Now greater than ever, I depend on my foolish little podcasts to disassociate by my days, and yesterday, that bought a bit simpler. Pocket Casts—Lifehacker’s decide for probably the most full-featured and user-friendly podcast app on the scene, and my very own auditory lifeline for the final half-decade or so—has made its net streaming and desktop apps free for all customers. Beforehand, these had been paid subscriber-only advantages that will value you round $40/12 months to entry.
In an announcement, the corporate mentioned it made the change in assist of “the open podcasting ecosystem,” noting the audio format “was constructed on an open, decentralized normal, RSS, which signifies that anybody can create, share, and take heed to content material freely, while not having a selected platform’s approval. However right now, main platforms are shifting away from open requirements, shifting creators into proprietary programs that restrict distribution and management discovery by algorithms.”
This can be a clear shot at opponents like Spotify which have invested massive cash into the medium whereas locking a few of their exhibits (and app options) behind a paywall. Specifically, Pocket Casts factors out that its podcast discovery instruments are usually not algorithmically pushed, echoing the ethos of open-source social networks like Bluesky that stand in opposition to the engagement-at-any-cost likes of X and Meta.
The David vs. Goliath stance is barely disingenuous—although the indie-developed app celebrates the open supply ethos and was beforehand owned by a gaggle of nonprofit public radio stations, it was bought to WordPress proprietor Automattic in 2021. Nonetheless, it is good to have an alternate web-based podcast platform that not less than nods to an earlier, higher period of the web.
Free entry to the Pocket Casts app and net participant
The choice to take away the Pocket Casts net and desktop apps from behind the paywall provides customers much more flexibility with how they pay attention. Anybody can use both with out an account, however a free login will grant entry to options like synching throughout units. So long as you are logged in on each, you can begin a podcast in your cellphone and seamlessly decide it up on desktop with no hitch. (It is price noting that whereas Spotify gives related performance with Spotify Join, it requires a Spotify Premium account to entry.)
In my testing (I used to be previously a free member, regardless of loving the app), I discovered all of my subscriptions, listening historical past, and preferences matched up 1:1 throughout all my units. The desktop app is offered for each Mac and Home windows.
Pocket Casts Plus nonetheless gives paid options
Pocket Casts hasn’t gone utterly free—you may nonetheless pay for Pocket Casts Plus ($39.99/12 months) to realize entry to options like folders, bookmarking, and smartwatch apps. You can even pay $99/12 months to grow to be a Pocket Casts Patron, which additionally nets you extra cloud storage, early entry to new options, and “the timeless gratitude of everybody at Pocket Casts.”
