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Updated July 2026 · real, multi-region App Store reviews
Head-to-head

Audible vs Podcast App

Audible 4.9★ · Free + IAP 75
Winner Audible
Podcast App 4.8★ · Free + IAP 45

Audible is a better choice for dedicated audiobook listeners who value a vast library and quality narration, while Podcast App is a functional, but often frustrating, option for free podcast listening.

Full reviews: Audible · Podcast App

Audible offers a rich library of audiobooks with generally positive feedback on content and narration, though users express concerns about pricing and app stability. Podcast App, while free, is plagued by an overwhelming number of intrusive ads and frequent glitches, making the user experience difficult.

Head to head

Content Library & Quality edge: AudibleR2R5R8R11
Audible Audible users praise the extensive selection of audiobooks and often highlight excellent narration, with many finding books inspiring, well-written, and engaging R2R5R8R11. Some users appreciate the ability to interact with authors to get books added .
Podcast App Podcast App users find a wide range of podcasts, appreciating the ability to discover new topics and stay informed . However, some report issues with robotic audio quality for podcasts and concerns about stolen content .
Ease of Use & Features tieR7R12R14R15
Audible Audible users generally appreciate the core functionality of listening to audiobooks . However, many report significant issues with app performance, including slowness R15, freezing R48, unexpected disconnections R21, and difficulty with Bluetooth connectivity R7. Users also desire features like individual profiles R14 and better organization of finished titles R30. Navigation can be clunky, especially for podcasts R40 and finding purchased titles R12.
Podcast App Podcast App is praised for its user-friendly interface and features like sorting oldest to newest and grouping podcasts by category . However, users frequently report glitches such as repeating segments, cutting off podcast ends , crashes when adding favorites , and the app not opening reliably . A significant limitation is the inability to download episodes in the free version .
Reliability & Performance edge: AudibleR7R15R18R21
Audible Audible users report various reliability issues, including the app being painfully slow R15, disconnecting frequently R21, crashing R48, and having problems with Bluetooth auto-play R7. Some users also experience delays in resuming playback R18 and issues with the timer feature .
Podcast App Podcast App users consistently report reliability problems, including frequent crashes , glitches that cause segments to repeat or cut off , and the app draining battery life . Many ads also cause the app to freeze or require restarting R64.
Price & Value tieR1R19R25R30
Audible Audible is perceived as expensive, with users complaining about the cost of a single credit ($15 for one book) R1. A major point of contention is that purchased books are only accessible while maintaining a subscription, and credits can be lost upon cancellation R19R31R25. Users also feel the app's performance doesn't justify the cost R30.
Podcast App Podcast App is criticized for its aggressive ad monetization in the free tier, with ads being frequent, repetitive, and often difficult to close R61R64R66R67. Many essential features are paywalled, such as subscribing to multiple podcasts, importing, marking as played, and sorting oldest to newest . Some users feel the app is not worth paying for given free alternatives R115.
Customer Support tieR4R10R12R48
Audible Audible users report poor customer support within the app, with links rebooting the app R12 and no clear way to contact support R48. There are also serious complaints about unauthorized charges that are difficult to resolve R4R10.
Podcast App Podcast App users report issues with unauthorized charges and difficulty getting refunds from Apple . There is no specific feedback on in-app customer support.
Pick Audible if

You are a dedicated audiobook listener who values a vast, high-quality library and excellent narration, and are willing to pay for a subscription despite some app performance issues R2R5R8R11.

Pick Podcast App if

You primarily listen to podcasts and are willing to tolerate a significant number of intrusive ads and occasional glitches in exchange for a free app, or if you are willing to pay for the premium version to remove ads and unlock features .

Evidence note: Audible's reviews are heavily skewed towards book content, making it challenging to isolate app-specific feedback. Podcast App's reviews are dominated by complaints about ads and paywalls, which is common for free apps with IAP.

Frequently asked

Is Audible worth the money?
Audible's value is mixed; while users praise its extensive library and quality narration, many find it expensive at about $15 per book credit and dislike that purchased books are tied to an active subscription R1R19R31.
Why does Podcast App have so many ads?
Podcast App has a high volume of ads because it operates on a free-to-use model with in-app purchases, and users report these ads are frequent, repetitive, and often difficult to close, sometimes even freezing the app R61R64R66R67.
Can I listen to podcasts on Audible?
Yes, Audible offers podcasts, but users report that the podcast functionality can be clunky, with new episodes sometimes delayed for days compared to other apps, and difficulty finding and playing episodes in order R3R40.
Are there free alternatives to Podcast App?
Yes, users suggest that Apple's native Podcast app is a better, free alternative without the intrusive ads that plague Podcast App R76R115.

What reviewers actually said

Built only from these 120 real reviews (foreign ones translated). Superscripts jump to the quote here. Apple has no per-review links, so [ref] opens that app's reviews on the App Store.

