© DC Studio / Shutterstock.com
Key Points:
- Pocket Casts is our top pick for the #1 Best Overall podcast app for Android. This app provides quality entertainment with its impressive features and user-friendly interface. Its monthly subscription for the premium package is also reasonably priced.
- Every podcast app featured on this list has excellent features and an extensive library with great content for your entertainment.
- While picking the best podcast apps for Android, consider if they have customized playlists, offline capabilities, podcast recording features, speed playback tools, and podcast analytics.
The advent of podcasts has brought innumerable entertainment options right into our pockets. These apps comprise endless content for your consumption. They’re the perfect silent fillers when you’re traveling, trying to sleep, or resting. However, finding the perfect podcast app is essential for people who fancy news articles, documentaries, discussions, entertainment broadcasts, and audiobooks. Interestingly, this mode of entertainment isn’t new in our circles. It has undergone various upgrades to function effectively on our Android devices. Some podcast apps stand out due to their flexibility in meeting the entertainment needs of the users. In this article, we will explore the best podcast apps for Android worth downloading today.
Our top picks are:
- Best Overall Podcast App: Pocket Casts
- Best for Audio Book: PodBean
- Best Feature-Rich Podcast App: Castbox
- Best Multifunctional Podcast App: Podcast Addict
- Best Offline Podcast App: Player FM
- Best for Music: Spotify
Best Overall Podcast App: Pocket Casts
The Pocket Casts podcast has a user-friendly interface with many outstanding features for quality entertainment, making it our top choice for the best overall podcast app for Android. Navigating this app is stress-free, even for first-time users. Anyone can easily browse the app, subscribe, and listen to their preferred content. Plus, it allows users to organize their choice episodes and download them automatically or manually to play them later offline. This app is also loaded with every essential control required while listening, such as a sleep timer, speed controls, volume booster, and silence trimming. The paid Plus subscription has additional themes, 10GB of cloud storage, and access to desktop applications and a web player.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| It offers excellent features for users to discover. | It doesn’t offer hosting services. |
| Its playback tools are very powerful. | It lacks customized playlists. |
| It comes with automatic playlists. |
Best for Audiobooks: PodBean
©ASTA Concept/Shutterstock.com
The PodBean has a unique intelligent playback speed feature, making it our best podcast app for audiobooks. This feature makes it distinctive compared to other podcasts. Whenever you’re listening to any content, the intelligent playback speed can adjust automatically, saving you from manually doing this task after every episode. This special feature benefits a user that listens to several podcast hosts with different speaking speeds.
PodBean also enables users to listen to live podcasts. While listening, they can further interact with the host and other listeners in real-time. Besides that, it also gives ample room for users to record their own podcasts and buy premium content. Unfortunately, keeping up with some subscriptions is problematic since this podcast doesn’t have good season support. Further, its interface isn’t user-friendly, making it unsuitable for first-time users.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| It has highly engaging live shows. | Users must subscribe to block the annoying in-app ads. |
| It has in-built editing and podcast recording tools. | |
| It is packed with exceptional discovery features. |
Best Feature-Rich Podcast App: Castbox
The Castbox is packed with many features for a superior entertainment experience, making it our top pick for the best feature-rich podcast app. The only limitation for most users is its complex interface. Due to this, most people haven’t studied this app enough to know its remarkable features. However, taking time to understand this app will pay off eventually since you will get the best Castbox can offer. Other notable setbacks include the many disturbing ads on its free version.
Besides these few issues, the podcast app still delivers the best entertainment. This app has over one million podcast channels, such as PRX, The American Life on CBC, and HowStuffWorks. Its users can download or stream over 95 million radio shows, podcasts, and audiobooks for free in over 70 languages. It also has a cloud-syncing feature for tracking subscriptions.
