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8 best podcast apps on Android in 2024
Our selection to listen to the news, captivating stories, or to learn something new
Listening to podcasts is a fun way of entertaining yourself on long commutes. It's easy to get lost in documentaries when you use one of the best noise-canceling earbuds. Google recently shuttered its Podcasts app, but there are others to choose from. If you're unsure which podcast app to pick, our list helps you decide which one works for you. You'll find apps based on price, ease of discovery, and playback features. They work on Android and iOS, so compatibility won't be a problem.
From MP3 to FLAC: Audio file formats explained
Exploring the best audio formats for every need under the sun
The world of digital audio formats can seem complex and overwhelming, especially for those new to digital tunes. With terms like "lossy," "lossless," and "bitrate" being thrown around, it's easy to get lost in the tech jargon.
Spotify offers free music streaming access, but not without limits. You can only download songs for offline use or have an ad-free experience when you subscribe to a premium plan. It's an easy process, but switching to a different payment method in the future is tricky as the mobile app doesn't support it. You'll use a web browser, and it's a long process.
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Mobile voice recorders are must-have tools for personal and professional use. Also, they're great alternatives to note-taking apps if typing and scribbling tires you or when you need to document information quickly. Whether you're an Android tablet or phone user, you'll find a built-in recorder on your device. You'll get basic features, such as a history list, pause and play buttons, and settings for adjusting audio quality or blocking incoming calls. You may be able to record phone calls if they're on speaker, but we advise against it as it's illegal without consent.
Spotify is one of the most popular music streaming services and offers a library of several million songs. It also doubles as a podcast hub, making it a go-to app for audio entertainment. The service works with virtually any smartphone, including Android devices and iPhones, PC and Mac computers, and Google Assistant and Alexa smart speakers.
Forget Spotify Wrapped: Our 10 favorite alternatives available year round
Get all the stats you didn't know you needed
Spotify Wrapped provides users with an excellent way to analyze their listening habits for the past year. Launched in 2016, Spotify Wrapped has become one of the most anticipated annual events for Spotify users, with millions of users sharing the Wrapped playlists on social media to showcase their music tastes. However, while Spotify Wrapped packages your listening data in a viral-share format, several services will give you a better in-depth analysis if you want to analyze your listening habits.
ifi GO bar review: Desktop-class audio in a tiny package
True audiophile-quality music has never been this portable
High-end audio has always been a pricey hobby, with people willing to spend ludicrous amounts of money for the best listening experience possible. Unfortunately, the best Android phones today don't have DACs powerful enough to satisfy audiophiles, let alone a headphone jack to take advantage of.
Those new stupid-expensive Sony Walkman models are finally coming out
They're cheaper than expected, but still very expensive
Even though the iPod is officially dead, there's no shortage of Android-based dedicated music players on the market. While there are plenty of budget-friendly options or even ones that will cost you as much as a new flagship phone, Sony also seems to be trying to fill the niche of dedicated music players that cost as much as a used car.
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FiiO M11 Plus ESS review: Audiophile quality for the masses
The iPod may be dead, but this thing is better at playing music anyway
Standalone digital audio players (DAP for short) have been around for a while, but high-end players used to be reserved for people who already had large collections of high-def and lossless music at their disposal. The push for lossless and hi-fi music from streaming services has made it easier than ever for people to make the jump into the audiophile hobby, and the FiiO M11 Plus ESS is a great value for the money in this space—but it's not for casual music listeners.
Spotify's latest purchase hints at Twitch-style live concerts
Live audio chat app Locker Room is currently an iOS exclusive
Spotify has been aggressively expanding into the podcasting space to diversify its offerings. It appears that the company has found a new frontier for its ambitions: live streaming audio. Spotify just purchased Betty Labs, the parent company of iOS app Locker Room, which is all about live audio chat rooms for sports fans.
If you are someone who would pay 20 bucks a month for lossless streaming audio, you would probably like the option to play those high-bitrate tunes through the receiver connected to the biggest screen in your house. It's only fair. Rejoice, audiophiles and audiophile wannabes (like me), because streaming service Tidal has released an Android TV version of its app.
There's no shortage of Internet radio options available on the Play Store, but we're still waiting for all of them to get on the bus (so to speak) with Android Auto. Today Deezer, another streaming radio option, gets official support for Android Auto baked into the Android app. It's live in the Play Store now, though it may take a while for the rollout to reach every user. According to the change log, Android Auto support is only available for users who subscribe to Deezer's Premium+ option.
We know that there are more than a few Android Police readers who also use Apple hardware, be it mobile or desktop. And for that subset of readers who also subscribe to Apple Music, and use the well-regarded Sonos home music system, there's good news. Sonos' Apple Music support is now out of beta, so you can use the standard Play Store version of the Sonos App to stream Apple Music content wherever you like. Previously it was restricted to a beta version that required special access.
It's worth noting that audio quality will vary significantly based on sources. Music from locally stored files and DLNA servers should play with whatever quality they were encoded with. Sadly, the .flac file format isn't supported by the app. (What was DTS thinking?) Many of the Internet radio stations sound as bad or worse than they would if broadcast over FM radio with equipment from the 1960s, but that's just how they always sound. Naturally, the music streaming services land somewhere in between, but most of them are pretty good.
There's a surprising lack of options when it comes to Android audiobooks. Sure, there's Audible, but its metered subscription service isn't an ideal solution for a lot of people, and other services tend to be light on content. Audiobook enthusiasts now have another alternative: Barnes & Noble. NOOK (ALL CAPS) Audiobooks is available as a free download on any Android 4.0+ device, though I'm betting that only those in the US can actually buy books.
If you practically live out of your car like I do, there are probably cables loosely hanging from just about every outlet, and at least a couple awkwardly laying across the passenger seat. Even if you're not sporting a ride with a Bluetooth-enabled stereo, you can get rid of at least one cable by adding your own car kit to the mix. You could already get the GOgroove SMARTmini AUX Bluetooth Audio Receiver Car Kit for just $24.99 from Amazon, but now you can also knock another $5 off with a coupon code at checkout.
In the last few years, wireless speakers have exploded onto the scene with prices ranging from sub-$100 utility speakers up to a few thousand dollars for large home theater packages. A fairly new competitor, Wren, is trying to place itself in the ever more lucrative high-end bookshelf market. With a lineup of 3 wireless speakers priced at $399 each, the company is trying to take some attention away from the current leader, Sonos. Having spent a bit of time with the V5PF, the model intended for use with Android devices, I'm definitely impressed with the quality and looks, but the control app turned out to be a disappointment in an otherwise fantastic package.
Streaming internet radio is far from a new concept, but if you're a doubleTwist user who longs to journey outside the realm of your personal collection, it has previously required the use of another service, like Pandora or Spotify. If, like me, it's your druthers to unify everything, today brings about some good news: doubleTwist now has its own built-in streaming radio.