# Downcast — Podcast player

> Comprehensive podcast player with advanced management and playback features. (iPhone/iPad app by Jamawkinaw Enterprises LLC.)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/downcast/id393858566 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [Jamawkinaw Enterprises LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/393858569)
- Category: News, Entertainment
- Price: $2.99 with in-app purchases
- Rating: 4.30/5 from 2,663 App Store ratings · 520 written reviews indexed
- Age rating: 4+
- Requires: iOS 14.7 · 45 MB
- Languages: American English
- Released: 2010-10-01
- Data updated: 2026-08-27
- Monetization: free with in-app purchases
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/downcast/id393858566/reviews.md

## What is Downcast?

A powerful, complete, and easy to use podcast player that will help you manage and listen to podcasts the way you want to.

Now with CarPlay support!

"Downcast: Probably The Best Podcast Downloader for iPad and iPhone" - Wired Gadget Lab

Subscription Features
• Search, subscribe to and download audio and video podcasts of any size
• Manually subscribe to podcasts via URL 
• Download podcasts automatically
• Continue podcast downloads in the background*
• Browse and download older podcast episodes 
• Auto-refresh podcast feeds
• Settings for auto-download and episode retention
• Import and export podcast feeds via OPML 
• Import supported audio/video media files
• Support for password-protected podcasts 
• Create and edit "smart" playlists 
• View podcast details and episode show notes 
• Rename podcast titles 

iCloud Syncing with other iOS devices or Macs**
• Podcast subscriptions
• Playlists
• Settings
• Episode information

Playback Features
• Video and audio AirPlay support
• .5x, 1x, 1.25x, 1.5x, 2x, 2.25x, 2.5x and 3x speed playback
• Chapters support for enhanced podcasts
• Stream episodes without downloading 
• Playback control from external devices
    • Bluetooth devices
    • Headphone remote controls
    • Devices connected via Lightning/dock connector
• View embedded images in podcast episodes 
• Gesture support
• Sleep timer
• Google Cast™ Ready

-----------------------------------------
For support, please search our support site at http://support.downcastapp.com or email us at support@downcastapp.com!

For the latest information about Downcast, please follow @downcastapp on Twitter!

* Per iOS restrictions

** iCloud syncing with Macs requires Downcast for Mac, which is a separate purchase from the Mac App Store

## Key features

- Search, subscribe, and download podcasts
- Manual subscription via URL
- Automatic downloads and background downloading
- Variable playback speed
- AirPlay and Google Cast support
- iCloud syncing for subscriptions and settings
- Smart playlist creation

## Pricing and in-app purchases

Base price: $2.99.

**One-time purchases**

| Purchase | Price | Type |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Encouraging Tip | $2.99 | one-time |
| Inspiring Tip | $11.99 | one-time |
| Galvanizing Tip | $8.99 | one-time |
| Motivating Tip | $5.99 | one-time |


## Chart rankings

- #1 in Top Paid · News (US App Store)

## What do users think of Downcast?

Overall sentiment: positive

**Pros**

- 🚀 Powerful features
- 👍 Highly customizable
- 💡 Granular podcast management
- 🚀 Reliable performance
- 👍 Great organization and playlists
- 👍 Offline listening
- 👍 Excellent value
- 👍 Responsive developer

**Cons**

- 🐛 Crashes and bugs
- 🔋 Battery drain issues
- 🔍 Subpar search functionality
- 👎 Outdated user interface
- 👎 Syncing problems
- 👎 Chromecast support issues

**Commonly reported bugs**

- Podcast downloads failing
- Playback position not saved correctly
- Podcast artwork and information mix-ups
- Continuous play issues
- Crashing on startup

**Most requested features**

- Bookmark feature
- Playback speed of 1.75x
- Podcast triage/management tools
- Improved CarPlay integration
- Apple Watch app with volume control

## Recent user reviews (10 of 520)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/downcast/id393858566/reviews.md

### 5/5 — Super for offline podcast listening! Just one little request…

*2026-08-20, version 2.11.33*

Perfect for podcast enjoyment without an internet connection! The one feature I would really like to see added are additional playback speeds, especially 0.8x, 0.85x and 0.9x, which would really help those of us learning a new language through non-English podcasts. Otherwise, super app!

### 5/5 — Exactly what I want

*2026-08-03, version 2.11.33*

Downcast simply works-easily, reliably, no nonsense.  No flashy uselessness.  Can’t imagine using anything else

### 4/5 — FAN-FRICKEN-TASTIC PODCAST PLAYER, DEFINITELY THE BEST, BEST PODCAST PLAYER!! Highly Recommend!!

*2026-07-25, version 2.11.33*

Great app for holding all of my 96.8 GB’s of podcasts. Easy to use with some cool features, like being able to make a podcast list with just certain podcasts and excluding others. 
Having podcasts start after a set time and end after a certain time you can control, in case your podcasts don’t droll on about commercials for the 1st 5-15 minutes or the last 10 minutes. The jump skip is also a helpful feature.
I am very happy with this podcast and grateful to use it every single day!
I WOULD DEFINITELY RECOMMEND THIS APP TO OTHER PEOPLE AND TWO OF MY FRIENDS STARTING USING IT AND WONT GO BACK TO THEIR OLD 🍏 PODCAST NETWORKS. 
5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 😎⚡️🤙
Thank you!

