Best Podcast Directories To Help You Get More Listeners In 2025
You have recorded your podcast episodes; Now, It’s time to distribute them to all major podcast directories to get a few listeners. The first step to getting to your initial podcast listeners is to understand where people listen to a podcast or where they look for a podcast to listen to—the most popular and known place to distribute your Podcast in Apple podcasts.
However, several places are available to submit your podcast and reach out to more listeners. Podcast directories are not a place where you host your podcast. Instead, podcast directories are websites that just read the RSS feed created by either your website or your podcast host.
Check out my best podcast hosting articles for the sites that host your audio files.
Podcast directories are the place where they collect RSS feeds, sort them by category, and show those episodes as a podcast player on their website.
They work as a medium to communicate between the podcast host and Podcast listeners to discover and consume podcast episodes.
Most directories work like podcast search engines by indexing podcasts’ show metadata, and it shows up in search results when listeners search for it.
In the podcast listening apps, listeners can:
- 1)listen to podcast episodes,
- 2)leave feedback about the podcast,
- 3)share the podcast with friends and relatives
- 4)subscribe to the podcast so that they get notifications when new episodes are uploaded.
Podcast visibility determines its ability to attract new listeners. The more places your podcast will show up, the more people will find your show. It is more likely that you will get new listeners and fans by submitting your podcast to all podcast directories.
They allow you to put your podcast show in front of millions of new podcast consumers. All podcast directories will ask you to put your Podcast show RSS feed, so if you don’t have one, sign in to your podcast host and collect one here.
Once you have collected your podcast RSS feed, copy it to Notepad. Some podcast directories will ask you to put your show’s title, description, and the email address associated with your podcast when submitting a podcast RSS feed, so make sure you have all of these things ready as well.
What is the Best Podcast Directories In 2025 ?
Here is my top picks for the best podcast distribution platforms where you want to submit your show’s RSS feed to list your podcast this year.
- Apple Podcasts
- Spotify
- Google Podcasts
- Amazon Music
- Stitcher
- iHeartRadio
- Pandora
- TuneIn + Alexa
- Podcast Addict
- Podchaser
- Pocket Casts
- Deezer
- Listen Notes
- Player FM
- Podcast Index
- iPodder
- Digital Podcast
- Podcasts.Alltop
- Pocket Casts
- Castbox
- Anybody
- Podcast Addict
- PlayerFM
- Learning Out Loud
- iPodder
- Laughable
- Acast
- Podcast Gang
- Listen App
I’ll start with my favorite podcast distribution platforms as of 2025.
Apple Podcasts
Apple podcasts is my #1 pick for the best podcast directories to submit a show for distributing all across internet. I recommend to list the show to Apple Podcasts in the very first; because they can take the longest to be approved in their directory, and they are the most popular podcast directory in the world.
You’ll need an Apple ID before submitting your podcast for review, meaning you have to be an IOS user to create Apple ID.
While submitting your shows on Apple Podcasts, make sure that you have a podcast cover art ready at least 1400 x 1400 pixels in size. Once you submit your shows to Apple podcasts, you will get access to Podcasts Connect to manage your show and get insight into listener analytics, and you can monitor the behavior of your podcast consumers.
Here’s how you can submit your shows to Apple Podcasts:
- Step 1:Log into Apple Podcasts
- Step 2:Validate your Podcast’s RSS feed. Simply copy your podcast RSS feed from your podcast host and paste it into the Apple Podcasts URL field, and hit “Validate.”
- Step 3:verify your show’s details. Make sure everything looks correct.
- Step 4:click the “Validate” button up top.
You’ll receive a “Podcast successfully submitted for review” message on the Apple Podcasts website, and immediately, you will receive an email stating that your show is now under review.
Google Podcasts
Google podcasts is a podcasting platform that started very recently. However, within a short period, Google podcasts became one of the most prominent players in the podcast industry.
This is because they are essential because they allow you to listen to podcasts directly from google search.
Unlike other podcast directories, you don’t need to submit your podcast on google podcasts manually. Instead, Google Podcast works similarly to how the Google search engine crawls the internet.
