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levmc

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Jan 18, 2019
687
25
I’m using castbox but it started to have more frequent and longer Ads, and I’m looking for an alternative.
 

The Game 161

macrumors Nehalem
Dec 15, 2010
30,287
19,508
UK
Pocket cast

My go to app for podcasts. Works amazing on the Apple Watch. Just check for new podcasts on there without needing to check your phone if you have the plus subscription
 

CE3

macrumors 68000
Nov 26, 2014
1,808
3,146
I’ve always used Apple Podcasts until recently when I couldn’t get it to stop automatically downloading podcasts on iOS 15, so I deleted it and installed Pocket Casts.

Pocket Casts works great. I really like how easy it is to get to the episode info. The only thing I miss from Apple are the reviews and their charts.
 

NoBoMac

Moderator
Staff member
Jul 1, 2014
5,784
4,378
Downcast. Also allows side-loading of podcasts (I transfer podcasts from Mac app/extenal drive to this one, so as not to clutter up the phone's storage)
 

Frankras

macrumors regular
Mar 9, 2012
221
150
+one on Pocketcasts. And Overcast is all so good if you do not need video podcasts.
 

Andeddu

macrumors 68000
Dec 21, 2016
1,641
2,039
I’ve always used Apple Podcasts until recently when I couldn’t get it to stop automatically downloading podcasts on iOS 15, so I deleted it and installed Pocket Casts.

Pocket Casts works great. I really like how easy it is to get to the episode info. The only thing I miss from Apple are the reviews and their charts.
There are bugs with Apple Podcasts when you use it on the phone which is annoying.

If you want to stop automatic downloads, you have to select each of your favourite podcasts separately in the app, click on settings and de-select automatic downloads. You must do that for all your podcast channels.

The problem now is that continuous play automatically activates each day once you’ve turned it off. I hope Apple fix that in the next patch because it is annoying.
 

SirAnthonyHopkins

macrumors 6502a
Sep 29, 2020
946
1,887
Noticed you've tagged this as iPhone 6 , so are you asking for a recommendation for older phones? Or do you just want a general podcast app recommendation?

If the latter, I've used both Overcast and Pocketcasts, and never looked back after moving to Pocketcasts. It's much more fully featured and plays much more nicely with my watch. Both are good, but Overcast is simpler and more stripped back – so if you're looking for something for an older iPhone, it might be the better choice.

I really dislike Apple's own app unfortunately, but it might be alright now. I had no ends of problems with it years ago when I first switched to Overcast.
 

SirAnthonyHopkins

macrumors 6502a
Sep 29, 2020
946
1,887
+one on Pocketcasts. And Overcast is all so good if you do not need video podcasts.
Wait, you can get video podcasts on Pocketcasts? I've been switching over to my girlfriend's Spotify account to watch video podcasts, I didn't realise it was available on Pocketcasts!

EDIT: I'm going to assume you meant that both are good if you don't need video? Cos I've looked everywhere in Pocketcasts and can't see any kind of option for videos.
 

PeteBurgh

macrumors 6502
Jun 25, 2014
281
622
Overcast is a terrific app. It's a great balance of having useful features (I like the 'Smart Speed' and 'Voice Boost' options), which having a clean, simple UI. I appreciate the developer's stance on privacy and podcasts as an open format too.

I used Pocketcasts several years ago, and I liked that too.
 

Frankras

macrumors regular
Mar 9, 2012
221
150
Wait, you can get video podcasts on Pocketcasts? I've been switching over to my girlfriend's Spotify account to watch video podcasts, I didn't realise it was available on Pocketcasts!

EDIT: I'm going to assume you meant that both are good if you don't need video? Cos I've looked everywhere in Pocketcasts and can't see any kind of option for videos.
In pocketcast : press the search bottonand type macbreak.
Then You will have a picture like this. Remember that not all podcasts are video..

my local radio station has lots off podcast and they are all audio only and there I use overcast. For podcast like macbreak I Use Pocket Casts App.
 

