{"slug": "antennapod", "name": "AntennaPod", "category": "media", "category_name": "Media and creative", "description": "Free, open-source podcast player app for Android.", "recommenders": 7, "commenters": 8, "warners": 0, "score": 6.697, "rising": 1.69, "first": "2026-02-17", "latest": "2026-10-31", "why": "HN commenters recommend AntennaPod as a great FOSS podcast player on Android, and one who switched to iPhone still misses it.", "why_is_quote": false, "has_verdict": true, "sentiment": {"recommend": 7, "neutral": 1, "compare": 0, "warn": 0}, "spark": [0, 0, 0, 1, 1, 1, 1, 0, 0, 2, 0, 1], "listed": true, "loved": ["Great podcatcher", "Android staple"], "caveat": "Missing audio features", "short_quote": "the wealth of information and interesting topics I've been exposed to via podcasts is hard to overstate.", "icon": true, "domain": "antennapod.org", "github_repo": null, "official_url": "https://antennapod.org", "pricing": "open source", "aliases": ["AntennaPod"], "verdict": [{"text": "HN commenters recommend AntennaPod as a great FOSS podcast player on Android,", "cites": [{"id": 770766832, "item_id": 48172927, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48172927", "by": "pbhjpbhj", "date": "2026-05-17", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "Antenna Pod is a great podcast player!", "excerpt": "I use (or used to) mdash with spaces, I've always just found the mdash when it collides with the words to be ugly. I've read a few typography related books and checked some style manuals in my time, but no-one has ever 'corrected' my usage so I think it's alright. I was listening to a podcast recently that had interesting information about the birth of mdash - \"99% Invisible: The Em Dash\". Episode webpage: https://99", "context": "", "use_case": "podcast listening", "switched_from": "", "story": null}, {"id": 752757732, "item_id": 47047358, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47047358", "by": "Gormo", "date": "2026-02-17", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "excellent FOSS podcatcher.", "excerpt": "Some others that I use: * NextCloud -- client for personal NextCloud server; this app is used primarily for file sync, with other features accessed with other apps. (https://nextcloud.com/features/?filter=Clients#android-client) * KeePassDX -- password manager, shares DB with KeePassXC on desktop, which is synced via NextCloud. Also functions as a TOTP authenticator. (https://www.keepassdx.com/) * DAVx5 -- CalDAV and", "context": "", "use_case": "podcasts", "switched_from": "", "story": "GrapheneOS \u2013 Break Free from Google and Apple"}, {"id": 790373362, "item_id": 49398335, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49398335", "by": "code-blooded", "date": "2026-08-22", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "KOReader, Linux, AntennaPod on Android", "excerpt": "I'd definitely be interested in moving towards such setup if I could reliably and easily accomplish it. There are already people who vibe code all the tools they need. Personally, so far I got best results by carefully selecting a small number of apps and devices with good track record and community around them (think Emacs that's been around for decades, but also KOReader, Linux, AntennaPod on Android and many other", "context": "", "use_case": "podcast listening", "switched_from": "", "story": "Kobo can run apps now"}]}, {"text": " and one who switched to iPhone still misses it.", "cites": [{"id": 764778720, "item_id": 47798670, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47798670", "by": "subarctic", "date": "2026-04-16", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "I still miss the apps I gave up - specifically AntennaPod and OpenTracks", "excerpt": "His opinion is subjective obviously, but as someone who's switched to iphone I still miss the apps I gave up - specifically AntennaPod and OpenTracks. I believe the iphone ecosystem has the advantage that it has higher-paying users which is attractive to developers, but really it's just a matter of there being different market segments and depending on who you are (or who you aspire to be) you might fit better into o", "context": "switched from Android to iPhone", "use_case": "podcasts", "switched_from": "", "story": "David Pierce Tried a Bunch of Android Phones and Then Bought an iPhone Again"}]}, {"text": " The main complaint, from a former Pocket Casts user, is that it lacks silence trimming and audio normalization,", "cites": [{"id": 786114481, "item_id": 49132155, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49132155", "by": "SyneRyder", "date": "2026-08-01", "stance": "neutral", "quote": "I've had to use AntennaPod for that, but it's missing all the silence clipping and audio