To get listed on google podcasts, you need to make sure that your website links to your RSS feed and your Podcast’s RSS feed link to your website.
Many Podcast hosting companies will do this automatically for you if you use their built-in websites. Here’s the guideline of google podcast if you want to do this for your own website
Hers’s how you can submit your Podcast to Google Podcasts.
- Step 1. Find and copy your Podcast’s RSS feed
- Step 2. Go to Google’s Podcast Manager
- Step 3. Add your show’s RSS feed
- Step 4. Verify your feed. If your google account and podcast email accounts show match, then you’ll instantly be verified.
Spotify
Spotify recently opened up its platform for podcasting and quickly became the number 2 destination for podcast listeners.
The best and easiest way to get in is to be part of the best podcast hosting companies.
I use Buzzsprout to host my podcasts, and they have a straightforward form to get you in popular podcast directories after you sign up with them. After that, they will work for you.
Create a Spotify account, link your RSS feed, and wait for approval. This can take up to five days. Ensure that you have already uploaded at least one episode to your podcast host.
Until you do so, Spotify will not be able to find any episodes and will reject your feed.
Stitcher
Stitcher is a popular podcast directory currently holding 65000 podcasters and more than 8 million registered podcast listeners. It’s a podcast place where you want your podcast listed.
They provide their own stats for downloads, listening time, listens, and monthly active users.
They also offer Sticher rank for your podcast, competition rate, and many more. Recently they have been acquired by a popular podcast advertising network called Midroll. You can become a content partner with them through their partner signup page.
TuneIn
TuneIn is another popular podcast directory pretty much available on every device and podcast hosting platform.
To get your podcast listed at TuneIn, fill out their Podcast submission contact form.
SPREAKER
Spreaker offers a little bit of everything for podcasters. They have a podcast hosting platform, podcast directory, a podcast app, and desktop software.
You can start your podcast journey for free with them and import your RSS feed and share your voice with the world. Sign up for Spreaker here.
Google Play Music
Google replaced google play music with Google podcasts. But still, It offers its own stats and subscriber data that you can view as well. Check out my step-by-step guide to google play podcast submission too.
Sign up Through Google play music podcast portal.
Podchaser
Podchaser hosts a massive database of the podcast RSS feed. In their platform Podcast, Listeners can easily review and rate individual episodes of a podcast to help other users discover new content.
Each podcast gets an individual profile meaning that everyone can see a list of episodes, information about the creators, reviews, statistics, and more about a particular podcast.
Pandora
Pandora is another popular online audio streaming service backed by the powerful recommendation algorithm of the podcast.
In August 2019, Pandora launched their “Podcast Genome Project,” which helps users by providing personalized podcast recommendations for each user.
iHeartRadio
iHeartRadio is a free audio streaming service with over 200 channels and has become one of the largest podcast directories in the world.
Many podcast listeners favor them because they allow podcast listeners to customize their podcast playlists by choosing their favorite categories.
YouTube
You can easily expand your audience by uploading video podcasts on YouTube.Some famous podcasters like “Joe Rogan Experience” and “The Garry Vee Audio Experience” record Podcasts in-studio and put them on youtube.
It gives them an opportunity to reach the newer audience in an organic way. But you can simply use a static image of your podcast cover art while your podcast audio plays on youtube as a video podcast.
Everyone uses Facebook to connect socially. You can share your whole Podcast on Facebook to grab more people’s attention.
Soundcloud
Do not use Soundcloud for podcast hosting, but I do recommend uploading your .mp3 files to Soundcloud through a free account.
Blubrry
Blubrry is a full-service podcast hosting company known for its seriously simple podcasting plugin. They will distribute your podcast to all the major platforms and players.
It is the perfect podcast directory site to find and search for the podcast you want to listen to.
You can manually submit your podcast to their podcast directory even if you don’t use them as your podcast host. So take the opportunity.
Amazon Music
Amazon Music is a fairly new player in the podcasting industry, but they are doing quite well in this audio playing field.
They are not hosting your podcast audio files; they are just another podcast directory where they stream podcasts through an audio player directly from your podcast host using your podcast RSS feed.
Getting your podcast makes it easy and accessible on Audible and Alexa-enabled devices.
