By AppHub Editorial Team · Updated August 3, 2026
Podcast Player - Castbox
Overview
Music & Audio
Castbox.FM - Radio & Podcast & AudioBooks
Free
Apr 15, 2017
11.24.0-260114369
6.0
$0.99 - $99.99 per item
No
Jan 20, 2026
Features
With Castbox, you can find all your favorite shows, get the latest episodes, discover more recommendations, and customize your listening experience.
Castbox is the best FREE Podcast Player & Podcast App on Android.
Our OPML Import feature makes it easy to transfer your subscribed podcasts from other apps to Castbox. This ensures that you don't miss a beat in your podcast listening and can continue enjoying your favorite shows without interruption. Try it out today and discover why Castbox is t...
With Castbox, you can find all your favorite shows, get the latest episodes, discover more recommendations, and customize your listening experience. Castbox is the best FREE Podcast Player & Podcast App on Android. Our OPML Import feature makes it easy to transfer your subscribed podcasts from other apps to Castbox. This ensures that you don't miss a beat in your podcast listening and can continue enjoying your favorite shows without interruption. Try it out today and discover why Castbox is the ultimate podcast app. The best free podcast player and podcast app to find, save, download, and listen to your favorite podcasts (such as Crime Junkie, Stuff You Should Know, The Daily), FM, radio and audiobooks. Castbox is an easy to use free podcast player for podcast lovers, offering a super clean layout and easy to navigate interface. With a wide category of podcasts, you can stream or download your favorite podcasts anywhere, anytime for free. Access over 95 million audio content including podcasts, audiobooks, FM radio and more on your android devices. Discover popular podcasts on various topics:
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Ratings breakdown
376,000 reviewsDeveloper contact
Name
GURU NETWORK LIMITED
Address
Rm 805 8/F HARBOUR CRYSTAL CTR 100 GRANVILLE RD 九龍城 Hong Kong
Website
https://castbox.fmPhone
+852 6064 1953
Support
contact@castbox.fm
Privacy
View policyFrequently Asked Questions
Does this app have a lot of ads? high
Yes, based on recent user reviews, intrusive and malfunctioning ads are a common complaint. Multiple reviews from February and March 2026 describe ads that freeze, block navigation, and sometimes cause the screen to go black, requiring a force close of the app. The app is described as free and contains in-app purchases, but these reported ad issues are a frequent point of frustration in the recent sample.
Source: user_reviews, app_metadata
Is the app reliable for playback? high
Recent user reviews indicate some reliability issues. A reviewer from January 2025 reports episodes skipping ahead or backwards without user input. Another reviewer from June 2025 describes the app stopping work with Android and Bluetooth media controls. A third from November 2024 states they need to clear the app cache weekly for episodes to play.
Source: user_reviews
Is this app free to use? high
The app is listed as free to download and use. It offers in-app purchases ranging from $0.99 to $99.99 per item. However, multiple user reviews from early 2026 complain about intrusive advertisements that disrupt the free experience.
Source: app_metadata, user_reviews
Can I transfer my existing podcast subscriptions from another app? high
Yes, according to the app description, Castbox supports OPML import. It says this feature makes it easy to transfer your subscribed podcasts from other apps like Google Podcasts, Overcast, Pocket Casts, and Spotify.
Source: app_metadata
Is this app safe for children to use? high
The app has a 'Teen' content rating on Google Play. It contains in-app purchases. Given the content rating, it is likely suitable for teenagers but may not be appropriate for younger children.
Source: app_metadata
How to Use
Castbox is a free Android app for discovering, streaming, and downloading podcasts, audiobooks, and FM radio content from a library of over 95 million audio files. (app_description)
Getting Started
Source: app_description_and_user_feedback_noted
- Download and install the Castbox app from the Google Play Store.
- Open the app and browse or search for your favorite podcasts, audiobooks, or radio stations by name or category (e.g., News, Music, Sports).
- If you are migrating from another app, use the 'OPML Import' feature (found in settings) to transfer your subscription list from apps like Google Podcasts, Pocket Casts, or Spotify.
- Tap on an episode to stream it for free, or use the download button to save it for offline listening.
- Customize your experience by adjusting playback speed, setting a sleep timer, or creating personalized playlists.
Key Features (from app listing)
Source: app_description
- Access to over 95 million audio content items including podcasts, audiobooks, and FM radio.
- Free streaming and download functionality for offline listening.
- OPML import feature to transfer subscriptions from other podcast apps.
- Customizable listening experience with playback speed control, sleep timer, and personalized recommendations.
Based on recent_reviews ID #2 (playback skipping), ID #4 (cache clearing required weekly), and IDs #1, #3, #5 (ads blocking app use). The OPML import feature is mentioned in the app description as a way to transfer subscriptions easily.
