Castro vs Up Next
Castro
castro.fmUp Next
apps.apple.comSide by side
| Figure | Castro | Up Next |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | $2.08/mo | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| iOS | Yes | Yes |
| Plans published | 6 | 1 |
| Spec score · Podcast apps | 9.1 (#2) | 7.9 (#27) |
| Cross-device sync | Yes | Yes |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Offline downloads | Yes | Yes |
| Private feed support | Yes | The app supports private podcast feeds using tokenised URLs and HTTP Basic Authentication. |
| Supported platforms | iOS, iPadOS, macOS, Apple Watch | iPhone, Apple Watch; App Store also lists compatibility with Mac, Apple Vision and Apple Watch operating systems |
| Episode transcripts | Yes | The app can generate transcripts on-device without uploading audio. |
Plans
Castro
- Castro Plus Monthly$3.99 a month
- Castro Plus Quarterly$9.99 a month
- Castro Plus Annual$24.99 a year
- Castro Plus Family Annual$39.99 a year
- Castro Plus Family$39.99 a year
- Free CastroFree
In their own words
Castro
Castro is a podcast player for Apple devices, centered on a queue for adding, reordering, and automatically playing episodes. Queued episodes download over Wi-Fi, and users can listen offline, read episode transcripts, and sync across devices. Playback speeds are adjustable from 0.8x to 3x; Trim Silence can shorten total listening time by 10–20% without changing audio quality. Other listening tools include private feeds, podcast chapters, episode sharing, and per-podcast settings for auto-queue, audio filters, playback speed, and intro skipping. Users can import their own audio by adding files to iCloud Drive. Castro has a CarPlay app, while Apple Watch users can control playback and browse the queue. The listed platforms are iOS, iPadOS, macOS, and Apple Watch. The free plan is available, and Castro Plus adds advanced playback, sideloading, Night Mode, custom icons, and more. Listed subscriptions include $3.99 per month, $9.99 per month billed quarterly, $24.99 per year, and family subscriptions at $39.99 per year. Castro directs questions to [email protected].