# InstacastPlus vs PodWhale

The clearest difference is rating: PodWhale at 5.0 against InstacastPlus's 4.0. PodWhale also leads on update cadence (every 9 days vs every 5 months) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.0). On price, ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. InstacastPlus sells 4 one-off in-app purchases and PodWhale sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

PodWhale holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2 and 2 respectively.

InstacastPlus ships an update every 5 months, PodWhale every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on November 4, 2026 and November 8, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | InstacastPlus | PodWhale |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/instacastplus/id6472283494/reviews) | **[5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/podwhale-podcast-player/id6502185679/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 2 | 2 |
| Positive reviews | 62.5% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 5 months | **Every 9 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Size | 99 MB | 102 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [IT Economy GmbH](https://appshunter.io/developer/432227916) | [Thinkaholic](https://appshunter.io/developer/1538284370) |

## What reviewers say

### InstacastPlus

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/instacastplus/id6472283494)

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 audio experience.

**Highlights:** Auto-skip chapters and ads, Smart sleep timer, CarPlay support, Offline listening and storage control, Personalized playback speeds and app appearance, Episode recovery

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Siri integration, Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support, SharePlay

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Donate to Developer | $1.00 | one-time |
| Donate to Developer | $5.00 | one-time |
| Donate to Developer | $15.00 | one-time |
| Donate to Developer | $20.00 | one-time |


### PodWhale

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/podwhale-podcast-player/id6502185679)

Enhance your podcast listening with synchronized transcripts, translations, and chapter navigation. Discover new shows with personalized recommendations and curated top lists. Enjoy offline playback and a customizable player experience.

**Highlights:** Synchronized transcripts, Subtitles in your language, Chapter navigation, AI-powered recommendations, Offline episode downloads, Customizable playback speed, Sleep timer

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Friend - Support the app | $0.99 | per month |
| PodWhale Plus Monthly | $3.99 | per month |
| PodWhale Plus Yearly | $34.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is InstacastPlus free?

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

### Is PodWhale free?

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

### Which has better reviews, InstacastPlus or PodWhale?

PodWhale is rated higher. InstacastPlus averages 4.0 out of 5 from 2 ratings, while PodWhale averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.

### Do InstacastPlus or PodWhale have ads?

Neither InstacastPlus nor PodWhale shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, InstacastPlus or PodWhale?

InstacastPlus ships an update every 5 months, and PodWhale every 9 days. Most recently, InstacastPlus was updated on November 4, 2026 and PodWhale on November 8, 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.*