Pocket Casts, the podcast app acquired by Automattic in 2021, is now making its net participant free. The firm says the transfer presents a substitute for the large platforms’ closed ecosystems, the place algorithmic-driven content material is prioritized and podcasts are stored behind paywalls.
Podcasts had been constructed on open expertise — the open, decentralized normal RSS, which was designed to make on-line audio in addition to different content material, like information and weblog posts — out there to anybody on the net without spending a dime. Starting Tuesday, Pocket Casts will honor the open nature of podcasts by making its net participant free to make use of.
That means anybody can go to the Pocket Casts web site and stream any episode they need, with out having to pay a subscription charge and even creating an account.
However, if customers wish to personalize their expertise, they will create a free account to unlock options like syncing playback throughout net, cell, and desktop units; managing their queue; and saving their subscriptions and different preferences.
Meanwhile, the corporate’s Pocket Casts Plus paid subscription will provide options that give customers extra management over their listening expertise, together with entry to instruments and options like folders, sensible shuffle, bookmarks, wearable and cloud help, further themes and icons, and extra.
The firm additionally notes that AI-powered discovery just isn’t part of its providing.
Instead of offering customers with algorithmic-driven podcast solutions, Pocket Casts desires customers to resolve for themselves what they wish to hearken to. This message may attraction to individuals who suppose that Spotify has gotten too pushy with its personal suggestions, making it troublesome for customers to maintain up with the exhibits they really needed to comply with.
Support without spending a dime streaming on the net may additionally assist the corporate problem Apple Podcasts, which rolled out net streaming in August 2024.
Free streaming is coming to Pocket Casts’ Mac and Windows apps, as nicely, as part of this replace.
