# Shadowcast vs Loop

The clearest difference is price: Shadowcast at Free against Loop's $4.99. Shadowcast also leads on update cadence (daily vs fortnightly). Loop's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 3) and chart position (#71 vs unranked). On ads and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Shadowcast is free to download; Loop costs $4.99 up front. Shadowcast sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per 7 days. Loop asks for nothing beyond the download.

Shadowcast ships an update daily, Loop fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on September 13, 2026 and September 10, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Shadowcast | Loop |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $4.99 |
| Rating | — | **[4.5 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/loop-podcast-player/id6736364779/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **2** |
| Positive reviews | — | 66.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Daily** | Fortnightly |
| Monetization | — | Paid |
| Best chart rank | — | **#71** |
| Size | 27 MB | 51 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.2 | **18.0** |
| Devices | iPhone | **iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, Vision Pro** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [MSDC TECHNOLOGIES LTD](https://appshunter.io/developer/433388086) | [Augusto Simionato](https://appshunter.io/developer/1734532605) |

## What reviewers say

### Shadowcast

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shadowcast-podcast-player/id6550922792)

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pro Weekly | $3.99 | per 7 days |
| Pro Yearly | $12.99 | per year |
| Castaway Pro | $39.99 | one-time |


### Loop

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/loop-podcast-player/id6736364779)

**Currently charting:** #71 Top Paid · News (US App Store)

An independent podcast player designed for a superior audio experience on Apple devices. It offers features like sleep timers, chapter support, and automatic backups, all within a minimalist and privacy-focused interface.

**Highlights:** Sleep Mode with auto-pause timer, Episode chapter support, Podcast collections for sequential playback, Automatic iCloud backup, Privacy-first, no user tracking, Offline episode downloads, Podcast description translation

**Features:** Apple Watch app

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Shadowcast free?

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

### Is Loop free?

Loop costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Do Shadowcast or Loop have ads?

Neither Shadowcast nor Loop shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Shadowcast or Loop?

Shadowcast ships an update daily, and Loop fortnightly. Most recently, Shadowcast was updated on September 13, 2026 and Loop on September 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.*