A podcast player is an app that follows podcast RSS feeds and downloads or streams each new episode as soon as it comes out. Almost every podcast is published as an RSS feed, which is why the same show plays in so many apps. Popular players include Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocket Casts, Overcast, Castro, AntennaPod and Podcast Addict.
What is a podcast?
A podcast is a series of audio or video episodes that you can play whenever you like, a bit like a radio show on demand. Anyone can make one. Behind almost every show is an RSS feed: a list of its episodes, each with a title, a description and a link to the audio file.
How do podcast players work?
- You follow a show. Search the player's catalog, or paste the show's RSS feed address.
- The player checks the feed. It looks for new episodes on a regular schedule.
- New episodes arrive. The player downloads them or streams them when you press play, and remembers where you stopped.
That is exactly how an RSS reader works too. A podcast player is an RSS reader built for listening.
What should a good podcast player have?
- Playback controls: speed, skip silence and a sleep timer.
- Downloads for listening offline, with settings that save mobile data.
- A queue, so you can line up episodes from different shows.
- Sync, so your shows and your place follow you to every device.
- Add by RSS, for shows that aren't in the app's catalog, such as private feeds for paying supporters.
The most popular podcast players
All of them are on the App Store or Google Play today, and each one is good at something different.
| Player | Works on | What it does well |
|---|---|---|
| Apple Podcasts | iPhone, iPad, Mac and the web | Built into Apple devices. Transcripts, Enhance Dialogue for clearer voices, and subscriptions to paid shows. |
| Spotify | Android and iPhone | Music and podcasts in one app. |
| Pocket Casts | Android, iPhone and the web | Playlists and Smart Playlists that fill themselves by rules, plus Android Auto, Chromecast, Wear OS and Sonos. |
| Overcast | iPhone | Smart Speed saves time without making voices sound odd, and Voice Boost makes every show play at the same volume. |
| Castro | iPhone | New episodes land in a New tab, and you pick which ones go in your queue. Trim silence, chapters and CarPlay. |
| AntennaPod | Android | Free, open source and without ads. Add shows by RSS address or OPML file, and control when episodes download. |
| Podcast Addict | Android | Lots of playback settings: speed, skip silence, a sleep timer and volume boost. |
Apple Podcasts is the easy pick on an iPhone, since it's already there. Overcast and Castro suit iPhone listeners who want more control. On Android, AntennaPod is a great free choice, and Pocket Casts works on both kinds of phone and in the browser.
What happened to iTunes podcasts?
On the Mac, Apple replaced iTunes with three apps in macOS Catalina, in October 2019: Apple Music, Apple Podcasts and Apple TV. Podcasts now live in the Apple Podcasts app on iPhone, iPad and Mac. On a Windows PC, Apple still manages podcasts in iTunes.
Can I listen to podcasts in an RSS reader?
Yes. A podcast feed is a normal RSS feed, so you can follow it in Feeder next to your news and blogs. In the Feeder web app, a new episode shows up as a post with a Play button and a download link.
That is handy for a few shows you want to keep an eye on. For daily listening, a podcast app is still the better fit, with its queue, offline downloads and speed controls.
How do I find a podcast's RSS feed?
- Check the show's website. Look for an RSS link, often next to the "listen on" buttons. Or paste the website's address into Feeder's Add feed, and Feeder looks for the feed.
- Look it up from Apple Podcasts. Copy the number after
idat the end of the show's Apple Podcasts link. Openhttps://itunes.apple.com/lookup?id=followed by that number. The address afterfeedUrlis the show's RSS feed.
For example, The Daily's Apple Podcasts link ends in id1200361736, and the lookup gives https://feeds.simplecast.com/Sl5CSM3S. Looking for shows to start with? Our list of popular RSS feeds has a podcast section.
Common questions
Is iTunes still used for podcasts?
Only on Windows. On iPhone, iPad and Mac, podcasts are in the Apple Podcasts app.
Can I add a podcast by its RSS feed?
In many players, yes. AntennaPod, for example, adds shows by RSS address or OPML file. Feeder follows any podcast feed you paste into Add feed.
What is the best free podcast player?
Apple Podcasts comes free on every iPhone, iPad and Mac. On Android, AntennaPod is free, open source and has no ads. Pocket Casts is free on both.
Try Feeder
Keep an eye on your favorite shows next to your news, and play new episodes right in the post on the web. Feeder is an RSS reader for the web, iOS and Android, with extensions for Chrome, Firefox and Edge. The free plan follows up to 200 feeds with no ads, and feeds update as often as every 30 minutes. Plus is $7.99 a month, billed yearly, for 2,500 feeds, updates as often as every 5 minutes and e-mail summaries.
Get started with Feeder for free