# Lysten vs Metacast

The clearest difference is rating: Metacast at 4.8 against Lysten's 4.4. Metacast also leads on update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 2 months) and review sentiment (92% vs 80%). On price, ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Lysten sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month and Metacast sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Metacast holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.4. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 10 and 17 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 80% of Lysten's written reviews are positive against 92% of Metacast's.

Lysten ships an update every 2 months, Metacast every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on August 16, 2026 and September 18, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Lysten | Metacast |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.4 (10 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lysten-podcast-player/id1579212581/reviews) | **[4.8 (17 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/metacast-podcast-app/id6462012536/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 10 | **17** |
| Positive reviews | 80.0% of reviews | **92.3% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Freemium | Freemium |
| Size | 44 MB | 88 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Ambi Studio AB](https://appshunter.io/developer/834012550) | [Metacast Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/1702791075) |

## What reviewers say

### Lysten

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lysten-podcast-player/id1579212581)

Easily discover and listen to podcasts with a privacy-focused player. Enjoy features like offline listening, interactive widgets, and seamless sharing with friends. Syncs via iCloud for a personal experience.

**Highlights:** Privacy-focused design, iCloud sync for progress, Offline episode downloads, Interactive widgets, Sleep timer, Adjustable playback speed, Spotlight search indexing

**Features:** Family Sharing, Siri integration, Vision Pro support, SharePlay

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Lysten+ | $1.99 | per month |
| Lysten+ Yearly | $19.99 | per year |


### Metacast

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/metacast-podcast-app/id6462012536)

This app makes podcasts searchable and skimmable, allowing you to find specific quotes and insights in seconds. Easily bookmark, organize, and share key takeaways, and switch between reading transcripts and listening to audio.

**Highlights:** Searchable podcast transcripts, Bookmark key takeaways, Switch between audio and text, Organize and share insights, Skip intros and ads, Learn via reading or listening

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium | $1.99 | per month |
| Premium | $19.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Lysten free?

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

### Is Metacast free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Lysten or Metacast?

Metacast is rated higher. Lysten averages 4.4 out of 5 from 10 ratings, while Metacast averages 4.8 from 17 ratings.

### Do Lysten or Metacast have ads?

Neither Lysten nor Metacast shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Lysten or Metacast?

Lysten ships an update every 2 months, and Metacast every 3 weeks. Most recently, Lysten was updated on August 16, 2026 and Metacast on September 18, 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.*