Best true crime podcasts (2026)

True crime is the single most popular podcast genre — and it's not close. Whether you're into cold case investigations, courtroom dramas, or deep psychological profiles, there's more great content than you could listen to in a lifetime. We've narrowed it down to 12 shows worth your time right now.

TL;DR

New listeners: Start with Serial (the gold standard) or Criminal (shorter, more varied)
Binge-worthy investigations: In the Dark or Bear Brook
Weekly fix: Casefile (deep research) or My Favorite Murder (comedy + crime)
New in 2026: Anatomy of a Stalker and The Binge Cases: Killer Story

Serial

Best for: The podcast that started the modern true crime boom
Seasons: 3 complete seasons, each investigating a different case
Episode length: 30-50 minutes
Where to listen: Apple · Spotify

Sarah Koenig's investigation into the 1999 murder of Hae Min Lee became the fastest podcast to reach 5 million downloads. Each season tackles a single case with meticulous reporting. Season 1 remains the benchmark for investigative podcasting. If you haven't listened, start here.

Criminal

Best for: Short, surprising stories you can finish in one sitting
Format: Standalone episodes (no season commitment needed)
Episode length: 20-35 minutes
Where to listen: Apple · Spotify

Phoebe Judge's calm, deliberate narration makes Criminal stand apart. Episodes cover everything from art heists to wrongful convictions to bizarre laws. "Stories of people who've done wrong, been wronged, or gotten caught somewhere in the middle." The variety keeps it fresh even after hundreds of episodes.

Morbid

Best for: A reliable true crime habit with personality
Format: Multiple episodes per week
Episode length: 45-75 minutes
Where to listen: Apple · Spotify

Alaina Urquhart (an autopsy technician) and Ash Kelley bring a unique perspective — Alaina's forensic knowledge adds real depth to case breakdowns. They cover both well-known and lesser-known cases with an energetic, conversational style. The back catalog is enormous, so you won't run out of episodes anytime soon.

In the Dark

Best for: Award-winning, long-form investigative journalism
Seasons: 2 complete seasons
Episode length: 40-60 minutes
Where to listen: Apple · Spotify

Season 2, investigating Curtis Flowers — a Black man tried six times for the same crime in Mississippi — won a Peabody Award and helped lead to the Supreme Court overturning Flowers' conviction. This is investigative journalism at its most impactful. Not light listening, but essential.

My Favorite Murder

Best for: True crime fans who also like to laugh
Format: Weekly episodes + minisodes
Episode length: 60-90 minutes
Where to listen: Apple · Spotify

Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark blend true crime with comedy in a way that shouldn't work but absolutely does. They spawned a massive fan community called "Murderinos." The show is more conversational and less structured than pure investigation podcasts — that's part of its charm.

Casefile

Best for: International cases and meticulous research
Format: Standalone episodes and multi-part series
Episode length: 30-90 minutes
Where to listen: Apple · Spotify

The anonymous Australian host covers crimes from around the world — not just the US-centric cases that dominate most true crime pods. The research is exhaustive, and the narration is deliberately neutral. If you want facts over sensationalism, this is your show.

Bear Brook

Best for: A single gripping mystery solved by DNA technology
Seasons: 1 (complete)
Episode length: 30-40 minutes (7 episodes total)
Where to listen: Apple · Spotify

Four bodies found in barrels in Bear Brook State Park, New Hampshire. Two in 1985, two more in 2000. This podcast follows the investigation in near real-time as DNA genealogy identifies the victims and the killer. It's a complete, satisfying story you can binge in an afternoon.

Anatomy of a Stalker (New in 2026)

Best for: Understanding stalking from every angle — survivors, psychologists, and stalkers themselves
Format: New series
Episode length: 30-45 minutes
Where to listen: Available on all major apps

Journalist Ruchira Sharma interviews survivors, forensic psychologists, clinical experts, and — unusually — the stalkers themselves. It's one of the most talked-about true crime launches of early 2026, tackling a crime that affects millions but rarely gets deep investigative treatment.

The Binge Cases: Killer Story (New in 2026)

Best for: Binge-worthy investigative journalism with a tabloid twist
Format: Serialized season
Episode length: 35-50 minutes
Where to listen: Available on all major apps

Dropped February 3, 2026. Reporter Lyndal Marks investigates the disappearance and murder of 17-year-old Sabrina Kidd in Las Vegas, examining how tabloid media shaped the public perception of the case. Fresh and timely.

Someone Knows Something

Best for: Canadian cold cases with emotional depth
Seasons: Multiple complete seasons
Episode length: 25-40 minutes
Where to listen: Apple · Spotify

CBC journalist David Ridgen investigates cold cases by returning to the communities where the crimes occurred. Each season is a complete investigation. The human element — families still searching for answers decades later — gives it an emotional weight most true crime podcasts lack.

Sword and Scale

Best for: Unflinching, graphic true crime coverage
Format: Biweekly episodes
Episode length: 45-60 minutes
Where to listen: Available on most major apps

If you want raw court recordings, 911 calls, and detailed forensic analysis, Sword and Scale delivers. Fair warning: it's among the most graphic true crime podcasts available. Not for the faint-hearted.

Scam Goddess

Best for: True crime adjacent — cons, scams, and fraud
Format: Weekly
Episode length: 45-60 minutes
Where to listen: Apple · Spotify

Laci Mosley covers scams and cons with infectious enthusiasm. If you're tired of murder and want something lighter but still criminal, this hits the spot. She covers everything from celebrity scams to small-town Ponzi schemes.

How we chose

We picked shows with strong production quality, ongoing new content, and a track record of engaging storytelling. We skipped shows that are no longer actively releasing new episodes unless they're genuinely essential (Serial, Bear Brook). We also prioritized variety — different formats, tones, and case types — so there's something here regardless of your preferences. For more picks across other genres, check what podcasts you should listen to.

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Best True Crime Podcasts (2026)