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I use Apple Podcasts for simplicity. Is there a better app that still enables Indie self hosted podcasts to proliferate? I’ve never run into any problems with A

I use Apple Podcasts for simplicity. Is there a better app that still enables Indie self hosted podcasts to proliferate? I’ve never run into any problems with Apple Podcasts, it’s a low tech solution for a low tech problem.

leahey 6y ago
Overcast is cool (http://www.overcast.fm http://www.overcast.fm)
- specialist 6y ago
  Overcast is my current choice. (For iOS, I don't have Android so can't comment.) I tried them all. I don't particularly like any of them. I've requested a feature and reported a bug via their Slack. I'm hopeful they'll get added and fixed, respectively. I still don't have a way to easily binge on some large archives. Like History of Philosophy without any Gaps. https://historyofphilosophy.net https://historyofphilosophy.net And Malcolm Gladwell's Revisionist History doesn't sort correctly in any podcast client I've tried, making it even harder to binge. What I really want is a NetNewsWire (RSS client) that can play audio (directly). I also want client-side metrics and listening history. To help me remember when I heard something, better determine if I'm actually listening to misc content, etc.
  - ballenf 6y ago
    Castro has listening history. But it doesn't handle in-order bingeing of podcasts any better than any other client I've tried. It's puzzling how no one has done this yet: - play podcasts in chronological order, keeping x of them downloaded and getting the next one when one is finished.
- ballenf 6y ago
  Castro is another. I like its "Inbox" structure and switched to it from Overcast after subscribing to both for a year. The Inbox is where all subscribed podcasts go by default for you to decide whether to add to queue or skip. You can also have select podcasts go straight to queue. I subscribe to a few podcasts where I only listen to the occasional episode (Joe Rogan, e.g.). You can also drag episodes from the queue back to the Inbox if you want. I could never quite master Overcast's playlists and smart playlists, but did love its exceptional polish and just how tiny and privacy focused the app is. I wish I could get the best parts of both those apps.
- deleted 6y ago
  [deleted]
- baldgeek 6y ago
  Just chiming from the Android Side. I enjoy Castbox (castbox.fm). Although , the one scummy thing they did recently, is they look for silence gaps then insert their own ads. I still use it, because I haven't found a good alternative on the Android side of the world
harryf 6y ago
Launched a podcast recently ( https://thexyzpod.podbean.com/ https://thexyzpod.podbean.com/ ) and we were surprised to find most traffic by far coming from Spotify ( https://open.spotify.com/show/3j2oovdoty9hf0TI67ZYb1?si=D68kOZWLQQquvOUdpml8zw https://open.spotify.com/show/3j2oovdoty9hf0TI67ZYb1?si=D68k... ). What's nice on Spotify is the sharing episodes to Instagram stories works well - if you share from Spotify to Instagram you get a "play on Spotify" link at the top of the story - actually amazed Instagram gives that away for free given that linking to most things off-platform costs money. Anyway helps with the marketing to non-Podcast-nerds
medmunds 6y ago
If you're looking for something that runs on both Apple and non-Apple devices: Pocket Casts https://www.pocketcasts.com/ https://www.pocketcasts.com/
- jszymborski 6y ago
  I've come across few podcast apps I can use on any device that does podcast synching like pocketcasts does.
pkamb 6y ago
All podcast apps still primarily use the Apple Podcasts Directory to index/search the shows and episodes. "Indie self hosted podcasts" are still predominantly listed in the Apple Podcasts Directory.
modmans2nd 6y ago
Pocket casts
digikata 6y ago
I use an app called iCatcher which seems to have a directory of podcasts and will also let you enter rss/urls to download from host sites directly if the podcast creators distribute that way. Been using it for years because it gives pretty fine grain controls over streaming vs downloading the entries, how many entries to maintain, how often to check, etc.

leahey 6y ago

Overcast is cool (http://www.overcast.fm http://www.overcast.fm)

specialist 6y ago
Overcast is my current choice. (For iOS, I don't have Android so can't comment.) I tried them all. I don't particularly like any of them. I've requested a feature and reported a bug via their Slack. I'm hopeful they'll get added and fixed, respectively. I still don't have a way to easily binge on some large archives. Like History of Philosophy without any Gaps. https://historyofphilosophy.net https://historyofphilosophy.net And Malcolm Gladwell's Revisionist History doesn't sort correctly in any podcast client I've tried, making it even harder to binge. What I really want is a NetNewsWire (RSS client) that can play audio (directly). I also want client-side metrics and listening history. To help me remember when I heard something, better determine if I'm actually listening to misc content, etc.
- ballenf 6y ago
  Castro has listening history. But it doesn't handle in-order bingeing of podcasts any better than any other client I've tried. It's puzzling how no one has done this yet: - play podcasts in chronological order, keeping x of them downloaded and getting the next one when one is finished.
ballenf 6y ago
Castro is another. I like its "Inbox" structure and switched to it from Overcast after subscribing to both for a year. The Inbox is where all subscribed podcasts go by default for you to decide whether to add to queue or skip. You can also have select podcasts go straight to queue. I subscribe to a few podcasts where I only listen to the occasional episode (Joe Rogan, e.g.). You can also drag episodes from the queue back to the Inbox if you want. I could never quite master Overcast's playlists and smart playlists, but did love its exceptional polish and just how tiny and privacy focused the app is. I wish I could get the best parts of both those apps.
deleted 6y ago
[deleted]
baldgeek 6y ago
Just chiming from the Android Side. I enjoy Castbox (castbox.fm). Although , the one scummy thing they did recently, is they look for silence gaps then insert their own ads. I still use it, because I haven't found a good alternative on the Android side of the world

harryf 6y ago

Launched a podcast recently ( https://thexyzpod.podbean.com/ https://thexyzpod.podbean.com/ ) and we were surprised to find most traffic by far coming from Spotify ( https://open.spotify.com/show/3j2oovdoty9hf0TI67ZYb1?si=D68kOZWLQQquvOUdpml8zw https://open.spotify.com/show/3j2oovdoty9hf0TI67ZYb1?si=D68k... ). What's nice on Spotify is the sharing episodes to Instagram stories works well - if you share from Spotify to Instagram you get a "play on Spotify" link at the top of the story - actually amazed Instagram gives that away for free given that linking to most things off-platform costs money. Anyway helps with the marketing to non-Podcast-nerds

medmunds 6y ago

If you're looking for something that runs on both Apple and non-Apple devices: Pocket Casts https://www.pocketcasts.com/ https://www.pocketcasts.com/

jszymborski 6y ago
I've come across few podcast apps I can use on any device that does podcast synching like pocketcasts does.

pkamb 6y ago

All podcast apps still primarily use the Apple Podcasts Directory to index/search the shows and episodes. "Indie self hosted podcasts" are still predominantly listed in the Apple Podcasts Directory.

modmans2nd 6y ago

Pocket casts

digikata 6y ago

I use an app called iCatcher which seems to have a directory of podcasts and will also let you enter rss/urls to download from host sites directly if the podcast creators distribute that way. Been using it for years because it gives pretty fine grain controls over streaming vs downloading the entries, how many entries to maintain, how often to check, etc.