### 2/5 — URLs not resolving

*2026-07-14, version 2.11.33*

All of a sudden all my urls stopped resolving. Everything is stuck in the download queue.

### 1/5 — Not good anymore

*2026-07-10, version 2.11.33*

Update your app you *****

### 2/5 — Was Good Now Meh

*2026-07-06, version 2.11.33*

when I first downloaded it, it was the best option. It had a number of features, including speed control. Since it was downloaded, the quality has been lacking. Increasing freezes, skipping during playback, jumping to other podcasts, disappearing playlists, inability to export podcasts, and so many more problems.

There have been no updates at all in almost 18 months. I have to wonder if it’s finally been abandoned.

### 5/5 — Fantastic Podcast Player

*2026-07-02, version 2.11.33*

Been using this for years. Lots more features than the Apple Podcasts app and Spotify. Stable. Updated regularly. Highly recommend.

### 5/5 — Great player

*2026-06-29, version 2.11.33*

Needed a podcast player that would allow me to create playlists of downloaded pods that would automatically play the next in the list without internet.  This was suggested to me. I really enjoy it and have suggested this app to many people who also enjoy it.

### 4/5 — Still the best podcast app

*2026-06-24, version 2.11.33*

Updated Review: After many many years of use (at least 12+ years) Downcast is still the best podcast app I have found. I use it almost daily. It just works, has a fantastic simple user interface, and it's highly customisable. But there are some negatives. 1. cloud sync doesn't work very well which is a big letdown if you use more than one device. 2. Playlists are rule-based only, which means you cannot arbitrarily add selected episodes to a playlist, this is a peculiar and annoying oversight given the general level of customisation the app offers - thankfully there is a workaround which is to create a playlist for locked episodes and then add episodes to the playlist by marking them as locked. 3. The app while it still appears to be supported has not had any meaningful updates for a very long time. Because of this I have changed my review from 5 stars to 4 stars.


Original review from years ago (2012ish) :-
After using Apple's awful podcasts app this is a million times better (Apple take note). Downcast is a joy to use. It automatically updates and downloads podcast feeds, the search is as good if not better than iTunes and you can manually enter feed urls. It's really easy and intuitive use and it has lots of configuration and customisation options should you need them. Highly recommended.

### 5/5 — Well worth the small price

*2026-06-06, version 2.11.33*

This is a much better player than the built in iPhone option. Easy to use, simple design, some good options to give you more control and works well. I should have started using it years ago.

## Frequently asked questions about Downcast

### What is Downcast?

Downcast is a powerful and easy-to-use podcast player designed to help you manage and listen to your favorite podcasts. It offers a comprehensive set of features for discovering, downloading, and playing both audio and video podcasts.

### What are the key features of Downcast?

Key features include searching, subscribing, and downloading podcasts, manual subscription via URL, automatic downloads, background downloading, variable playback speeds from 0.5x to 3x, AirPlay and Google Cast support, chapter support, and iCloud syncing across devices.

### Is Downcast free to use?

The application is free to download and use, with certain advanced features available through in-app purchases. This allows users to try out the core functionality before committing to premium features.

### What devices is Downcast compatible with?

Downcast is available for iOS devices, including iPhones and iPads, and offers CarPlay support. iCloud syncing is also available with Downcast for Mac, which is a separate purchase.

### How can I manage my podcast subscriptions with Downcast?

You can easily search for and subscribe to new podcasts, manually add podcasts via their URLs, and import/export your podcast feeds using OPML. The app also allows for automatic refreshing of feeds and settings for episode retention.

## Version history (last 5 releases)

### 2.11.33 — 2025-01-26

* Dropped MS App Center for Crashlytics for opt-in crash reporting. No functional changes.
* Fixes a potential crash.

### 2.11.32 — 2024-09-29

• Updates dark & tinted icon variations

### 2.11.31 — 2024-09-26

• Adds dark & tinted icon variants for iOS 18

### 2.11.30 — 2024-09-16

• Restores missing header view (artwork + podcast/episode title) on podcast details & episode detail views.
• Performance improvement when refreshing large feeds.
• Fixes potential crash
• Fixes alignment issue for watchOS app on Apple Watch Ultra.

### 2.11.29 — 2024-08-18

• Fixes potential crash when playing on CarPlay
• Fixes potential crash when resuming playback using Siri
• Fixes a crash when deleting a ready-to-import file on the import files view
• Fixes issue with starting playback of podcasts and playlists using Siri. Also updates the suggested phrasing to use.
• Fixes issue with how the pull-to-refresh view is rendered

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*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.*