normalising features", "excerpt": "> ...they don't bring out a lot of new features since it's not a monthly SaaS. But it is! The Patron level of Pocket Casts is $15.99 / month! I used to love Pocket Casts, but it didn't have the ability to easily add an RSS feed URL locally without submitting it to their index - which I don't want to do with my AI's personalised morning podcast (and that's another category, Podcast For One). I've had to use AntennaPod", "context": "", "use_case": "local RSS podcast feeds", "switched_from": "Pocket Casts", "story": "Software for One"}]}, {"text": " though it does let you add RSS feeds locally without submitting them to an index.", "cites": [{"id": 786114481, "item_id": 49132155, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49132155", "by": "SyneRyder", "date": "2026-08-01", "stance": "neutral", "quote": "I've had to use AntennaPod for that, but it's missing all the silence clipping and audio normalising features", "excerpt": "> ...they don't bring out a lot of new features since it's not a monthly SaaS. But it is! The Patron level of Pocket Casts is $15.99 / month! I used to love Pocket Casts, but it didn't have the ability to easily add an RSS feed URL locally without submitting it to their index - which I don't want to do with my AI's personalised morning podcast (and that's another category, Podcast For One). I've had to use AntennaPod", "context": "", "use_case": "local RSS podcast feeds", "switched_from": "Pocket Casts", "story": "Software for One"}]}], "praise": [{"label": "Great podcatcher", "summary": "Commenters call it a great, excellent podcast player that has exposed them to a wealth of content.", "quotes": [{"id": 770766832, "item_id": 48172927, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48172927", "by": "pbhjpbhj", "date": "2026-05-17", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "Antenna Pod is a great podcast player!", "excerpt": "I use (or used to) mdash with spaces, I've always just found the mdash when it collides with the words to be ugly. I've read a few typography related books and checked some style manuals in my time, but no-one has ever 'corrected' my usage so I think it's alright. I was listening to a podcast recently that had interesting information about the birth of mdash - \"99% Invisible: The Em Dash\". Episode webpage: https://99", "context": "", "use_case": "podcast listening", "switched_from": "", "story": null}, {"id": 752757732, "item_id": 47047358, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47047358", "by": "Gormo", "date": "2026-02-17", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "excellent FOSS podcatcher.", "excerpt": "Some others that I use: * NextCloud -- client for personal NextCloud server; this app is used primarily for file sync, with other features accessed with other apps. (https://nextcloud.com/features/?filter=Clients#android-client) * KeePassDX -- password manager, shares DB with KeePassXC on desktop, which is synced via NextCloud. Also functions as a TOTP authenticator. (https://www.keepassdx.com/) * DAVx5 -- CalDAV and", "context": "", "use_case": "podcasts", "switched_from": "", "story": "GrapheneOS \u2013 Break Free from Google and Apple"}, {"id": 805127009, "item_id": 50320438, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50320438", "by": "Flere-Imsaho", "date": "2026-10-31", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "the wealth of information and interesting topics I've been exposed to via podcasts is hard to overstate.", "excerpt": "You are missing out on a lot. And I don't mean the social media apps, or any of that nonsense. Allow me to try and explain: Maps: Knowing what's around me physically, up-to-date information, public transport routes, etc. I found some remote paths on CoMaps in the UK which I walked recently, without the aid of the app I would have not known about these. AntennaPod: the wealth of information and interesting topics I've", "context": "", "use_case": "podcasts", "switched_from": "", "story": "Digital minimalism"}]}, {"label": "Android staple", "summary": "It is listed among trusted core Android apps, including on GrapheneOS setups, and missed after leaving Android.", "quotes": [{"id": 790373362, "item_id": 49398335, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49398335", "by": "code-blooded", "date": "2026-08-22", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "KOReader, Linux, AntennaPod on Android", "excerpt": "I'd definitely be interested in moving towards such setup if I could reliably and easily accomplish it. There are already people who vibe code all the tools they need. Personally, so far I got best results by carefully selecting a small number of apps and devices with good track record and