# Best Clock Radio & Podcast — BCR Clock Radio Podcast Player > Versatile alarm clock for podcasts, radio, music, and sleep sounds. (iPhone/iPad app by Mark Linthicum.) - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/best-clock-radio-and-podcast/id502211159 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`) - Developer: [Mark Linthicum](https://appshunter.io/developer/382749598) - Category: Music, News - Price: $89.99 - Rating: 3.20/5 from 21 App Store ratings · 102 written reviews indexed - Age rating: 4+ - Requires: iOS 13.0 · 204 MB - Languages: American English, Danish, Dutch, French (France), German (Germany), Norwegian Bokmål, European Portuguese, Russian, Chinese (Simplified, China), European Spanish - Released: 2012-04-12 - Data updated: 2026-08-27 - Monetization: paid - User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/best-clock-radio-and-podcast/id502211159/reviews.md ## What is Best Clock Radio & Podcast? Best Clock Radio – Podcast "Your app is outstanding - by far the best radio alarm clock app available!" — David Riviello "By far the most usable clock radio available anywhere" — Jay Adams Wake up to your favorite radio stations, Apple Music playlists, podcasts, or soothing sounds with the most reliable and easy-to-use alarm clock radio for iPhone and iPad. New in Version 9.1.4 • Station Reliability Updates – If a US Radio or World station stops working, the app can automatically notify the development team so the station can be updated. After a short wait, simply try playing the station again. New in Version 9 • Apple Music Integration – Directly access and play your Apple Music library and playlists on programmable radio buttons. Key Features • Podcast Support – Assign any podcast to a radio button. Browse top 100 podcasts or search for your favorites. View episode lists, set play order, and mark episodes as played/unplayed. Episode count shown with tick indicators on the button. • Program alarms to start your favorite show or playlist at exact times. • 5 independent alarms – wake to radio, Apple Music, podcasts, or one of 32 built-in sounds • 9 programmable radio buttons (8 on iPad) for stations, Apple Music playlists, podcasts, or soothing sounds • Over 50,000 internet radio stations worldwide (US, UK, Canada, Australia, Germany, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, and many more) + custom URL support • Powerful built-in podcast player with episode management • Current weather + 6-day forecast (swipe left) – swipe right to hide • AutoDim – automatically dims screen at night and brightens in the morning • AutoSleep timer • 12/24-hour time format • Background audio playback – continue listening when app is closed • Extremely stable, reliable, and simple to use Important Notes • For reliable alarms, allow notifications and keep the app open (a backup alarm sounds if closed). • Demo videos available at www.BeautifulClockRadio.com Best Clock Radio is the clock radio app that actually works the way you expect. Thousands of stations, full podcast control, Apple Music support, and rock-solid alarms. ## Key features - Podcast alarm programming - Global radio station playback - Multiple programmable alarms - AutoDim screen feature - Integrated weather forecast - Soothing sleep sounds ## What do users think of Best Clock Radio & Podcast? Overall sentiment: mixed **Pros** - 👍 Intuitive and easy-to-use interface - 📻 Extensive selection of radio stations worldwide - ⏰ Reliable alarm clock functionality when working properly - 🌡️ Displays weather and temperature information - 🔘 Quick preset buttons for favorite stations - 💡 Dimming feature for bedside use - 🎵 Support for iTunes library playback - ⚡ Responsive and helpful customer support - 🔄 Auto-reconnection when streams drop - 📱 Works on both iPad and iPhone - 🌙 Fallback to preset alarm if internet drops **Cons** - 🐛 Alarm frequently fails to trigger - 🐛 App crashes and freezes regularly - 🐛 Bluetooth connectivity issues - 🐛 Sound distortion after extended use - ❌ Limited to 1-hour sleep timer - ❌ Requires app to stay open for alarm to work - ❌ Conflicts with iOS native alarm app - ❌ Limited station selection in some regions - ❌ Difficult to search and organize stations - ❌ Inconsistent performance across iOS versions - ❌ No landscape mode on iPhone - ❌ Removed Shoutcast station support - ❌ Station presets sometimes change unexpectedly - ❌ Difficult snooze/alarm-off button placement **Commonly reported bugs** - Alarm doesn't work on single-day alarms (only repeating alarms function) - App crashes on iOS 14.3 and later versions - Bluetooth speaker connection drops during night - Sound becomes distorted after several days of use - Alarm reverts to default 'Good Morning' sound instead of selected station - Sleep