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madeirabhoy

macrumors 68000
Oct 26, 2012
1,626
578
There are bugs with Apple Podcasts when you use it on the phone which is annoying.

If you want to stop automatic downloads, you have to select each of your favourite podcasts separately in the app, click on settings and de-select automatic downloads. You must do that for all your podcast channels.

The problem now is that continuous play automatically activates each day once you’ve turned it off. I hope Apple fix that in the next patch because it is annoying.


see on the one side i agree, the apple one is a dog, so counter intuitive in various bits. especially as you say, every podcast you add, if you dont go into settings you end up with a full phone. and its not always quick to get from a podcast you are playing to the list of previous from the same podcast.. and as you say continuous play, id be happy if i could set continuous play to play the next on the list of 'latest episodes' rather than an older already played episode of the same podcast.


but despite that it does the job and is available across all of my devices, so i dont see the point of using a third party one.
 

SirAnthonyHopkins

macrumors 6502a
Sep 29, 2020
946
1,887
In pocketcast : press the search bottonand type macbreak.
Then You will have a picture like this. Remember that not all podcasts are video..

my local radio station has lots off podcast and they are all audio only and there I use overcast. For podcast like macbreak I Use Pocket Casts App.
Ah sweet, thanks! I didn't realise I'd have to find a separate feed, assumed it was contained within the same one. This is great to know!
 
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outlawarth

macrumors 6502a
Mar 20, 2011
521
585
There are bugs with Apple Podcasts when you use it on the phone which is annoying.

If you want to stop automatic downloads, you have to select each of your favourite podcasts separately in the app, click on settings and de-select automatic downloads. You must do that for all your podcast channels.

The problem now is that continuous play automatically activates each day once you’ve turned it off. I hope Apple fix that in the next patch because it is annoying.

Having the “Enable When Following” setting turned off globally will stop the automatic downloads for all your podcasts.

6F40112B-F894-406B-AE35-4D1B6C9052BA.jpeg
 
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sunsetrunner

macrumors member
Jan 5, 2006
46
42
CA
As an avid podcast listener I prefer Pocket Casts because IMO it’s the most reliable one when it comes to cross-platform needs. I use it on iOS, iPadOS, watchOS and Andriod. It syncs your subscriptons and the progress on each episode between devices so it comes in really handy. You continue what you’re listening to on your iPhone from where you left off on your Android device. Only missing part is macOS support (w/o plus subscription) but you can always play them on your Mac through AirPlay.

I also recommend the web app Listenbox as a companion which lets you play any Youtube video as a podcast episode on your podcast player, similar to podsync. Pocket Casts even syncs these episodes between your devices. This way you can listen to any Youtube video in comfort of using features like trimming silence and volume boost.
 

three

Cancelled
Jan 22, 2008
1,484
1,225
Overcast is a terrific app. It's a great balance of having useful features (I like the 'Smart Speed' and 'Voice Boost' options), which having a clean, simple UI. I appreciate the developer's stance on privacy and podcasts as an open format too.

I used Pocketcasts several years ago, and I liked that too.

Another vote for Overcast from me. It's wonderful.
 
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xxray

macrumors 68040
Jul 27, 2013
3,042
9,182
I haven’t found a Podcasts app I really love yet. I find Apple’s to be best for discoverability, but it’s extremely buggy, unreliable, and unintuitive for organization. I find Spotify to be the most intuitive and least buggy for me. I love the “new episodes” section and how when you tap on an episode, it takes you to where that episode was released in the list of all the specific podcast’s episodes (the Apple app just takes you to the podcast homepage and then you have to go scrolling and scrolling to find the episode you’re on). However, the desktop and web versions are missing podcast features and it’s clunky and inefficient to have to switch between music and podcasts in the app.

I tried Overcast once or twice, but couldn’t quite get into the UI of it. I might have to try it more after seeing this thread though.
 
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