community around them (think Emacs that's been around for decades, but also KOReader, Linux, AntennaPod on Android and many other", "context": "", "use_case": "podcast listening", "switched_from": "", "story": "Kobo can run apps now"}, {"id": 759742833, "item_id": 47483927, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47483927", "by": "diowldxiks", "date": "2026-03-22", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "AntennaPod for podcasts", "excerpt": "I did the switch to graphene on my pixel 9 pro recently and have 0 regrets. it's just a better OS than the google infected android. Here's what I did: * Follow instructions to install graphene on their website: https://grapheneos.org/install/ * Set up a private space which will be used for google play services required apps (bank stuff, etc). Install google play and google play services in the private space. Do not i", "context": "", "use_case": "podcasts", "switched_from": "", "story": "GrapheneOS will remain usable by anyone without requiring personal information"}, {"id": 764778720, "item_id": 47798670, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47798670", "by": "subarctic", "date": "2026-04-16", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "I still miss the apps I gave up - specifically AntennaPod and OpenTracks", "excerpt": "His opinion is subjective obviously, but as someone who's switched to iphone I still miss the apps I gave up - specifically AntennaPod and OpenTracks. I believe the iphone ecosystem has the advantage that it has higher-paying users which is attractive to developers, but really it's just a matter of there being different market segments and depending on who you are (or who you aspire to be) you might fit better into o", "context": "switched from Android to iPhone", "use_case": "podcasts", "switched_from": "", "story": "David Pierce Tried a Bunch of Android Phones and Then Bought an iPhone Again"}]}, {"label": "Free and open", "summary": "It is praised as FOSS and installed from F-Droid.", "quotes": [{"id": 752757732, "item_id": 47047358, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47047358", "by": "Gormo", "date": "2026-02-17", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "excellent FOSS podcatcher.", "excerpt": "Some others that I use: * NextCloud -- client for personal NextCloud server; this app is used primarily for file sync, with other features accessed with other apps. (https://nextcloud.com/features/?filter=Clients#android-client) * KeePassDX -- password manager, shares DB with KeePassXC on desktop, which is synced via NextCloud. Also functions as a TOTP authenticator. (https://www.keepassdx.com/) * DAVx5 -- CalDAV and", "context": "", "use_case": "podcasts", "switched_from": "", "story": "GrapheneOS \u2013 Break Free from Google and Apple"}, {"id": 790316913, "item_id": 49394807, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49394807", "by": "UncleSlacky", "date": "2026-08-21", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "Antennapod for podcasts on an old phone", "excerpt": "I use the F-Droid apps Transistor to listen to streaming radio and Antennapod for podcasts on an old phone: https://f-droid.org/en/packages/org.y20k.transistor/ https://f-droid.org/en/packages/de.danoeh.antennapod/", "context": "", "use_case": "podcasts", "switched_from": "", "story": "Using an old Android phone as a music player"}]}, {"label": "Local RSS feeds", "summary": "It can add a private RSS feed URL without submitting it to a public index.", "quotes": [{"id": 786114481, "item_id": 49132155, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49132155", "by": "SyneRyder", "date": "2026-08-01", "stance": "neutral", "quote": "I've had to use AntennaPod for that, but it's missing all the silence clipping and audio normalising features", "excerpt": "> ...they don't bring out a lot of new features since it's not a monthly SaaS. But it is! The Patron level of Pocket Casts is $15.99 / month! I used to love Pocket Casts, but it didn't have the ability to easily add an RSS feed URL locally without submitting it to their index - which I don't want to do with my AI's personalised morning podcast (and that's another category, Podcast For One). I've had to use AntennaPod", "context": "", "use_case": "local RSS podcast feeds", "switched_from": "Pocket Casts", "story": "Software for One"}]}], "caveats": [{"label": "Missing audio features", "summary": "It lacks the silence clipping and audio normalizing features Pocket Casts offers.", "quotes": [{"id": 786114481, "item_id": 49132155, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49132155", "by": "SyneRyder", "date": "2026-08-01", "stance": "neutral", "quote": "I've had to use AntennaPod for that, but it's missing all the silence