Best Podcast App?

[LeopardSeal]

Well I can't find the Podcast app Microsoft had built. They've given up on us! Podcast Lounge is giving me troubles too. Sometimes it just hangs after I press play, and the images to the podcasts wont load for some reason so I have to click each individual pod cast until I find the right one. Very annoying!

Anyone have recommended podcast apps that regularly get updated?

I'm a long time Podcast Lounge user and lately I've notice the image display bug too. Thanks to the user that mentioned displaying favorites in list mode, that helps a lot. I emailed the developer of Podcast Lounge about this but have not received any reply or notification about my query.

 

[gregsedwards]

I bought Grover Pro, and it's excellent. I'll echo the sentiments that it's hands-down the best 3rd-party podcast app available on Windows at the moment. But I still prefer to use the default Podcasts app as my daily driver. I'm really hopeful that Microsoft will eventually get around to modernizing the app. Other than updating the UI to bring it inline with Windows 10, they really just need to fix a couple of things:

• Plug into all popular podcast directory services, including iTunes
• Sync subscriptions between devices connected to your Microsoft account (Grover Pro uses OneDrive, which is neat but kind of kludgey)
• Support secure subscriptions (this is huge for me, as I subscribe to First Ring Daily, and I get prompted for my credentials every single time I launch the Podcasts app, and then intermittently while it's running)
• Make it a truly universal app (PC, mobile, Xbox, holographic)

 

[chenryhen]

I'm still holding on to Pocket Casts too. Since the last OS update, it seems to have traded one bug (sometimes going back to already played/deleted episodes after pausing for too long) for another (randomly starting playback after being paused for too long), but they got me with the cross-platform syncing. I will probably keep using it unless it just straight up stops working.

 

[mmyers750]

Used the Microsoft App for a long time and finally got fed up enough with the constant crashing to try something different. Have been using Podcasts + Pro for a couple of months now and like it much better, mainly because it doesn't crash all the time.

Downsides to it are (1) it doesn't seem to always download the artwork that goes with the podcast, and (2) I haven't found a way to download podcasts when I'm not on wifi. The interface is also a little clunky in that it doesn't revert to what's currently playing when you go back to the app. In that regard, I much preferred the Microsoft app.

 

[pmartineau]

Grover Pro for me. I tried a lot of app from my phone and tablet, I found Grove Pro was the best. The developer is still active and reply to email.

 

[ThePaladinTech]

Bringcast is my favorite.

 

[Yakko Warner]

I used the stock Podcasts app for a long time, mainly because it was no-frills, simple, and got the job done. My only real complaints were the time display (4pt dark grey text on a black background, nearly impossible to read), the fact that you could only tell it to download a fixed number of episodes (instead of, say, "download anything not listened to"), and, if you were streaming a show instead of downloading, you had to wait for enough of the show to buffer before tapping the "1.5x" speed control would actually do something (though there was no indication when that was, and the speed control would light but not actually do anything if you hit it too early). But they weren't deal breakers.

But I had some credit on my Microsoft account, and I had seen Grover Pro mentioned often, so I thought I'd take a risk and pick it up.

It's the podcast app I didn't know I needed.

All three of my complaints about the stock Podcasts app are addressed. You can fine-tune playback speed (even go slower if you want). You can build a playlist of episodes to listen to, and there's a built-in playlist for all episodes you haven't listened to yet, that automatically updates as you listen to shows and new ones become available.

The biggest surprise, though, was when I got home the day I bought it on my phone. I signed into my Xbox, and a notification popped up that the app had been installed there automatically. I fired it up and hit the "sync" button, and all of my subscriptions appeared in the app. I went to the episode I had been listening to on my car ride home, hit play, and the episode started playing on my Xbox, at the exact point I had left off. The podcast continued to play in the background as I switched to playing a game, and when I opened up the Guide, the standard media controls showed the name of the show that I was listening to, and I could use the controls to pause, fast-forward, or rewind as easily as a song on Groove.

So yeah, I highly recommend Grover Pro.

