iOS podcast players compared: which app suits you?

The short answer

• Apple Podcasts if you just want to start: preinstalled, free, with transcripts and video.
• Overcast if you listen to lots of talk shows and care about sound and saving time.
• Pocket Casts if you also use Android, Windows or the browser.
• Castro if you subscribe to many shows and want to triage new episodes first.
• Spotify if you already listen to music there and your shows are Spotify exclusives.
• zentr if podcasts are just one part of your listening – next to Apple Music, audio dramas and YouTube channels.

The apps at a glance

Podcast apps for iPhone and iPad compared (November 2026, based on the makers' own descriptions)

	Apple Podcasts	Overcast	Pocket Casts	Castro	zentr
Pricing	Free	Free with ads, Premium subscription	Free, Plus subscription	Free, Plus subscription	YouTube free, otherwise zentr Play¹
Platforms	iPhone, iPad, Mac, Watch, web and more	iPhone, iPad, Watch	iOS, Android, web, desktop	iPhone, iPad, Watch	iPhone, iPad, Mac (beta)
Inbox to triage new episodes	–	–	–	Yes	Yes
Trim silence	–	Smart Speed	Yes	Plus	Yes²
Voice boost	Enhance Dialogue	Voice Boost	Yes	Plus	Volume Boost²
Transcripts	Yes	Yes	Yes	From the feed	Yes³
OPML import and export	–	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
CarPlay	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Apple Music & audio dramas in the same queue	–	–	–	–	Yes
Follow YouTube channels	–	–	–	–	Yes
Your own audio files	–	Premium	Plus	Plus	Yes

Apple Podcasts: the easy start

Apple Podcasts is on every iPhone, costs nothing and covers the essentials: subscriptions, downloads, chapters, transcripts and a feature that makes dialogue clearer. In 2026 Apple also introduced a new video experience that lets you switch between watching and listening. If you follow a handful of shows and don't want to set anything up, it's often all you need.

Less good: with many subscriptions the library gets messy, and there's no real inbox to triage new episodes.

Overcast: the classic for heavy listeners

Overcast has been one of the most popular independent podcast apps for over a decade. It's known for Smart Speed, which shortens pauses without distorting the pace, and Voice Boost, which evens out volume between shows. Since April 2026 it also generates transcripts you can search across your whole library. Most features are free and ad-supported; a Premium subscription removes the ads.

Less good: Apple devices only, and the focus is clearly on audio podcasts.

Pocket Casts: for every platform

Pocket Casts is the obvious pick if you don't only use Apple. Subscriptions, progress and filters sync between iPhone, Android and the web. Add folders, transcripts and plenty of settings. Some features, such as folders, desktop apps or your own files, need the Plus subscription.

Less good: all those options make it a bit more complex for beginners.

Castro: triage, don't just play

Castro made the inbox idea popular for podcasts: new episodes land in a triage area, you send the good ones to your queue and dismiss the rest. If you subscribe to 30 shows but only listen to every fifth episode, you'll love it. Trim silence and voice enhancement come with Castro Plus.

Less good: Apple devices only, and the most useful audio features cost extra.

Spotify: music and podcasts in one app

Spotify brought podcasts into its music app early and leans heavily on video podcasts and exclusives. If you already listen to music there, it's all in one place. Why podcasts are scattered across so many platforms today is explained in Podcasts on YouTube and in your podcast app.

Less good: shows without an open feed, strong recommendations on the home screen, and no OPML export if you want to leave.

zentr: podcasts as part of everything

zentr isn't a pure podcast player. It's built for people whose evening is a podcast, an album, an audio drama episode and a YouTube video – and who don't want to open four apps for it. For podcasts, that means:

• Search and RSS: find shows through the Apple Podcasts catalog or paste an RSS feed, a show's open subscription address, directly.
• Easy to switch: OPML import and export (your subscription list as a file), compatible with Overcast, Pocket Casts and co. Your Apple Podcasts subscriptions move over with a shortcut.
• Inbox and queue: new episodes land in a chronological inbox, the best go into the queue – together with music, audio dramas and videos. A filter shows only the podcasts when you want.
• Audio and video podcasts, with picture-in-picture so the video keeps playing while you use another app.
• Offline: episodes in the queue download automatically, Wi-Fi only if you like.
• Chapters from show notes, feed and file; skip intros per show. Episodes without chapters get them automatically on devices with Apple Intelligence.
• Transcripts scroll along in the player; tap a line to jump there. If the feed has none, zentr creates one right on the device.
• Speed from 0.75× to 2×, fixed per podcast if you like. Trim silence and Volume Boost for downloaded episodes.
• Sleep timer to the end of the episode, with a gentle fade.

Where others are better: zentr runs only on Apple devices, not on Android or the web, and gives you no personal podcast recommendations: Find only shows charts and a small curated selection. zentr creates its own transcripts only from downloaded episodes and only in languages your device recognizes. If you only listen to podcasts and move between platforms, Pocket Casts suits you better. If you want maximum audio finesse for talk shows, Overcast.

How to switch podcast apps without losing anything

1. Export OPML: most independent apps export your subscriptions as an OPML file, usually in settings under Import/Export.
2. Import it in the new app. Your shows are there instantly. What you've already played usually doesn't come along.
3. Run both for two weeks. Only delete the old app once you're sure.
4. Check exclusives: Spotify exclusives or YouTube-only podcasts have no open feed and can't move via OPML.