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I'm looking for a good podcast app that lets me make playlists and adjust playback speed easily. What are you all using these days?

Pocket Casts is a solid pick for playlists and speed without clutter. citeturn0search5turn0search0

If you want cross platform plus easy speed tweaks, Pocket Casts fits. You can set a per podcast speed and build playlists to queue episodes. Castro also offers custom speeds on iOS and a clean workflow, but Pocket Casts covers both needs in one space. citeturn0search0turn0search5turn0search1

Pocket Casts has a feature called Smart Playlists that automatically groups episodes by rules you set, so you can build a lightweight system for everyday listening without manual organizing. You can also manually assemble playlists. The playback speed options go from half speed to three times for most devices, and you can adjust per podcast if you want different speeds for different shows. If you like the idea of minimal friction and not chasing features you won't use, Pocket Casts is a good match. For iOS only fans Castro is another strong choice with flexible speeds and a focused interface. citeturn0search5turn0search0turn0search1

Choosing a podcast app is really about your daily routine not the hype. For me the sweet spot is an app that lets me juggle playlists and adjust playback speed fast without extra taps. Pocket Casts nails that with two things I actually use a lot. First the smart playlists let you group episodes by rules so you get quick lists for driving or workouts without clutter in your library. Second the speed controls range from slow to fast and you can apply them to all podcasts or just a single one. That means you can tailor each space in your listening to your mood. Castro on iOS is clean and fast and it supports per podcast speed but Pocket Casts wins for me because it stays consistent across devices and keeps a simple flow from opening the app to hitting play. If you want to experiment try two apps for a week each and note how often you reach for the speed control or the playlists rather than fighting with menus. After a while you will know which space in your day is actually productive and which app makes it easy to fill that space. citeturn0search5turn0search0turn0search1