I need Podcast app recommendations for Android/PC

So I'm in the process of switching from Spotify to Tidal for my music streaming (since Tidal pays artists like three times more than Spotify does). The only problem is, Tidal doesn't support podcasts, which is another big thing I used Spotify for.

So what are some good apps for podcasts? I listen both on my PC and my Android phone, and I'm not really thrilled about the idea of paying for another subscription (so now I'm making two payments to cover the functionality I got with a single, cheaper payment). I'm cool with paying a one-time up-front fee, though.

Any suggestions?

fdisk,
@fdisk@beehaw.org avatar

I've been using Pocket Casts on Android and it works well. I think that I started using it 2 years ago and I haven't encountered any issues. I use the free version and it hasn't asked me to pay and hasn't shown me ads. I'm a light user when it comes to podcasts though.

They have a web player for PC, but I haven't tried it.

notevil,

@fdisk @VoxAdActa love for Pocketcasts

insertfloppydiskhere,

I'll add my vote to Pocket Casts. Been my goto podcast app for... Forever. The app is all around solid on every plattform, and you can easily upload your own sound files and they will sync between devices.

LChitman,
LChitman avatar

This is the one for me. I just checked and I've been using the premium version since May 2016 and it cost me £2.50. Only issue I've had in that time is the web player was failing to buffer episodes for streaming, but that has since resolved for me.

narc0tic_bird,

That was most likely caused by a limitation or rather security feature of the browser regarding cross-domain resources. They offer a desktop Electron-based app that works around this.

Pwnmode,

I also use PocketCasts. Paid 4 bucks for it back in 2013. Highly recommend it.

Helvedeshunden,

Plus it is multiplatform. Windows, Linux, Mac, Android, iOS, web - and syncs between them.

skellener,
skellener avatar

I think you pay if you want to use the desktop app. I paid. Works pretty everywhere. 😊👍

notevil,

@skellener @VoxAdActa @fdisk not if you use web

skellener,
skellener avatar

Yes. Using the web is not using the desktop app, hence it is free. I preferred the app and supporting the developer, so I paid.

neurospicygraphict,

I'll second this. It's less than $20 USD per year so I think it's worth it. Also, I'm on iOS and have used it on there, Android and Windows.

Shortymac,

I was an early adopter and paid like $20 once, so worth it

NotAPenguin,

I've been using Pocket Casts for like 10 years at this point, great app

-hypnotoad-,
-hypnotoad- avatar

Another vote for Pocket casts, been a user since 2011. Best release notes of any app as well.

Paesan,
Paesan avatar

I've used Pocket Cast for a long time now. I bought it probably about 10 years ago. It recently went open source.

QHC,
QHC avatar

I had been using Podcast Addict for a couple of years after switching from BeyondPod which I used for many years.

But now I'm using the open source, community-built AntennaPod. There are a few quirks I had to get used to, but that is true of every app and especially something I use so frequently throughout the day. Performance has been great, especially with audio casting which has always been buggy and inconsistent for me with other apps.

Zana,

Do you need to host a server to sync? I just downloaded the app. I don't have a server.

QHC,
QHC avatar

Sorry, I only use my phone.

crisinho,

Second this, I love Antenna Pod. Similarly, I too started with Podcast Addict and switched a year ago. Antenna Pod got a facelift quite recently and it looks and feels better than ever. You get all the stuff you want from a podcast app, plus you can customise it a little and its open source without ads. It really doesn't get much better than that.

tlf,

came here to give the same suggestion

tlf,

came here to give the same suggestion

Nyanix,

I moved from Google Podcasts (which is pretty good) to AntennaPod, which is FOSS and honestly, pretty damn solid

kallekn,
@kallekn@mastodonsweden.se avatar

@Nyanix @VoxAdActa Looks good! Is there anything like this for internet radio?

noodlejetski,
@noodlejetski@masto.ai avatar

@Nyanix love me some AntennaPod!
@VoxAdActa

unhook2048,

@Nyanix @VoxAdActa I'm only on this because FOSS. If your cast isn't there I'm not likely to hear you, sorry 😐

russjr08, (edited )

I use Pocket Casts, but I paid for the "plus" upgrade before it was a subscription. Nowadays if I didn't have that option I'd probably just use either Google Podcasts, or if you have a NextCloud instance available to use somewhere, then something like GPodder Sync + NextPod on the server/web side and AntennaPod should allow you to keep things in sync.

Edit: Err scratch that, I just set this up on my NextCloud instance, and while it syncs with AntennaPod and Kasts a KDE/Linux app - the actual web app on NextCloud doesn't seem to allow you to play podcasts through the browser, it'll only let you see your subscriptions and any sync actions done recently. You'd still need a PC app that is compatible with GPodder Sync in order for you to listen in on your PC.

Apologies about that! Someone had told me about this setup a bit ago, and I noted it down to give it a try later on - I definitely should've tested it before mentioning it here.

