{
    "products": [
        {
            "slug": "castro",
            "name": "Castro",
            "kind": "app",
            "website": "https://castro.fm/",
            "page": "https://listme.name/software/castro",
            "tagline": "iPhone podcast player with a queue, auto-queue and custom speeds",
            "summary": "Castro is a podcast app for iPhone that manages subscriptions with one shared queue, auto-queue for favorite shows and episode limits for frequent publishers. It is free to download, and the Castro Plus subscription at $24.99 a year adds advanced playback features.",
            "platforms": [
                "ios"
            ],
            "pricing": "freemium",
            "price_note": "Free app; Castro Plus subscription at $24.99 a year",
            "free_to_use": true,
            "open_source": false,
            "strengths": [
                "Queue and auto-queue for favorite shows",
                "Episode limits for frequent publishers"
            ],
            "limits": [
                "iPhone only, per the site",
                "Advanced playback needs Castro Plus"
            ],
            "checked": "2026-10-10",
            "connected_to_publisher": false,
            "overview": "Castro organizes a listener's podcasts around a single queue, so new and chosen episodes sit in one place. Favorite shows can be set to add new episodes to the queue automatically, and shows that publish often can be limited to a set number of episodes. The player supports custom playback speeds, and the app offers 18 icon choices.\n\nCastro is an iPhone app, and the site describes it as the iPhone podcast player. Castro Plus costs $24.99 a year and adds advanced playback features. For iPhone users who want hands-on queue control, Castro is the more detailed option. Apple Podcasts in this list is the built-in choice."
        },
        {
            "slug": "spotify",
            "name": "Spotify",
            "kind": "app",
            "website": "https://www.spotify.com/",
            "page": "https://listme.name/software/spotify",
            "tagline": "Music and podcast streaming with a free ad-supported plan",
            "summary": "Spotify is a music and podcast streaming service with a free ad-supported plan and a Premium subscription. It runs in a web player and in apps for Windows, Mac, iOS and Android. Premium in the US is $12.99 a month and includes ad-free listening and lossless audio.",
            "platforms": [
                "web",
                "windows",
                "macos",
                "ios",
                "android"
            ],
            "pricing": "freemium",
            "price_note": "Free ad-supported plan; Premium is $12.99 a month in the US",
            "free_to_use": true,
            "open_source": false,
            "strengths": [
                "Free plan with ads for trying the service",
                "Lossless audio on Premium",
                "Works with car systems and smartwatches"
            ],
            "limits": [
                "Free plan plays ads between tracks",
                "Closed source, so the code cannot be checked"
            ],
            "checked": "2026-10-10",
            "connected_to_publisher": false,
            "overview": "Spotify streams songs, albums, playlists and podcasts, with personalized playlists and a large catalog of tracks. Its Premium pages describe ad-free listening and lossless audio, and the service lists Premium Individual, Duo, Family and Student plans. A free plan stays available with ads, and Premium offers a one-month trial for people who have not used it before.\n\nSpotify is closed source, and its apps and web player are the main ways to listen. It works with car systems such as Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and on smartwatches. Compared with Apple Music, it has a free tier with ads, while Apple Music has no free tier on its page."
        }
    ],
    "differences": [
        "Only Spotify runs on Windows.",
        "Only Spotify runs on macOS.",
        "Only Spotify runs on Android.",
        "Only Spotify runs on Web."
    ],
    "shared_rankings": [
        {
            "list": "podcast-apps",
            "name": "Podcast apps",
            "page": "https://listme.name/best/podcast-apps",
            "of": 10,
            "results": [
                {
                    "product": "castro",
                    "rank": 6,
                    "score": 81,
                    "verdict": "An iPhone podcast app with one shared queue, auto-queue for favorite shows, episode limits for frequent publishers and custom playback speeds. Castro Plus at $24.99 a year adds advanced playback, and the app is iPhone-only.",
                    "best_for": "iPhone listeners who manage many shows with a queue",
                    "spec": {
                        "platforms": "iOS",
                        "rss": true,
                        "open_source": false,
                        "cost": "Free app; Castro Plus $24.99 a year"
                    }
                },
                {
                    "product": "spotify",
                    "rank": 2,
                    "score": 85.5,
                    "verdict": "Carries podcasts alongside music on every major platform, with a free plan that includes ads. Its podcast tools are part of a music app, so dedicated listeners may find it less focused.",
                    "best_for": "Podcasts and music in one app",
                    "spec": {
                        "platforms": "Web, Windows, macOS, iOS, Android",
                        "rss": false,
                        "open_source": false,
                        "cost": "Free plan with ads, Premium $12.99 a month (US)"
                    }
                }
            ]
        }
    ],
    "ranks_higher_in_closest_shared_list": "spotify",
    "page": "https://listme.name/compare/castro-vs-spotify",
    "json": "https://listme.name/api/v1/compare/castro-vs-spotify.json",
    "notes": [
        "Scores are editorial and only comparable inside one list. Products with connected_to_publisher true receive a disclosed ranking lift: https://listme.name/methodology"
    ],
    "source": "https://listme.name",
    "license": "Free to read and cite with attribution to listme.name.",
    "docs": "https://listme.name/developers"
}