What are Podcast clients?

Podcast clients allow users to download, stream, and manage podcast episodes. While commercial clients like Spotify and Apple Podcasts offer polished interfaces and extra features, they may require a subscription fee and offer limited customization.

Why using Open-source Podcast Clients?

Open-source podcast clients, on the other hand, are free and often provide more customization options, making them attractive to users who can't afford commercial software or prefer more control over their software.

In this post, you will find the best open-source free Podcast clients for Windows, Linux, macOS, Android and the web.

1. Shikwasa (Web Podcast Player)

Shikwasa is a web audio player designed specifically for podcasts, offering features common to podcasts and is ultra-lightweight and dependency-free.

Features

  • 🚀 Ultra lightweight
  • 🐣 Dependency free
  • 🎬 Podcast chapters
  • 🏎 Playback speed control
  • 🎮 Skip forward/backward
  • 👓 Accessibility-aware
  • 🌙 Dark Mode
  • 📻 Audio stream support
  • 💻 SSR compatible
GitHub - jessuni/shikwasa: An audio player born for podcast
An audio player born for podcast. Contribute to jessuni/shikwasa development by creating an account on GitHub.
GitHubjessuni

2. Tsacdop

Tsacdop is a free, open-source podcast player developed with Flutter, offering features like podcast group management, playlist support, sleep timer, speed setting, and OPML file export and import.

It uses ListenNotes & PodcastIndex for its podcast search engine.

Key Features

  • Podcast group management
  • Playlists support
  • Sleep timer / speed setting
  • OPML file export and import
  • Auto-syncing in the background
  • Listening and subscription history record
  • Dark mode / accent color
  • Download for offline play
  • Auto-download new episodes / auto-delete outdated downloads
  • Settings backup
  • Skip silence
  • Boost volume
  • Supports Multiple languages
GitHub - tsacdop/tsacdop: Enjoy podcasts with Tsacdop! A podcast player built with flutter.
Enjoy podcasts with Tsacdop! A podcast player built with flutter. - tsacdop/tsacdop
GitHubtsacdop

3. Podcasts

Podcasts is a free, open-source Linux application that allows users to listen, update, and manage their favorite shows.

It supports various audio formats, remembers playback position, and allows subscriptions via RSS/Atom, iTunes, and Soundcloud links. It also supports importing subscriptions from other apps via OPML files.

Podcasts – Apps for GNOME
Listen to your favorite shows – Play, update, and manage your podcasts from a lightweight interface that seamlessly integrates with GNOME. Podcasts can play various audio formats and remember where you stopped listening. You can sub…
Install Podcasts on Linux | Flathub
Listen to your favorite shows
Flathub - Apps for LinuxThe Podcasts developers

4. Podgrab

Podgrab is a self-hosted podcast manager that automatically downloads the latest podcast episodes. It was initially created to solve a specific problem during the COVID pandemic, and it allows users to access mp3 files directly, which most podcasting apps do not offer.

It works best for users who already know which podcasts they want to monitor, but it also includes a podcast search system powered by iTunes.

Features

  • Download/Archive complete podcast
  • Auto-download new episodes
  • Tag/Label podcasts into groups
  • Download on demand
  • Podcast Discovery - Search and Add podcasts using iTunes API
  • Full-fledged podcast player - Play downloaded files or stream from original source. Play single episodes, full podcasts and podcast groups(tags)
  • Add using direct RSS feed URL / OMPL import / Search
  • Basic Authentication
  • Existing episode file detection - Prevent re-downloading files if already present
  • Easy OPML import/export
  • Customizable episode names
  • Dark Mode
  • Self Hosted / Open Source
  • Docker support
GitHub - akhilrex/podgrab: A self-hosted podcast manager/downloader/archiver tool to download podcast episodes as soon as they become live with an integrated player.
A self-hosted podcast manager/downloader/archiver tool to download podcast episodes as soon as they become live with an integrated player. - akhilrex/podgrab
GitHubakhilrex

5. AntennaPod

AntennaPod is unequivocally the most user-friendly, adaptable, and open-source podcast manager available for Android.

You can download AntennaPod directly from F-Droid and Google Play.

GitHub - AntennaPod/AntennaPod: A podcast manager for Android
A podcast manager for Android. Contribute to AntennaPod/AntennaPod development by creating an account on GitHub.
GitHubAntennaPod

6- gPodder

The gPodder is a free and open-source podcast client that works for Windows (Installable and Portable packages), Linux, and macOS.

GitHub - gpodder/gpodder: The gPodder podcast client.
The gPodder podcast client. Contribute to gpodder/gpodder development by creating an account on GitHub.
GitHubgpodder

7. Winds

Winds is a self-hosted open-source RSS and Podcast app built with React & Redux and Express.js. It can be customized and run on a personal server, and contributions are welcome.

It uses Stream for activity feeds and discovery, Algolia for search, AWS for hosting, MongoDB Atlas for database hosting, and SendGrid for email, all of which offer a free tier.

GitHub - GetStream/Winds: A Beautiful Open Source RSS & Podcast App Powered by Getstream.io
A Beautiful Open Source RSS & Podcast App Powered by Getstream.io - GetStream/Winds
GitHubGetStream

8. Podfriend Podcast Player

Podfriend is a free and open-source podcast player that can run on the Web, desktop, iOS and Android.

