The 9 Best Podcast Apps for Android of 2023

Find the right podcast app for your listening pleasure

By
Molly McLaughlin
Molly McLaughlin
Molly McLaughlin
Senior Editor & Content Strategist
Molly K. McLaughlin has been a technology editor and writer for over a dozen years. She runs product reviews for Lifewire, overseeing the process from hands-on testing to publishing.
lifewire's editorial guidelines
Updated on January 29, 2023

There are thousands of podcasts on various topics and multitudes of ways to listen to them. We've compiled the best podcast apps for Android featuring on-demand radio, audiobooks, expert curation, and loads of podcasts that you can listen to whether you're online or offline.

01
of 09

Best for Multitaskers: Podcast Addict

Android screenshots of Podcast Addict app showing list of podcasts

Podcast Addict
What We Like

  • Users can filter playlists by type, such as episodes in progress.

  • The interface is customizable; three themes available.

What We Don't Like

  • Making playlists isn't straightforward.

Podcast Addict is for audio enthusiasts who love not just podcasts, but radio, audiobooks, video, music, and tracking RSS news feeds.

02
of 09

For the Meticulous: Pocket Casts

PC screenshot of Pocket Casts app showing list of podcasts

Pocket Casts
What We Like

  • Lots of controls for audio and video settings.

  • Can filter episodes by download status, release date, favorites, and more.

  • A sleep timer lets you listen to podcasts as you drift off​.

What We Don't Like

  • The app costs $4, and there's no free trial.

If you want to manage all aspects of playback, Pocket Casts offers an array of controls. These include speed controls, trim silence (remove dead space between episodes), and volume boost (increase the podcast volume without upping the phone's overall sound).

03
of 09

For Story Lovers: Castbox

PC screenshot of Castbox app showing list of podcasts

Castbox
What We Like

  • Loads of content and an uncluttered interface.

  • Easy to discover new shows and audiobooks.

What We Don't Like

  • The app might slow down your phone or delete content after updating, according to many Google Play store reviews.

Castbox offers engaging stories in a few forms: podcasts, on-demand radio, and audiobooks. The app provides suggestions on new content to listen to and allows for downloading material to playback offline.

04
of 09

A Curated Approach: Player FM Podcast App

Android screenshots of Player FM app showing list of podcasts

Player FM
What We Like

  • Subscription feature makes finding new podcasts and episodes easy.

  • The app's recommendations are well-targeted.

What We Don't Like

  • Continuous play gets in the way of bingeing on a podcast​ since it cycles through new episodes from all of your favorite shows.

Player FM has hundreds of curated and themed lists of podcasts that users can follow to get content related to their interests. It also has features such as playlists, favorites, and a play later option that automatically downloads selected episodes when you connect to Wi-Fi.

05
of 09

Best for Original Content: Stitcher Podcast Player

PC screenshot of Stitcher app showing list of podcasts

Stitcher
What We Like

  • You don't need a premium account to manage your favorite podcasts, create playlists, and get recommendations.

What We Don't Like

  • The month-to-month premium account is pricey (about $60 per year).

  • It's hard to get podcast episodes to play sequentially.

Stitcher is like a lot of the podcast apps on this list, but it also specializes in exclusive and original content. For example, Marvel's Wolverine: The Long Night is available only on Stitcher Premium ($4.99 monthly or $2.92 per month billed annually). Premium plans also give you Stitcher's original content and hundreds of comedy albums.

06
of 09

For Music Lovers: Spotify

PC screenshot of Spotify app showing list of podcasts

Spotify
What We Like

  • Convenient to have one app for tunes and podcasts.

What We Don't Like

  • The app doesn't carry many popular podcasts that are available on other platforms.

While Spotify is mainly considered a music app, it has a library of podcasts dedicated to many subjects including comedy, storytelling, news, entertainment, and more.

07
of 09

Best for Radio Lovers: TuneIn

PC screenshot of TuneIn app showing list of podcasts

TuneIn
What We Like

  • Offers both streaming radio and podcasts and a slew of sports content.

What We Don't Like

  • Only podcasts can be listened to when offline.

TuneIn, in addition to podcasts, also has an array of radio stations, and a premium account gives you play-by-play coverage of live sports.

08
of 09

Great for Music-Themed Podcasts: SoundCloud Music & Audio

PC screenshot of SoundCloud app showing list of podcasts

SoundCloud
What We Like

  • Perfect platform for analyzing the music you enjoy, and discovering new artists.

What We Don't Like

  • No podcasts about topics other than music.

SoundCloud is best known for music streaming, but it also hosts podcasts, many of which are about music.

09
of 09

For Tinkerers and the Security Obsessed: DoggCatcher Podcast Player

PC screenshot of DaggCatcher website with video playing on a smarphone

Doggcatcher
What We Like

  • Can password-protect feeds.

  • Has an array of tools for audio enthusiasts.

  • Can import feeds from a variety of sources.

What We Don't Like

  • Only a paid option ($2.99) and no free trial.

DoggCatcher has all sorts of advanced features including auto-cleanup for imported audio, variable playback speeds, and lots of customization.

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