Podcast Apps Compared: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Pocket Casts

Once you decide to start listening to podcasts, you need a way to find and play them. That is what podcast apps are for — they organize podcast shows, let you search for new ones, and play episodes through your phone's speaker or headphones.

There are dozens of podcast apps available, but three stand out as the most popular and well-supported: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Pocket Casts. Each has a different feel, and the right one depends on how you like to discover and organize content.

Apple Podcasts is the built-in podcast app on every iPhone. It is completely free, requires no new account (it uses your Apple ID), and has access to almost every podcast ever made. It is the simplest option for iPhone users who want to get started without downloading anything new. The downside is that it is not available on Android — only Apple devices.

Spotify is the most popular streaming platform in the world, and it handles both music and podcasts in one app. It is free with occasional ads on both iPhone and Android. If you already have Spotify for music, you can search for and listen to podcasts in the same app without switching. One limitation is that Spotify does not have every podcast — some are exclusive to other platforms — but it has the vast majority of popular shows.

Pocket Casts is a paid app (around $4 one-time or $1 per month) widely considered the best podcast experience by frequent listeners. It has powerful features for organizing your library, trimming silence between words to speed up playback without sounding rushed, and cross-device syncing. It is excellent for people who listen to many shows regularly, but it is more than most casual listeners need.