# Podcast Player vs Wave Reader

The clearest difference is price: Podcast Player at Free against Wave Reader's $0.99. Podcast Player also leads on iOS requirement (15.0 vs 18.6). Wave Reader's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 4) and ads (none vs shown). On device support there is nothing between them.

Podcast Player is free to download; Wave Reader costs $0.99 up front. Podcast Player sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per year. Wave Reader asks for nothing beyond the download.

Podcast Player ships an update monthly, Wave Reader every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on October 19, 2026 and October 17, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Podcast Player | Wave Reader |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $0.99 |
| Rating | **[4.7 (2.2K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/podcast-player-video-and-rss/id386600664/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **2.2K** | — |
| Positive reviews | 77.9% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Every 4 days** |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Paid |
| Size | 162 MB | 21 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 18.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Maple Media Apps, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1289801633) | [Bartos Martin Gwozdz](https://appshunter.io/developer/1874400025) |

## What reviewers say

### Podcast Player

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/podcast-player-video-and-rss/id386600664)

This app offers advanced podcast playback with features like silence removal, audio enhancement, and cross-device syncing. It helps organize listening, discover new shows, and provides flexible playback options for both audio and video podcasts.

**Highlights:** Silence remover for audio, Audio enhancement with DSP effects, Cross-device syncing with iCloud, Organize by categories, Discover new shows via user patterns, Password protected podcast support, Built-in sleep timer

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

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| RSS Radio | $2.99 | per year |
| RSS Radio - Annual MP | $11.99 | per year |
| Podcast Player - Annual | $14.99 | per year |
| RSSRadio Full Version Upgrade | $3.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Customizable experience
- 🔒 Supports premium/paid content
- 👍 Flexible podcast management
- 👍 Intuitive interface
- 🚀 Efficient playback controls

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes and bugs after updates
- 🔋 High battery consumption
- 👎 Confusing UI changes
- 👎 Removal of useful features
- 👎 Ads for paid subscribers

**Reported bugs**

- Playback issues after device lock or switching apps
- Podcast downloads not working as expected
- Incorrect podcast artwork displayed
- Podcast queue not saving properly
- App crashing on launch or during use

**Requested features**

- Bulk delete/archive for episodes
- Separate playlists for individual podcasts
- Apple Watch app integration
- Improved podcast discovery
- Customizable playback speed increments


### Wave Reader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/wave-reader/id6758680022)

This app provides a focused RSS reading experience without algorithmic feeds or ads. It delivers full articles, customizable reading themes, and offline access, keeping your data private and on your device.

**Highlights:** Ad-free reading experience, Full article delivery, Customizable reading themes and fonts, Offline reading capabilities, Private, local-first data storage, iCloud sync across Apple devices

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Podcast Player free?

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

### Is Wave Reader free?

Wave Reader costs $0.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Do Podcast Player or Wave Reader have ads?

Podcast Player shows ads; Wave Reader does not.

### Which is updated more often, Podcast Player or Wave Reader?

Podcast Player ships an update monthly, and Wave Reader every 4 days. Most recently, Podcast Player was updated on October 19, 2026 and Wave Reader on October 17, 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.*