Podcast apps for iPhoneHead to head
Pocket Casts vs Castro
Pocket Casts ranks #2 and Castro ranks #3 in our guide to the best podcast apps for iPhone. Pocket Casts is the better pick for most people.
Pocket CastsPick Pocket Casts if you switch between iPhone, Mac, Android or CarPlay and want your queue and progress everywhere.Free to start#3 in the guide
CastroPick Castro if you follow lots of shows and want new episodes held in an inbox until you choose them.Free to startWhat decides it
- Castro costs less over 3 years: $74.97, against $119.97 for Pocket Casts.
- Both run on iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch. Only Pocket Casts runs on Mac.
- Castro has the higher App Store rating: 4.6 from 9.2K ratings, against 4.5 for Pocket Casts.
Side by side
Prices are checked every day.
| At a glance | Pocket Casts | Castro |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free. Plus is $3.99 a month or $39.99 a year | Free with ads. Castro Plus is $3.99 a month or $24.99 a year |
| How you pay | Free, with paid upgrades | Free, with paid upgrades |
| 3 years of use | $119.97 Yearly plan | $74.97 Yearly plan Cheaper |
| Free trial | Free to start | Free to start |
| Runs on | Mac, iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch |
| Where to buy | App Store, Developer | App Store |
| Rating | 4.5 16K ratings | 4.6 9.2K ratings Higher |
| Features | Free trial | Family Sharing, Free trial |
| Made by | Automattic | Maple Media Apps, LLC |
| Last updated | 23 Oct 2026 | 24 Sept 2026 |
Who should get which
Get Pocket Casts if
You listen across an iPhone, a Mac and maybe an Android phone and want 1 queue everywhere.
Get Castro if
You follow lots of shows and want to hand-pick episodes into 1 queue for your commute.
Skip Pocket Casts if
You follow a few shows on your iPhone alone, where Apple Podcasts already does the job free.
Skip Castro if
You listen to 2 or 3 shows every week, all of which Apple Podcasts plays fine for free.
Our verdicts
Pocket Casts
Free covers nearly everything here, including smart playlists, silence trimming, voice boost and sync across iPhone, Mac, the web and Android. That cross-platform sync is the reason to pick it over Apple Podcasts, especially if you also listen on an Android phone or a Windows PC through the web app. The Apple Watch app is part of Plus at $3.99 a month, along with folders and bookmarks, so Watch listeners have to pay.
Castro
If you subscribe to dozens of podcasts but only want a few episodes from each, Castro's inbox is built for you: new episodes wait there until you send the good ones to a queue that downloads and plays in order. Apple Podcasts shows every new episode from every show instead. Trim Silence, the voice boost and sideloading need Castro Plus at $3.99 a month or $24.99 a year, and the free tier has ads.
What each one helps you do
Pocket Casts
- Pick up an episode where you left off anywhere
- Finish episodes faster by trimming silence
- Build playlists that update themselves
- Import your shows from another app with OPML
Castro
- Pick only the episodes worth your time
- Plan hours of listening in 1 queue
- Cut silent gaps out of long episodes
- Listen to your own audio files
Where to get them
Pocket Casts
Free. Plus is $3.99 a month or $39.99 a year
Castro
Free with ads. Castro Plus is $3.99 a month or $24.99 a year
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App Store, iPhone, iPad and Apple WatchWith in-app purchasesFree downloadApp Store
Neither one quite right?
The other picks in our guide to the best podcast apps for iPhone.
OvercastPick it if you listen to hours of talk shows each week and want them shorter without sounding sped up.Free to start
SpotifyPick this if you already pay for Spotify and want podcasts and music in the same app.Free to start
MatterPick it if you'd rather listen to saved articles read aloud than to more podcasts.Free to start
Read the full guideAll Pocket Casts alternativesAll Castro alternatives