Pocket Casts popularized the podcast offering on mobile platforms. Founded in 2009, the company offers the Pocket Casts app for listening to podcasts on mobile and desktop. However, the late confusion about its redesign is pushing people to look for Pocket Cast alternatives on iOS and Android.
My recommendation to anyone looking for a premium podcast experience. So far, Pocket Casts has only offered one-time payment support. Pay once on one platform and use it forever on one platform.
It seems reality has caught up with Pocket Casts. The company announced a new subscription model for everyone. As a generous gesture, the company also offered free Pocket Casts premium to those who purchased one of its desktop apps.
Pocket Casts did not offer such a plan for paid mobile users, which disappointed many fans.
Users are already looking for Pocket Casts alternatives. And in this post, we are going to cover five best Pocket Casts alternatives for iOS and Android. I’ll cover the paid ones and some free options. Lets start.
1. Castro
If you live in an Apple ecosystem, Castro is one of the best Pocket Casts competitors.
The app offers beautiful UI and animations, a host of features to enhance the listening experience, and a unique exploration menu.
In terms of customization, you can change app icons, apply a dark theme, and change the country from the Settings menu.
Added features include Apple Watch Sync, Siri Shortcuts, the ability to automatically download an episode, and more.
The podcast player is pretty solid. You can fast forward the chapter, improve the audio, trim the ads and pauses, and automatically close the app after completing a chapter.
Castro follows the subscription model and costs $20 per year. If you’re still unsure, read the in-depth comparison of Pocket Casts vs Castro.
2. Cloudy
Overcast is another app exclusive to Apple devices. It’s been around for a while and it’s seriously good value for money.
The default homepage is a clean, minimal-looking UI with the section pre-existing. My only issue with the current setup is that the main options are at the top. The app does not use the bottom bar navigation, which is standard in iOS apps.
Customization options include the ability to change icons, themes, and font styles. Cloud Cloud offers Siri Shortcuts, Apple Watch Sync, custom playlist support, iOS widget, and more.
Overcast improves the listening experience by offering sound reinforcement, smart speed to shorten the silence, 2x/3x speed and a sleep timer.
The app costs $7 per year to unlock some members-only features, which is a bargain if you ask me.
3. Apple Podcast
Apple Podcast should be good enough if you want to get started with podcasts. The podcast app was launched in 2012 and continues to receive some love from Apple with each iOS release.
As expected, the app uses traditional iOS design guidelines with the main options at the bottom. By default, it will take you to the browse section to help you find a new podcast. It looks and feels like the App Store with banners on the top and categories below.
You can search for a podcast using an audio phrase or by typing the podcaster’s name into it. In beta though.
Other functions include Siri Shortcuts, Apple Watch support, iOS widget, sleep timer, auto download, playback speed and more.
The app is completely free to use and leaves much to be desired when compared to its mature competitors. You can even sync history with the macOS Podcast app, a separate software with a Catalina update.
4. Google Podcast
Let’s talk about some Android alternatives to Pocket Casts. Let’s start with Google Podcast. The company recently developed a separate podcast app for Android.
Pretty straight. The default homepage shows the ability to discover subscribed podcast channels and more. The user interface is similar to what you’ll find on the Play Store.
The Explore menu is divided into News, Comedy, Business, Sports, and more. You can also use the top search menu to find a podcast channel.
While the Google podcast isn’t as feature-packed as its rivals, it does offer a solid listening experience.
You can use the sleep timer, playback speed, trim any unnecessary pauses or silence in the episode and stream to a supported device.
You will be happy to use the player interface in this application and all the main options at the bottom. Guess what? Google Podcast also supports system-wide dark themes.
5. CastBox
I saved this for last. CastBox is the best Pocket Casts alternative for both iOS and Android. Let me explain why. First, it can be used anywhere. You can use the app on Android, iOS, Web, Apple Watch, Android Auto, Apple Carplay, and even Amazon smart speakers.
The default homepage shows the exploration menu based on your region. You can scroll through the editor’s pick, top shows, categories like Business, Cricket, Education, Comedy, and more.
The Community tab allows you to monitor comments made by others in the same sections. The app is also great for content creators. For this I will guide you to read the detailed comparison between Castbox and Pocket Casts.
Other functions include dark theme support, Siri shortcuts, automatic downloads, and more. The podcast player is one of the best looking I’ve seen among the competition.
From there you can see comments from other listeners, set the sleep timer, see the mute timer and more. The app also offers audiobook support from the home screen.
CastBox follows the subscription model. Pay $20 a year and use the app on any platform.
Try Some Podcasts
As you can see from the list above, each application has its own reasons for choosing the others. Google Podcast and Apple Podcast are free and get the job done.
Castbox’s cross-platform availability is unmatched. Cloudy and Castro are perfect for Apple loyalists.
Next: If you are confused about Cloud Casting compared to Pocket Casts, read the post below to know more.
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