A podcast client , podcatcher , or podcast app , is a computer program or mobile app used to stream or download podcasts , via an RSS or XML feed.[ 1] [ 2] [ 3]
While podcast clients are best known for streaming and downloading audio podcasts, many can also download video podcasts, newsfeeds , text, and pictures. Some of these podcast clients can also automate the transfer of received audio or video files to a portable media player . Although most include a searchable directory of podcasts (usually populated by either Apple Podcasts or Podcast Index ), they also allow users to manually subscribe directly to a podcast RSS feed by providing the URL .
The core concepts were developing since 2000 , and the first commercial podcast client software was developed in 2001.[ 4] [ 5]
Podcasts were made popular when Apple added podcasts to its iTunes 4.9 software and iPod portable media player in June 2005.[ 6] Apple Podcasts is currently included in all Apple devices, such as iPhone , iPad and Mac computers.
Podcast clients
Title
Description
License
Operating system
Amarok
Music player and podcast client
GPL
FreeBSD , Linux , macOS , Windows
AntennaPod
Free and open-source podcast manager for Android
MIT
Android
Apple Podcasts
Podcast software developed by Apple , built into Apple devices
Proprietary
iOS , macOS , tvOS , watchOS , Windows
Audacy
Broadcast, Internet radio and podcast platform
Proprietary
Android , iOS , Web
Audible
Audiobook and podcast app
Proprietary
Android , iOS , macOS , Windows
Breaker[ 7]
Social podcast app
Proprietary
iOS
Castbox
A podcast distribution network and player
Proprietary
Android , iOS , watchOS
Castamatic
Freemium podcast client for Apple Watch, iPad, and iPhoneProprietary
iOS , watchOS
Clementine
A cross-platform fork of Amarok
GPL
Linux , macOS , Windows
CPod
A multi-platform desktop podcast player
Apache
Linux , macOS , Windows
Deezer
Streaming music and podcast app
Proprietary
Android , iOS , Windows , Web
doubleTwist
Android music player with podcast directory and podcast support.
Proprietary
Android
Downcast
Podcast player for iOS, Mac, Apple Watch, and CarPlay.
Proprietary
iOS , iPadOS , MacOS , watchOS
Escapepod
A simple, lightweight minimalistic podcast app
MIT
Android
Gnome Podcasts[ 8]
Simple podcast client developed for GNOME desktop environment
GPL
Linux
Google Podcasts
Discontinued podcast app developed by Google
Proprietary
Android , iOS , Web
gPodder[ 9] [ 10] [ 11]
Open source podcast client written in Python using GTK+[ 12]
GPL
FreeBSD , Linux , macOS , Windows
Hypercatcher
An interactive podcast app
Proprietary
iOS
iHeartRadio
Broadcast, podcast and streaming radio platform developed by iHeartMedia
Proprietary
Android , iOS , Web
Juice
podcast "Media Aggregator"[ a]
GPL
macOS , Windows
Liferea [ 13] News aggregator for online news feeds, features podcast support
GPL
FreeBSD , Linux , Solaris
MediaMonkey
Media organizers with integrated podcast client
Proprietary
Android , Windows
MusicBee
Music player with integrated podcast client
Proprietary
Windows
NetNewsWire
An RSS and Atom newsreader
MIT
iOS , macOS
Overcast [ 14] Freemium podcast client for Apple Watch, iPad, and iPhoneProprietary
iOS , watchOS , Web
Player FM
A podcast discovery and offline player
Proprietary
Android , iOS , watchOS , Web
Pocket Casts [ 15] [ 16] A cross-platform podcast client
MPL
Android , iOS , macOS , watchOS , Web , Windows
Podcast Addict
Android podcast, audiobook and radio app
Proprietary
Android
Podcast Guru
A mobile and web podcast player
Proprietary
Android , iOS , Web
Poddr
A free desktop podcast player
GPL
Linux , macOS , Windows
Podfriend
A desktop and browser podcast player
Proprietary
Web , Windows
PodLP[ 17]
A free podcast player for flip phones
Proprietary
KaiOS , Cloud Phone[ 18]
Podurama
Free podcast player for mobile, desktop and web
Proprietary
Android , iOS , macOS , Windows , Web
Rhythmbox
Default music management application for GNOME