clipping and audio normalising features", "excerpt": "> ...they don't bring out a lot of new features since it's not a monthly SaaS. But it is! The Patron level of Pocket Casts is $15.99 / month! I used to love Pocket Casts, but it didn't have the ability to easily add an RSS feed URL locally without submitting it to their index - which I don't want to do with my AI's personalised morning podcast (and that's another category, Podcast For One). I've had to use AntennaPod", "context": "", "use_case": "local RSS podcast feeds", "switched_from": "Pocket Casts", "story": "Software for One"}]}, {"label": "No iPhone version", "summary": "A user who switched to iPhone had to give it up.", "quotes": [{"id": 764778720, "item_id": 47798670, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47798670", "by": "subarctic", "date": "2026-04-16", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "I still miss the apps I gave up - specifically AntennaPod and OpenTracks", "excerpt": "His opinion is subjective obviously, but as someone who's switched to iphone I still miss the apps I gave up - specifically AntennaPod and OpenTracks. I believe the iphone ecosystem has the advantage that it has higher-paying users which is attractive to developers, but really it's just a matter of there being different market segments and depending on who you are (or who you aspire to be) you might fit better into o", "context": "switched from Android to iPhone", "use_case": "podcasts", "switched_from": "", "story": "David Pierce Tried a Bunch of Android Phones and Then Bought an iPhone Again"}]}], "who": [{"by": "subarctic", "context": "switched from Android to iPhone", "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47798670", "date": "2026-04-16"}], "tags": ["for Android users", "for de-Googled phones", "available on F-Droid", "for old phones", "for private RSS feeds"], "use_cases": ["podcasts", "podcast listening", "local rss podcast feeds"], "compared": [{"slug": "pocket-casts", "name": "Pocket Casts", "co": 1, "switched_from": 1, "switched_to": 0}, {"slug": "f-droid", "name": "F-Droid", "co": 2, "switched_from": 0, "switched_to": 0}], "makers": [], "threads": [{"url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50313661", "title": "Digital minimalism", "mentions": 1}, {"url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49390427", "title": "Kobo can run apps now", "mentions": 1}, {"url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49332812", "title": "Using an old Android phone as a music player", "mentions": 1}, {"url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49096605", "title": "Software for One", "mentions": 1}, {"url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48168669", "title": "item 48168669", "mentions": 1}, {"url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47791393", "title": "David Pierce Tried a Bunch of Android Phones and Then Bought an iPhone Again", "mentions": 1}], "sentiment_by_month": {"2025-11": {}, "2025-12": {}, "2026-01": {}, "2026-02": {"recommend": 1}, "2026-03": {"recommend": 1}, "2026-04": {"recommend": 1}, "2026-05": {"recommend": 1}, "2026-06": {}, "2026-07": {}, "2026-08": {"neutral": 1, "recommend": 2}, "2026-09": {}, "2026-10": {"recommend": 1}}, "quotes": [{"id": 805127009, "item_id": 50320438, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50320438", "by": "Flere-Imsaho", "date": "2026-10-31", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "the wealth of information and interesting topics I've been exposed to via podcasts is hard to overstate.", "excerpt": "You are missing out on a lot. And I don't mean the social media apps, or any of that nonsense. Allow me to try and explain: Maps: Knowing what's around me physically, up-to-date information, public transport routes, etc. I found some remote paths on CoMaps in the UK which I walked recently, without the aid of the app I would have not known about these. AntennaPod: the wealth of information and interesting topics I've", "context": "", "use_case": "podcasts", "switched_from": "", "story": "Digital minimalism"}, {"id": 790373362, "item_id": 49398335, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49398335", "by": "code-blooded", "date": "2026-08-22", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "KOReader, Linux, AntennaPod on Android", "excerpt": "I'd definitely be interested in moving towards such setup if I could reliably and easily accomplish it. There are already people who vibe code all the tools they need. Personally, so far I got best results by carefully selecting a small number of apps and devices with good track record and community around them (think Emacs that's been around for decades, but also KOReader, Linux, AntennaPod on Android and many