Best Podcast Apps in 2026
Updated
In short: Apple Podcasts is ranked #1 of 55 as of 5 October 2026, ahead of Pocket Casts and Overcast. The best-ranked option with a free plan is Pocket Casts. The lowest first paid tier on this page is Podverse at $1.50/mo.
Podcast apps help you follow and play shows across the devices and platforms you use. Compared on cross-device sync, offline downloads, supported platforms, and video podcasts, the entries can be weighed against how and where you listen. Episode transcripts may suit the way you prefer to follow a show, while private feed support matters if you use non-public feeds. Check free-plan availability and paid-from pricing as well. Apple Podcasts, Pocket Casts, and Overcast are among the options shown. Consider which playback, access, and episode features make sense for your listening routine.
55 podcast apps ranked on what their makers publish — plans and prices, free tiers, platforms and the facts on their own pages.
22 of the 25 here have a free tier you can use, 0 have open-source code on record, and 0 have full bars: free, open, on most of your devices and documented.
| # | App | Signal | Free tier | Open code | Devices | From | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Apple PodcastsWeb · Windows · Mac · iPhone | Three bars | — | 4 of 6 | Free | 8.2 | |
| 2 | Pocket CastsWeb · Windows · Mac · Android · iPhone | Three bars | — | 5 of 6 | $3.33/mo | 8.2 | |
| 3 | OvercastMac · iPhone | Two bars | — | 2 of 6 | Free | 8.0 | |
| 4 | CastboxWeb · Android · iPhone | Three bars | — | 3 of 6 | Free | 8.0 | |
| 5 | Player FMWeb · Android · iPhone | Three bars | — | 3 of 6 | Free | 8.0 | |
| 6 | CastroMac · iPhone | Two bars | — | 2 of 6 | $2.08/mo | 7.9 | |
| 7 | PinePodsWeb · Windows · Mac · Linux · Android · iPhone · Self-hosted · API | Three bars | — | 6 of 6 | Free | 7.9 | |
| 8 | FluidCastWeb · Windows · Mac · Linux · Android · iPhone | Three bars | — | 6 of 6 | £2.49/mo | 7.9 | |
| 9 | PodverseWeb · Android · iPhone | Three bars | — | 3 of 6 | $1.50/mo | 7.8 | |
| 10 | PoduramaWeb · Windows · Mac · Android · iPhone | Three bars | — | 5 of 6 | Free | 7.8 | |
| 11 | PodbeanAndroid · iPhone | Two bars | — | 2 of 6 | $17/mo | 7.7 | |
| 12 | YourPodsWeb · Windows · Mac · Linux · Android · iPhone · Self-hosted | Three bars | — | 6 of 6 | Free | 7.7 | |
| 13 | AntennaPodAndroid | Two bars | — | 1 of 6 | Free | 7.6 | |
| 14 | Podcast GuruWeb · Android · iPhone | Three bars | — | 3 of 6 | Free | 7.6 | |
| 15 | MetacastWeb · Android · iPhone | Three bars | — | 3 of 6 | Free | 7.4 | |
| 16 | SnipdAndroid · iPhone | Two bars | — | 2 of 6 | $6.99/mo | 7.4 | |
| 17 | opencastMac · iPhone | Two bars | — | 2 of 6 | Free | 7.3 | |
| 18 | Moon FMWindows · Mac · Android · iPhone | Three bars | — | 4 of 6 | Free | 7.2 | |
| 19 | CastamaticMac · iPhone | Two bars | — | 2 of 6 | Free | 7.1 | |
| 20 | PodcatiPhone | Two bars | — | 1 of 6 | Free | 6.9 | |
| 21 | Podcast RepublicWeb · Android · iPhone | Two bars | — | — | 3 of 6 | — | 6.8 |
| 22 | FountainWeb · Android · iPhone · API | Two bars | — | — | 3 of 6 | — | 6.8 |
| 23 | iVooxWeb · Android · iPhone | Two bars | — | — | 3 of 6 | — | 6.8 |
| 24 | PodLPAndroid | Two bars | — | 1 of 6 | Free | 6.8 | |
| 25 | SpreakerWeb · Windows · Mac · Android · iPhone | Three bars | — | 5 of 6 | $20/mo | 6.8 |
Compare all 25 in a table
