# iPodcasts vs CareShift Notify

The clearest difference is update cadence: CareShift Notify at every 3 weeks against iPodcasts's every 2 months. iPodcasts's advantage is iOS requirement (9.3 vs 15.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. iPodcasts sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and CareShift Notify sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

iPodcasts ships an update every 2 months, CareShift Notify every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 18, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | iPodcasts | CareShift Notify |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Size | 10 MB | 20 MB |
| Requires iOS | **9.3** | 15.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Katsuhiko Noda](https://appshunter.io/developer/1530173859) | [Kouki Mori](https://appshunter.io/developer/1803902708) |

## What reviewers say

### iPodcasts

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ipodcasts/id1530457798)

This app offers a programmable podcast player with flexible, rule-based smart playlists and an alarm function. Create custom playlists with unlimited channels and define rules for episode selection. It also prevents device auto-lock while playing.

**Highlights:** Rule-based smart playlists, Unlimited channels per playlist, Custom episode selection rules, Scheduled playlist playback (alarm), Prevents device auto-lock, Direct RSS feed URL support

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Multiple Playlist Enabler | $2.99 | one-time |


### CareShift Notify

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/careshift-notify/id6743959744)

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium Group Feature | $0.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is iPodcasts free?

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

### Is CareShift Notify free?

CareShift Notify is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Do iPodcasts or CareShift Notify have ads?

Neither iPodcasts nor CareShift Notify shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, iPodcasts or CareShift Notify?

iPodcasts ships an update every 2 months, and CareShift Notify every 3 weeks. Most recently, iPodcasts was updated on October 18, 2026 and CareShift Notify on October 24, 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.*