Stitcher for Podcasts 12+

I like a lot about how this app works. I like being able to go through my shows, pick the episodes, and have them appear in a list of saved episodes. I can sync between my devices so that I don’t have to add them to multiple devices manually. I can even save stuff I have already listened to in an archive. The “My Front Page” is a useless mess, but the app gives me the option to start with my Favorites so that I don’t have to see it if I don’t want to. Oh, and I can add it to Sonos and play through Sonos.

This app loses two stars, and maybe should lose more, for one reason. It’s missing several of the shows that I want in its directory, and there’s no way to add a feed URL that I can find. If they don’t have it in their database, I can’t add it. This means that I have to have another app just to hear some of the shows that they do not carry. It’s not just one or two missing, it’s several . . . Bioethics on Air, The Jennifer Fulwiler Show, Catholic Answers Focus, The Catholic Cafe, The Doctor is In (Ray Guerendi), and Stephen Herreid. With that many shows not available, it makes the app a whole lot less useful for me.

The app has some benefits and some premium content I enjoy. That being said, an app I’m paying a subscription price for should work better than the free apple podcast app. This app constantly freezes if it does not remain open. I’ll move from another app back to it to fast forward or start a new podcast and a grayed out version of the screen appears and none of the functions work. What I am listening to continues to play but I have to hard shut down the app and restart it if I want to use it. Not fun.

Additionally, I got the app specifically because it advertises its ability to sync with Sonos. Specific content is hard to find on Sonos and the app no longer keeps track of where it is. I have to try and remember exactly where I’m at in a podcast if I am listening through Sonos, find the podcast on my phone through the sticher app, and then fast forward to where I was to continue listening. This is necessary in reverse as well going from the phone to Sonos. The apps controls in Sonos also do not include any fast forward or rewind buttons other than the buggy option of trying to hold the forward or backwards buttons down. Feels like I’m using a tape player.

Not very premium for the price.

I’m not particularly enchanted with Apple’s native podcast app so I decided to try Stitcher having heard it was far superior. I also wanted to check out a few Stitcher premium shows. I’m annoyed because apparently I can’t just pick up where I left off. I usually listen to podcasts before and after work and on breaks, so there will be a few hours in-between when I use the app. The play/pause button on the bottom goes away by the time I want to continue listening so I have to search for the episode all over again. It seems so fundamental to be able to easily go back to the latest played episode especially when I’m still in the middle of it.

Also, I stream just like with Apple’s podcaster, but this one quits on me way more easily if I lose service. It plays that creepy sound over and over (the sound of a finished record on a record player I think). Both the lack of functionality to keep streaming and the use of that sound effect are annoying. I’ll finish out my free trial but I’m reluctantly going back to Apple!