feature doesn't turn off radio as expected - Notifications interfere with alarm functionality - App won't work over LTE connection - Snooze button disables alarm-off button in landscape mode - Radio only plays for 3-5 minutes before shutting off - Stations don't play when selected from US radio list - App misaligns on screen and buttons freeze - Doesn't remember last song when using iTunes library - Conflicts with iOS 8 and iOS 9 updates - Paid app reverts to free version functionality **Most requested features** - Landscape mode support for iPhone - Extended sleep timer (up to 90 minutes) - Station search functionality - Ability to customize clock color and background - Skip/next-previous buttons for library playback - Shuffle feature for iTunes library - Moon phase display - Multiple alarm setup capability - Day-of-week assignment for alarms - Fade-in volume option - Custom station URL support - Better screen real estate utilization - Larger touch targets for buttons - Station rearrangement capability ## Recent user reviews (10 of 102) All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/best-clock-radio-and-podcast/id502211159/reviews.md ### 5/5 — Wonderful! *2026-07-30* The app functionality is above an beyond, I can wake up with an alarm to my morning radio station to get the news, listed to a podcast during the day while working, then listed to a boring podcast at night to sleep to with the sleep timer! Can’t get better than that! ### 2/5 — Last update removed my alarm sounds *2026-07-28* I’ve had this app on my iPad for years and love it but since last update, even the sounds, that should be an alarm are only music stations. I’ve overslept twice this week now with only talking and not a beeping. **Developer response:** Thank you for your long-time support and for sharing this feedback. We’re sorry the alarm sounds are not working as expected after the recent update and that this caused you to oversleep.Please contact our support team so we can review the details with you. That is the most reliable way for us to determine whether this is a user configuration issue or a bug that needs to be fixed. We make contacting support as easy as possible with links available directly through the app. We’ll investigate and help get it resolved. ### 4/5 — Great (but a bit fiddly) *2025-09-12, version 8.9.4* I just downloaded the new version of BCR. (The previous version stopped working in background mode.) BCR is my bedside radio on an iPad and it’s my household radio on another iPad. Very good once you get used to its idiosyncrasies and somewhat limited selection of stations. But good developer support. Do NOT delete the previous version before installing this new one. ### 4/5 — Wish iPhone version could landscape *2024-09-20* I’ve had this app on my iPad for years and love it going out of the country and I’m not bringing my iPad so I downloaded it to my phone. I only wish that the phone version would landscape mode also. ### 2/5 — Shoutcast *2022-11-10* It was great UNTILL they removed “ shoutcast “. All shoutcast stations gone. **Developer response:** Thank you for your feedback. Shoutcast was never removed from the app and the stations remain available. If you are not seeing them, please contact our support team using the links in the app so we can determine whether this is a configuration issue or something we need to address. ### 1/5 — Not Again… *2022-07-08* You have removed Fox News feeds again! Fox radio is the only reasonable talk station available on weekends. Please don’t remove them. Please don’t try to determine what stations I listen to by blocking those you don’t approve of. Please pardon me if it’s a glitch with every Fox station you offer, in that case I apologize for thinking you would act like twitter. **Developer response:** Thank you for your feedback. We do not block any stations. Fox frequently changes their stream URLs, which can make them unavailable until they are updated. We have added a feature that updates streams in the background and hope this has resolved the issue. If the Fox stations are still missing, please contact support through the links in the app so we can investigate. ### 5/5 — Good support *2021-04-01, version 8.8.4* I first bought this app in 2014 and use it every night. Last night after updating iOS on my phone it stopped working. I contacted the developer today he responded within several minutes and solved my problem. I was sure worried that I wouldn’t have my clock for a while but it is back working again. ### 1/5 — Stopped working since iOS 14.3 *2020-12-30, version 8.6* Used to work, now crashes when I boot it ever since iOS 14.3. Tried deleting and reinstalling and no luck ### 5/5 — Best Radio App - No Regrets *2020-10-28* Great radio and features. Instant