GPL
Linux
Stitcher
Radio station and podcast client
Proprietary
Android , iOS , Web
Trebble
A free mobile application podcast client
Proprietary
Android , iOS , Web
TuneIn
An online radio and podcasts app
Proprietary
Android , iOS , Windows , Web , PlayStation 4 , PlayStation 5 , Xbox One , Xbox Series X/S
VLC [ 19] Cross-platform multimedia player and framework, includes podcast functionality
GPL
Linux , macOS , Windows
Vocal[ 20]
A podcast client designed for Elementary OS
GPL
Linux , Elementary OS
Winamp
Commercial audio player with free Lite option, supports podcasts
Proprietary
Windows
YouTube Music
Streaming music app with podcast functionality developed by Google, replaces Google Podcasts .[ 21] [ 22]
Proprietary
Android , iOS , Web
See also
Notes
^ downloads media files to your computer
References
^ Herrington, Jack D. (2005). Podcasting Hacks 7 . ISBN 978-0-596-10066-7 ^ Herrington, Jack D. (2005). Podcasting Hacks 10 . ISBN 978-0-596-10066-7 ^ O'Sullivan, Bryan; Goerzen, John; Stewart, Donald Bruce (15 November 2008). Real World Haskell ISBN 978-0-596-55430-9 Archived from the original on 26 June 2014. Retrieved 31 October 2016 . The idea of a podcast client is simple. It is given a list of URLs to process. Downloading each of these URLs results in an XML file in the RSS format. Inside this ... ^ Ciccarelli, Stephanie. "History of Podcasting" . Voices.com . Interactive Voices, Inc. Archived from the original on 27 August 2013. Retrieved 3 April 2015 . ^ Macnamara, Jim (2010). The 21st Century Media (r)evolution: Emergent Communication Practices ISBN 978-1-4331-0936-2 Archived from the original on 2020-08-04. Retrieved 2016-10-31 . ^ Braun, Linda W. (January 2007). Listen Up!: Podcasting for Schools and Libraries ISBN 978-1-57387-304-8 Archived from the original on 2020-08-04. Retrieved 2016-10-31 . ^ "Podcast app Breaker to be acquired by Twitter" . Reuters . 2021-01-04. Retrieved 2023-07-10 .^ "Apps/Podcasts - GNOME Wiki!" . wiki.gnome.org . Archived from the original on 2022-09-08. Retrieved 2022-09-08 .^ cybernetnews.com. "gPodder – A Full Featured Podcast Client for Linux" . cybernetnews.com . Archived from the original on 2016-03-03. Retrieved 2017-11-16 . ^ "gPodder" . gpodder.org . Archived from the original on 2 May 2008. Retrieved 7 August 2024 . : A media aggregator written in Python/GTK ^ "gPodder" . gpodder.github.io . Archived from the original on 10 June 2017. Retrieved 7 August 2024 . : Media aggregator and podcast client ^ "Install gpoddertest on Linux" . Snapcraft . Retrieved 7 August 2024 .^ "Liferea – the Free News Aggregator on your Linux desktop" . lzone.de . Archived from the original on 16 February 2021. Retrieved 9 April 2018 .^ Summers, Nick. "Meet Overcast, a new iPhone podcast app from Instapaper founder Marco Arment" . The Next Web . Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 24 February 2016 . ^ Pierce, David. "Pocket Casts Is the Podcast App Every iPhone User Needs" . Wired. Archived from the original on 4 August 2020. Retrieved 27 May 2019 . ^ Welch, Chris. "One of the best podcast apps, Pocket Casts, just got a big redesign" . The Verge. Archived from the original on 27 May 2019. Retrieved 27 May 2019 . ^ "PodLP–Podcasts for KaiOS and the JioPhone" . PodLP . Archived from the original on 2 June 2021. Retrieved 1 June 2021 .^ "PodLP Turns 4, Launches on Cloud Phone" . PodLP . Archived from the original on 1 August 2024. Retrieved 1 October 2024 .^ "How to Watch TWiT Podcasts on Windows or MacOS | TWiT" . TWiT.tv . Retrieved 7 August 2024 .^ "Vocal - Podcast client for the free desktop" . vocalproject.net . Archived from the original on 2022-09-15. Retrieved 2022-09-08 .^ Malik, Aisha (27 April 2023). "YouTube Music officially rolls out podcasts for listeners in the US" . TechCrunch . Retrieved 29 April 2024 . ^ Li, Abner. "YouTube Music rolls out manually adding podcasts via RSS" . 9to5Google . Retrieved 29 April 2024 .
