Podcasts are growing in popularity, and with these 5 best podcast apps for iPhone, you can listen and download your favorite episodes anytime, anywhere.
The best podcast apps for iOS
The podcast is more popular than ever. It all started with the original iPod, released in 2001, which allowed you to carry a huge music collection with you in your pocket. After a few years, a narrative form of audio becomes popular. People started to podcast: you could download talk shows about a huge variety of topics and listen to them on your iPod.
According to New York Magazine there was a dip in the podcast landscape in the years 2009/2010, but nowadays they are back with a vengeance. We have listed the 5 best podcast apps of the moment.
1. Pocket Casts
A good podcast app for users who like to have a lot of control. Pocket Casts is especially popular on Android, but the iOS version is also worthwhile. With the app you can set a specific podcast to start from a specific time (so that you can skip intros). In terms of design, it looks nice, but navigating is a bit more difficult than the previously mentioned apps. That is of course a matter of getting used to.
Pocket Casts can be used on the Apple Watch, just like many other apps in this list. Unfortunately, you still can’t save episodes locally on Apple’s smartwatch, making it a less good app for people who go for a run without an iPhone and like to listen to a podcast.
Pocket Casts now also supports Siri Shortcuts, so you can command the voice assistant to play episodes or check if new episodes need to be downloaded. A nice extra are the extensive statistics, so you know exactly how long you have been listening to episodes.
2. Overcast
Another favorite, Overcast, was developed by Marco Arment, who previously created Instapaper. For beginners, Overcast is recommended because it is free. You can pay to remove the existing advertisements, but in principle all important functions are included as standard. You can download podcasts for offline use, create playlists and download episodes over the mobile network.
Overcast also looks beautiful, works like a train and is simple to use. New is the dark theme, which is especially suitable if you use the app in the evenings. The Apple Watch is also very nice and has already been optimized for the larger screen and new watch faces of the Apple Watch Series 4.
3. Castro 2
Castro 2 is a good choice for the podcast listener who listens from time to time. The app looks wonderfully sleek and has an intuitive interface. Podcasts end up in your ‘inbox’ where you can read descriptions and decide if it is for you. Relatively new is Castro 2’s iMessage app, which makes it easy to share your favorite podcast episodes. If you receive a tip via iMessage, the podcast will automatically be added to your list.
Castro 2’s Apple Watch app is a bit less extensive than other apps on this list, but it does give you the option to quickly pause an episode or change the volume from your wrist. Handy if you don’t have the time or don’t feel like grabbing your iPhone. The app is free to use, but it does include in-app purchases that allow you to choose monthly or yearly to buy the premium version. It has additional options that allow you to automatically filter silences from podcasts or switch the sound from stereo to mono.
4. Downcast
The acclaimed podcast app Downcast lets you play episodes the way you want. You can create and edit playlists and you have many options in listening to podcasts. For example, you can adjust the speed and the app supports video podcasts. A nice and comprehensive app, which still manages not to let you drown in complicated menus. There is also iCloud support, which automatically syncs podcasts and playlists to other iOS and Mac devices.
Downcast’s Apple Watch app is also very comprehensive, with the option to control episodes on your iPhone, as well as save episodes locally on the Apple Watch.
Downcast has a one-time purchase price. If you are then satisfied with using it, you can tip the developer in the app via an in-app purchase. Not mandatory of course, but a nice extra if you want to give something extra to the makers after hundreds of hours.
5. Apple’s podcast app
Apple itself also has a podcast app, which is installed by default on every iPhone. It used to be remarkably limited and clumsy to use, but in recent years Apple has improved the app with every iOS update. Starting with iOS 12, it is a convenient and completely free alternative to the four other podcast apps on this list.
Especially for Apple Watch wearers, because here you can easily save episodes offline on the watch that are then synchronized with the podcasts on your iPhone. That way, you can listen to an episode while running and then you can pick up where you left off on your iPhone afterward. The design fits (of course) with the rest of iOS and has a lot in common with how Apple Music looks like.
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