other", "context": "", "use_case": "podcast listening", "switched_from": "", "story": "Kobo can run apps now"}, {"id": 790316913, "item_id": 49394807, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49394807", "by": "UncleSlacky", "date": "2026-08-21", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "Antennapod for podcasts on an old phone", "excerpt": "I use the F-Droid apps Transistor to listen to streaming radio and Antennapod for podcasts on an old phone: https://f-droid.org/en/packages/org.y20k.transistor/ https://f-droid.org/en/packages/de.danoeh.antennapod/", "context": "", "use_case": "podcasts", "switched_from": "", "story": "Using an old Android phone as a music player"}, {"id": 786114481, "item_id": 49132155, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49132155", "by": "SyneRyder", "date": "2026-08-01", "stance": "neutral", "quote": "I've had to use AntennaPod for that, but it's missing all the silence clipping and audio normalising features", "excerpt": "> ...they don't bring out a lot of new features since it's not a monthly SaaS. But it is! The Patron level of Pocket Casts is $15.99 / month! I used to love Pocket Casts, but it didn't have the ability to easily add an RSS feed URL locally without submitting it to their index - which I don't want to do with my AI's personalised morning podcast (and that's another category, Podcast For One). I've had to use AntennaPod", "context": "", "use_case": "local RSS podcast feeds", "switched_from": "Pocket Casts", "story": "Software for One"}, {"id": 770766832, "item_id": 48172927, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48172927", "by": "pbhjpbhj", "date": "2026-05-17", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "Antenna Pod is a great podcast player!", "excerpt": "I use (or used to) mdash with spaces, I've always just found the mdash when it collides with the words to be ugly. I've read a few typography related books and checked some style manuals in my time, but no-one has ever 'corrected' my usage so I think it's alright. I was listening to a podcast recently that had interesting information about the birth of mdash - \"99% Invisible: The Em Dash\". Episode webpage: https://99", "context": "", "use_case": "podcast listening", "switched_from": "", "story": null}, {"id": 764778720, "item_id": 47798670, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47798670", "by": "subarctic", "date": "2026-04-16", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "I still miss the apps I gave up - specifically AntennaPod and OpenTracks", "excerpt": "His opinion is subjective obviously, but as someone who's switched to iphone I still miss the apps I gave up - specifically AntennaPod and OpenTracks. I believe the iphone ecosystem has the advantage that it has higher-paying users which is attractive to developers, but really it's just a matter of there being different market segments and depending on who you are (or who you aspire to be) you might fit better into o", "context": "switched from Android to iPhone", "use_case": "podcasts", "switched_from": "", "story": "David Pierce Tried a Bunch of Android Phones and Then Bought an iPhone Again"}, {"id": 759742833, "item_id": 47483927, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47483927", "by": "diowldxiks", "date": "2026-03-22", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "AntennaPod for podcasts", "excerpt": "I did the switch to graphene on my pixel 9 pro recently and have 0 regrets. it's just a better OS than the google infected android. Here's what I did: * Follow instructions to install graphene on their website: https://grapheneos.org/install/ * Set up a private space which will be used for google play services required apps (bank stuff, etc). Install google play and google play services in the private space. Do not i", "context": "", "use_case": "podcasts", "switched_from": "", "story": "GrapheneOS will remain usable by anyone without requiring personal information"}, {"id": 752757732, "item_id": 47047358, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47047358", "by": "Gormo", "date": "2026-02-17", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "excellent FOSS podcatcher.", "excerpt": "Some others that I use: * NextCloud -- client for personal NextCloud server; this app is used primarily for file sync, with other features accessed with other apps. (https://nextcloud.com/features/?filter=Clients#android-client) * KeePassDX -- password manager, shares DB with KeePassXC on desktop, which is synced via NextCloud. Also functions as a TOTP authenticator. (https://www.keepassdx.com/) * DAVx5 -- CalDAV and", "context": "", "use_case": "podcasts", "switched_from": "", "story": "GrapheneOS \u2013 Break Free from Google and Apple"}]}