cross-posted from: https://lemdro.id/post/66697
Well, crap. This feels like the first sign that the app is going to die when it doesn't get enough money out of this price hike.
What's a good open alternative?
AntennaPod is open source and pretty good if you're on Android. Podcast Addict isn't open source (I don't think) and it's not as pretty but it'll be the most powerful podcast app you ever use.
Thanks... giving AntennaPod a try...
I mean Pocket Casts is already open source. If they end support for it, you can just fork it.
https://blog.pocketcasts.com/2022/10/19/pocket-casts-mobile-apps-are-now-open-source/
A shame it's no longer owned by NPR
NPR actually lost a lot of money on that deal
Yeah, this seems like a steep increase. I can't imagine they're expecting many folks to actually pay this amount.
This is kinda odd timing.
I just started using AntennaPod on Monday since I want to switch to FOSS apps as much as possible and also deleted my PocketCasts account completely.
It sucks that there is no such account in my Google Podcasts app, but uninstalled that too. AntennaPod, FTW!
I was surprised to learn that the Pocket Casts apps are open-source (Android GitHub, iOS GitHub).
This is for the older version though, IIRC
Edit: Ah, it seems I missed Automattic acquiring Pocket Casts. Would make sense they're open source, since Automattic is a fully open source company.
AntennaPod
As a (now former) Pocketcasts user, I thank you for letting me know about AntennaPod!
Holy shit that price is just insane. No one is going to be willing to pay that when Spotify is cheaper by a lot...
Do people really use Spotify for podcasts? I don't find it a great experience. Pocket Casts seems to be solid as a free app along with other alternatives (including open-source).
I'm pretty sure the only people who use Spotify for podcasts are unvaccinated Roganites
Spotify is 10 a month for a normal subscription, so Pocket Casts is roughly a third of that for one year. I don't like Spotify for podcasts at all but it is a big part of the service nowadays. Still awfully expensive for Pocket Casts when you consider that it is just for podcasts and no music - unlike Spotify.
I personally have lifetime plus due to having bought the app early on. I still use it regularly but don't use the fancy web interface.
Remember when they went back on their promise that the $10 would be permanent premium? Then went on a rant about how they shouldn't honor those purchases. I stopped using them right then and there, even if I was grandfathered in.
Ya I bought the lifetime subscription years ago when they still offered it so I'm basically grandfathered into that thankfully. Idk if I could justify a recurring subscription for a podcast app.
I subscribed to Pocket Casts when it was owned by public media entities, and it worked well. But after they sold it off, I just switched to AntennaPod and it does everything I need too.
Over 200% markup in a single pricing change, yeesh
You think they'd gradually ease people into it at least. This app is always on something
I had bought it outright so I have the "lifetime subscription" after the uproar when the introduced this subscription model. This rate hike has me a little worried though they may go back on that and force purchasers to pony up for the subscription as well to get short term profits up (albeit at a reduced rate for like 3 months or so, as is standard with this sort of thing).
Eh I doubt it. We are a dying breed at this point 😄
Used to love pocket casts but I switched to antennapod after they basically changed the whole app into something that made no sense to me.
Would never pay a subscription to listen to podcasts personally.
You inspired me to look at antennapod and within 10 minutes pocket casts was uninstalled.
Been using pocket casts since the beginning but starting to get fed up with apps wanting more and more of my money.
What does it even add? A desktop app and themes for $40
The value for the price doesn't seem there to me..
Edit: existing subscribers seem to be grandfathered in at their usual price.
It was fine at $10 because you could sync with desktop.
At $40 it's stupid, plus I already switched to Google podcasts which is at least as good since they changed the ui.
I left pocket casts before they went the sub model. antennapod is my app of choice and works perfectly.
I left when they changed the interface to what ever abomination it is now. You used to be able to basically filter folders e.g. ttrpg actule plays, music, talk shows etc. chronologically wheather or not you've listened to it before. I should have switched to some open source alternative but I went with google again likely to get burned. Any recommendations?
Tbh you might be able to come back go pocket casts. They added a bunch of functionality back over time. Can't remember what it used to be like anymore, but it works for me.
I have a free account and do have access to the filters. You can filter by podcast, started/not started, duration, etc. It may still not work for your needs though.
I'm one of the people who doesn't listen to podcasts very much and therefore doesn't need any extended features that would require me to pay for an app.
As long as the app has a play/pause button, and rewind/fast forward buttons, then that's all I need lol
Holy crap. That is a lot! Thank goodness I got that lifetime way back when.
Try Podcast Republic. It has multi-device syncing and a lot of other great options.
Just imported all my podcasts into AntennaPod to give it a go. I found that it also supports sync via Nextcloud which I absolutely need because I often listen on multiple devices and I want to pick up where I left.
Good to see alternatives, because that's one of the main reasons I bought the lifetime subscription back in the day. I also used the trim silence feature, but I can do without that.
Who pays this much for podcast player? I'm happy I'm grandfathered in since it's launch. I love it, I paid for the full version, but recurring payments? No, thank you.
That’s quite the price jump. I wonder why it’s such a severe jump.
I'm still sitting here with DoggCatcher. Not exactly a pretty app, feels like an app from more than 10 years ago, as it hasn't really changed since then.
But it does what I want it to, with some minor hiccups one in a blue moon. Hasn't frustrated me to the point where I feel like switching.
And while it's not pretty, it does work.
Look at AntennaPod. Pretty app like Pocket Casts but is completely free and open source.
I have a lifetime pass from paying for the web version back in the day but honestly it's super worth it. It's still the best podcast app/website ever.
Their recent addition to support wearOS made me consider a subscription (wearOS version requires subscription). Until youtube music recently added support for podcasts, so I didn't bother although I can't say the podcast feature in youtube music is all that good so far but it will let episodes get downloaded to my watch.
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