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Best Free Podcast Listening Apps

250+ iOS apps curated and reviewed

4.8 avg rating
18 free apps
Updated September 2026

Out of 250+ free podcast listening apps on iOS, 18 are free and the rest sit in the paid tier. This page sorts them so you can compare both sides before you commit.

Compare top Free Podcast Listening Apps (September 2026)

#AppPriceRatingAdsIn-App PurchasesUpdated
1Apple PodcastsApple PodcastsFree4.9★ (2.1M)YesNoSep 2026
2Podcast AppPodcast AppFree4.8★ (309K)YesYesSep 2026
3Spotify: Music and PodcastsSpotify: Music and PodcastsFree4.8★ (42M)YesNoSep 2026
4Podcast App & Player - CastboxPodcast App & Player - CastboxFree4.9★ (198K)YesYesSep 2026
5Overcast Podcast AppOvercast Podcast AppFree4.5★ (48K)NoYesSep 2026
6Attunex: Podcast Guest PlayerAttunex: Podcast Guest PlayerFree—NoYesSep 2026
7Voca FM — AI Podcast MakerVoca FM — AI Podcast MakerFree—NoYesAug 2026
8Ridealong: Podcast PlayerRidealong: Podcast PlayerFree—NoNoMay 2026

Top Picks for Free Podcast Listening Apps

Apple Podcasts#1

Apple Podcasts by Apple

Audio and video podcasts
Editor's Choice
🎬 Entertainment
4.9😞(2.1M ratings)
FreeAds
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Discover and listen to a vast library of podcasts that entertain, inform, and inspire. Get personalized recommendations and curated collections to explore new shows. Seamlessly sync your listening progress across all your Apple devices.

What We Love

  • 🚀 Seamless integration with Apple ecosystem
  • 🎨 Sleek and modern user interface
  • 💯 Vast library of podcast content
  • 🔍 Helpful podcast discovery features
  • 🗓️ Convenient episode management

Room to Improve

  • 🐛 Buggy and unreliable playback
  • 🤯 Confusing and unintuitive navigation
  • 🔀 Inconsistent episode ordering and playlist management
  • 🔋 High data and battery consumption
  • 🗑️ Difficulty removing/deleting unwanted episodes
Podcast App#2

Podcast App by Evolve Global, Inc.

Player for iPhone
Strong Contender
📡 News
4.8😊(309K ratings)
FreeAdsIn-App Purchases
#22in News
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Access millions of podcasts on any topic, from news to true crime. Discover new shows with personalized recommendations and powerful search. Manage your listening history and favorite episodes.

What We Love

  • 👍 Easy to navigate
  • 🚀 Intuitive user interface
  • 📚 Wide variety of podcast content
  • 💾 Offline listening capabilities
  • 🔍 Helpful podcast discovery features

Room to Improve

  • 🔍 Difficulty finding specific episodes
  • 🔋 Drains device battery
  • 📤 Issues with downloading/playing podcasts offline
  • 🔊 Intrusive ads in free version
  • 🔒 Lack of customization options
Spotify: Music and Podcasts#3

Spotify: Music and Podcasts by Spotify

Songs, Playlists & Audiobooks
Worth Considering
🎵 Music
4.8😐(42M ratings)
FreeAds
#1in Music
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Stream millions of free songs and podcasts, create personalized playlists, and discover new music. Upgrade for ad-free listening, offline downloads, and audiobooks.

What We Love

  • 🚀 Great music selection
  • 👍 Ability to create playlists
  • 👍 Lyrics feature
  • 👍 Personalized recommendations
  • 👍 Offline listening with premium

Room to Improve

  • 🔒 Excessive ads for free users
  • 🔒 Limited skips per hour for free users
  • 🐛 Music randomly stops playing
  • 🐛 Shuffle mode issues
  • 🐛 Inconsistent lyric display
  • 🐛 Difficulty finding/playing specific songs

More Free Podcast Listening Apps apps to explore

FAQ about Free Podcast Listening Apps

What are the best free podcast listening apps for iPhone?
Apple Podcasts tops our free podcast listening apps ranking as of September 2026, with a 4.9-star average from 2.1M App Store ratings, and it's free to download.
Apple Podcasts shows ads and has no in-app purchases, according to its App Store listing as of September 2026.
We track 250+ free podcast listening apps on the iOS App Store as of September 2026, ranked by rating, recency, and analysis of real user reviews.
This application is a platform for discovering, listening to, and managing podcasts. It offers a wide range of audio content that can entertain, inform, and inspire users. You can explore new shows, follow your favorites, and enjoy content both online and offline.
Key features include the ability to listen and watch podcasts, download episodes for offline playback, and receive personalized recommendations. It also offers Top Charts, curated collections, seamless syncing across Apple devices, customizable playback controls, and access to subscriber-only content.