Podcasts are like listening to FM radio on mobile. They are mobile radio shows based on storytelling, management, news, politics, business, and lifestyle. Podcasts are popular because they are easy to download and listen to on Android devices.
Why Should You Listen To Podcasts on an Android Phone?
Millions of podcasts are recorded daily to keep the audience engaged and provide them with an environment of their choice. You must have listened to space podcasts or sports podcasts.
Some reasons why you should listen to podcasts on Android are:
- You can get many hours of entertainment without paying much.
- Anyone with an Android phone can listen to them anywhere.
- Best for those who get bored with their music libraries or collections.
- They are usually in conversation rather than stories or music, increasing your concentration.
- Listening to podcasts requires no brain power and is best for passing the time without getting bored or tired.
- You can learn about any subject or industry without sitting at a desk to read newspapers and books.
How To Listen To Podcasts on an Android Phone?
Unlike iPhones, Android phones have the Google Play store, where you can get Google Play Music or Google Podcasts applications. Both can help you listen to podcasts on your Android phone. Here’s how you can listen to your products through them.
Listen to podcasts on Android with Google Podcasts
Google podcasts enable you to listen to podcasts on Android. They are easy to navigate. You can search podcasts by name, genre, or category easily through podcasts.
To listen to podcasts on Android using Google Assistant, follow these simple steps:
- Go to the Google play store on the Android device.
- Download and install the Google Podcasts application.
- Open the application and locate explore (you can find it in the center of the menu at the bottom)
- Select one of the genres from the tabs under the search bar, e.g., news, culture, comedy, and education. You can also use the search bar similar to google search to look for your favorite podcast.
- Once you find the podcast you want to listen to, tap it.
- A podcast’s bespoke page will open having a subscribe button with a + sign. Tap on the button.
- An options box will open. Select whether you want to download new episodes of the podcast automatically or you want to receive notifications about the new podcast episodes.
- Tap on the Home icon.
- Select the podcast you want to listen to from the list.
- Scroll down to find the episode you want to listen to.
- Press the small Play button (small arrow in a blue circle) on the left-hand side.
- The podcast will start playing now. You can press the same button to pause it.
- Select the episode on the bottom of the screen, control play speed, and enable night mode or cast the podcast to Chromecast.
Listen to podcasts on Android with Google Play Music.
To listen to podcasts on Android using Google Play, you need the Google Play music app. Follow these steps to enjoy your favorite podcasts on Google Play Music.
- Download and Install the Google Play Music App. Mostly, it is preinstalled on your phone when you buy it. However, if it is not, you can install it from Google Play Store.
- Open the App and find three horizontal lines on the upper left corner of the screen. Tap on podcasts in the menu bar.
- You can browse your favorite categories to find podcasts. Otherwise, use the search box to find one. You can find recommendations too.
- Could you tap on the podcast to choose it?
- Scroll down the episodes section and choose the episode. Tap on it to play.
- If you liked the podcast and want to listen to its upcoming episodes, tap the subscribe button. It will automatically go to your podcasts library, “Your Podcasts,” in the Google Play Music app.
8 Best Apps To Listen To Podcasts on Android Phone (iOS)
Google Play Music and Google Podcasts are great for listening to podcasts on Android phones or tablets. However, many other applications can also give you a better experience. Here’s the list of best podcast apps for you to pick the one you like:
- Spotify
- Anchor
- Castro
- Pocket Casts
- Castbox
- Stitcher Radio
- Podcast Addict
- Podbean
1. Spotify
Spotify is the best app for listening to podcasts on Android. Some of us might think that Spotify is solely a music app. However, it added a podcast function in 2015. If you are a Spotify user, you can switch between tracks and podcasts accordingly.
This allows you to listen to music and switch to podcasts without downloading an additional application on your Android phone. Though Spotify is an excellent platform for music, it only offers podcasts from creators who have partnerships with the platform.
Moreover, it offers no podcast playlists. All the time, you have to find your favorite podcasts. The drawback of using Spotify is that you have to deal with many ads unless you are a premium plan subscriber.
2. Anchor
Anchor is a unique app that not only allows you to listen to podcasts but can also create podcasts. It helps you to record audio and publish it at places like Google Podcasts and iTunes. Moreover, you can import audio from other devices through Anchor too.
Unlike other applications, Anchor is created with a business model that can help you make money along with a 24/7 entertainment facility.
Anchor hosting is free without any annoying ads. Also, you can record without any membership.
3. Castro
Castro is an excellent application for organization lovers and those who want to optimize their podcast listening experience. Podcast freaks can enjoy it the most because it auto queues one’s favorite show on the top so that you don’t have to search for them again.
Moreover, you can find the latest episodes on the top, so you never miss them. You can also limit the number of shows and the listening timings. With Castro, you can adjust the playback speed controls, enhance audios, trim silences and skip the boring parts like intros.
To use Castro for listening to podcasts on Android, you need to subscribe and get access to the premium features. It only costs $19 per year to get a Castro membership.
4. Pocket Casts
According to Android Central, Pocket Casts was the best Android App for listening to Podcasts in 2021. Due to its beautiful design and optimized graphics, this app is the coolest one to enjoy your favorite podcasts.
Pocket casts allow the users to trim podcast silence to save time. Moreover, you can stream live podcasts instead of downloading them to save space on your Android device.
The pocket cast is free for primary users who can listen to podcasts with ads. Monthly and yearly subscription plans are also available, and you can choose between them according to your feasibility.
5. Castbox
The cast box is exclusively made for listening to podcasts. This award-winning app has above 50 million podcasts for its users. The Cast box allows users to create custom playlists to provide room for personalization.
