# opencast! — ad-free OSS podcast app > Open source native podcast client for direct RSS listening and episode management. (iPhone/iPad app by Connor Larkin.) - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/opencast/id6766770733 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`) - Developer: [Connor Larkin](https://appshunter.io/developer/1127199131) - Category: News, Entertainment - Price: Free with in-app purchases - Rating: 5.00/5 from 3 App Store ratings · 1 written reviews indexed - Age rating: 4+ - Requires: iOS 26.0 · 12 MB - Languages: American English - Released: 2026-06-04 - Data updated: 2026-08-13 - Monetization: free - User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/opencast/id6766770733/reviews.md ## What is opencast!? opencast is a native podcast client built for direct RSS listening, and the app is open source under the MIT license: https://github.com/connlark/opencast opencast can also make your episodes ad-free. It transcribes audio on your device, finds promo and ad reads in the transcript, and marks every ad break on the playback timeline. High-confidence ad breaks skip automatically — with a one-tap undo — while borderline sponsor reads stay visible so you decide. Detection keeps working in the background, and a notification tells you once the ad breaks are mapped. Choose how to create a transcript. Run it privately on your device, or explicitly request high-quality Remote Transcription for an episode. Remote Transcription includes one complimentary hour, shows the estimated time and your balance before starting, and offers optional consumable hour packs. The remote service processes episode audio only for requested jobs; see the privacy policy for processing and retention details. Subscribe to shows by searching the podcast directory or pasting an RSS feed URL. Use Library and Inbox to keep up with your shows. Episode pages include summaries and show notes. Now Playing keeps play/pause, seek, skip, speed, sleep timer, AirPlay, and Voice Boost controls close at hand. Features: - Detect ad breaks with on-device transcription, then skip them automatically - See every promo and sponsor read marked on the timeline and in the transcript - Create searchable transcripts on device or with optional Remote Transcription - Preview remote transcription usage and manage your hour balance before starting - Get a notification when background ad detection finishes an episode - Find podcasts by search or subscribe directly by RSS feed URL - Import + export subscriptions with OPML - Browse your podcast library - Stream episodes with saved progress - Download episodes for local playback - Implements customizable skip, speed, sleep timer, AirPlay, and Voice Boost controls - Sync subscriptions and episode progress with iCloud - Read, audit, fork, and contribute to the source code opencast avoids clutter such as social feeds, engagement scoring, and playlist complexity. It is designed for listeners who want a straightforward podcast app focused on their own subscriptions, with public source code *anyone* can inspect, fork, and improve. ## Key features - Direct RSS feed subscription - Podcast library management - Episode playback with progress saving - Customizable playback controls - iCloud sync for subscriptions and progress - Open source code ## Pricing and in-app purchases Base price: Free. **One-time purchases** | Purchase | Price | Type | | --- | --- | --- | | 20 Transcription Hours | $0.99 | one-time | | 100 Transcription Hours | $4.99 | one-time | ## Recent user reviews (1 of 1) All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/opencast/id6766770733/reviews.md ### 5/5 — Best New Podcast App! *2026-07-29* I love the fact that this is an open source podcast app. I also love that it gets quick updates and that it’s simple to use. You’ve done a wonderful job. Thank you again! ## Frequently asked questions about opencast! ### How do I subscribe to podcasts on opencast? You can subscribe to podcasts by searching the built-in directory or by pasting an RSS feed URL directly into the app. The app also supports importing subscriptions via OPML. ### Does opencast support offline listening? Yes, opencast allows you to download episodes for local playback, enabling offline listening. It also saves your playback progress for streamed episodes. ### What playback controls are available in opencast? opencast offers a range of customizable controls including play/pause, seek, skip, playback speed adjustment, a sleep timer, AirPlay support, and Voice Boost. ### Can I sync my podcasts across devices with opencast? Yes, opencast supports syncing your subscriptions and episode progress with iCloud, allowing for a seamless experience across your iPhone and iPad. ### Is opencast available on Android devices? Based on the provided data, opencast is currently supported on iPhone and iPad. Information regarding Android support is not available. ### How often is opencast updated? The latest version of opencast is 1.3.0, and it was last updated on June 23, 2026. This indicates a recent update, suggesting active development. ### What is the age rating for opencast? opencast has an age rating of 4+, making it suitable for a wide range of users. This rating is based on general content appropriateness. ### Does opencast have ads? No, opencast does not contain advertisements. The app is designed to be free of clutter, focusing solely on the podcast listening experience. ## Version history (last 5 releases) ### 2026.8.1 — 2026-08-07 opencast 2026.8.1 brings your podcasts to carplay and siri, with major improvements to feeds, listening history, transcripts, and reliability. • browse inbox, library, and downloads in carplay. start or resume an episode, change playback speed, and control voice boost from now playing • ask siri to play your subscribed podcasts in opencast • unsubscribing now keeps listening history by default, so played episodes and