And one other one bites the mud — this time, it’s Google Podcasts, which is being discontinued in favor of YouTube Music.
Again in 2018, Google moved its Play Music service over to YouTube, and whereas some people felt it was an improvement, others weren’t so thrilled. I’ve to say that I rely myself among the many latter; I normally take heed to relatively than watch my music, and I didn’t discover the YouTube Music interface any type of enchancment.
Now, as it tends to do, Google has determined to drop one more of its apps and as a substitute add these options to a different service. It despatched out an e-mail to customers saying the transfer final September and has now despatched one other, providing instruments that assist you to both migrate your subscription to YouTube Music or export it to a file that may be uploaded to different apps. You received’t be capable to use the Google Podcasts app after April 2nd, 2024, and you’ll now not be capable to migrate or export your subscriptions after June.
I like — favored — Google Podcasts. It was easy, straightforward to navigate, and, properly, snug. I even began utilizing it as a substitute of my outdated trustworthy podcast app Stitcher — which I sadly can’t return to as a result of it was shut down on August 29th, 2023, by owner SiriusXM. So now, I’m going to should search for one thing new.
What follows are my impressions of some of the extra common podcast apps at present out there for Android telephones. To this point, of those who I’ve tried, Pocket Casts and AntennaPod stand out; Spotify’s options are additionally fairly good. When you’re not amenable to YouTube Music, then considered one of these ought to go well with.
Once I started to analysis podcast apps, the one whose identify all the time got here up as the primary to strive was Pocket Casts. (Considered one of my colleagues right here at The Verge, when he heard I used to be writing this text, commented, “Pocket Casts yesterday, Pocket Casts right this moment, Pocket Casts eternally.”) It has an attention-grabbing historical past: it launched in 2010, was bought to NPR, together with different public media teams, in 2018, and was thereafter bought by Automattic (the proprietor of WordPress.com) in 2021. Its cellular apps are actually open supply.
After putting in Pocket Casts, I might instantly see why it was such a favourite. The free model is slick and stuffed with helpful options. The primary web page exhibits your subscribed podcasts as both an inventory or grid; for those who’ve acquired too many casts to right away view, you’ll be able to add filters for such choices as In Progress, Starred, or Launch Date. You possibly can advance your audio by 30 seconds or again it up by 10 seconds, create a queue of what to take heed to subsequent (very useful on lengthy drives), and for those who’re in any respect curious, see stats on how lengthy you’ve listened for. You possibly can obtain episodes (both manually or routinely), put them in a playlist, set a sleep timer, mark episodes as performed, and archive them to get them out of the way in which.
Different issues price noting embody the flexibility to regulate playback pace, enhance the amount of voices, and eradicate pauses between phrases with out making it sound unnatural. It additionally syncs throughout platforms, so you’ll be able to pay attention on Android, Mac, iPad, iPhone, or Home windows and hold your home.
In different phrases, this can be a stable, well-thought-out podcast app with numerous choices — so sure, definitely worth the good phrase of mouth. And wait, there’s extra: it’s ad-free. The paid model, Pocket Casts Plus, provides the flexibility to arrange your podcasts in folders, entry to desktop apps, and 20GB of cloud storage, amongst different options, for $3.99 monthly or $39.99 per 12 months, with a one-month free trial. When you signal on as a patron, you get 100GB of storage and early entry to options for $9.99 a month or $99.99 a 12 months.
Castbox is an ad-supported app that has a busy predominant web page that always advertises a wide range of podcasts. You possibly can seek for your required podcasts by a search field on high; from the outcomes, it’s straightforward so as to add the pod to your playlist. (As quickly as you do, you’ll get some “Chances are you’ll like” strategies that, so far as I might inform, had little to do with my choice.) I did discover I had inadvertently subscribed to a number of of the podcasts on the opening web page and that auto-download was routinely enabled. One other slight irritation: though Castbox has an e-mail sign-in, there isn’t a method to register utilizing your e-mail — for those who’re not already registered, you’ll be able to solely check in by way of a Google, Fb, Twitter, or Line account.
There are 4 tabs on the backside of the web page. Uncover is the place you will discover and add podcasts. Neighborhood is a social community for dialogue of varied podcasts, and from a short look, it’s best ignored except you take pleasure in the kind of commentary present in right this moment’s Twitter / X. Private is your settings.
Lastly, Library is the place you’ll discover your subscribed podcasts; from right here, you’ll be able to go to your downloads, new episodes, and favorites. There’s a affordable set of options: you’ll be able to go 10 seconds again or ahead, set a sleep timer, and choose an episode to be subsequent up. However be warned: in some instances, you’ll solely see the podcast’s cowl for a few seconds; after that, it will likely be lined by a Google advert.
If you wish to eliminate the advertisements, have limitless subscriptions (the free model is restricted to 100), and set totally different playback results for various podcasts, amongst different options, it’s going to price you both $19.99 a 12 months, $7.99 quarterly, or $3.99 a month.
