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Best Free Podcast Listening Apps

209+ iOS apps curated and reviewed

4.7 avg rating
20 free apps
Updated May 2026

Out of 209+ free podcast listening apps apps on iOS, 20 are free and the rest sit in the paid tier. This page sorts them so you can compare both sides before you commit.

Top Picks for Free Podcast Listening Apps

Apple Podcasts#1

Apple Podcasts by Apple Inc.

Audio that informs & inspires
Editor's Choice
🎬 Entertainment
4.9😞(2.1M ratings)
FreeAds
Apple Podcasts screenshot 1
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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

Room to Improve

  • 🐛 Buggy and unreliable playback
  • 🤯 Confusing and unintuitive navigation
  • 🔀 Inconsistent episode ordering and playlist management
Spotify: Music and Podcasts#2

Spotify: Music and Podcasts by Spotify

Songs & Playlists For You
Strong Contender
🎵 Music
4.8😐(41M ratings)
FreeAds
#1in Music
Spotify: Music and Podcasts screenshot 1
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Spotify: Music and Podcasts screenshot 6

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

Room to Improve

  • 🔒 Excessive ads for free users
  • 🔒 Limited skips per hour for free users
  • 🐛 Music randomly stops playing
Podcast App#3

Podcast App by Evolve Global, Inc.

Player for iPhone
Worth Considering
📡 News
4.8😊(305K ratings)
FreeAdsIn-App Purchases
#23in News
Podcast App screenshot 1
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Podcast App screenshot 4
Podcast App screenshot 5
Podcast App screenshot 6

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

Room to Improve

  • 🔍 Difficulty finding specific episodes
  • 🔋 Drains device battery
  • 📤 Issues with downloading/playing podcasts offline

More Free Podcast Listening Apps apps to explore

4
Podcast App & Player - Castbox
Podcast App & Player - Castbox
Podcast App & Player - Castbox
Podcasts App for iPhone
Free

Discover, download, and listen to over 95 million audio titles including podcasts, audiobooks, and FM radio. Enjoy personalized recommendations, seamless cross-device syncing, and smart speaker integration for an enhanced listening experience.

Discover millions of podcasts, audiobooks, and FM radioDownload and listen offlinePersonalized recommendations
📡 News
(197K)
free with in-app purchases
5
Overcast: Podcast App
Overcast: Podcast App
Overcast: Podcast App
A better podcast app
Free

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.

Smart Speed for time savingVoice Boost for consistent volumeOffline playback
📡 News
(3.3K)
free with in-app purchases
6
iHeart: Radio, Music, Podcasts
iHeart: Radio, Music, Podcasts
iHeart: Radio, Music, Podcasts
Free Live & Local Stations
Free

Stream live radio stations, unlimited music playlists, and top podcasts for free. Enjoy live sports commentary, news, and music across various genres. Offers ad-free listening and on-demand music with premium subscriptions.

Live radio streamingUnlimited music playlistsTop podcast library
🎵 Music
(635K)
free with in-app purchases
7
Audible: Audiobooks & Podcasts
Audible: Audiobooks & Podcasts
Audible: Audiobooks & Podcasts
1M+ Popular Books & Stories
Free

Access a vast library of audiobooks, podcasts, and exclusive originals. Enjoy seamless offline listening, customizable playback, and curated content for entertainment, wellness, and more. Perfect for daily commutes or relaxation.

Thousands of audiobooks and podcastsExclusive Audible OriginalsOffline listening and downloads
📚 Books
(5.5M)
free with in-app purchases
8
Pandora: Music & Podcasts
Pandora: Music & Podcasts
Pandora: Music & Podcasts
Streaming, Radio, Podcasts
Free

Stream music and podcasts with personalized stations based on your favorite artists, genres, or moods. Discover new content, create playlists, and enjoy ad-free listening with various subscription options. Offline playback and voice commands enhance the listening experience.

Personalized music and podcast stationsOn-demand music and podcast playbackOffline listening
🎵 Music
(11M)
free with in-app purchases
9
Amazon Music: Songs & Podcasts
Amazon Music: Songs & Podcasts
Amazon Music: Songs & Podcasts
100 Million Songs, Ad-Free
Free

Stream millions of songs and podcasts with or without ads. Prime members get ad-free music and podcasts. Unlock 100 million songs on-demand, audiobooks, and offline listening with a premium subscription.

100 million songs on-demandAd-free music and podcastsPodcast and audiobook catalog
🎵 Music
(3.3M)
free with in-app purchases
10
Podbean Podcast App & Player
Podbean Podcast App & Player
Podbean Podcast App & Player
Your podcast app for iPhone
Free

Discover, download, and listen to millions of podcast episodes, audiobooks, and relaxation sounds. Enhance your listening with intelligent playback features, customizable playlists, and an integrated audio recorder for creating your own content. Stay updated with new episode notifications and automatic downloads.

