10 Best Alternatives to Pocket Cast for Android and iOS (2020)

PocketCast has long been a popular choice when it comes to providing a top-notch podcast listening experience. Unfortunately, Pocket Casts was embroiled in controversy in China and was removed from the country’s iOS App Store. The Cyberspace Administration of China said the app could be used to access illegal content in the country and demanded Apple remove it as violating Chinese law. Notably, another major podcast app, Castro, was also recently removed from the Chinese App Store. We understand this isn’t the app’s fault, but if you’re worried about its future or just looking for something new, here are the 10 Best Pocket Cast Alternatives for Android and iOS You Can Use in 2020 I have listed the pieces.

Best Alternatives to Pocket Cast for Android and iPhone (2020)

Pocket Casts’ UI has always been intuitive, but the app can feel slow at times. Additionally, many users report that the content often does not load smoothly. Additionally, the move to subscription-based pricing has not been well-received by many users. When choosing Pocket Casts alternative apps for iPhone and Android, we made sure that the alternatives cover most of these shortcomings and are just as good in terms of functionality and customization.

1. Cloudy

If you’re looking for a complete Pocket Casts replacement for iPhone and iPad, Overcast could be the right answer to meet your needs. This app has an intuitive UI and offers many great features. Browse our growing collection or download your favorite podcasts to listen offline. Like Pocket Casts, it also features multiple smart filters to create custom playlists , giving you easy access to the podcasts you want to listen to.

In terms of personalized recommendations , Overcast is very similar to Pocket Casts. The app keeps track of your interests and provides recommendations accordingly, so you can instantly access the kinds of podcasts that suit your tastes. Another feature worth noting is how easy it is to manage your podcasts. Based on your needs, you can set priorities for each podcast and sort the list to your liking.

Timely changes keep you in sync with the latest arrival information so you never miss a thing. One of my favorite features of Pocket Casts is its really cool podcast player that offers some cool customization for completely personalized podcast listening.

I found Overcast to be spot on in this regard, thanks to the easy way to adjust volume and skip silence. Not to mention, we also offer standalone podcast playback on Apple Watch, so you can watch your favorite episodes right from your wrist.

Installation: iOS (Free, $9.99/year)

2. Podcast addiction

Overcast is for iOS, while Podcast Addict is for Android. With over 500,000 ratings and 4.7 out of 5 stars from over 9 million downloads, it’s a testament to its popularity on Android devices. Another department that scores very highly is customization. You can tweak the playback speed and use features like loop mode, sleep timer, shuffle mode, and more to improve your podcast listening experience.

Compared to Pocket Casts, Podcast Addict seems a little better in terms of audio effects . It has features like mono playback, volume boost, silence skip, and works as a standalone player, making it very easy to use.

Additionally, it also offers very useful automation features such as automatic updates, downloads, and deletions. So you don’t have to worry about manually cleaning up unnecessary episodes or downloading your favorite podcasts. Thanks to support for Chromecast and Sonos , you can also send your favorite podcasts on your streaming device.

If you use an RSS reader feed, you’ll love the option to import OPML files within the app. Additionally, it’s worth noting the ability to import audiobooks from your device and play them directly from the app. Considering these features, we can easily argue that Podcast Addict is one of the best Pocket Cast alternatives for Android.

Installation: Android (free, with in-app purchases)

3. Podcast Master

Another podcast app that never fails to impress me is Podcast Guru. In terms of both quality and quantity, this app can give Pocket Cast a strong competitive edge. Unlike Pocket Cast, Podcast Guru has a clean user interface that makes navigation easy. Additionally, its freemium version doesn’t seem bloated with ads.

With this app, you won’t be bothered by too many ads. Even with so much AI-driven intelligence, finding the best podcasts can often be a little inconvenient. That’s why this app provides trusted reviews and ratings from Podchaser, making it easy to find the podcasts you want.

Similar to Pocket Casts, Podcast Guru comes with a smart download manager that prevents downloaded episodes from taking up valuable storage on your device. Depending on your needs, you can also download episodes over Wi-Fi only to prevent the app from consuming too much mobile data, or save episodes to removable storage for easy erasure.

Additionally, Podcast Guru has a very useful dark mode that not only protects your eyes from strain but also extends the battery life of your device. With these features in mind, this works as a Pocket Casts alternative for Android devices.

Installation: Android (free, with in-app purchases)

4. Google Podcasts

If I were to choose an alternative to Pocket Casts based purely on a personalized experience, Google Podcasts would be one of my top choices. This app offers a variety of podcasts including comedy, news, politics, entertainment, business, and sports. So no matter what kind of podcasts you want to listen to, you’re fully covered.

In terms of customization, Google Podcasts pairs well with Pocket Casts. Adjust playback speed, skip silence, and queue episodes for seamless listening.

Additionally, Google Podcasts also comes with a handy download manager. Similar to Pocket Cast, it automatically downloads the app and makes it available whenever you want to listen offline. You can also use smart cleanup tools to remove redundant episodes and keep your app tidy. Additionally, this app allows you to easily track your viewing history, downloads, and subscriptions .

Therefore, managing your history in Google Podcasts is less cumbersome than in Pocket Cast. Plus, Google Assistant is always available to help you play or search for specific podcasts faster. All things considered; Google Podcasts is probably the smartest Pocket Casts alternative.

Installation: Android / iOS (free)

5. Apple Podcasts

Why look elsewhere when you already have a top-notch podcast app installed on your iOS device? You guessed it! Well, I’m talking about the Apple Podcasts app that’s built into iPhone, iPad, and Mac. The app also has a clean UI for quick navigation. Of course, Apple’s products aren’t as elegant as Pocket Cast. However, getting the job done depends on the job.

