navigate, making it easy to find your favorite pods and fine-tune settings to your preferences.
The aesthetics of Pocket Casts is worth a mention. We know that podcasts aren’t a visual medium, but the app is clean and complements the artwork of the podcast. While Pocket Casts doesn’t reinvent the wheel, it just looks good doing what it’s supposed to do, and that is appealing in its own right, especially when you consider how a common criticism of podcast apps is that their UIs can be cluttered.
There are some features locked behind a paywall, and Pocket Casts Plus runs $10 per year, giving you exclusive themes, cloud storage and Apple Watch/Wear OS support, among other features. Premium costs $39.99 per year and gives you access to exclusive content.
4. PodBean
PodBean, like many other podcast apps on this list, offers access to a wide variety of podcast networks, offline listening and cross-platform support. However, what really sets it apart is the inclusion of a variety of tools to assist in podcast creation.
The PodBean app boasts a full-on podcast recording studio. This includes not only a platform for recording and editing, but also the ability to host your own podcasts, distributing across major platforms, like Spotify and Apple, as well as monetization tools.
PodBean has in-app purchases that apply to the listening side of the app, as well as subscription plans associated with creation. The free version caps hosting at 500 MB, or roughly 5 hours. It also limits the bandwidth your podcast can consume to 100 GB per month, which could inhibit the growth of your pod, and there are other minor limitations too. Plans vary depending on your needs, but they can be as little as $10 per month and as much as more than $100 per month.
5. AntennaPod
AntennaPod boasts an extensive library, syncing across devices, and many customization options. However, there is one thing about AntennaPod that makes it truly unique among its competitors. It is completely open-source. While this means that you can tinker with the app, the real advantage is that AntennaPod is built and maintained by volunteers.
With no commercial interests, AntennaPod is completely ad-free. It has a strong focus on user privacy. Since they’re not in it for money, they’re not collecting all of your data and selling it to the highest bidder.
AntennaPod can come off as less polished than some of the other apps on this list, and due to the open-source nature of the app, updates and bug fixes could be less frequent. But if you’re in the market for an Android podcast app and want to eliminate annoying ads without having to fork over cash, AntennaPod is a must.
There are many podcast apps that can help you organize, listen and discover new podcasts across every genre imaginable. While all apps essentially do the same things, their features, price points and interfaces all vary greatly. Furthermore, don’t forget that many podcasts offer their episodes as downloadable MP3s that are playable on your Android device with a music player app. Pop on your headphones, or pair your Bluetooth speaker, and queue up the next episode of your favorite pod!
All screenshots: Ryan Lynch Feature Image credit: Unsplash
Ryan Lynch –
Staff Writer
Ryan is an English & Film Studies teacher. He splits his time between Australia and the United States. He passes the time on long haul flights by playing retro video games from his youth.
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