# Podcast App vs CSA Connect

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: CSA Connect at none against Podcast App's 10. CSA Connect also leads on ads (none vs shown). Podcast App's advantage is update cadence (weekly vs every 4 weeks) and chart position (#22 vs unranked). On price, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Podcast App sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $36.99 per year. CSA Connect asks for nothing beyond the download.

Podcast App ships an update weekly, CSA Connect every 4 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and October 27, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Podcast App | CSA Connect |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (310K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/podcast-app/id1199070742/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **310K** | — |
| Positive reviews | 55.9% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 4 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Best chart rank | **#22** | — |
| Size | 117 MB | 136 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.4 | **15.6** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Evolve Global, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1199070741) | [Sparrow Connected Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/1572006528) |

## What reviewers say

### Podcast App

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/podcast-app/id1199070742)

**Currently charting:** #22 Top Grossing · News, #34 Top Free · News (US App Store)

Access millions of podcasts on any topic, from news to true crime. Discover new shows with personalized recommendations and powerful search. Manage your listening history and favorite episodes.

**Highlights:** Millions of podcasts, Personalized recommendations, Powerful search and filters, Save for later, Listening history tracking, Ad-free premium option

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Siri integration, Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Unlock The Podcast App Premium | $36.99 | per year |
| Unlock Podcast App Premium | $36.99 | per year |
| Podcast App for Students | $36.99 | per year |
| Unlock Podcast App Premium | $39.99 | per year |
| The Podcast App Pro | $39.99 | per year |
| The Podcast App PLUS Plan | $39.99 | per year |
| The Podcast App Wellbeing | $49.99 | per year |
| Mastering Communication Course | $24.99 | one-time |
| Product Development Course | $49.99 | one-time |
| Podcast App Lifetime Premium | $199.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to navigate
- 🚀 Intuitive user interface
- 📚 Wide variety of podcast content
- 💾 Offline listening capabilities
- 🔍 Helpful podcast discovery features

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔍 Difficulty finding specific episodes
- 🔋 Drains device battery
- 📤 Issues with downloading/playing podcasts offline
- 🔊 Intrusive ads in free version
- 🔒 Lack of customization options

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes and freezes
- Inconsistent podcast playback behavior
- Syncing issues between devices
- Unreliable download/offline functionality

**Requested features**

- Add podcast history/playback tracking
- Implement playlist creation and management
- Allow manual reordering of podcast queue
- Introduce a true ad-free premium version
- Add more podcast discovery and recommendation tools


### CSA Connect

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/csa-connect/id1501900255)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Podcast App free?

Podcast App is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is CSA Connect free?

CSA Connect is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Do Podcast App or CSA Connect have ads?

Podcast App shows ads; CSA Connect does not.

### Which is updated more often, Podcast App or CSA Connect?

Podcast App ships an update weekly, and CSA Connect every 4 weeks. Most recently, Podcast App was updated on November 3, 2026 and CSA Connect on October 27, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*