| # | App | Score | Free plan | From | Free plan | Paid from | Supported platforms | Offline downloads |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Apple Podcasts | 8.2 | Free plan | Free | Yes | — | Web, iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, Apple TV, Apple Vision Pro, Windows via iTunes, CarPlay, HomePod, smart speakers, and supported car systems | Yes |
| 2 | Pocket Casts | 8.2 | Free plan | $3.33/mo | Yes | $3.99/mo | Web, Windows, macOS, iOS, Android; also Apple TV, Apple Watch, Wear OS, CarPlay, Android Auto, Android Automotive, Sonos, Alexa, and Chromecast | Yes |
| 3 | Overcast | 8.0 | Free plan | Free | Yes | — | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, Mac, website | Yes |
| 4 | Castbox | 8.0 | Free plan | Free | Yes | — | iOS, Android, web, PWA, Amazon Alexa, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Apple Watch | Yes |
| 5 | Player FM | 8.0 | Free plan | Free | Yes | — | Web, Android, iOS | Yes |
| 6 | Castro | 7.9 | Free plan | $2.08/mo | Yes | $3.99/mo | iOS, iPadOS, macOS, Apple Watch | Yes |
| 7 | PinePods | 7.9 | Free plan | Free | Yes | — | Web, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, API, self-hosted server | Yes |
| 8 | FluidCast | 7.9 | Free plan | £2.49/mo | Yes | — | Web, iOS, macOS, Android, Windows, Linux | Yes |
| 9 | Podverse | 7.8 | Free plan | $1.50/mo | Yes | — | Web, iOS, Android, F-Droid | Yes |
| 10 | Podurama | 7.8 | Free plan | Free | Yes | — | iOS, iPadOS, Android, web, Windows and macOS | Yes |
| 11 | Podbean | 7.7 | Free plan | $17/mo | Yes | $12/mo | iPhone and Android | — |
| 12 | YourPods | 7.7 | Free plan | — | Yes | — | iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, CarPlay, Android, Windows, Linux, and modern web browsers | Yes |
| 13 | AntennaPod | 7.6 | Free plan | Free | Yes | — | Android | Yes |
| 14 | Podcast Guru | 7.6 | Free plan | Free | Yes | — | Web, Android, iOS | Yes |
| 15 | Metacast | 7.4 | Free plan | Free | Yes | — | iOS, Android, web | Yes |
| 16 | Snipd | 7.4 | Free plan | $6.99/mo | Yes | $6.99/mo | iPhone, Android, Apple Watch | Yes |
| 17 | opencast | 7.3 | Free plan | Free | Yes | — | iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple Vision; iOS/iPadOS/macOS/visionOS 26 or later | Yes |
| 18 | Moon FM | 7.2 | Free plan | Free | Yes | — | Android, iOS, Mac, PC/Windows | Yes |
| 19 | Castamatic | 7.1 | Free plan | Free | Yes | — | iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, CarPlay | Yes |
| 20 | Podcat | 6.9 | Free plan | Free | Yes | — | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch | Yes |
| 21 | Podcast Republic | 6.8 | No | — | Yes | — | web, Android, iOS | Yes |
| 22 | Fountain | 6.8 | No | — | Yes | — | iOS, Android, web | Yes |
| 23 | iVoox | 6.8 | No | — | Yes | — | — | — |
| 24 | PodLP | 6.8 | Free plan | Free | Yes | — | KaiOS, Cloud Phone, Android, JioPhone | Yes |
| 25 | Spreaker | 6.8 | Free plan | $20/mo | Yes | $20/mo | — | — |
Is your app on this list?
Numbered spots on this list can be sponsored, and a sponsored row is labelled as paid.
Questions about this list
Which podcast app is ranked first on Freedom251?
Apple Podcasts is ranked #1 of 55 with a score of 8.2. Pocket Casts is second and Overcast third.
How many of these have a free plan?
22 of the 25 on this page publish a free plan on their own pricing pages.
Which is the cheapest paid option?
On this page, Podverse has the lowest first paid tier we found: $1.50/mo.
How is this list ranked?
Ranked free-and-open first: a usable free tier and open-source code, then the platforms it runs on and its documentation.