But all is not lost - GPodder looks to have a release for all of the PC platforms, and is compatible with the gpodder.net sync service (which is what the nextcloud apps are based off of) and AntennaPod can still use that sync backend as well.

uzay,

Are you sure NextPod can't play the episodes? Because it lists it as a feature on their github https://github.com/pbek/nextcloud-nextpod

russjr08,

Ah, well now I feel silly. I didn't notice the triple dot menu button at the end of the "Episodes" entries. However, it does look like you can only do this from a podcast you've already started playing from elsewhere, bringing up the "Podcasts" section and clicking the menu buttons on each podcast only lets me view the podcast's home page, or its RSS feed directly (instead of letting me see a list of episodes and choosing one from said list).

So it seems like you could do Mobile (start episode) -> Web (resume episode, then pause again) -> Mobile (finish episode) but you can't do Web (start episode) -> ...

However I could be of course overlooking something again 😅

uzay,

I tried it out today and came to the same conclusion. It's not possible to use it as a standalone player unfortunately

cupcakezealot,
@cupcakezealot@lemmy.blahaj.zone avatar

Still love Pocketcasts and would use nothing less (though I have a lifetime membership since I beta'd the web player when it first launched, so YMMV)

marx2k,

DoggCatcher for podcasts for Android is great

plonk,

I've been using Pocketcasts for years, and I've been very happy with it. Works on Android, PC, and through web browsers. I've never had to pay for it.

Jaxseven,
@Jaxseven@beehaw.org avatar

I've also been using the app for user and got grandfathered into a lifetime membership, although I think it's been inserting ads in my podcasts. I only say that because I have a VPN on my phone and suddenly my phone will play a Swedish ad I can't understand.

fell,
@fell@ma.fellr.net avatar

@VoxAdActa AntennaPod. I've been using it for years now. Instantly works and has exactly the features you need. No ads, no bullshit.

VonVoelksen,

And you can sync with nextcloud. Thats great.

klangcola,

And it’s Free and Open Source!

(Meaning their primary motivation is making a good app, not monetising through enshitification)

DarthVi,
@DarthVi@lemmy.ml avatar

I’m using PocketCasts and I paid a one-time fee before it became subscription based (but there’s still a free tier), in order to be able to listen to podcast using the web app on PC. Thus I now have lifetime premium access.

I’m very satisfied with their service, I did not find any problems with both the Android app and the web app, moreover it has almost every feature I need, except voice to text conversion in order to be able to share slices of audio in text format (but there are dedicated apps for that).

Lockely,
@Lockely@pawb.social avatar

💯 this. Pocketcasts is and has been outstanding for the years I’ve had it. Great UI, and will remember your position on a specific episode cross-platform.

aaronbieber,
@aaronbieber@beehaw.org avatar

I support Pocket Casts because it's made by Automattic, the makers of WordPress, Tumblr, and WooCommerce. Their CEO, Matt Mullenweg, is someone who seems to really care about the freedom and diversity of the internet. As far as players go, it's got all the features you'd want for an Android app.

I seldom listen on my PC, but if I want to I can usually find the stream on whatever service the podcast has chosen (their own site, or whichever embedded player they elect to use).

smikwily, (edited )

I too love PocketCasts and love what Mullenweg has done, but want to point out that Automattic bought PocketCasts from NPR - theverge.com/…/automattic-pocket-casts-podcast-ap…

Automattic themselves didn’t/don’t make PocketCasts.

Edit: Fixed type (lost > love)

cupcakezealot,
@cupcakezealot@lemmy.blahaj.zone avatar

Who got it from Shifty Jelly :)

uzay,

Personally, I'm using Pocket Casts, but you can't use it on desktop without their premium subscription, which I don't need. Antennapod is a good Android App and supports sync through gpodder.net, but there are no good iOS apps supporting gpodder, so I stopped using it. But I thought you don't need Spotify Premium to listen to podcasts on there. It might be easiest for you to just keep using it for that.

Sabakodgo,

I use AntennaPod, Mainly because it’s open-source and supports RSS podcasts.

They are also on fediverse! @AntennaPod

broccoliflyinginsect,

Welcome to Tidal! I came from Spotify myself and the improvement in audio quality alone means I haven't looked back!

I use Google Podcasts to fill the gap

clb92,
clb92 avatar

I use Google Podcasts and it works great for me. I'm not looking for audiophile-level uncompressed audio with podcasts, the way I normally would be for music.

chiz,

I would also recommend Google Podcasts. Pretty basic, but does it all very well. Queue continuity across the app and web is great. However, Google being google, they are likely to be sunsetting it soon in favour of rolling podcasts into YouTube Music (which I would also suggest in place of Spotify).

blurredbadger, (edited )

I switched to Podcast Republic awhile ago because I like the playlist feature and being able to have different "channels" for similar types of podcasts. Very customizable too! They have the android app and a website, though I've never used the website

zakomo,

I didn't see it in the comments but I am very happy with Podcast Guru om android.

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