List of podcast clients
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A podcast client, or podcatcher, is a computer program used to stream or download podcasts, usually via an RSS or XML feed.[1][2][3]
While podcast clients are best known for streaming and downloading podcasts, many are also capable of downloading video, newsfeeds, text, and pictures. Some of these podcast clients can also automate the transfer of received audio files to a portable media player. Although many include a directory of high-profile podcasts, they generally allow users to manually subscribe directly to a feed by providing the URL.
The core concepts had been developing since 2000, the first commercial podcast client software was developed in 2001.[4][5]
Podcasts were made popular when Apple added podcatching to its iTunes 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 | 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 |
Castbox | A podcast distribution network and player | Proprietary | Android, 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 |
Escapepod | A simple, lightweight minimalistic podcast app | MIT | Android |
foobar2000 | Versatile audio player with separate podcast client component | Donationware | Android, iOS, macOS, Windows |
Google Podcasts | Podcast app developed by Google | Proprietary | Android, iOS, Web |
gPodder[7] | Open source podcast client written in Python using GTK+ | 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 |
Liferea[8] | 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[9] | Freemium podcast client for Apple Watch, iPad, and iPhone | Proprietary | iOS, watchOS, Web |
Player FM | A podcast discovery and offline player | Proprietary | Android, iOS, watchOS, Web |
Pocket Casts[10][11] | A cross-platform podcast client | Proprietary | 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[12] | A free KaiOS podcast player | Proprietary | KaiOS |
Podurama | Free podcast player for mobile, desktop and web | Proprietary | Android, iOS, macOS, Windows, Web |
Rhythmbox | Default music management application for GNOME | GPL | Linux |
Spotify | Streaming music and podcast app | Proprietary | Android, iOS, Windows, macOS, Linux, Web, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S |
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 | Cross-platform multimedia player and framework, includes podcast functionality | GPL | Linux, macOS, Windows |
Winamp | Commercial audio player with free Lite option, supports podcasts | Proprietary | Windows |
See also[]
References[]
- ^ Herrington, Jack D. (2005). Podcasting Hacks. O'Reilly Media, Inc. p. 7. ISBN 978-0-596-10066-7.
- ^ Herrington, Jack D. (2005). Podcasting Hacks. O'Reilly Media, Inc. p. 10. ISBN 978-0-596-10066-7.
- ^ O'Sullivan, Bryan; Goerzen, John; Stewart, Donald Bruce (15 November 2008). Real World Haskell. O'Reilly Media, Inc. p. 505. ISBN 978-0-596-55430-9.
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. Retrieved 3 April 2015.
- ^ Macnamara, Jim (2010). The 21st Century Media (r)evolution: Emergent Communication Practices. Lang, Peter. p. 50. ISBN 978-1-4331-0936-2.
- ^ Braun, Linda W. (January 2007). Listen Up!: Podcasting for Schools and Libraries. Information Today, Inc. p. 6. ISBN 978-1-57387-304-8.
- ^ cybernetnews.com. "gPodder – A Full Featured Podcast Client for Linux". cybernetnews.com. Retrieved 2017-11-16.
- ^ "Liferea – the Free News Aggregator on your Linux desktop". lzone.de. Retrieved 9 April 2018.
- ^ Summers, Nick. "Meet Overcast, a new iPhone podcast app from Instapaper founder Marco Arment". The Next Web. The Next Web. Retrieved 24 February 2016.
- ^ Pierce, David. "Pocket Casts Is the Podcast App Every iPhone User Needs". Wired. Retrieved 27 May 2019.
- ^ Welch, Chris. "One of the best podcast apps, Pocket Casts, just got a big redesign". The Verge. Retrieved 27 May 2019.
- ^ "PodLP–Podcasts for KaiOS and the JioPhone". PodLP. PodLP. Retrieved 1 June 2021.
External links[]
- "Podcast Software (Clients)" at podcastingnews.com – Archived page
- podcatchermatrix.org compares the features of a number of podcast clients.
- "Podcast Client Feature Comparison Matrix" as a Google Sheets spreadsheet.
- Podcasting software
- Lists of software