Comparison

Overcast Podcast App vs Please Explain

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

Head to head
About

Overcast Podcast App

This app offers a powerful and intuitive way to listen to podcasts, featuring smart speed adjustments and voice boost for optimal audio quality. Download episodes for offline listening, discover new shows with personalized recommendations, and organize your listening with custom playlists.

Highlights
  • Smart Speed for time saving
  • Voice Boost for consistent volume
  • Offline playback
  • Podcast discovery and recommendations
  • Customizable playlists
  • Sleep timer
  • Apple Watch and CarPlay support
Features
Read full description

A powerful, simple, award-winning podcast player. Featured by the App Store as Editor's Choice and critically acclaimed by The Verge, TechCrunch, 9to5Mac, AppAdvice, and more. No big company or VC funding here — Overcast is the only major podcast app written by a single person. The Verge: “The best podcast app for the iPhone” 9to5Mac: "Overcast is the best podcast app that I’ve ever used” AppAdvice: "Our favorite podcast client" Six Colors: "My podcast player of choice" The Sweet Setup: “Overcast is our favorite” Cult of Mac: “It’s the best podcast app out there” TIME: “Overcast lives up to its lofty claims” iMore: "My personal favorite" TechCrunch: “There is no reason why you should still be using the Podcasts app over Overcast” Overcast is a modern, fully featured audio podcast app with many useful features in a simple, intuitive interface: - Smart Speed saves time without distorting the audio or sounding unnatural. - Voice Boost makes every podcast the same volume with a broadcast-quality remastering engine. - Download podcasts for playing anytime, even offline. - Search and browse for new podcasts, plus get personalized recommendations. - Create custom Playlists with smart filters and per-podcast priorities, and rearrange the list whenever you want. - Receive optional notifications when new episodes arrive. - Subscribe to a podcast, or just add an episode: try new shows without committing. - Sleep timer automatically stops playback after any time interval you set. - Apple Watch app with standalone playback and cellular streaming. - CarPlay support. And Overcast has world-class privacy, with no third-party analytics, ad services, or tracking code. Overcast is funded by ads that promote other podcasts. If you choose to purchase Overcast Premium to hide these ads, payment will be charged to your iTunes account, and your account will be charged for renewal 24 hours prior to the end of the current period. Auto-renewal may be turned off at any time by going to your settings in the iTunes Store after purchase. Privacy policy: https://overcast.fm/privacy Terms of use: https://overcast.fm/terms Proudly made in New York.

About

Please Explain

Features
Read full description

Please Explain rewinds the news so you never feel lost. With one tap, you can jump from today's headline back to the beginning of the story, following a simple timeline that connects all the key moments. No more piecing things together from scattered articles — just a clear path from "what's happening now" to "how it all started." Whether you're skimming on your commute, preparing for class, or just trying to make sense of the headlines, Please Explain gives you clear, ad-free context in seconds. WHY PLEASE EXPLAIN - Rewind any story — tap a headline and follow it back to where it began - Simple timelines — see the key moments connected in order, start to finish - Clear context, fast — understand the bigger picture in seconds, not hours - Ad-free — no clutter, no distractions, just the story - Built for busy people — perfect for commutes, study breaks, or quick catch-ups STAY INFORMED, NOT OVERWHELMED The news moves fast and assumes you've been following along. Please Explain meets you where you are — giving you the background you need to actually understand what's going on, without the noise. Understand the news, from the start. — Please Explain offers auto-renewable subscriptions: - Monthly — $4.99 / month - Bi-Annual — $24.99 / every 6 months - Annual — $49.99 / year A subscription unlocks up to 50 story timelines a day. Payment will be charged to your Apple ID account at confirmation of purchase. Subscriptions automatically renew unless canceled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Your account will be charged for renewal within 24 hours prior to the end of the current period. You can manage or cancel your subscription in your App Store account settings after purchase. Privacy Policy: https://pleaseexplain.app/privacy Terms of Use: https://pleaseexplain.app/terms

Screenshots

Overcast Podcast App4 screens
Please Explain4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Please Explain at every 2 days against Overcast Podcast App's fortnightly. Please Explain also leads on iOS requirement (15.0 vs 18.0). Overcast Podcast App's advantage is chart position (#42 vs unranked). 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. Overcast Podcast App sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $19.99 per year and Please Explain sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Overcast Podcast App ships an update fortnightly, Please Explain every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 13, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 8 level
Overcast Podcast App versus Please Explain: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterOvercast Podcast AppPlease Explain
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.5 (48K ratings) — better—
Positive reviews64.9% of reviews—
Number of ratings48K — better—
Update frequencyFortnightlyEvery 2 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
Best chart rank#42 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Apple Watch — betteriPhone, iPod
Requires iOS18.015.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size57 MB41 MB
Age rating12+4+
DeveloperOvercast Radio, LLCOne Trick Pony NYC LLC

Bugs and requests

Overcast Podcast App

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Inconsistent episode downloads and playback
  • Syncing issues between iPhone and Apple Watch
  • Randomly resets playback progress

Requested features

4 requests
  • Ability to easily mark episodes as played
  • Improved podcast discovery and recommendation system
  • More customization options for playlists and episode sorting
  • Easier access to sleep timer and other frequently used controls

Please Explain

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

5 purchases

Overcast Podcast App

Subscriptions5
  • Overcast Premium$19.991 Year
  • Overcast Premium7 Days trial$19.991 Year
  • Overcast Premium7 Days trial2 variants$29.991 Year
Show 2 more
  • Overcast Premium$29.991 Year
  • Overcast Premium7 Days trial$39.991 Year
3 purchases

Please Explain

Subscriptions3
  • Monthly Subscription$4.991 Month
  • Bi-Annual Subscription$29.996 Months
  • Annual Subscription$49.991 Year

Questions

Is Overcast Podcast App free?
Overcast Podcast App is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Please Explain free?
Please Explain is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Overcast Podcast App or Please Explain have ads?
Neither Overcast Podcast App nor Please Explain shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Overcast Podcast App or Please Explain?
Overcast Podcast App ships an update fortnightly, and Please Explain every 2 days. Most recently, Overcast Podcast App was updated on October 24, 2026 and Please Explain on October 13, 2026.

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