  1. [R2] Audible 5/5 · US By the Cover: The book delivers. If you’re looking for clarity, start here. Over use of the word Ziklag towards the end, otherwise great!
  2. [R5] Audible 5/5 · US Wow!: This book was beyond inspiring! To be young and thrown into a system full of wolves, people willing to prey on you for profit and come out on top was a testament to the power of God and how faith and works go hand in hand. Highly recommend
  3. [R8] Audible 5/5 · US A book for everybody: Everybody should read this book the younger, the better. I’m 62 years old and one of my regrets is that I did not read this book when I was 25 or even 15. This book describes how millionaires live and use their money, and if everybody followed these principles, more people would have more wealth and fewer people would have many problems
  4. [R11] Audible 5/5 · US No One Hets Out Alive: This book was really good…every time I thought I knew where it was going to end it went on and changed it up a bit. The narrator on this Audible was really good,,very much appreciated.
  5. [R7] Audible 1/5 · US SO. SO. ANNOYING!: i’m finally deleting this stupid, stupid app . I have tried every possible solution, but nothing works. Audible simply MUST play immediately upon connecting to my car’s Bluetooth. No restrictions set on my phone matter. It blows past every one of them and starts playing immediately. The only solution is to delete it. It’s just not worth it.
  6. [R12] Audible 3/5 · US Audible: It’s ok if you listen a lot but the titles disappear on the app and you have to goto the internet version and log in to find an audio book that you purchased and didn’t delete from the app. Customer support on the app doesn’t exist. If you click on it the entire app gets rebooted. You actually have to goto the internet version click on an d book you want to listen too and redownload it. I
  7. [R14] Audible 4/5 · US Needs Profiles: I love audible books, but I wish there were individual profiles for users. I would prefer to keep my library separate from other users in my family.
  8. [R15] Audible 3/5 · GB Recent updates have made this app painfully slow: I have over 300 titles and going into my library takes over 20 seconds. However the ads still manage to load instantly.
  9. [R18] Audible 3/5 · GB App needs work: The sync function is terrible and can take 5 seconds before it lets you resume play. I only use this on one device… it’s completely pointless and can’t be turned off. The app store is not easy to navigate. E.g. Audible regularly sends emails advertising sales, however the links take you to the website in a browser rather than the app. The app has no tab for the ‘members only’ sale,
  10. [R21] Audible 3/5 · GB Bug??: Love it but since last update it disconnects every few minutes which then needs a switch on again.
  11. [R1] Audible 2/5 · US Money: It’s stupid expensive to only get 1 free title a month. $15 for 1 book
  12. [R19] Audible 1/5 · US Don’t waste money here: Your credits only grant access to books while you maintain a subscription. Highly recommend using the many free audiobook resources & apps public libraries provide.
  13. [R25] Audible 1/5 · US Garbage: The team that develops this app must not listen to audiobooks. Chaotic layout, hides useful features and show ads for books I wouldn’t want in a thousand years. Also, you can’t pause your account while you have credits or Jeff takes them to pay for his yachts. Team Orca!
  14. [R30] Audible 3/5 · GB Love and irked by this app: I love this app and the volume & variety of books available but I don’t understand why it isn’t better. It’s expensive enough we deserve it to be better. 1) why do the Finished titles not remain in finished order? 2) why can’t you get a CSV download of all the details of all your finished titles? 3) why can’t you select & reorder the filter on the Audiobooks menu?
  15. [R4] Audible 1/5 · US Disgusting: I want to know why money was taken off my debit card without my permission I don't even have this app any more and yet money was taken off my debit card without my permission that is not right once again you all are taking money off my card without permission and if it doesn't stop I will be seeing a lawyer I don't have this app so stop taking money from my card or you will be hearing
  16. [R10] Audible 1/5 · US You get stuck in a payment loop: Not a great policy
  17. [R48] Audible 3/5 · GB App now broken: The last update has made this app unusable on the iPad, just locks up when trying to play a title , also unable to contact support though the app as that locks up too. Please fix this ! (this was good before the update , maybe check it before releasing an update )
  18. [R31] Audible 1/5 · US Over 40 titles with audible and I’ll never purchase again.: Amazon’s new “Standard” plan doesn’t allow to you listen to the books you purchase when you cancel your membership. What a greedy scam, unbelievable.
  19. [R61] Podcast App 2/5 · US Ad Prison: You are forced to watch a “30 second ad“ to access the app, but there’s no way to escape the ad either before 30 seconds or after. You’re still forced to go to the App Store for the ad, then cancel out of that. You’ll spend at least a minute and a half escaping the prison.
  20. [R64] Podcast App 1/5 · US Ads don’t close, have to restart app: I’ve really liked this app in the past but the past couple months the number of ads has skyrocketed and they hijack your phone and don’t give you an option to close out of them. The only way to get out of the ad and back to the app itself is to restart the app completely. It’s truly unusable. Scanning other reviews, it seems like many others are having this pr
  21. [R66] Podcast App 3/5 · US So many ads: The ads have gotten out of control. I used to love this app but there are 30 seconds of ads everytime I start a podcast. I just exit because it’s frustrating not being able to use the app without countless ads.
  22. [R67] Podcast App 1/5 · US Adds: Way too many ads some don’t have any place that you can exit out you gotta restart the app. Terrible not buying anything they’re advertising anyway.
  23. [R3] Audible 3/5 · US Fix Podcasts: If you are going to buy all my favorite podcasts and put them ad free on this app, then the app should be up to date. I see new episodes that I wanna listen to in my Apple podcast app, but they are not available on the audible app for days.
  24. [R40] Audible 1/5 · US Podcast are Difficult to Find and Don’t Play in Order: Moving over from the Wondery app and trying to find the podcast and follow them is clunky and unintuitive. It is a complete downgrade in the experience I was use to with Wondery. Update: Dropping to 1-Star. Trying auto-play podcast in order is a nightmare. For example, you find a new podcast you like and want listen to oldest to newest…it wi
  25. [R76] Podcast App 1/5 · US Very annoying ads, don’t bother, just just use original Apple Podcast app: Regretted wasting time downloading this, don’t even bother with this adware. Apple’s podcast app is much better and free and no ads
  26. [R115] Podcast App 1/5 · US What’s the point?: It’s hard for me to imagine why anyone would want to pay for this app when you can find everything this app has to offer for free on other Podcast App apps. If they paid Podcast App got you around the paywall for subscriptions to individual podcast it would make sense, but it doesn’t do that. I just don’t understand.

Synthesized from 120 recent App Store reviews · updated July 2026 · View on the App Store