While you have a look at its web site, it’s apparent that PodBean is extra of an app for podcasters than for podcast listeners; nonetheless, it has a helpful cellular app. The app comes loaded with a wide range of pattern podcasts, three of that are already checked for you (and are simply unchecked). The free model does present advertisements on the high of the house web page, however there are not any advertisements on the primary web page of every podcast.
There are additionally a lot of good options. For instance, you’ll be able to change the language of the interface, auto-delete performed downloads and auto-download episodes from particular podcasts and, for those who all of the sudden notice you’re operating out of house (the free app permits for 5 hours whole), clear your storage.
If you wish to change your own home web page to the “Following” web page, you will get a Podbean Limitless Audio subscription for $108 yearly or $14 a month. That additionally removes the show advertisements and offers you limitless cupboard space.
Like Castbox and PodBean, the primary web page you come throughout in Podcast Addict is relatively busy, with altering advertisements on high and a wide range of urged podcasts under. You possibly can seek for your favourite podcasts and select from the ensuing record (properly, you’re instantly requested whether or not you wish to stream or obtain your episodes). You can even faucet on a variety for extra info and subscribe from there.
Podcast Addict provides a variety of personalization options proper out of the field. For instance, the settings for every podcast assist you to not solely hold it up to date but additionally edit the podcast URL, edit the podcast identify, override the podcast paintings, or prioritize it in your podcast lists. You possibly can even set an alarm. This app is, in different phrases, tailored for anybody who needs to actually futz round with their podcast subscriptions — and whereas it does embody advertisements, these are principally out of the way in which, confined to the underside of the web page.
To eliminate the advertisements, you can also make a one-time cost of $6.99. There’s additionally a Premium model for 99 cents a month or $9.99 a 12 months that provides a playlist widget and allows you to choose your opening display screen, amongst different options.
AntennaPod is an open-source, volunteer-built app. Consequently, it’s easy, merely formatted, and provides some attention-grabbing options. A pop-in aspect menu permits you to add a podcast to your record, see your queue, take a look at current episodes, and see all of your subscriptions, amongst others.
When you’ve arrange your subscriptions, the homepage has alternatives to proceed listening to any podcasts you’ve already began, permits you to see any new episodes, or use “Get stunned” to entry a random episode. You can even obtain the newest subscribed episodes or handle your downloads.
Faucet on the quilt for any of your subscribed podcasts to go to the podcast web page. There, you’ll be able to select to both stream or obtain the newest episode. Three buttons on the high allow you to get extra details about the location and filter the episodes by a lot of strategies (performed or not performed, downloaded or not downloaded, paused or not paused, and others). There are additionally a lot of attention-grabbing settings, resembling the flexibility to vary your username for particular podcasts (in case you’re notably nervous about listening to it), tagging, playback pace, and the flexibility to routinely skip introductions and ending credit. And you will get stats for time performed, episodes in your gadget, and house used.
In different phrases, whereas Pocket Casts is a identified favourite amongst many listeners, AntennaPod may additionally be price a shot.
Whereas all the opposite apps listed below are devoted podcast apps, it might have been remiss to not point out Spotify — particularly since, about the identical time that Google introduced it was sunsetting Podcasts, Spotify introduced it was adding new podcast-specific features, together with extra transcript capabilities, chapters to permit listeners to flick thru a forged extra simply, and extra content material on the podcast pages. (After all, most of this depends upon how a podcast is coded by its creators.)
Whereas I’ve used Spotify for music listening, I’ve not used it for podcasts till now. A button on high of the house web page on the Android app takes you to Podcasts & Exhibits, the place there’s a collection of urged casts. There’s a search button on the underside; faucet that, and you may both flick thru urged podcasts or do a search. As soon as you discover the podcast you need, you observe (Spotify’s model of subscribing) to it.
Every podcast web page permits you to add particular episodes to your playlist, obtain that episode, get notifications of recent episodes, and different options. The settings for every allow you to resolve whether or not to routinely obtain an episode or mark all of the previous episodes as performed. On every podcast’s Now Taking part in web page, you’ll be able to again up 10 seconds, go ahead 30 seconds, swap the pace, or trim silent sections. And, as with Pocket Casts, Spotify syncs throughout platforms.
In brief, Spotify has a reasonably spectacular set of podcast options — nevertheless, you continue to should specify Podcasts & Exhibits if you wish to decide them out from all of the music in your Spotify library.
Spotify’s Premium plan provides offline music listening (you’ll be able to obtain podcasts on the free plan), removes advertisements, and will increase the sound high quality. It prices $10.99 a month for people, $5.99 a month for college kids, $14.99 a month for 2 accounts, and $16.99 for as much as six accounts, together with Spotify Youngsters.
After all, for those who really feel that utilizing a single app for podcasts, music, and different media is a bonus, you might wish to wait and see if YouTube Music will really be just right for you — except you already use Spotify. However if you’re extra attuned to utilizing a person podcast app and wish to keep away from each advertisements and cost, then Pocket Casts or AntennaPod could also be price a strive.
Replace January twenty second, 2024, 5:05PM ET: This text was initially revealed on September twenty ninth, 2023, and has been up to date to offer extra details about Google’s sunsetting of its Podcasts app.