Player FM
iOS · Android · Web
A large, mainstream cross-platform RSS player with a big catalogue and solid offline tools.
- Open RSS
Player FM is a cross-platform podcast app that predates most of the current indie boom, and it's currently operated by Maple Media, a portfolio company that acquires and maintains established utility apps rather than trying to disrupt them.
Origins
Player FM launched in the mid-2010s as a cross-platform podcast app with a strong offline-download story, growing a large user base on both iOS and Android before Maple Media acquired the app to fold it into their utility-app portfolio. Maple Media's model is to keep the apps running as reliable, low-drama utilities rather than turning them into a growth product, which has meant a slower feature cadence but a lot of stability for existing users.
What it does
Player FM's core proposition is offline listening done well. The app's "Space Saver" feature (Premium-only) compresses downloaded episodes at ingest, so a 100 MB MP3 can end up around 30 MB on disk without an audible quality loss. That matters for people who commute in areas with patchy connectivity or want their whole subscription library on a 32 GB Android with limited storage.
Beyond the offline story, the app does what a modern cross-platform player should: sync of subscriptions, playback position, and history across iOS, Android, and the web; Android Auto, Chromecast, and Wear OS integration; a large "Discover" tab pointing at more than 50 million podcasts and video shows in the catalogue; and OPML import and export so you can move in or out.
Where you get it
iOS App Store, Google Play, and player.fm on the web. Free tier with Premium (~$60/yr) for the Space Saver compression, unlimited devices, and Apple Watch playback.
Current stance
Steady but not fast-moving development under Maple Media, iOS + Android + web cross-platform coverage, and one of the reliable options for people who want an established player with strong offline handling. If you want the same cross-platform breadth from an open-source, more feature-forward team, Pocket Casts is the natural comparison. If you want offline-download strength from a smaller Android-first indie, AntennaPod is the closest match on that axis.
Open podcasting scorecard
- Open RSS feeds: supported
- Subscribes to any open RSS feed, so your subscriptions are yours and move with you.
- Open source: not supported
- The source code is public, so anyone can inspect, audit, or fork it.
- Podcasting 2.0: not supported
- Supports the newer open podcast namespace: chapters, transcripts, cross-app comments and more.
- Value for value: not supported
- You can pay creators directly as you listen, with no platform in the middle.
At a glance
- Platforms
- iOS, Android, Web
- Price
- Free tier; optional Premium subscription
- Made by
- Player FM (Nuvomondo)
- Website
- player.fm
Listen on open feeds
Podtastic is an independent player built entirely on open RSS feeds, with Smart Skip, Smart Summaries and Smart Topics for every episode.
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App details verified July 2026. All app names and trademarks are the property of their respective owners. The apps profiled here are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or supporters of Save Open Podcasting or Podtastic.