Obviously, this switch to free will help them compete in the space more broadly, but Owen tells me it wasn’t just about competing for raw numbers. Their user base is passionate, but because of the price barrier that competitors like Stitcher, Overcast, or Spotify didn’t have, Pocket Cast lagged well behind them in total users. A nice graphical interface showing you the podcasts you’ve subscribed to, and easy to make and use filters will tend to do that to heavy podcast users. Tabs at the bottom say “podcasts”, “filters”, “discover”, and “profile”, along with a range of options once you’re inside each tab.ĬEO Owen Grover told me Pocket Casts appeals to very engaged, extremely dedicated fanatical users with incredible engagement of anywhere from 12 to 14 hours of listening per week, per user. Headquartered in New York with offices in Adelaide, Australia, Pocket Casts is available for Android, iOS and online at P, as well as Amazon Echo, CarPlay, Android Auto, Sonos, Apple Watch, Google Home, Chromecast, and HomePod (via Google Cast and Airplay 2).Īfter downloading the app I could see the appeal right away: it has extreme functionality and every option is fairly intuitive. Owned by a consortium of public radio stations in NPR, WNYC Studios, WBEZ Chicago and This American Life, we believe in great stories and are focused on helping publishers grow their audiences. We offer podcast fans more control of their listening experience through features that make it easier to discover and organize podcasts, alongside powerful tools to customize the listening experience. Glad to hear it’s now going to be free!'īuilt by podcast listeners, for podcast listeners, Pocket Casts is a critically acclaimed, beautifully designed app that’s on a mission to create the world’s greatest podcasting experience through its free and Pocket Cast Plus tiers. Easy to navigate, little podcast logos you move around to sort your favorites, quick access to 1.5 speed when I listen to The Daily or Fresh Air or, frankly, most anything else. “Pocket Casts has been my favorite podcast app, and not just because it’s owned by public radio stations,' said Ira Glass, producer and host of This American Life. These public media giants acquired Pocket Casts to reflect their shared vision: to reach a new generation of listeners while providing the best experience for audio storytellers to connect with their audience.

In May of 2018, Pocket Casts was purchased by NPR, WNYC Studios, WBEZ Chicago and This American Life, who collectively account for nearly 200M podcast downloads per month.

Pocket Casts Screenshot Podcast Media 2019

Pocket casts free