How this content was created
Content type: pattern_analysis_of_user_reviews_and_metadata
AI generated: Yes
- Google Play user reviews (12-20 preferred; may be smaller if source data is limited per app), Reviews from November 24, 2024 to March 18, 2026
- Google Play ratings distribution
- App Store listing metadata
- Review samples are not statistically representative of all user sentiment
- Only 5 recent reviews were available, which limits the breadth of analysis
- Claims labeled 'high confidence' are based on 3 out of 5 reviews in a single bucket (recent_reviews)
- High-engagement complaint, positive, and mixed review samples were absent
- No real-world app testing was conducted
- Feature availability may vary by region, device, and app version
Pros & Cons
Based on analysis of Google Play user reviews
Pros
- The app offers a vast library of podcasts and is easy to use.
Theme 'Good podcast selection and usability' identified in recent_review #1 and #4
Evidence (2)
“Castbox is the best podcatcher I've found.”Rating: 3★ February 13, 2026 13 likes“This app has improved a lot over the years and I appreciate that they actively work toward better user experience.”Rating: 3★ November 24, 2024 53 likes - The app has improved over time with active development.
Theme 'App improvement' identified in recent_review #4
Evidence (1)
“This app has improved a lot over the years and I appreciate that they actively work toward better user experience.”Rating: 3★ November 24, 2024 53 likes - The app allows users to import subscriptions from other podcast apps via OPML.
Feature 'OPML import' described in app description
Evidence (1)
“Our OPML Import feature makes it easy to transfer your subscribed podcasts from other apps to Castbox.”Rating: 0★
Cons
- Ads are intrusive, often freezing the app and requiring force close.
Theme 'Intrusive ads' identified in recent_review #1, #4, and #5
Evidence (3)
“the ads for this app are just insane. probably 90% of them freeze, and you can't ever close them so you have to force close the app.”Rating: 2★ March 18, 2026 4 likes“I'll click a podcast, boom! Minute-long inskippable ad for AI chatbots.”Rating: 3★ February 13, 2026 13 likes“I have to close this app & clear the cache at least once a week to get episodes to play.”Rating: 3★ November 24, 2024 53 likes - Episodes frequently skip or repeat content due to upload issues.
Theme 'Playback skipping' identified in recent_review #2 and #4
Evidence (2)
“You can literally not listen to one episode without having the episode suddenly either skip ahead or skip backwards at some point.”Rating: 1★ January 14, 2025 111 likes“I have to close this app & clear the cache at least once a week to get episodes to play.”Rating: 3★ November 24, 2024 53 likes - Bluetooth and Android media controls stop working after extended listening.
Theme 'Bluetooth/media control issues' identified in recent_review #3 and #5
Evidence (2)
“if I listen for a while, it stops working with the Android media controls (and by extension, Bluetooth controls) until I fully close and restart it”Rating: 2★ June 12, 2025 138 likes“every time I open the app, I get an ad, which if I'm listening to a podcast at that moment it pauses the podcast.”Rating: 2★ March 18, 2026 4 likes
Recent Reviews
Drew Sewell
3★I'd rate it 5 stars if the ads didn't literally stop me from using the app. I'll click a podcast, boom! Minute-long inskippable ad for AI chatbots. Try to select an episode, bam! Sometimes it doesn't even play an ad, it just goes black. It's so bad, I'm considering returning to Spotify. Which is a shame because Castbox is the best podcatcher I've found. Y'all please wrangle the ads, they're driving me nuts.
Ginny Magee
1★I used this app for years longer than I should have just because I already had all my favorite podcasts saved on it and didn't feel like switching. You can literally not listen to one episode without having the episode suddenly either skip ahead or skip backwards at some point. This isn't an issue with the UI, it's literally that something happens when the episode is being uploaded to the platform so content gets skipped over or repeated. Every. Single. Episode. I'm so happy I switched.
Zachary Yaro
2★I really like this as a podcast app, but if I listen for a while, it stops working with the Android media controls (and by extension, Bluetooth controls) until I fully close and restart it, and sometimes stops playing altogether. It says it wants special battery permissions, but not a single other media app I use needs those to function. Edit: It also keeps failing to sync my playlist between devices, and I can't find a manual refresh/resync button anywhere—I have to resort to hacky workarounds.
Kerry C.
3★Nov 2024 edit: I have to close this app & clear the cache at least once a week to get episodes to play. I've also reported missing episodes on the Lore podcast several times but there's no resolution yet. Original: This app has improved a lot over the years and I appreciate that they actively work toward better user experience. I've switched to other apps a few times but always come back to Castbox
Curtis Gould
2★the ads for this app are just insane. probably 90% of them freeze, and you can't ever close them so you have to force close the app. It's extremely frustrating while trying to browse episodes, or look for new podcasts. *edit* now every time I open the app, I get an ad, which if I'm listening to a podcast at that moment it pauses the podcast. really great feature when you're changing podcasts.