Podcasts have gained popularity in recent years. Many listeners prefer listening via Android phones to avoid Apple's Podcast syncing issues. Google Play Store is packed with apps to listen to and discover podcasts on. Whether you are looking for a comprehensive streaming service that offers music or just need a place to download podcasts to listen offline, there is an Android platform for you. The best podcast apps for Android offer support for audiobooks.
The Best Podcast Apps for Android Users
Some top podcasts are broadcasted exclusively on a single platform, while others are only featured on top platforms. We have compiled a list of the best podcast apps for Android users. These platforms are packed with lots of insightful and entertaining podcasts. Check them out.
1. Pocket Casts
Pocket Casts is one of the most popular podcast apps on Google Playstore. The app comes packed with many intuitive features that are accessible for free. The layout is hassle-free to navigate, so you can easily find your favorite podcasts. You can easily browse through recommendations, subscribe, and listen. The feed is automatically grouped for easy identification.
Furthermore, you can manually customize your feed by organizing episodes into seasons and downloading them to play offline. The app also features all the tools needed to improve your experience. Some of them are playing speed controls, trim silence, volume booster, and sleep timer, which can be accessed for free.
Pocket Casts offers a Plus subscription, which costs $1 monthly. This upgrade grants you access to 10GB of cloud storage, extra themes, and access to a web player. You can also enjoy third-party integrations with desktop apps.
2. Google Podcasts
Google Podcasts is one of the best podcast apps for Android, and it was launched in 2018. The app's user interface is clean and minimalistic, with a white material theme and only essential controls, which sets it apart from others. Upon opening the app, you'll see your podcast subscriptions at the top of the screen, followed by downloads for which you can control the expiration time. The app has a variety of categorized suggestions to help you discover new podcasts easily.
The playback UI is also concise, with standard buttons, an option to ‘trim silence,' and playback speed control. If you are big on Smart Home Gadgets, you can activate an Assistant-powered speaker with a single voice command. Finally, Podcasts can be found and played via Google Search, and Google Assistant provides full playback controls.
3. iVoox
iVoox is a platform that offers a range of audio content across various themes and genres. It allows users to play, download, and share audio content in a versatile manner. One of the most impressive features of iVoox is that it gives users the flexibility to manage their subscriptions easily. By clicking the ‘Manage Suggestions' option, you can change their subscriptions to their preference.
For Android users, iVoox allows them to subscribe to their preferred podcasts. This feature enables them to access new episodes directly without manually searching for them. With iVoox, you can listen to podcasts without subscribing, providing a seamless listening experience and a playback queue.
Additionally, you can enjoy convenient playback controls on the lock screen and have complete audio control by adjusting playback speed, skipping or rewinding, or using car mode. Moreover, you can subscribe, receive notifications, or enable automatic downloads.
4. PodBean
In addition to an excellent feed, PodBean offers some unique features that qualify it among the best podcast apps for Android. One of the most intuitive features is the intelligent playback speed. This tool automatically presets the playback speed based on your listening content, saving you the stress of manually adjusting it for each episode.
PodBean is ideal for you if you listen to podcasts with different speaking speeds from various hosts. Another top tool to enhance your listening experience is a feature that lets you listen to live podcasts and interact in real-time. Most platforms only offer access to prerecorded podcasts that have already been edited. In addition, you can browse through recommendations and purchase premium content.
The best part is that you can even record your own podcast. The only drawback is its lack of proper season support, making it hard to keep up with some subscriptions. Also, the interface can be difficult to navigate at times. The location of icons makes it complex to switch from one subscription to another.
5. Castbox
Castbox is another podcast app that is packed with unique features. Like PodBean, the additional features make the user interface difficult to navigate. Also, some users have complained about annoying ads in the free version, but this is common with many smartphone apps. However, the app has a lot to offer if you are willing to look beyond the few light drawbacks.
Castbox is rated among the best podcast apps for Android users because it is a true community of listeners. Users can comment and interact with each other. The platform offers podcast hosting in addition to podcast playback. One interesting advantage is the ability to find customized recommendations of what to listen to.
However, you can only make 100 subscriptions when using the free version, which is more than enough for most users. Castbox also boasts speed controls, silence trimming, a volume booster, and a sleep timer as a top podcast platform.
