We bring you a compilation of 23 apps and services to listen to and organize your podcasts, such that if you’re a podcast fan you’ll have a lot to choose from when it comes to listening to your favorites. We’re going to try and offer you everything from the biggest and most well-known platforms to other rather lesser-known and smaller apps, all to give you a better chance of finding one that suits you.
The number of podcasts has grown 129,000% in the last decade according to a report that makes us realize how important this medium is becoming. This growth also means that more and more creators are wanting to get into the format, which in turn also means that the user community continues to grow.
We have considered several ways to organize this article, such as separating it into sections to differentiate apps from websites and desktop programs. However, as several of these tools are cross-platform, we have decided to go for a single list format where we will sort them all in alphabetical order.
And as we always say in Techidence, we want to suggest that, if we have left out any application, service, or tool that you consider essential, we invite you to share it with everyone in the comments section. By doing so, all readers will be able to benefit from the knowledge. Just remember that today we are focusing on programs and services to listen to podcasts, not to create them.
Apple Podcast
And the alphabetical order wants us to start with this exclusive application of the Apple ecosystem, which offers more than one million programs of all kinds with more than 30 million chapters. It offers the basic functions of any program of this type, with the ability to subscribe to your favorite shows and be notified with each new episode of them that is uploaded to the platform.
Its particularity is the synchronization through iCloud, which allows you to start listening to a program in an episode and continue listening to it on another Apple device.
- Download Apple Podcast on App Store
Audible
Audible is a rather peculiar platform if we compare it to the rest of the ones that are going to appear on the list. It’s an Amazon service, and it offers exclusive podcasts and audiobooks. Although its focus is really on audiobooks, having a catalog of more than 90,000.
But it also has a small collection of original and exclusive podcasts or even an informative one. Of course, you should know that this is also a paid service that costs $14.95 per month.
- Visit the official website
Breaker
The breaker is a complete podcast application that goes beyond the simple player, as it seeks to add a social component allowing you to create a user account, leave comments on the chapters of your favorite podcasts, and follow other users to find ideas among their favorite content.
It also allows you to play downloaded episodes, receive notifications of new episodes of your subscriptions, mobile downloads, fast playback up to 3x, and even options such as trimming the silence during playback.
- Visit the official website
CastBox
It is a multiplatform application, which in addition to having versions for cell phones also has a web app for computers, as well as for watches, cars, and smart speakers. It opts for simplicity with a clean and neat interface, with a wide catalog of programs that you can save in favorites and download.
It also offers continuous playback via customized playlists, and as a special feature, it offers tools to help you create your podcast. Thus, you can create your content and send a request to be included in the platform.
- Visit the official website
Clementine
We are also going to make room for applications that are exclusively desktop, and in that aspect, Clementine has been a reference music player for years. It stands out for its open-source, for having other versions for GNU/Linux in addition to Windows, and for being able to link it to clouds such as OneDrive, Google Drive, or Dropbox to listen to music. It also has a section for podcasts with some interesting options.
Podcasts can be entered by hand, but it also has a search engine for iTunes directories and other reference sources. It also allows you to import your subscriptions and has support for gpodder.net’s open podcast directory.
- Visit the official website
Deezer
The popular music streaming platform Deezer decided in 2020 to continue its commitment to podcasts and bring podcast content to new countries.
Deezer was already a very popular platform with applications for multiple device types, where you can now see a podcast tab in addition to the music tab. You have all its playback options, being able to add podcasts to your favorites, or its offline mode.
- Visit the official website
Google Podcasts
The almighty Google also has its podcast platform, with a simple web interface that seeks simplicity above all, and applications for both Android and iOS. In this case, it is a platform with the basic options, where you can subscribe to your favorite content, download podcasts, or control the playback speed.
At the moment, it is a free program that you can access with your Google account, and that has the incentive of not having advertising. However, knowing Google, this absence of advertising may be only while trying to position itself in the industry.
- Visit the official website
iVoox
This is one of the most popular platforms for podcasts, one of those that a few years ago began to drive the trend of the return of this format. Having been a reference platform for a long time, you can find practically any program of the best podcasts you can imagine, with a search section, subscriptions, downloads, and all the options you would expect in this kind of apps.
One of the greatest features of this tool is that it makes it very easy for you to become a content creator, offering unlimited storage and transfers, and the possibility of monetizing your podcasts. It is a good way to attract new creators and offer added value to users.
- Visit the official website
Juice
Almost all the applications and programs in this list, have web versions that are modern and offer a wealth of great options. But if you are looking for a small, modest, and versatile tool, Juice is an open-source program that has versions for Windows, macOS, and GNU/Linux.
What this tool does is allow you to manage your favorite podcasts, which you can then listen to in other players, because it is compatible with many of them. So, it is a tool designed more for those who follow dozens of podcasts and want to have them perfectly organized.
- Visit the official website
Laughable
Laughable has a different concept from the rest, as it is a platform focused on humor podcasts and humorists. Therefore, if you want to brighten up your afternoon, here you will find the content very focused on this genre that will surely bring a smile to your face.
As for its options, it has everything you can expect from this type of platform, with the ability to follow your favorite creators to always be up to date with their latest episodes, the ability to download the chapters to listen to them offline, and multiple playback options that include listening at double speed.
- Visit the official website
MusicBee
MusicBee is not only one of the best music players for PC that you can find is free and with support for Last.fm, even one of the best programs in general, but it also has support for adding podcasts. In the player, you have a tab that you can use to access its specific section.
