Comparison

PodInbox vs podcasts.so

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

PodInbox

Features
Read full description

PodInbox turns new episodes into a listening queue that fits your available time. — Tell it your time, get a queue - Pick 15 / 30 / 45 / 60 minutes (or custom) and Smart Queue builds a queue that fits - Ask Siri: "Build my PodInbox queue" - Episodes you already started come first, then the newest - Preview, reorder, or trim before you commit — An inbox for podcasts - New episodes land in your Inbox, grouped by day - Swipe to play next or archive (with undo), tap to queue or save - Per-show Smart Rules quietly archive old and finished episodes — Built for real listening - Optional auto-download keeps your whole queue offline for subways and flights - Optional quiet notification when new episodes arrive — including how long your queue is - Playback speed remembered per show, intro skip, sleep timer (incl. End of Episode) - Background audio, lock screen and headphone controls out of the box — Your library, honest numbers - Saved, Downloads, History, and Archive in one place - Weekly listening summary computed from your actual history — Easy switch - Search shows by name, import OPML from another app, or paste an RSS URL — PodInbox Pro - Unlimited shows and unlimited downloads - Full Smart Rules (keep latest 3, auto-archive after 7/30 days) - Monthly listening recap PodInbox isn't a discovery app. It's the app that fits podcasts into your life. — Privacy: https://pomeranianstudio.com/privacy Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

podcasts.so

Discover podcasts based on your interests, not just show titles. Explore trending topics and find episodes that mention specific people, places, or subjects. Features a built-in player with transcripts, offline listening, and CarPlay support.

Highlights
  • Discover by interest (people, places, topics)
  • See episodes mentioning followed interests
  • Interactive map of podcast mentions
  • Player with transcripts and search
  • Offline listening
  • CarPlay support
  • Cross-device sync
Features
Read full description

podcasts.so is podcast discovery that works the way your curiosity does: by interest, not just by show. Most apps make you already know which podcast to open or use the same categories everyone else does. podcasts.so reads across the whole podcast universe and finds the episodes that talk about the things you care about: a person, a city, a book, a team, a topic. Follow an interest once and every show that covers it comes to you. DISCOVER BY INTEREST • Follow people, places, books, teams, and topics — not just shows. • See every episode across all podcasts that mentions what you follow. • Trending topics show what the podcast world is talking about right now. • Show-to-show recommendations. • Shop your favorite shows (when they have a store). A MAP OF WHAT PODCASTS ARE TALKING ABOUT • Explore an interactive map of the places podcasts mention. • Tap any place to see the shows that actually cover it — ranked by how much they focus on it, so local voices rise above national name-drops. • Spot the shows you already follow at a glance. A REAL PLAYER, DONE RIGHT • Smooth scrubbing, chapters, and artwork. • Read the transcript as you listen — and search inside episodes. • Download for offline listening. • CarPlay support for the drive. • Your place in every episode syncs across your devices. • Control what plays next — pick a show, clear your in-progress, or build a queue. • Sleep timer so you don't doze through a whole series. Find the conversation you didn't know was happening. Download podcasts.so. PRO SUBSCRIPTION podcasts.so Pro is an optional auto-renewing subscription: • Pro Monthly — $2.99 per month • Pro Yearly — $19.99 per year Payment is charged to your Apple Account at confirmation of purchase. The subscription renews automatically unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24 hours before the end of the current period; your account is charged for renewal within 24 hours before the period ends. Manage or cancel your subscription in your Apple Account settings after purchase. Terms of Use: https://podcasts.so/terms.html Privacy Policy: https://podcasts.so/privacy.html

Screenshots

PodInbox4 screens
podcasts.so4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: podcasts.so at every 4 days against PodInbox's every 5 weeks. podcasts.so also leads on iOS requirement (15.1 vs 17.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. PodInbox sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month and podcasts.so sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

PodInbox ships an update every 5 weeks, podcasts.so every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on September 20, 2026 and August 26, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
PodInbox versus podcasts.so: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPodInboxpodcasts.so
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (2 ratings) — better
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings2 — better
Update frequencyEvery 5 weeksEvery 4 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFreemium
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS17.015.1 — better
Further details — not scored
Size6 MB51 MB
Age rating4+12+
Developerkurihara kazukiIona, LLC

In-app purchases

2 purchases

PodInbox

Subscriptions2
  • PodInbox Pro Monthly$2.991 Month
  • PodInbox Pro Yearly$29.991 Year
2 purchases

podcasts.so

Subscriptions2
  • podcasts.so Pro Monthly$2.991 Month
  • podcasts.so Pro Yearly$19.991 Year

Questions

Is PodInbox free?
PodInbox is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is podcasts.so free?
podcasts.so is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do PodInbox or podcasts.so have ads?
Neither PodInbox nor podcasts.so shows ads.
Which is updated more often, PodInbox or podcasts.so?
PodInbox ships an update every 5 weeks, and podcasts.so every 4 days. Most recently, PodInbox was updated on September 20, 2026 and podcasts.so on August 26, 2026.

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