Overcast vs Pocket Casts 2024: Best iPhone Podcast Apps Showdown!

Overcast just celebrated its 10-year anniversary with a major overhaul and new features! I put Overcast head-to-head with Pocket Casts, my current favorite podcast app and explore the new design, features, and what I hope to see in future updates.

🎙️ ATP Episode About the Redesign

📲 Get the Apps

Overcast

Pocket Casts

📺 Videos Mentioned

Apple Podcasts vs. Pocket Casts 2024

8 Best Features in macOS Sequoia

Top 10 Features in iOS 18

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Chapters ➡

00:00 Introduction
00:33 Now Playing Screen
04:34 Share Clip Feature
05:02 Audio Playback Tools
06:32 Podcast Show Page
08:18 Home Screen Design
09:43 Up Next and Playlists
11:13 Little Features
11:48 Overcast Settings
12:41 Streaming vs. Downloading
13:26 Pocket Casts Features

My Gear:

[dlr]

This is exactly what I’ve been waiting for since the overcast redesign 😂 thanks a ton

[ojntk]

First time I’ve seen your channel and this was super helpful! I am a huge Overcast fan but have been scared to get the new update. I might still wait just a little for more bugs to get worked out, but I’m excited to try it now!

[Ykodi]

Thank you for your great videos❤
Can you please review the changes for Apple Podcasts on iOS18? 🙏

[nathanshaw]

Thanks for giving me exactly the perspective I wanted. Found out about you from your debut guest on MacBreak Weekly and have enjoyed your stuff ever since.

One bit of feedback--I found myself wishing you had something that stated which app you were showing. You were always very clear, but I just couldn't keep focus, so I would rewind to figure it out.

I wouldn't want you to have to do all of that in post, so I figured maybe you could just have a physical label sitting next to your phone in each of your shots.

All good though, thanks for doing what you do.

[spasticatadisco]

Hi there is there any way to download the old overcast the new update is bloody awful

[fede]

I see this video was done before the latest updates to OC that made a lot of changes and improvements.

In the latest update PC goes to 5x now, but only using the + button.
Another thing about OC is that the "Smart Resume" feature is so good, going back a few seconds and resuming playback in between words. PC has this too, but it never worked well for me.

[UncleSinger-]

Thanks for sharing! My Pocket Casts life time subscription is still valid after 8 years!
I tried a few times Overcast but I prefer Pocket Casts, I find it easier to use.
I really loved Castro that now has new owners and developers, I think I will keep checking what they will do with it.

[dannymaliana]

Pocket Casts can go upto 5x speed if you keep tapping the + icon rather than the middle bar.

[dvdaltizer]

One thing I have noticed with new Overcast is the serious danger it presents as I use it in the car. I don't sit there and read show notes or anything, but the quick swipe on the middle screen and big chunky chapters were so much easier to safely navigate in my vehicle. I really don't like the extra taps this has, specifically for the chapters.

[DeathandCo]

I’m team pocketcast but I’ve switched back to apple’s podcast app. Love the smart folders

[DanG]

Throwing my two cents in. Aren’t we all spending most of our time listening to a podcast in the background as opposed to be being actively engaged with the UI of the app we’re using to listen to the podcasts? Overcast’s sound quality is superior to Pocketcast’s along with any other podcast apps I’ve tested on iOS. That to me is what keeps me as a ten year user of Overcast, and the rest is gravy. Thoughts?

[ona]

A few months ago I switched from pocketcasts to Apple Podcasts for the transcript feature alone, after using pocketcasts for about a decade. I may just switch back to pocketcasts as it does so much more besides

[RuanViljoen]

Redesigned sharing, including clip sharing, is being worked on in Pocket Casts🥳 Transcripts are also in the works.

[moneymant]

Hey Love your channel! Curious can you make an shortcut to where your phone takes you to a app that notified you, like perhaps a discord automatically (if you tho to specific channel on discord) but just the app also works fine. I know kinda weird 😂

[JimFantazzia]

Overcast user since day one, premium user also...I like the update, I miss the swiping between screens to get to chapters...Also, it seems as soon as the podcast is done, it does not play the next one and it stays out there as if I have that episode still to play, it takes a bot or force quit removes a played podcast. Hopefully, bug fix updates removes that issue.

[EvilSammy]

Even though there was no mention of an annual subscription (Overcast > Pocket Casts) or the myriad bugs in the new Overcast update, I think the comparison was fair. I do think the single best feature Overcast has over Pocket Casts is the ability to assign an exact podcast priority in any order per playlist. That said, I also think Pocket Casts is easier to navigate and is aesthetically superior to Overcast. A lot of it depends on whether you're a "playlist" person (Overcast) or a "add to queue" person (Pocket Casts).

[leonkreuzi]

Why does my Optimized Charging not Work?
I did everything you said in the videos, i also have a alarm in the morning set.
Can someone please help me?
Thanks

[TheSlowpC]

Been an overcast user since day one and was very happy with the new update.

[wheelsandrevs]

I really like refresh but they broke the 3D Touch actions from the new show available notifications. I have to go inside the app each time to toggle delete or download the podcast.

[imkaladin]

I just use whatever Viticci uses lol so I’m on Castro