positions return if you subscribe again. you can still clear a show’s history during removal or clear history for all unfollowed shows from settings • transcript follow-along now verifies that playback matches the audio used for transcription. opencast can switch to the matching downloaded copy automatically and warns when timing cannot be trusted • smart resume rewinds a few seconds when you return to an episode, with more context after longer breaks • pull down on a podcast page to search its episodes. podcast discovery now uses your local itunes storefront when available • feed rows and podcast pages show clearer refresh health, including partial-feed recovery and new-episode notification polling issues • new-episode notifications can catch up with as many as three missed episodes per show this release also includes a refreshed app icon!!! full release notes: https://github.com/connlark/opencast/releases/tag/v2026.8.1 ### 2026.7.2 — 2026-07-29 opencast 2026.7.2 adds optional remote transcription and more control over every podcast. • request a high-quality server-generated transcript from episode actions. remote transcription includes one complimentary hour, shows estimated usage before starting, and offers optional hour packs in Settings. • search within a podcast, sort episodes by date or length, filter by listening or download status, resume your most recent episode, mark all played, and manage a show’s downloads and automatic ad detection. • choose Apple transcription for new on-device transcripts on supported devices, with whisper as the fallback. • transcript highlighting now follows playback more accurately, especially around line changes. • voice Boost adds more robust on/off transitions, refined dynamics, true-peak protection, and more efficient processing. • ad detection is more reliable for long episodes and can resume after interruptions. • new-episode notifications now adapt to each show’s publishing schedule, alongside additional reliability and performance improvements throughout. on-device transcription stays on your device. optional remote transcription sends episode audio to opencast’s Cloudflare-hosted service only when you request it; temporary audio and transcript data are deleted under the retention terms in the privacy policy. ad detection sends transcript text—not episode audio—and the analysis service does not retain it. full release notes: https://github.com/connlark/opencast/releases/tag/v2026.7.2 ### 2026.7.1 — 2026-07-14 This is opencast's biggest update yet. • Skip promos and ads: detect breaks, see them on the timeline and transcript, and automatically skip high-confidence zones with a quick undo. • On-device transcripts: generate a transcript, search it, tap any line to play from there, follow along as the episode plays, and improve it with Apple Speech. • A new Downloads tab: pause and resume downloads, retry failures, search and filter saved episodes, review storage use, and clean up played downloads when you choose. • A dedicated Search tab: search your Library's episodes and show notes, discover podcasts, add an RSS URL, and return to recent searches. • A redesigned Episode Detail screen brings playback, downloads, transcripts, ad detection, metadata, and show notes into one clearer flow. • Smoother iPhone and iPad navigation, a more native mini-player, richer notification artwork, and fixes across RSS parsing, streaming, Voice Boost, and background work. Transcription happens on your device. Ad detection sends transcript text—not episode audio—and the analysis service does not retain it. ### 1.3.1 — 2026-07-11 what's new in 1.3.1: transcripts, on your device • generate full episode transcripts right on your iphone or ipad — private and offline. follow along as it plays, tap any word to jump straight there, and search for anything said inside an episode. one-tap ad-free playback • opencast can now detect ad and promo breaks and skip past them for you. grab an ad-free pass for an episode, let it prepare in the background, and you'll get a heads-up when it's ready. new-episode notifications • opt in to be notified the moment a show you follow posts a new episode — complete with cover art. a real downloads tab • save episodes for offline listening with a dedicated downloads screen: storage and per-podcast breakdowns, pause and resume, retry for failed downloads, multi-select cleanup, and automatic tidy-up of episodes you've finished. downloads keep working even if you unsubscribe from the show. faster search • a new search tab with your recent searches and quicker results. polish • smoother scrubbing with a redesigned progress bar and skip zones, a tidier mini-player that tucks into the tab bar, better airplay handling, and more reliable feed parsing. thanks for listening with opencast! ### 1.3.0 — 2026-06-23 notifications are here! • new episode notifications for podcasts you follow • inbox is now the default starting point, with clearer loading and error states • improved iCloud sync restore visibility, including clearer activity states while subscriptions are imported or refreshed • better episode search loading behavior and more consistent results while searches update • episode rows now behave more directly: tapping can start playback, and long-press previews make episode details easier to inspect • now Playing and mini-player interactions are smoother, with improved swipe dismissal, seek handling, playback haptics, and AirPlay accessibility full release notes (and code) on github: https://github.com/connlark/opencast/releases/tag/v1.3.0 ## More apps by Connor Larkin - [Crypto Dividend Tracker](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/crypto-dividend-tracker/id1424173972) - [Annex B](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/annex-b/id6792915601) All apps by Connor Larkin: https://appshunter.io/developer/1127199131 --- *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 2026-08-13.*