Further, this app has a dedicated community of listeners that record their podcasts and interact and comment regularly. Plus, its features allow users to get tailored recommendations that suit their interests seamlessly. Unfortunately, Castbox’s free plan offers only 100 subscriptions, which is sufficient for an average person. Fortunately, the monthly subscription comes with playback settings. This paid version also generates more customized content, eradicates subscription limits, and is void of disturbing ads. The Castbox app also supports transcribing podcasts and searching for content using specific words without listening to it.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| It comes with a broad range of content. | Its free plan has many ads. |
| It has an intuitive and powerful podcast player. | |
| It has a lively podcast community. |
Best Multifunctional Podcast App: Podcast Addict
The Podcast Addict has outstanding features required for multiple platforms, making it our top choice for the best multifunctional podcast app for Android. This app can play audio from SoundCloud, to YouTube, RSS feeds, and radio stations. It has a standalone Mp3 Player with downloads and streaming capabilities. Moreover, it uses both iTunes and Podcast Addict databases.
The volume boost, variable playback speed, and skip silence features are available in Android version 4.1+. This app also allows users to customize their playlists for a better experience. It comprises every standard feature a quality podcast application needs, including an alarm clock. The Podcast Addict’s free app is more generous than its competition, as it provides more advanced features. It is due to this reason that most users opt to pay for the premium package. This app is best suited for users needing an app versatile enough to handle their diverse audio content.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| It is highly customizable. | It lacks podcast hosting. |
| This app can handle almost everything from music and audiobooks to podcasts. | |
| It has versatile playback features. |
Best Offline Podcast App: Player FM
Player FM is our best offline podcast app, as it comes with an additional feature for downloading video and audio content for users. Its users can download audio content like interviews, audiobooks, and podcasts to watch later. This app has tailored integration options for various Android gadgets, including WearOS, Android Auto, and Chromecast. Player FM’s interface is also user-friendly, providing more straightforward navigation, even for first-time users.
This app offers over twenty million free episodes and a distraction-free podcast experience. It allows users to customize themes, manage playlists, and sync their content on various Android devices. It also has a silence skip and Auto Volume Boost feature for MP3 files. Player FM is the best choice for anyone needing an offline podcast app.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| It comes with an impressive web player that shares settings with Android. | The episodes don’t follow each other simultaneously as expected, forcing users to arrange them manually. |
| It has the best offline and online support. | |
| This app uses an intelligent recommendation feature to search each episode or entire topic. | |
| It gives users cloud access for massive storage. | |
| The app has well-managed in-app ads that don’t affect user experience. | |
| It doesn’t need an internet connection to function. |
Best for Music: Spotify
Spotify produces quality audio and comprises essential features to meet all your listening needs, making it our top pick for the best podcast app for music. It is the perfect tool for users who have stored their content in one place. The app allows users to play their favorite music on smart TVs and control it seamlessly via the TV remote. Its user-friendly interface makes it easy for users to browse songs, artists, playlists, and albums. Its premium version also produces high-quality audio and doesn’t have ads.
Besides being an impressive music player, this app has some limited features compared to its competition. It lacks intelligent recommendations, making it necessary for users to search for their preferred content manually. Its library also mixes podcasts and music and lacks season support. Irrespective of its downsides, Spotify stills provide the best service to music lovers.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| It has a user-friendly interface. The easy navigation appeals to first-time users. | It shows many ads. |
| It offers a customized listening experience for music and podcast lovers. | The premium package is expensive. |
| Besides Android, it can be used on other platforms like iOS, Windows, macOS, Open Pandora, Linux, Xbox, and PlayStation. | The free version produces poor-quality audio. |
| It supports sharing of music with your audience via Facebook. | This app only works with an internet connection. |
| It has a rich music library. |
How to Pick the Best Podcast App for Android: Step-By-Step
Many podcast apps available online provide various options for their users, but this poses a problem because picking the best one is quite confusing. The only way to make a good choice is by focusing on your needs. The perfect app will provide you with the best entertainment every time. It won’t limit your access to what you need. Listed below are things to consider before picking the best podcast app for Android.
- Tailored Playlist
- Offline Listening
- Speed Playback Tools
- Podcast Analytics
- Podcast Recording Features
Now let’s explore each in more detail.