It aims to be an open alternative to larger apps like Spotify. It supports the Podcasting 2.0 initiative and aims to offer features like movies, chapters, locations, guests, and interactive content in an open ecosystem.

GitHub - MartinMouritzen/Podfriend: Podfriend Podcast App
Podfriend Podcast App. Contribute to MartinMouritzen/Podfriend development by creating an account on GitHub.
GitHubMartinMouritzen

9. castero

castero is a TUI podcast client for the terminal.

GitHub - xgi/castero: TUI podcast client for the terminal
TUI podcast client for the terminal. Contribute to xgi/castero development by creating an account on GitHub.
GitHubxgi

10. Newcast

Newcast is a free and open-source Podcast player for macOS, but it is no longer developed.

GitHub - nbolar/Newcast: Podcast player for macOS
Podcast player for macOS. Contribute to nbolar/Newcast development by creating an account on GitHub.
GitHubnbolar

11. Poca

Poca is a Python 3 command line podcast client that is fast, multithreaded, and highly customizable. It allows users to set a maximum number of episodes, override metadata, filter feeds based on various criteria, and automatically rename files.

Features

  • Maximum amount of episodes management
  • Overriding of ID3/MP4/Vorbis metadata
  • Feed filtering
  • Automatic file renaming
  • Option for downloading oldest episodes first
  • Download and removal logging
  • Configuration with an SMTP server for notifications
  • Management of shows via an xml file
  • Accompanying tool for show management
GitHub - brokkr/poca: A fast, multithreaded and highly customizable command line podcast client, written in Python 3
A fast, multithreaded and highly customizable command line podcast client, written in Python 3 - brokkr/poca
GitHubbrokkr

12. VerbaCap

VerbaCap is a centralized podcast manager that allows users to download and listen to their favorite podcasts. It is built with Django and offers an easy platform integration.

Features

  • Easy to set up on Linux, Windows, macOS
  • Ability to download from Youtube
  • Ability to download from Youtube Playlists
  • Ability to download from Spreaker.com
  • Daily updates of episode lists from all data sources
  • Player with automatic resume feature
  • Auto-removal of listened episodes
  • No distraction Audio Player
  • Volume button for quick adjustment on mobile devices
  • Fully containerized
  • Lightweight
GitHub - Mirio/verbacap: VerbaCap is a Podcast Manager you will be able to download and listen to all of your favorite podcasts in a centralized way.
VerbaCap is a Podcast Manager you will be able to download and listen to all of your favorite podcasts in a centralized way. - Mirio/verbacap
GitHubMirio

13. Podcrush

A Podcast player living in your browser. No accounts, no privacy invading tracking, no online persistence.

GitHub - jnystad/podcrush: A podcast player web app with no login, no privacy invading tracking, no online storage.
A podcast player web app with no login, no privacy invading tracking, no online storage. - jnystad/podcrush
GitHubjnystad

14. Kibner (CLI)

Kibner is a command-line utility for managing podcasts. It allows users to subscribe to podcasts, keep them in sync, and play episodes. It is designed to be minimal, tracking subscriptions but relying on other programs for media playback and downloads.

GitHub - deepilla/kibner: A command-line podcast client. Written in Go.
A command-line podcast client. Written in Go. Contribute to deepilla/kibner development by creating an account on GitHub.
GitHubdeepilla

15. Suno

Suno is a podcast application that features a home screen displaying subscribed podcasts, a search screen for finding podcasts, detailed screens for individual podcasts and episodes, and updates for new episodes of subscribed podcasts.

GitHub - h4xor7/Suno: Suno is a Podcast application built using android media player
Suno is a Podcast application built using android media player - h4xor7/Suno
GitHubh4xor7

16. Poddr

Poddr is a podcast client built with Electron and Angular, utilizing iTunes RSS feeds and Search API for information gathering.

GitHub - Sn8z/Poddr: Podcatcher made with Electron and Angular
Podcatcher made with Electron and Angular. Contribute to Sn8z/Poddr development by creating an account on GitHub.
GitHubSn8z

17. Kasts

Kasts is a versatile podcast application suitable for both desktop and mobile, featuring episode management through a play queue, sync playback positions with other clients via gpodder.net or gpodder-nextcloud, variable playback speed, podcast search, and full system integration.

Install Kasts on Linux | Flathub
Podcast application
Flathub - Apps for LinuxThe KDE Community

18. Vocal

Vocal is a robust podcast Linux client that offers features such as episode downloading and streaming, iTunes store search, OPML importing and exporting, and automatic library cleaning. It's currently undergoing a near-total rewrite for GTK and libadwaita, with a stable 4.0 release planned soon.

Platforms

  • Linux (Flatpak)
  • Linux Snap
  • Linux Deb package
GitHub - VocalPodcastProject/vocal: A powerful, beautiful, and simple podcast client for the modern free desktop.
A powerful, beautiful, and simple podcast client for the modern free desktop. - VocalPodcastProject/vocal
GitHubVocalPodcastProject

19. Kodkast

Kodkast is a simple, lightweight podcast client with features such as adjustable playback speed, skip backwards or forwards, and play/pause.

GitHub - rickykresslein/kodkast: A minimalist podcast player for the desktop.
A minimalist podcast player for the desktop. Contribute to rickykresslein/kodkast development by creating an account on GitHub.
GitHubrickykresslein