Which podcast app is the most popular?

Update: 2023-10-11

Description

There's no shortage of podcast-listening apps for Android and iOS users. But have you ever wondered which app listeners use most? Let's dive into the data and find out.

Podcast hosting companies have the unique advantage of tracking listener data. Every time a podcast episode is downloaded, it's tagged to a specific application, giving us insights into user preferences.

The Data from Transistor:

At Transistor, the data reveals some interesting trends:

Apple Podcasts dominates the scene with a whopping 51.7% market share.
Spotify follows closely in second place, holding 27.8% of the market.
Google Podcasts, despite its impending shutdown by Google, still manages to secure 2.1% of all downloads.
Overcast, an iOS-exclusive app developed by a single individual, impressively captures 1.6%.
Castbox and Pocket Casts come in at 1.4% and 1% respectively, with Podcast Addict trailing slightly at 0.8%.

Buzzsprout's Insights:

Over at Buzzsprout, the trends are somewhat similar, albeit with slightly different percentages:

Apple Podcasts remains the leader with 44.4%.
Spotify holds 28.6%.
Google Podcasts has a slightly higher share here at 3.5%.
Castbox and the older Apple iTunes player both have 2%.
Amazon Music and Overcast hover just below 1% at 1.6% and 0.9% respectively.

Why Does This Matter?

The battle for podcast market share is intense. Platforms like Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Google are all vying for the top spot. Apple, with its 2 billion active devices, has a significant advantage. Meanwhile, Spotify, a major competitor in the music industry, is heavily investing in podcasts to boost its user base.

However, the real game-changer might be Google's pivoting from Google Podcasts to YouTube Music. While Google Podcasts only holds a 2-3% market share, YouTube boasts a staggering 2.7 billion active users. Many podcasters are already uploading video content to YouTube, and studies suggest that it might be the top platform for podcast consumption. In fact, research from The Morning Consult and Cumulus Media indicates a strong preference for YouTube over other platforms.

As Google transitions from Google Podcasts to YouTube Music, it will be intriguing to see if they can capture a larger share of the podcast market. YouTube's plans to integrate traditional podcast RSS feeds into YouTube Music could further shake up the rankings.

In Conclusion:

The podcasting world is ever-evolving, and it's fascinating to see how different platforms stack up against each other. Whether you're a fan of Apple, Spotify, or even the underrated Pocket Casts, there's no denying the impact of these platforms on the podcasting landscape.

I'm curious what you think!