Podcast discovery and recommendationsOffline playback via downloadCustomizable playlists
📡 News
(54K)
free with in-app purchases
11
Podomatic Podcast Player
Podomatic Podcast Player
Podomatic Podcast Player
Listen to podcasts on the go
Free

Discover and listen to millions of podcasts and music mixes from a global community. Organize your favorites, download episodes for offline listening, and stay updated with a dynamic social feed. Explore trending content and local creators.

Offline listeningSocial feed updatesCircular player with controls
🎵 Music
(7.4K)
free with in-app purchases
12
Pocket Casts: Podcast Player
Pocket Casts: Podcast Player
Pocket Casts: Podcast Player
Podcasts App for iPhone
Free

This app offers a robust platform for discovering and listening to podcasts. It provides advanced playback controls, smart playlist creation, and seamless syncing across devices. Enjoy curated recommendations and a clutter-free listening experience.

Curated podcast recommendationsCustomizable playlistsSmart playlists with automatic updates
📡 News
(15K)
free with in-app purchases
13
Audiobooks HQ - audio books
Audiobooks HQ - audio books
Audiobooks HQ - audio books
Hands free audiobooks
Free

Access a vast library of premium and free audiobooks, including bestsellers and classics. Listen on demand without subscriptions, with features like adjustable playback speed and a sleep timer. Also includes old-time radio dramas.

Large selection of audiobooksFree and premium titlesOn-demand listening
📚 Books
(6.8K)
free with in-app purchases
14
Podcast App - PlaydioCast
Podcast App - PlaydioCast
Podcast App - PlaydioCast
Podcast Audiobook Radio Player
Free

This app is a comprehensive audio player for podcasts, audiobooks, and online radio. It offers advanced playback controls, offline listening, and cross-platform syncing. Users can also import their own media and enjoy features like live transcription and translation.

Advanced podcast playerLive transcription & translationCustom playlists & bookmarks
🎬 Entertainment
(161)
freemium
15
Audiobooks.com: Get audiobooks
Audiobooks.com: Get audiobooks
Audiobooks.com: Get audiobooks
Listen to novels
Free

Access a vast library of audio entertainment, including bestsellers, new releases, and sleep stories. Stream or download titles for offline listening, with personalized recommendations and features like adjustable playback speed and a sleep timer.

Massive audiobook libraryFree audiobook accessMonthly VIP selection
📚 Books
(64K)
free with in-app purchases
16
Pocket FM: Audio Series
Pocket FM: Audio Series
Pocket FM: Audio Series
Fantasy, romance & drama story
Free

Discover a vast library of audio series across genres like romance, fantasy, and thriller. Enjoy a new era of entertainment with engaging stories delivered by a large creator community, accessible anytime, anywhere.

Extensive audio series libraryMultiple genres: romance, horror, thriller, drama, fantasyCreator community of authors and storytellers
🎬 Entertainment
(267K)
free with in-app purchases
17
Castro: Podcast App & Player
Castro: Podcast App & Player
Castro: Podcast App & Player
Queue & listen to pod episodes
Free

Manage and listen to your favorite podcasts with a smart queue system. Organize episodes, skip unwanted content, and enjoy features like CarPlay and chapter support. Unlock advanced tools with an optional subscription.

Smart episode queueCarPlay compatibilityTrim silence
📡 News
(9.1K)
freemium
18
Podverse
Podverse
Podverse
create and share podcast clips
Free

This app allows users to discover, subscribe to, and play podcasts, including video and live streams. It offers advanced features like V4V support, chapter integration, and cross-app commenting. Premium features enable seamless syncing across devices and content creation tools.

CarPlay supportSubscribe and auto-download episodesVideo and livestream playback
🎬 Entertainment
(1.8K)
free with in-app purchases
19
Podcast Player - Video & RSS
Podcast Player - Video & RSS
Podcast Player - Video & RSS
Podcasts - Find,Download,Play
Free

This app offers advanced podcast playback with features like silence removal, audio enhancement, and cross-device syncing. It helps organize listening, discover new shows, and provides flexible playback options for both audio and video podcasts.

Silence remover for audioAudio enhancement with DSP effectsCross-device syncing with iCloud
📡 News
(2.2K)
free with in-app purchases
20
Radio‎ App
Radio‎ App
Radio‎ App
Free Live FM AM Local Stations
Free

Stream live FM and AM radio stations from around the world for free. Discover over 120,000 stations, access news, sports, and music, and enjoy a simple, intuitive interface. Listen in the background with no login required.

Listen to global radio stationsAccess news, sports, and musicSimple and intuitive design
🎵 Music
(16K)
free with in-app purchases