Until relatively recently, the word “podcasts” didn’t mean much to most people. Despite being around since 2004, this method of downloading audio and video shows was slow to catch on. Nevertheless, with the breakout success of the “Serial” podcast, things started to change—the first season alone had over 70 million downloads.
Podcasts are particularly beneficial for travelers for several reasons. With hundreds of thousands of shows available, there’s something for everyone, including language lessons, travel and destination-specific shows, comedy, documentaries, music, and more.
New episodes can be downloaded or streamed anywhere you have a reliable Internet connection. Furthermore, because they can be saved to your phone, tablet, or laptop, you can listen to them while offline. Consequently, long bus and plane rides become a welcome opportunity to catch up on favorite shows, rather than an endless slog.
To listen to a podcast, you need a podcast app (also known as a podcatcher, or podcast player). If you have an iPhone or iPad, the built-in Podcasts app is a good place to start, but it’s quite basic. Once you’ve been listening to podcasts for a while, or if you own an Android device, you’ll likely want something a little more advanced.
01. Pocket Casts
Pocket Casts offers a wide range of features while still having a slick, easy-to-use interface. Your subscriptions are shown in a tiled format on the home screen, and a single tap brings up all episodes for that show.
It’s straightforward to search for new shows, and you can also view only the episodes that have already been downloaded, ideal when you don’t have Internet access.
Shows can be set to download automatically (only on Wi-Fi, if you prefer), and the app smartly manages storage space by letting you auto-delete episodes once you’ve finished listening, or only retain a set number of episodes per show.
You can easily skip backward and forwards (including when the screen is locked), and the player includes advanced features like high-speed playback and easy access to show notes. All in all, it’s an attractive, powerful podcasting app worth exploring.
iOS ($5.99) and Android ($2.99)
02. Downcast
Downcast is a highly-regarded app that lets you easily stream and download podcasts, boasting a clean and reasonably user-friendly interface. It features a powerful playlist creation tool, allowing you to listen to various combinations of podcasts seamlessly.
If you utilize multiple players or non-Apple devices, it’s easy to export your subscriptions in the common OPML format.
The app handles automatic and background downloading efficiently and offers variable speed playback between 0.5x and 3.0x. Moreover, it boasts other advanced features such as a sleep timer, and two different options for skipping backward and forwards. Well worth considering.
03. Overcast
If you’re searching for a clean, easy-to-use podcast app with a few useful extras, check out Overcast. It effectively covers the basics of finding, downloading, and playing podcasts, with valuable extras that justify its cost.
“Voice Boost” automatically levels the speech volume, meaning that softer voices are enhanced while louder ones are toned down. This feature is particularly useful when you’re wearing earphones or listening in a noisy setting.
“Smart Speed” cuts out the silences in talk-based shows, reducing the time needed to listen to them without distortion.
iOS (free for basic use, $9.99 annual subscription to remove ads)
04. Player FM
Many years back, Player FM only worked in a browser. Fortunately for travelers, it’s now a useful Android app as well, with an iOS version currently being developed.
While it doesn’t offer any completely unique features, it covers all of the essentials exceptionally well and includes a strong search and recommendations system based on various topics and sub-topics.
It also offers variable speed playback, a sleep timer, and automatic management of storage space. You can even start a podcast directly from your smartwatch if you’re inclined.
Given the price tag, Android users really have no reason not to explore this app.
Android (free, with paid subscription options)
05. iCatcher
If you’re on iOS and looking for a powerful podcast app at an affordable price, iCatcher is an excellent choice.
Features include background downloads over Wi-Fi and cellular networks, background playback, custom playlists, sleep timers, variable speed playback, and many more—all with a functional interface.
This app is highly rated by users on the App Store for good reason: it’s one of the most feature-rich podcast apps available for iOS.
06. Podcast Go
As one of the highest-rated podcast apps on the Google Play Store, Podcast Go comprises all the essential features most users need, packaged at a user-friendly price.
With a straightforward interface and hundreds of thousands of podcasts available just a couple of taps away, discovering new shows or quickly accessing your favorites is effortless.
The app includes three different themes for customization and features like variable-speed playback and sleep timers, ensuring satisfaction for even the most avid users. It is advertiser-supported, but a minimal payment can remove the ads if preferred.
