Castle Player vs InstacastPlus
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Castle Player
This app enhances podcast listening by providing automatic on-device transcripts. Easily mark, save, and share specific sections of transcribed audio to recall information later. It fosters a collaborative approach to engaging with podcast content.
- On-device podcast transcription
- Mark and save audio sections
- Share transcribed text
- Search and subscribe to podcasts
- Create custom playlists
- Smooth listening experience
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Activate your podcast listening experience. We are a podcast player that transcribes podcast episodes. We also make it easy to mark, save and share sections of transcribed text. The next time you want to recall that one part from that one episode, you can! Automated transcripts are generated directly on device. Because of that, each user who generates transcripts collectively adds to a growing database of available transcripts. Together, we are engaging with podcast content in new and collaborative ways. Search for and subscribe to podcasts, create playlists and listen to episodes. We value a smooth podcast listening experience and are thrilled to bring an activated experience to the world of podcasting.
InstacastPlus
This podcast player offers advanced features like automatic skipping of intros and ads, a smart sleep timer, and CarPlay support. Enjoy personalized playback, offline listening, and easy episode management for a superior podcast experience.
- Auto-skip chapters and ads
- Smart sleep timer
- CarPlay support
- Offline listening and storage control
- Personalized playback speeds and app icons
- Episode recovery
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InstacastPlus – More Than Just Another Podcast Player Tired of the limits of Overcast, Pocket Casts, Castro, or even Apple Podcasts? InstacastPlus takes podcast listening to the next level. Why switch? Auto-Skip Chapters & Ads – Automatically skip intros, ads, or unwanted segments with keyword-based chapter skipping. Smart Sleep Timer – Stops playback when you fall asleep and resets when you interact or move. CarPlay Support – Enjoy your podcasts on the road with an interface built for driving. Offline Listening & Storage Control – Download episodes, sort by size, and auto-delete old ones. Personalization – Custom app icons, colors, and flexible playback speeds for a truly personal experience. Episode Recovery – Deleted something by accident? Restore episodes with one tap. What makes InstacastPlus stand out: Browse curated collections and discover new favorites. Advanced episode filters: Unplayed, In Progress, Favorites, Downloads, and more. Smooth navigation with saved scroll positions and larger, easier controls. Whether you’re coming from Overcast, Pocket Casts, Castro, or Apple Podcasts – this is the upgrade you’ve been waiting for. InstacastPlus – Built for podcast lovers who want total control. Download now for free and experience podcasts like never before.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Castle Player at 4.5 against InstacastPlus's 4.0. Castle Player also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 4) and update cadence (every 4 weeks vs every 3 months). InstacastPlus's advantage is review sentiment (63% vs 25%) and ads (none vs shown). On price, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. InstacastPlus sells 4 one-off in-app purchases. Castle Player asks for nothing beyond the download.
Castle Player holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Castle Player has 15 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 25% of Castle Player's written reviews are positive against 63% of InstacastPlus's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.
Castle Player ships an update every 4 weeks, InstacastPlus every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on October 12, 2026 and October 2, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Castle Player | InstacastPlus |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.5 (15 ratings) — better | 4.0 (2 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 25.0% of reviews | 62.5% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 15 — better | 2 |
| Update frequency | Every 4 weeks — better | Every 3 months |
| Ads | Yes | No — better |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Ad-supported — better | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 12.0 — better | 13 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 76 MB | 18 MB |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Tinybits | IT Economy GmbH |
Customer experience
Castle Player
InstacastPlus
In-app purchases
Castle Player
No in-app purchases
InstacastPlus
- Donate to Developer$1.00
- Donate to Developer$5.00
- Donate to Developer$15.00
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- Donate to Developer$20.00
Questions
Is Castle Player free?
Is InstacastPlus free?
Which has better reviews, Castle Player or InstacastPlus?
Do Castle Player or InstacastPlus have ads?
Which is updated more often, Castle Player or InstacastPlus?
Other comparisons