Many podcast lovers prefer the app for its ability to transcribe podcasts and let you search for a specific set of words without listening to the entire podcast. Finally, you can subscribe for ad removal for $5 monthly. This subscription also lifts the subscription limit and allows you to have even more personalized content and playback settings. The Castbox UI may be complex, but it delivers top-class practicality.
6. Podcast Addict
If you want one of the best podcast apps for Android that offers the most basic tools for free, Podcast Addict strikes a strong bargain. The user interface may be unattractive, but it is easy to navigate and offers all the best features. You can access some cool tools for free. The free version includes features like a sleep timer, an advanced search function, auto-download settings, customizable notifications, and the ability to export and import libraries.
The paid package includes extra features like time-stamp bookmarks, playback statistics, and advanced audio settings. You can access them for just 99 cents monthly. The best part is that it is compatible with all Android devices and ideal if you prioritize functionality over user experience.
7. Luminary
If you upgrade to its premium version, Luminary provides an ad-free listening experience that is worth it. Apart from its stylish interface, Luminary boasts several valuable features, such as extensive playback controls, offline listening, notifications for new episodes, a sleep timer, and the ability to create custom playlists of podcast episodes.
While Luminary's podcast library is broad, it's not as extensive as some others. However, if your preferred shows are accessible on Luminary, we strongly advise you to try the free trial. It has all the features we seek in a podcast app, but remember that other platforms offer a more extensive range of podcasts.
8. Audials
Audials has a search feature that allows users to find and subscribe to their favorite podcasts easily. This feature lets you discover podcasts through various categories, topics, or keywords. When you find a podcast that interests you, you can subscribe to it.
Audials keeps track of new episodes for your subscribed podcasts, ensuring you don't miss out on the latest content. Additionally, Audials gives you access to a wide range of 200 genres and numerous countries and regions. You can create customized playlists to compile your favorite podcast episodes. The app also allows you to set up automatic updates for subscribed podcasts.
9. Spreaker Podcast Player
Discovering and personalizing your podcast listening experience is effortless with Spreaker Podcast Player. With so much content to choose from, the app makes it easy to explore thoughtfully curated channels and enjoy automatically generated playlists tailored to your preferences.
Stay up-to-date with your favorite podcasts by receiving instant notifications whenever a new episode is released. Spreaker offers adjustable playback speed settings, allowing you to speed up or slow down the podcast's length according to your preference.
You can also use your smartphone or tablet as a remote control for the app. The Sleep timer option is available to stop playback after a set period automatically. The app is compatible with Chromecast and Apple's AirPlay for easy streaming.
10. Spotify
If you are using Spotify to stream music, you might find it helpful to use a single app for all your needs. However, the app's features are relatively limited, especially when discovering new music, as it only offers a curated selection and lacks smart recommendations.
Additionally, it can be confusing to mix your music and podcasts in one library or when browsing for options. Moreover, Spotify does not support seasons, which makes finding the right episode even more challenging. While Spotify is convenient for basic usage as it allows you to access all your content in one place, we suggest looking for a dedicated podcast platform if you need more advanced features.
11. Player FM
Player FM is a podcast app that is completely free to use. It lets you download a range of audio content such as podcasts, audiobooks, and interviews. You can also download and watch video podcast content using this app.
The interface is user-friendly and easy to navigate, even for those new to it. It works well on multiple Android devices, including Android Auto, Chromecast, and WearOS. This app is perfect for people who prefer to listen to podcasts offline.
12. Amazon Music
If you have a Prime subscription, you can enjoy Amazon Music at no extra cost. You may not be aware that this subscription also gives you access to a vast collection of ad-free podcasts.
Although you need to upgrade to Music Unlimited to enjoy on-demand music, all Amazon Music podcasts are available on demand, free of charge. By visiting the home page of the Amazon Music app, you can see the podcasts you're currently listening to, as well as new and popular ones. However, if you want to use Amazon Music for podcasts, you'll need to use the Amazon Music app, which means you'll need to switch back and forth between music and podcast apps.
If you're a Prime subscriber, we suggest you use Spotify for a single app that combines podcasts and music.
Conclusion
Our list features the best podcast apps for Android users. We considered factors like playback options, unique features, ease of discovering new podcasts, and price when picking them. They also offer the best feed compared to others. These apps are available on the Google Play Store and compatible with all Android devices. Although your device primarily determines audio quality, they try to enhance it. We hope you found one that suits you.