 

[camaroz1985]

Grover Pro for me. I tried a lot of app from my phone and tablet, I found Grove Pro was the best. The developer is still active and reply to email.

That is a good point. I haven't had many issues, but when I have the developer replies quickly, and is receptive to feedback and suggestions as well.

 

[Ian Mancera]

I'm here to bring down this discussion once and for all.

The best podcast app for Windows 10 and Windows 10 Mobile is ACAST!!!

Well there's now SoundCloud now, but it's still for Windows 10 and Xbox One, but that's my second option. But this app is really the most versatile podcast app for Windows 10, even I will say the best underrated podcast app of all, even on iOS and Android, this is my pick.

What make's this apps special btw? Well I like to describe it as the Spotify of podcast (well technically Spotify already have a podcast catalog, but not on our platform yet, but this much better I promise) It's a platform full of podcast, it's a Swedish startup too where Spotify once used to grow up too, but it's so over underrated and still unknown to this time. But you don't judge an app by it's popularity. Unlike the other podcast app, you might not need to gather for RSS links for podcast again, because all you have to do is just search, if you don't find your podcast on their catalog, since they're still a growing strtup, they got a friendly Twitter account where you can ask for your certain podcast to be on their catalog, and it should be there now tomorrow, happens all the time on me.

It got an straightforward UX, a Watch Later feature, History, Featured page, your feed, with all the descriptions, cover images, you even have a said AI enhanced recommendation feature, and I'll say that's really good most of the time, of course what's a good podcast app when it doesn't have a Download feature?!? You can download all the podcast you want until you still have space on your device, keep it forever until you listened on it. The player got sleeping feature, speed feature if you're that kind of podcast skimming person upto 4x, and even got a skipping buttons to easily go back and forward on the last or next 10 seconds



Seriously, this is the best podcast app ever. Why, because it's free, you don't even need to pay to get and listen to it's catalogue (well it got a paid subscription that lets you access most of it's exclusive podcast, but that doesn't matter because their exclusive are mostly lame af so you'll not worry about them but just you're personal picks) We're lucky that they chose to be on our Windows 10 platform too and give this app too. So don't ever try to use another regular podcast clients out there and try copy and pasting RSS links for your podcast need again, you won't need that again, because this is it, someone created the Spotify of podcast and it's almost perfect, it all just need is your attention, support and more popularity

 

[libra89]

I'm here to bring down this discussion once and for all.

The best podcast app for Windows 10 and Windows 10 Mobile is ACAST!!!

Well there's now SoundCloud now, but it's still for Windows 10 and Xbox One, but that's my second option. But this app is really the most versatile podcast app for Windows 10, even I will say the best underrated podcast app of all, even on iOS and Android, this is my pick.

What make's this apps special btw? Well I like to describe it as the Spotify of podcast (well technically Spotify already have a podcast catalog, but not on our platform yet, but this much better I promise) It's a platform full of podcast, it's a Swedish startup too where Spotify once used to grow up too, but it's so over underrated and still unknown to this time. But you don't judge an app by it's popularity. Unlike the other podcast app, you might not need to gather for RSS links for podcast again, because all you have to do is just search, if you don't find your podcast on their catalog, since they're still a growing strtup, they got a friendly Twitter account where you can ask for your certain podcast to be on their catalog, and it should be there now tomorrow, happens all the time on me.

It got an straightforward UX, a Watch Later feature, History, Featured page, your feed, with all the descriptions, cover images, you even have a said AI enhanced recommendation feature, and I'll say that's really good most of the time, of course what's a good podcast app when it doesn't have a Download feature?!? You can download all the podcast you want until you still have space on your device, keep it forever until you listened on it. The player got sleeping feature, speed feature if you're that kind of podcast skimming person upto 4x, and even got a skipping buttons to easily go back and forward on the last or next 10 seconds

View attachment 137026

Seriously, this is the best podcast app ever. Why, because it's free, you don't even need to pay to get and listen to it's catalogue (well it got a paid subscription that lets you access most of it's exclusive podcast, but that doesn't matter because their exclusive are mostly lame af so you'll not worry about them but just you're personal picks) We're lucky that they chose to be on our Windows 10 platform too and give this app too. So don't ever try to use another regular podcast clients out there and try copy and pasting RSS links for your podcast need again, you won't need that again, because this is it, someone created the Spotify of podcast and it's almost perfect, it all just need is your attention, support and more popularity

Thanks for sharing, I'll try it out.

