# iTunes Remote vs Apple Podcasts

The clearest difference is ads: iTunes Remote at none against Apple Podcasts's shown. iTunes Remote also leads on monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases) and review sentiment (57% vs 44%). Apple Podcasts's advantage is ratings volume (2.1M vs 40K) and rating (4.9 vs 4.6). On price, in-app purchases, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Apple Podcasts holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Apple Podcasts has 2.1M ratings behind it against 40K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 57% of iTunes Remote's written reviews are positive against 44% of Apple Podcasts's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

iTunes Remote ships an update every 5 months, Apple Podcasts every 2 months. Both last shipped on November 10, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | iTunes Remote | Apple Podcasts |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (40K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/itunes-remote/id284417350/reviews) | **[4.9 (2.1M ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/apple-podcasts/id525463029/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 40K | **2.1M** |
| Positive reviews | **56.9% of reviews** | 44.1% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 5 months | **Every 2 months** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 12 MB | 11 MB |
| Requires iOS | 11.4 | **10.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Apple](https://appshunter.io/developer/284417353) | [Apple](https://appshunter.io/developer/284417353) |

## What reviewers say

### iTunes Remote

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/itunes-remote/id284417350)

Control your Apple Music, iTunes, or Apple TV app library from your iPhone or iPad. Browse content, manage playlists, and stream audio to AirPlay speakers throughout your home.

**Highlights:** Control Apple Music, iTunes, Apple TV, Browse music, movies, TV shows, podcasts, Create and edit playlists, View upcoming songs (Up Next), Search entire libraries, Stream to AirPlay speakers, Group speakers for multi-room audio

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Excellent for controlling music on Mac and AirPlay devices
- 👍 Convenient remote control for Apple TV
- 💡 Allows remote access to iTunes library

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent disconnects and stability issues
- 🔍 Lacks integration with Apple Music
- 📺 No longer supports Apple Watch
- 🔍 Limited functionality compared to previous versions

**Reported bugs**

- Arrows and navigation buttons disappearing
- Inability to control Apple TV
- Frequent need to reconnect to iTunes library

**Requested features**

- Add support for HomePod and stereo HomePods
- Integrate with Apple Music for searching and adding to library
- Improve user interface and add more customization options
- Restore Apple Watch support


### Apple Podcasts

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/apple-podcasts/id525463029)

Discover and listen to a vast library of podcasts that entertain, inform, and inspire. Get personalized recommendations and curated collections to explore new shows. Seamlessly sync your listening progress across all your Apple devices.

**Highlights:** Listen and watch podcasts, Download and play offline, Personalized recommendations, Top Charts and curated collections, Sync across Apple devices, Playback controls and sleep timers, Subscriber-only content access

**Features:** Family Sharing, Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support, iPhone Duo support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Seamless integration with Apple ecosystem
- 🎨 Sleek and modern user interface
- 💯 Vast library of podcast content
- 🔍 Helpful podcast discovery features
- 🗓️ Convenient episode management

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Buggy and unreliable playback
- 🤯 Confusing and unintuitive navigation
- 🔀 Inconsistent episode ordering and playlist management
- 🔋 High data and battery consumption
- 🗑️ Difficulty removing/deleting unwanted episodes

**Reported bugs**

- Frequent crashes and app freezes
- Inconsistent episode downloads and sync issues
- Randomly playing incorrect or outdated episodes
- Continuous playback setting changing on its own
- Deleted episodes reappearing in the library

**Requested features**

- Add option to sort episodes by oldest first
- Improve playlist and queue management features
- Introduce a dedicated sleep timer function
- Allow users to manually mark episodes as played/unplayed
- Enhance integration with Siri and Apple Watch


## Frequently asked questions

### Is iTunes Remote free?

iTunes Remote is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Apple Podcasts free?

Apple Podcasts is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, iTunes Remote or Apple Podcasts?

Apple Podcasts is rated higher. iTunes Remote averages 4.6 out of 5 from 40K ratings, while Apple Podcasts averages 4.9 from 2.1M ratings.

### Do iTunes Remote or Apple Podcasts have ads?

Apple Podcasts shows ads; iTunes Remote does not.

### Which is updated more often, iTunes Remote or Apple Podcasts?

iTunes Remote ships an update every 5 months, and Apple Podcasts every 2 months. Most recently, iTunes Remote was updated on November 10, 2026 and Apple Podcasts on November 10, 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.*