One of the biggest benefits of Apple Podcasts is its integration with Siri. You can ask Siri to play podcasts on your iPhone, Mac, or even HomePod. What’s even better is that your play history is synced across devices for free .

Like Pocket Casts, Apple’s products also offer a complete download manager. Set all new episodes to download automatically so you can watch them anytime, even when you don’t have an internet connection. After playing an episode, the app automatically deletes it, so unnecessary episodes don’t take up too much storage. All in all, you can get a great podcast listening experience for free.

Installation: iOS (free)

6. Stitcher for podcasts

As a podcast player, Sticher seemed pretty good to me. This app provides a one-stop platform to listen to a variety of podcasts and radio shows. We also offer popular programming from major sources like NPR, WNYC, The New York Times, Earwolf , and the BBC, so our catalog has the best shows to keep you informed.

Needless to say, exclusive premium podcasts always have some surprise elements to keep you hooked. Stitcher doesn’t have the slick UI of Pocket Cast, but it runs relatively smoothly.

Additionally, Sticher supports CarPlay and offers integration with over 50 other vehicles from Ford, GM, Mazda, BMW, Jaguar, and Land Rover . Plus, it works well with all major smart speakers (with Amazon Alexa skills and connects to Sonos speaker systems), so you can listen to podcasts on your smart speakers.

The premium version of Stitcher is available for $4.99 per month or $34.99 per year. This is relatively more expensive than Pocket Casts’ $0.99/month or $9.99/year plans. However, this subscription offers premium content, ad-free viewing, and bonus episodes. If you don’t need these additional features, you can continue using the free version.

Installation: iOS / Android (Free, $4.99 per month)

7. Podbean

Podbean is the type of podcast app that will easily appeal to most podcast listeners. You can use this app to subscribe to some famous podcast channels such as PR, CBC, BBC, HowStuffWorks, The New York Times, This American Life, and Gimlet. From sports to politics to finance, this app can easily accommodate your different tastes. You’ll also see personalized recommendations based on the types of podcasts that caught your attention.

But what sets this app apart from many others, including Pocket Casts, is that it’s a full-fledged podcast studio that lets you record professional-quality podcasts for your listeners. It features high-quality background music and some cool sound effects to help you fine-tune your audio like a pro. Podbean features powerful post-production tools such as editing, splitting, merging, and exporting, giving you the control you need to improve the quality of your audio.

That’s not all. Podbean allows you to listen to trending live audio shows and interact with hosts and other listeners through messaging. If you’re looking for a Pocket Casts rival that not only lets you listen to top-rated shows but also records great podcasts for your listeners, give Podbean a try.

Installation: iOS / Android (free, offers subscription plans for uploading podcasts)

8. Cast box

A feature-packed podcast app like Castbox deserves a mention in this roundup. Perhaps the biggest highlight of this podcast app is its vast collection of audio content, which includes not just podcasts, but audiobooks, white noise, guided meditation podcasts, FM radio, and more. So it doesn’t matter where your interests lie, the app probably won’t take you beyond that.

That aside, the app also includes top-rated TV series podcasts such as Binge Mode: Game of Thrones, Game of Thrones The Podcast, History of Westeros (Game of Thrones), and Game of Thrones LIVE. As someone who appreciates classy TV series podcasts, I found Castbox’s library very interesting. And I’m sure your story is not that different from mine.

It also seemed on par with Pocket Casts in terms of personalization. It’s a complete podcast app with features like an easy way to adjust playback, a handy sleep timer, and the ability to trim silence. Like Pocket Casts, it also offers a freemium model, and if you want to unlock all features, you’ll need to subscribe to a subscription plan that costs $7.99 per month or $39.99 per year.

Installation: iOS / Android (Free)

9. Podcast Republic

Podcast Republic is one of the few podcast apps I want to get on iOS ASAP. What caught my eye about this app is how easy it is to manage your podcasts, YouTube channel, SoundCloud channel, RSS news and blog feeds, and online radio streaming all in one place. So, in case you need to jump from pillar to post to control all this, Podcast Republic is the one you should choose to easily stay in control.

Another feature that caught my attention is the way you can easily import and export subscriptions, which comes in handy when switching. If you like to use multiple podcast apps and often find yourself needing to import your podcasts, this feature can be very useful. In terms of playback, Podcast Republic is just as efficient as Pocket Cast thanks to features like volume boost, prioritization, and sleep timer. In short, Podcast Republic is a versatile alternative to Pocket Cast.

Installation: Android (free)

10. Player FM

If you just want a simple podcast app that can meet all your podcast listening needs, Player FM is the way to go. Admittedly, its UI isn’t as clean as Pocket Casts, but it’s second to none when it comes to providing an audio and video podcast listening experience. This app has some of the coolest themes that you can use to spice up the personalization aspect.

The app is updated regularly to include the latest shows and episodes . So you can always have quick access to trending episodes. We also offer a plethora of free audiobooks, documentaries, and video podcasts to cater to your ever-changing interests. One of my favorite things about this app is the availability of bright colors and dark themes, which are helpful when you want the app to match your mood. Pocket Casts also offers some themes, but Player FM has the edge in this area.

Installation: iOS and Android (free, with in-app purchases)

Choose the top Pocket Casts alternatives for iOS and Android

These are the top-ranked Pocket Cast alternatives for iOS and Android devices. We hope that your eyes have found the right answer for one-stop podcast listening, as we have looked into the notable competitors. But before you tune in to the exciting show, let us know the name of the podcast app that has your kitty in the spotlight. And yes, let me know which podcast apps are worth adding to the roundup above.