 

[gomezz]

Does ACAST support Playlists?

 

[Vidfamne]

Downloaded ACAST today to try, but it doesn't carry the same podcast I find and follow in Podcast Lounge, unfortunately... Is there a testversion for Grover Pro, so I can check if they carry the 'casts I subscribe to?

 

[libra89]

Downloaded ACAST today to try, but it doesn't carry the same podcast I find and follow in Podcast Lounge, unfortunately... Is there a testversion for Grover Pro, so I can check if they carry the 'casts I subscribe to?

There's no test version. If it helps, it uses the iTunes database along with another I think. So if any of your podcasts are on iTunes, it will be able to find it.

 

[Yakko Warner]

There's no test version [of Grover]. If it helps, it uses the iTunes database along with another I think. So if any of your podcasts are on iTunes, it will be able to find it.

It also supports subscribing to the underlying RSS feed directly. (I haven't used ACAST, but it would surprise me if it didn't also have this feature.)

You can figure out how to go from iTunes to RSS by using the solutions presented here: https://superuser.com/questions/78415/get-rss-feed-from-itunes-podcast-links

 

[Stephen Pedersen1]

Original poster here! I downloaded and installed Grover Podcast and it's been working without a hiccup, besides the fact that it doesn't automatically refresh the podcast playlists. It seems I have to do that manually. But that isn't an issue. It's a good app and I recommend it too. Thanks everybody!

 

[Yakko Warner]

...besides the fact that it doesn't automatically refresh the podcast playlists. It seems I have to do that manually.

Hmm. Have you checked the Settings menu? (It's the gear icon towards the bottom of the hamburger menu.) There are options to automatically sync and refresh, with checkboxes to only do it over WiFi. I think the defaults are really large, and WiFi only might also be checked by default.

 

[Vidfamne]

Thanks. But I don't use iTunes myself, so wouldn't know if they are on it or not. How could I see that? I see them in Podcast Lounge. Have no idea where they get them from...

 

[libra89]

Thanks. But I don't use iTunes myself, so wouldn't know if they are on it or not. How could I see that? I see them in Podcast Lounge. Have no idea where they get them from...

I'm not sure where you are in the world (by this comment, I mean that iPhones are very popular in the US), but what I meant by my iTunes comment is that a good amount of people who make podcasts often say that you can go to iTunes to listen to their podcasts because they expect most people to have iPhones. You don't have to go there to see it, I mention that to say that it is a popular platform for podcasts, so if it is there, it will be available in Grover Pro.

 

[OldMillXxX]

I have tried many and all have positives and negatives. With all the positive posts about Grover Pro I pulled the trigger and purchased it. I like some things, but have found two things that I should have asked more questions about before purchasing. There is not an ability to create multiple playlists. I confirmed this with the developer. I watch both video and listen to audio, but usually at different times. I like to watch the video (one after another) while on my commute into work and again on the way home. I then enjoy listening to my audio podcasts while at work, or while working at home. He stated there is no ability to do this right now, but there are plans to do this in the future. Good news!
The second issue I have is that while watching a longer video podcast last night my screen timed out and shutoff. The audio kept playing, but no video. Apparently the app does not override the screen timeout. I have provided this feedback to the dev. and am awaiting to hear back.

Aside from those issues, which to me are big issues I like the customization that Grover Pro offers. I am disappointed in the two issues mentioned as they seem like must-haves for a podcast app.

Just a couple of notes on my first couple days using Grover Pro.

 

[gomezz]

Does ACAST support Playlists?

Just realised that I have used ACAST on my Android tablet for a podcast that was not available on my preferred podcatcher. Very basic, rough and ready app as I recall and thankfully since got the URL to add the podcast to my preferred podcatcher.