Pocket Cast v/s Podcast Addict | What to choose?
I like podcasts. It’s the easiest way to consume information. You can listen to it while you driving to work, doing household chores or before falling asleep.
Now, If you haven’t listened to podcasts or audiobook before, thenthis videowill get you started. However, if you are doing this for a while, then I am sure the names — Podcast Addict and Pocket Cast, sounds familiar to you.
These two are the most popular podcast app right now. But, what is the difference between them? Or which one will suits you better?
Related:6 Best Audiobook Apps for Android
I had the same question some time ago. So, I used both apps for few months. And finally, here is the list of difference, I found between them. But before that, let’s quickly go through, what both of these apps have in common.
Similarities between Pocket cast and Podcast Addict
Since both – Pocket cast and Podcast Addict, are essentially a podcast player, it’s obvious that they are going to share some common features.
For instance, both apps support– variable playback speed, sleep timer, jump to few sec, save episodes to SD card and auto-download of podcast etc etc.
you may search for a podcast by its name/RSS feeds or discover new ones from the list of trending podcasts. And yes, you can also Import/export your podcast in OBML file.
Overall, on the surface, there is not much difference. Both apps do the same thing i.e. provide an interface to listen to your favorite podcast. But only when you start using these apps, you’ll notice the actual difference. So let’s see some of them.
Pocket Cast v/s Podcast Addict
Podcast Addict is Free (Ad supported)| Pocket cast is $4 (with no free trial)
Thanks to its freemium model, Podcast addict has become the most downloaded app in Google Play. You can use every feature in the app without paying a single penny. Obviously, the dev has to make money someway and they do this with in-app ads. But if you don’t like ads, you can remove it by paying $3.
On the other hand, Pocket Cast requires a one-time payment of $4. There is also no free trial. Thus making this application a big pricey.
#2 User Interface
This is where Pocket Cast outshine Podcast Addict.
While Podcast Addict has an ordinary interface; Pocket cast, on the other hand, comes with beautiful Material Design. Things are also more intuitive in it.
For instance; to find a new podcast in Pocket Cast app, simply swipe to the right and tap onDiscoveroption. However, this option is kind of hidden in the Podcast Addict, as you have to look for a small plus sign at the bottom.
#3 Listen to new podcasts
It’s easier to try new podcasts in Podcast Addict.
#4 Stand-alone Media player
This one may not be everyone’s cup of tea. But if you listen to a lot of audiobooks then, you’ll be glad to know, that you can use Podcast Addict as a media player as well.
The advantage of using a podcast app as an audiobook player is that — you get features like variable playback speed, sleep timer, fast forward/backward etc. So, if you use Podcast Addict, then you do not have to download a separate Audiobook player app. But, on the other hand, Pocket Cast can’t be used as a separate media player.
#5 Cloud Sync
This one is the biggest reason to choose Pocket Cast over Podcast Addict.
Pocket Cast supports cloud-based syncing, which means, you can easily listen to your podcast on any device right from the place you left off. It will auto- sync your progress across all devices.
But this ‘cloud sync’ feature comes with a one-time $9 fees (14 days trial). This makes it a bit expensive. But the sync works so smoothly that, if you listen to your podcast on multiple devices (Android, iOS, and the Web) then it’s worth having it.
There is no such option ‘sync’ in podcast addict.
Closing words
As we have seen, there is not much difference in both podcast addict and pocket cast. They both do the same thing and both do it well in their own way. However, Pocket Cast excel in design and UI, whereas Podcast Addict is better known for its features.
Podcast addict is the better for beginners since it is free. However, if you are ready to pay, then go for the Pocket Cast instead; It’s beautiful and sync well.
Mrinal Saha
Mrinal is a tech geek who spends half of his day reading and writing about tech. While the nights are spent on shooting or editing YouTube videos. Feel free to geek out with him on-
