Best Podcasts for Women in 2026
Best podcasts for women in 2026
Great podcasts don't talk down to their audience. The best ones feel like a conversation with a smart, funny friend who happens to know a lot about something you care about. That's what makes these picks stand out — they're hosted by people with genuine expertise and strong points of view, not just polished delivery.
Here are 10 podcasts across career, wellness, comedy, culture, history, and true crime that are worth adding to your queue right now.
TL;DR
- Motivation & mindset: The Mel Robbins Podcast or We Can Do Hard Things
- Career & business: Second Life or Side Hustle Pro
- Comedy: The Guilty Feminist or Scam Goddess
- Culture & wellness: Maintenance Phase or Forever35
- History: Womanica
- True crime: My Favorite Murder
The Mel Robbins Podcast
- Best for: Science-backed strategies you can actually apply to your morning
- Episode length: 40-60 minutes
Mel Robbins built her reputation on the "5 Second Rule" and hasn't stopped producing practical advice since. Each episode tackles a specific challenge — procrastination, confidence in meetings, difficult conversations — and breaks it into steps you can try the same day. The show topped Apple Podcasts charts in 2025 and has stayed there into 2026, and it's easy to hear why. Robbins talks like she's sitting across the table from you, not lecturing from a stage.
We Can Do Hard Things
- Best for: Honest conversations about the messy parts of life nobody warns you about
- Episode length: 45-60 minutes
Glennon Doyle, Abby Wambach, and Amanda Doyle host a show where nothing is off-limits. Episodes cover anxiety, parenting, relationships, and social justice, but the tone never feels heavy-handed. The trio's dynamic is what keeps listeners coming back. Glennon brings vulnerability, Abby brings directness, and Amanda keeps everyone grounded. It's a show that can make you cry and laugh within the same 10-minute stretch.
Second Life with Hillary Kerr
- Best for: Anyone considering a career pivot (or just curious about how other people made theirs)
- Episode length: 35-50 minutes
Hillary Kerr interviews women who've made major career changes — corporate lawyers who became chefs, tech executives who launched nonprofits, journalists who moved into venture capital. Each conversation digs into the real mechanics of a career shift: how they paid their bills during the transition, what they wish they'd known sooner, and when they almost quit. If you've ever stared at your inbox wondering "is this really it?" — this one hits.
Side Hustle Pro
- Best for: Black women entrepreneurs building businesses from the ground up
- Episode length: 30-45 minutes
Nicaila Matthews Okome spotlights Black women who've turned side projects into full-time businesses. The guests share specific revenue numbers, marketing tactics, and the mistakes that cost them money. What sets this apart from most business podcasts is the specificity. You won't hear vague advice about "following your passion" — you'll hear exactly how someone got their first 100 customers. For more career-focused listening, check out our picks for the best self-improvement podcasts.
The Guilty Feminist
- Best for: Laughing at the contradictions of trying to be a good feminist in 2026
- Episode length: 50-70 minutes
Deborah Frances-White opens every episode with a confession: "I'm a feminist, but..." What follows is a live-recorded hour of comedy that's genuinely funny and thoughtful at the same time. Recent guests have included activists, comedians, and writers, and the live audience energy makes the whole thing feel like a night out. With over 240 episodes, there's a massive back catalog to explore.
Frances-White has a gift for making serious topics approachable without trivializing them. If you miss the feeling of a good comedy night, this is the podcast equivalent.
Scam Goddess
- Best for: People who can't stop reading about fraud and want to laugh about it
- Episode length: 45-60 minutes
Laci Mosley covers cons, frauds, and scams with infectious enthusiasm and razor-sharp comedy. Each episode breaks down a different scheme, from petty grifts to multi-million-dollar operations, with a rotating cast of comedian guests. The show works because Mosley brings real research alongside her jokes — you'll learn something about financial literacy while laughing at the audacity of people who tried to sell the Eiffel Tower. For more comedy picks, see our best comedy podcasts roundup.
Maintenance Phase
- Best for: Questioning everything you've been told about health, weight, and wellness culture
Aubrey Gordon and Michael Hobbes debunk junk science and wellness trends with thorough research and dry humor. Episodes dissect topics like BMI, the "obesity epidemic," detox diets, and celebrity wellness brands. The duo's chemistry makes dense scientific topics feel like gossip — in the best possible way.
What makes this show stand out is its refusal to offer simple alternatives. Instead of telling you what to do, it helps you think critically about the health information you encounter every day. If you're interested in more health-related listening, we've got a full list of best health podcasts.
Forever35
- Best for: Self-care conversations that go beyond face masks
- Episode length: 45-60 minutes
Doree Shafrir and Kate Spencer started with skincare routines and expanded into everything from therapy to perimenopause to setting boundaries at work. The hosts are warm without being saccharine, and they're honest about what actually works versus what's just marketing. Listener voicemails are a highlight — real questions from real people that often spark the most interesting discussions.
Womanica
- Best for: Quick daily history lessons about women who changed the world
- Episode length: 5-8 minutes
Five minutes a day, five days a week, each episode profiles one remarkable woman from history. The brevity is the point. You can listen to a full episode while brushing your teeth or waiting for coffee. Subjects range from ancient rulers to 20th-century scientists to activists whose names were left out of your school textbooks. It's produced by Wonder Media Network and narrated with enough energy to make even centuries-old stories feel immediate.
My Favorite Murder
- Best for: True crime fans who want humor alongside the horror
- Episode length: 60-90 minutes
Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark built a true crime empire by doing what nobody else was doing at the time — treating murder stories with genuine interest and a conversational, comedic tone. The "Murderino" community around the show is massive and fiercely loyal. Each episode pairs a deep dive into a case with personal anecdotes and asides that keep things from getting too heavy. If you want to go deeper into the genre, our best true crime podcasts list has more recommendations.
How we chose these podcasts
Every show on this list was selected based on three criteria. First, consistency: these podcasts release episodes regularly and have maintained quality over multiple seasons. Second, audience trust: we looked at listener reviews, chart performance, and community engagement across Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and social media. Third, genuine expertise: each host brings real knowledge or lived experience to their subject, not just a microphone and opinions.
We also prioritized variety. A good podcast list shouldn't be ten shows that all sound the same. These picks span comedy, business, wellness, history, and true crime so there's a real range of tones and formats.
FAQ
What's the best podcast for women who are new to podcasting?
Start with Womanica. At five minutes per episode, it's zero commitment and immediately rewarding. Once you're in the habit of listening daily, branch out to longer shows like The Mel Robbins Podcast or We Can Do Hard Things for deeper conversations. Our guide on how to find new podcasts has more tips for building your queue.
Are these podcasts free to listen to?
Yes. Every podcast on this list is available for free on major apps like Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Podtastic. Some shows offer bonus content through paid subscriptions (Patreon, Apple Podcasts Subscriptions, etc.), but the core episodes are always free.
How do I keep up with multiple podcasts without falling behind?
Pick two or three must-listens and treat the rest as a rotating selection. Most podcast apps let you set priority levels or build smart playlists that surface your favorites first. Speed controls help too — bumping playback to 1.2x or 1.5x can save hours each week without making hosts sound robotic.
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