Podcasts have become one of the most popular ways to listen to your favourite influencers and speakers.
The good thing about podcasts is that topics can vary dramatically, and can range from something as serious as talking about political issues all the way through to silly podcasts designed to make you laugh.
And to tune into your podcasts, you need a great podcast player app. Here’s our top choices when it comes to playing podcasts.
Google Podcasts – Podcast app with personalised recommendations
Google Podcasts was obviously developed for Android devices, though you can now download podcasts on iOS devices too. When it comes to simplicity, Google Podcasts is pretty tough to beat.
The main reason why we like Google Podcasts is the recommendations that it gives you within.
Google Podcasts helps you to find good podcasts using their variety of different categories, and the app will give you content according to those you’ve already shown interest in.
You can use your search and play history to manage the episodes that you’ve already listened to, and then discover interesting things via the Explore tab.
The app has a variety of helpful features, like faster playback and the ability to queue your episodes depending on the order you want to listen to them in. And of course, a fantastic archive of podcasts to choose from.
So, it is the obvious option for any user of an Android phone, and surprisingly a solid choice for iOS users too.
Google Podcasts offers a nice and clean user experience with minimal design. It you want a simple basic way to listen to your podcasts, this could be the best podcast app for you.
Apple Podcast – For iOS
For iOS users, the Apple Podcast App offers an excellent way of listening to podcasts across all of your Apple devices.
That means if you use an iPhone, iPad Apple Watch and Macbook, there’s really no better choice than Apple Podcasts.
Even though the podcasts offer international podcasts, this site still provides suggestions for a specific region. This means that it’s really easy to find content that’s relevant to your needs, over time the app will get better at recommending podcasts that you’ll like.
It is free, with Premium option available for those that want to listen to specific creators. You can follow your favourite shows and you’ll continually receive updates through the Apple Podcasts app if a new episode drops.
The app has one of the widest selections of any podcast library, with millions of different podcasts you can check out on the platform.
And, you can even download episodes separately and listen to them later for offline listening, which is important for some people.
Overall, it’s still hard to beat Apple Podcasts when it comes to finding your favourite podcasts on an iPhone. However, there are a few alternative podcast apps for iOS you may want to consider if you’re tired of Apple Podcasts.
Castbox Podcast Player – Supports Siri
Castbox offers a strong alternative to the two podcast apps already mentioned, and many users prefer the design and layout that Castbox offers.
Castbox really excels when it comes to their audiobooks and educational podcasts. These are separated by storylines into several sections, with a wide variety to choose from.
You can further refine Podcast categories to narrow down on the specific genre that you want to listen to, whether that be true crime or your favourite TV shows.
The app is mostly free, but if you prefer uninterrupted audio then you may want the premium plan.
Plus, Castbox is easily integrated with most other services like CarPlay, and it has a lot of different editing features like Volume Boost and a Sleep Timer too.
This is one of the best podcast apps to download if you’re looking for something a little different to Google and Apple Podcasts – it’s worth checking out.
Spotify
If a person wants music and podcasts, it’s hard to look past Spotify as the best music streaming app. If you plan to listen to music and podcasts, Spotify is a good choice.
Spotify is the largest online streaming site and offers access to millions of podcasts. It’s relatively easy to find ones that you like using Spotify’s search function.
Despite the strong focus on music, Spotify has a lot of solid content when it comes to podcasts too. If you upgrade to Spotify Premium, you’ll be able to listen to new podcasts as soon as they’re released.
Spotify provides a podcast section for podcasts in several genres such as documentary, sports and comedy. Plus, you can easily download podcasts to your device and listen to them later.
So, it may be worth checking out if Spotify has the latest episode of your favourite podcast, as they probably do.
Overcast
Another good podcast app for iOS and Android users alike is Overcast, which is another worthy alternative to the bigger name podcasts you may have already heard of.
The good thing is that the app is easily adapted for a variety of applications, and it has many advantages – this includes custom playlists, optional notifications, an in-built sleep timer and smart speed if you want to listen to your podcasts at a faster speed.
The app has a clean interface and the customization it offers is solid, with regular recommendations that are actually relevant to your listening history – not just what they want you to listen to.
For listening to podcasts, Overcast is a valid choice – you’ll get early access within the app to podcasts you’re subscribed to, and an easy way to skip through intros if you don’t want to listen.
Conclusion
Podcasts offer a simple solution to your daily commute boredom. We’ve taken a quick look at the best podcast applications that are available for both iPhone and Android devices.
These straightforward apps are easy to-use and handle basic functions without issue, and hopefully you can find one that suits your needs so you can get back to listening to your top podcasts, whether they’re educational or just fun.