on. Temp. Weather. Easy to save you stations... up to nine presets from all over planet earth. Truly prompt & outstanding customer service. Get this app. You won't regret it. ### 1/5 — No external speaker functionality *2020-06-17* What happened to driving Bluetooth speakers. The JBL speaker of mine cannot be driven anymore. Instead there is this lame iPhone speaker boost which is worthless. **Developer response:** Thank you for your feedback. We have an option in the alarm sound menu to force the alarm out to Bluetooth. If you need help locating it, please contact support or watch the demo video—both are linked directly in the app. ## Frequently asked questions about Best Clock Radio & Podcast ### What does Best Clock Radio & Podcast do? This app functions as a versatile alarm clock that allows you to wake up to your favorite podcasts, internet radio stations, music playlists, or soothing sounds. It offers features like programmable alarms, auto-dimming, and weather forecasts. ### How do I program a podcast to an alarm? To program a podcast, press and hold a radio button, select a podcast from the top 100 or search for it. Once saved, you can set it as an alarm. The app indicates available episodes with ticks on the radio button. ### Is this app free to use? Based on the provided information, this application is a paid app. It does not appear to have in-app purchases or advertisements, suggesting a one-time purchase model. ### What devices is Best Clock Radio & Podcast compatible with? The app is designed for mobile devices. It specifically mentions having 9 programmable radio buttons on iPhones and 8 on iPads, indicating compatibility with both platforms. ### Can I listen to music in the background? Yes, you can listen to your music in the background. The app allows you to program playlists to radio buttons, and you can continue to listen to your music even when the app is closed. ## Version history (last 5 releases) ### 9.2 — 2026-08-24 • Interface colors can now be changed • Further improvements to automatic station updates • Contact support for questions or feature requests ### 9.1.9 — 2026-08-17 • Improved geo-restriction handling – Stations that are not available in your location now correctly show a “station not available in your location” message instead of a “station is broken” error. • Contact support for any questions. ### 9.1.8 — 2026-08-12 • If a station fails to load during an alarm, the app will try a second time before playing the backup alarm. • Contact support for any questions. ### 9.1.7 — 2026-08-08 • Improved error messaging – When a radio station can’t play due to a network issue, the app now shows a clear “network connection problem” message instead of the old “broken station” alert. • Alarm sound menu on iPad now includes all 8 radio buttons. Contact support with any questions. ### 9.1.6 — 2026-08-04 • TWIT stream updated – Any radio button still set to the old (dead for 3 years) TWIT stream is now automatically switched to the TWIT podcast so you can continue listening. Tip to TWIT and others wonderful listeners, Press and hold any radio button to reprogram it to a new station. Contract support if you need help. • Shoutcast fixes • AutoDim improvements • Improved radio stream auto-update (program buttons using the US Radio or World categories for auto-update to work) • Contact support anytime via the support link in Settings ## Apps similar to Best Clock Radio & Podcast | App | Rating | Price | Category | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | [iHeart: Radio, Music, Podcasts](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/iheart-radio-music-podcasts/id290638154) | 4.8 (639,275) | Free | Music | | [bedr alarm clock radio](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bedr-alarm-clock-radio/id1053241118) | 3.7 (169) | Free | Music | | [radio.net - AM FM Radio Tuner](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/radionet-am-fm-radio-tuner/id402206359) | 4.7 (68,858) | Free | Music | | [myTuner Radio - Live Stations](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mytuner-radio-live-stations/id520502858) | 4.8 (242,688) | Free | Music | | [TuneIn Radio: Music & Sports](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tunein-radio-music-and-sports/id418987775) | 4.7 (1,115,471) | Free | Music | | [TuneIn Radio: Music & Sports](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tunein-radio-music-and-sports/id319295332) | 4.7 (57,378) | $9.99 | Music | ## More apps by Mark Linthicum - [Best Clock Radio-Podcast](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/best-clock-radio-podcast/id858324439) All apps by Mark Linthicum: https://appshunter.io/developer/382749598 --- *Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-08-27.*