MusicBee is a bit more manual, as you have to add the link to the podcast yourself. It doesn’t have dozens of options either, as you only have the new episodes section and the ones you have not listened to, but if you already use the application to listen to your digitalized music collection on your computer, you don’t need anything else to listen to your favorite podcasts as well.
- Visit the official website
Overcast
This is a simple and free player that is exclusive for Apple devices, so you can only use it on iPhone, Apple Watch, and iPad. It has an advertising system, but the ads are not from companies but from other podcasts that might interest you, so they are also useful to help you discover new content.
Among its features, highlights one that increases the volume of the voice of a program, the voice of the people, so you can better understand what they say if you have too much background noise or music. You can also slightly increase the playback speed and manage your favorites.
- Visit the official website
PlayerFM
This is a complete podcast player that allows you to listen to a wide collection of programs and episodes. You can subscribe to your favorite shows and have them all in one tab, and you also have others for recommendations, and for the episodes, you have set to watch later.
And the above was just within the category for listening to shows. The app has multiple themes for recommendations, allows downloading episodes like almost all of them, and is compatible with a large number of devices, from the browser to the Chromecast, including Android Wear or Android Auto. And all for free, although it has a subscription model to remove adverts, and offer themes and greater speed.
- Visit the official website
Podbean
Podbean is a service that is dedicated to hosting podcasts from creators who choose to upload them to its platform, and also has its playback application. This app has an excellent design, with all the search options you could want, personalized recommendations, and playback history.
Podbean also integrates audiobooks in its app, but perhaps the most spectacular thing is that it includes a tool to record and upload your podcasts from your mobile, as long as you have contracted the hosting of this service.
- Visit the official website
Podcast Addict
This is a small application created for Android and has a good collection of podcasts, radios, and even audiobooks. It also allows you to listen to videos from Twitch or YouTube, and for podcasts, it uses the search engines Podcast Addict, Apple Podcast, or The Podcast Index.
It allows you to search for content by name or keyword, has a system of personalized recommendations, and allows you to create playlists by theme. It also has multiple sounds and playback effects, such as listening to everything a little accelerated so that the episodes last less time.
- Download  Podcast Addict on Google Play
Podcast Republic
This is a service available through its website and an Android app. In this case, unfortunately, it is not compatible with iOS devices. It has several interesting features, such as being compatible with YouTube or iTunes channels, and also incorporates radio broadcasts and audiobooks.
For the rest, it will also allow you to save podcasts in the memory of an SD card in case your Android has one and offers compatibility with Android Wear, automatic downloads, and all the basic options of any podcast player.
- Visit the official website
Podimo
At the beginning of the article, we mentioned Amazon’s paid podcast service. But you should know that it is not alone, because a few months ago and for a lower price came to the niche, the Podimo service, which is presented as a Netflix of podcasts with a monthly subscription of €4.99/month.
Podimo also has a free version with more than 650,000. What its Premium version adds is the possibility of listening exclusively to exclusive content, among others. In total, they offer more than 125 exclusive podcasts, as well as audiobooks. You can use it on the web and its mobile applications.
- Visit the official website
Pocket Casts
This is one of the best known mobile applications in the world of podcasts, which stands out for having a modern, neat, and very nice design. It started as a paid application, and despite its popularity decided to start offering it for free. It also maintains a paid version with more advanced options, but to use it without them you do not need to pay.
Pocket Casts includes powerful search filters to make it easier for you to find podcasts that interest you. It can also generate you a playlist with the latest episodes of your favorite shows, is compatible with Sonos and Alexa and has many options such as synchronization between devices, recommendations, episode search, compatibility with Chromecast and Airplay, or even a theme system.
- Visit the official website
SoundCloud
SoundCloud is a kind of alternative Spotify, an application where it is easy to upload your music and millions of people around the world listen to it. And not only that, but it has social features like comments for creators to be more in touch with their followers.
Well, this platform also has a growing number of podcast creators and seeks to shelter them with its tools to continue growing. So, possibly here you can find alternative and not so common podcasts.
- Visit the official website
Spotify
Spotify is not only one of the main music streaming services, but it also has a whole section dedicated to podcasts. And being such a big name in the industry, almost every podcast wants to be on their platform as well, so you should have no problem finding the ones you like the most.
The format of the podcasts is the same as a music album, and when you enter one you will see all its chapters below. You can also follow it so that it appears at the top of the section. In case you follow a lot of podcasts, the podcasts section has its search engine, and you will also receive personalized recommendations with the ones you might be interested in.
- Visit the official website
Spreaker
Spreaker is a platform specialized in hosting creators by allowing them to upload their podcasts to it, and therefore also a good alternative for users who are looking for content. As for creators, Spreaker not only allows them to upload their podcasts, but also makes it easy to publish them on other platforms such as Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Google Podcasts among others.
As for its player, with mobile and web versions, it gives you access to all kinds of podcasts that are organized into different themes, from news to humorous ones. You can follow your favorite podcasts, download them, and find new ones with their recommendations.
- Visit the official website
Stitcher
This is a mobile application for listening to podcasts that, in addition to its versions for Android and iOS, also has versions for Alexa and Sonos, as well as a website to access from any computer. It stands out for its search options, which in addition to programs also allow you to find chapters. Otherwise, it is a basic tool with a free or paid version without advertising and with its content.
- Visit the official website
TuneIn Radio
This is one of the most popular and successful radio applications on mobile devices. Right now, it has a free service with advertising, and another paid service to listen to stations without ads. It also has a podcast section with a wide collection of categories.
This application has versions for mobile, another web version, and even for Windows. It also has versions for multiple brands of smart speakers, as well as for consoles or navigation systems of some car models.
- Visit the official website
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