Moreover, you can download your favorite podcasts to listen to them online. Also, the one-button subscription option lets you subscribe to your favorite shows and enjoy them without searching anymore.
The cast box is free to use, but you might get annoyed by the ads. You can get rid of them by paying a small monthly subscription fee.
6. Stitcher Radio
Unlike Overcast, Stitcher Radio is not a very robust podcast player app. However, it provides basic features for users to listen to podcasts on Android. You can subscribe to a podcast, optimize playing speed, and make a playlist of your favorite segments.
Stitcher lacks many quality features like sleep timers. Also, mot becomes buggy and takes longer to load. Previous users have also experienced crashing. Though the improved version is available on Play Store, it is still not good.
Stitcher is free for primary users but with lots of annoying ads. A free version with premium features costs $5 monthly.
7. Podcast Addict
Podcast Addict is a free app with the best ease of personalization to listen to apple podcasts on Android phones. You can customize your playback settings and trim the silence in the individual podcast. Also, you can skip the intervals and adjust the podcast playing speed.
One reason that makes Podcast Addict a versatile application is that it offers a search option in multiple languages. Therefore, if you want to broaden your horizons and enhance your linguistic abilities, Log in to Podcast Addict.
Amazingly, Podcast addict is entirely free for all users. You can access all its features without paying a penny.
8. Podbean
Podbean is a popular podcast app and is better than Stitchery Radio. It has over 60 million podcasts organized according to categories and genres. It allows you to stream, download, subscribe, and listen to podcasts on Android.
One feature that distinguishes it from the rest is the lock screen controls. Moreover, it has Chromecast, Amazon Alexa, and Android Auto support. You also get various audio effects with Podbean.
Previous users had reported bugs in the app when they used it with ads. Ad-free experience is available with an unlimited playlist at just $9.99 annually.
How To Download Podcasts On Android With Google Podcasts?
Downloading Podcasts on Android with Google Podcast allows you to listen to them when you are out of internet connectivity. You can once download the episode and listen to it many times without paying extra for the bandwidth.
Follow these steps to download and listen to podcasts on Android via Google Podcast.
- Open the Google podcast application.
- Please search for your favorite podcast and tap on it.
- Find the episode by scrolling that you want to download.
- Underneath the episode name, you will find a blue circle with an arrow pointing downwards. It is the download button.
- Tap the download button, which will turn grey, indicating the episode is downloading.
- Wait till the circle becomes green, which indicates that downloading is finished.
To play the episode and listen to podcasts on Android, follow these steps:
- Go to the library menu and click on downloads.
- You will find the downloaded episode.
- Click the play button (an arrow inside the blue box) to play.
How To Download Podcasts Manually On Android?
The traditional way to download Podcasts is Manual. This is best for users who have smartphones with Android 4.0 or less. However, it would help if you had a smartphone, a PC, and a data transferring cable.
To download the podcast manually on the Android phone, follow these steps:
- Open the site where you listen to podcasts on your desktop PC.
- Click on the download link and wait till the file is downloaded to your Downloads folder on your PC.
- Connect the android device to your PC.
- Cut or copy the podcast file from your PC and copy it to any folder on the Android device.
- Browse through the Podcast folder on your android phone to access the podcast.
How To Start Creating Your Podcast?
Creating a podcast is as easy as listening to it. If you think you can become a good speaker on a specific topic or a storyteller, then you should wait no further and line up to create your podcasts.
To create your podcast, here’s what you will need to do:
- Buy a good-quality microphone made exclusively for podcasting.
- Get additional podcast equipment if needed.
- Install sound audio recording and editing software on your laptop or computer.
- Plug the microphone into your laptop or computer where the software is installed.
- Start recording your views and save the audio file.
- Edit with the Voice editing software.
- Upload it to a website hosting platform.
You might think that when you create a podcast, millions of people will rush towards listening to it like your favorite artist. However, this is not true. Despite your efforts, your podcast might not be able to get the views you want, just like youtube channels.
It doesn’t mean that you should not create podcasts. If you are a good speaker, consistency is the key to success.
Conclusion
Podcasts are a great way to learn and stay entertained during leisure time. You can listen to podcasts on Android through official Google apps like Google Play Music or Google Podcasts. Moreover, many apps are available on the Google play store to listen to podcasts.
You cannot only listen to podcasts while streaming online; You can also download them to your Android phone and later listen to them. Moreover, you can create your podcasts and get an audience to generate revenue.
FAQs
How To Stop Podcasts From Automatically Downloading On Your Android?
Go to the application where you listen to podcasts on Android. Tap the Plus icon or the subscribe button. A box will open where the automatically downloading option will be switched on. Switch that button off to get rid of automatic downloads to your Android device.
How Can You Listen To Podcasts While Traveling?
Listening to podcasts while traveling can be exciting and fun. You can listen to podcasts on Android directly through the podcast app if you have an active internet connection while traveling. Otherwise, you can download the podcasts to access them without the internet and listen to them anywhere, anytime.
How Can You Cast On Chromecast Your Favorite Podcasts?
To play podcasts on Chromecast, ensure your Android Podcasts application supports Chromecast, and both devices are connected to the same Wi-Fi. Tap the cast button once you play a podcast on your mobile and select Google Cast to listen to your podcast on Chromecast.
Can You Earn Through Creating Podcasts?
Podcasts can be an excellent passive income source. Big names and content creators have many audiences that bring them large amounts.
Getting sponsorships through creating podcasts is the new lucrative source of earning money nowadays. So, if you can create good content, you can earn a lot through selling podcasts.