Tailored Playlist
The primary function of podcast apps is to give the best entertainment for users. They must allow users to listen to the content they love. Its design and features should allow personalization of the user’s listening experience. We have different tastes and preferences regarding music, videos, and other forms of entertainment available online. The podcast app will serve you better if it continuously provides and plays your favorite content. However, that is only possible if it has customizable playlists. Such an app enables you to choose your preferred content every time.
Offline Listening
Never assume that you will always have a stable internet connection. While on adventures or travels, you might visit places without internet coverage. If your podcast app needs the internet to function, you won’t enjoy the much-needed entertainment to eradicate boredom once it comes. Some apps, such as Spotify, only work with an internet connection. Hence, they will limit you from accessing your content once you encounter connection issues. Opt for apps that support offline listening, such as Player FM, since you can listen to your downloaded content using offline apps without internet connectivity.
Speed Playback Tools
Check if the podcast app comes with speed playback tools. This feature is vital, especially for people listening to many podcast hosts. Remember, the hosts have different speaking speeds. Some can be pretty fast, while others are slow. Therefore, you might have to adjust the speed of the podcast to fit your preference. With the help of this setting, you can increase the speed to finish the entire podcast faster or slow it down to follow what the podcast host is saying cautiously. Go for a podcast app with this crucial feature.
Podcast Analytics
Check if the app provides podcast analytics if you’re interested in recording podcasts. As you start sharing your content via the podcast app, it is crucial to monitor its performance. Podcast analytics provide reliable data showing the progress of your show. It will account for every minute detail, including the average listening time, subscriber counts, and number of downloads and streams. This data will guide you in implementing effective strategies for your content. Therefore, look for podcast apps that generate podcast analytics.
Podcast Recording Features
Listening to other podcasts can conceive the idea of starting your own show. Most podcast hosts started after listening to others. Therefore, if you would want to venture into this world of podcasting, look for an app with features for recording podcasts. It should have the ability to record quality audio or video content. The best ones have a highly engaging community, making it easier for users to get an audience. They should also provide podcast hosting services to lessen the hassle of embarking on your podcasting venture.
©Alex from the Rock/Shutterstock.com
What to Know Before Downloading the Best Podcast App
Since there are many podcast apps for Android, you will need adequate information to pick the best one. Every app has different capabilities depending on its features. Therefore, assess the features of every podcast app and check if it meets your needs. The best options have advanced features and a user-friendly interface for easy usage. It is also essential to check the content library of the apps, since not all apps have massive libraries. Remember, podcast hosts are also very picky about where they post their content. Therefore, look for apps fancied by most podcast hosts since they have innumerable content.
Find out if the podcast apps have a free plan and check the quality of service they offer. Not all apps have unappealing free plans. For instance, Podcast Addict graciously offers more resources via its free plan, while Castbox offers 100 subscriptions for free. It is also necessary to check if you can customize the app. Some podcast apps come with several themes for user personalization. If you fancy such apps, choose an option with your favorite themes.
The issue of support is crucial when using these apps. While using podcast apps, you will probably encounter technical issues or problems requiring immediate assistance. At that moment, the app’s support will bail you out. Therefore, you must know the type of support each podcast app provides for its users. The best podcast apps offer several support options, such as email, Help Center, and community forums.
Using the Best Podcast Apps for Android: What It’s Like
Podcast apps have taken entertainment to the next level by enhancing its accessibility. These apps allow content recording, posting, and sharing across various platforms. They are also compatible with various Android devices, giving podcast hosts access to a broader audience. These apps also come with intelligent recommendation features, which generate the type of content you love. Further, they often have additional customization features which allow users to customize the app and their playlist.
Most podcast apps have a user-friendly interface for easy navigation. Once you have downloaded these apps, you can enjoy their entertainment immediately. Moreover, you don’t have to subscribe to explore the podcast apps. You can start with the free plans, although they have many irritating in-app ads. If you need a better experience with more personalized content, it is advisable to subscribe to the premium ad-free version. The cost of subscribing is typically affordable. Most podcast apps also allow users to download and listen to the content later. However, some podcast apps function both online and offline, so choose the best option for you.