RadioPublic
RadioPublic is a great tool to use for brand-new podcast shows. They offer podcasters a real opportunity to build their business and grow their listener base online.
RadioPublic does some good work on providing monetization opportunities to podcasters and provides features such as the Paid Listens Program.
ListenNotes
Listen Notes is a podcast search engine packed with the podcast RSS feed, and they get a small amount of use as a podcast player, but still, it’s important to discover podcasts that you will find nowhere. You use this podcast directory to search specific topics podcasts, and most often, it will show all independent Podcasts that you will not find in the Apple Podcasts search.
Pocket Casts
Pocket Casts is an audio streaming android and IOS app owned partly by NPR. They also have a great list of top podcast shows in their podcast directory.
They are one of the top podcast apps’ that provides all the best features to their listeners. You will get features automatic download of new episodes and easy discovery of the best podcast shows with them.
To get your show on Pocket Casts, you must visit their website and submit your podcast RSS feed.
Castro
Castro offers a great deal of control over how they want to listen to their favorite podcast shows. Listeners can easily set download limits for podcast shows that publish frequently. Please note that you cannot manually submit your Podcast on Castropodcast because they read off the Apple Podcasts. That means if your podcast is already in Apple Podcasts, it will appear on Castro.
Deezer
Deezer is a podcast directory based in Europe. Many people call them the European version of Spotify. They already have more than 14 million users on their platforms, meaning that you will get a larger audience if you get into this podcast platform.
Castbox
Castbox is a podcast directory specialized in Search Engine Optimation. Finding your favorite podcast shows on this platform is easy because of its AI Assistance. They also offer loads of social media features that allow users to comment on episodes that help you reach out to people by your show.
ADDITIONAL PODCAST DIRECTORIES TO SUBMIT YOUR PODCAST
Here is the list of additional podcast directories to look at for submitting the show in 2025.
- iPodder
- Digital Podcast
- Podcasts.Alltop
- Pocket Casts
- Castbox
- Anybody
- Podcast Addict
- PlayerFM
- Learning Out Loud
- iPodder
- Laughable
- Acast
- Podcast Gang
- Listen App
What is Podcast Distribution Networks?
More than 70% of the popular podcast in this world belongs to the podcast distribution networks like Earwolf, Gimlet Media, WonderyPodcastOne, and Midroll Media.
A podcast distribution network companies collect podcasts that are produced, distributed, or made available to advertising companies through a single network.
Podcast networks Platform hosts a group podcast that shows those connected by their genre and monetizes their podcasts. Once you join a podcast network, they make it easier for you to connect with sponsors and help you to boost your podcast available on the market.
They will give you access to the advertising and marketing machine of their podcast network and help you to promote your podcasts to reach out to more listeners.
The network uses its ad connections networks to include ads in your podcasts. By doing that, they get some percentage of the revenue at the end of the day.
What are the Benefits of a PODCAST NETWORK?
There are lots of benefits a PODCAST NETWORK offer to join with them. You just need to find the right podcast network you are interested in joining.
The more audience exposure your podcasts will get, the better the podcast network will support you.
You might be able to get some sponsorship deals that you wouldn’t get by yourself. Most podcast advertiser wants to deal through a podcast network rather than approaching individual podcasters.
Getting into your podcast into a podcast network allows you to build your credibility online because by joining them, you become an exclusive member of an exclusive club.
Here are my top 5 picks for the best podcast networks to join in 2022.
What are the Best PODCAST NETWORKS ?
Earwolf
Earwolf is a podcast distribution network company based in Los Angeles. This podcast network is specialized in comedy podcasts and other podcast genres.
Gimlet Media
Gimlet Media is a podcast network company owned by Spotify. This podcast network focuses on the entertainment and digital audio journalism genre.
Wondery
Wondery is a podcast networks company founded by Hernan Lopez in 2016 and owned by 20th-Century Fox. This podcast network company now manages more than 70 different shows across multiple genres.
PodcastOne
PodcastOne is an advertiser-supported podcast network founded by Norm Pattiz. This podcast network now manages over 200 podcasts ranging from news and politics to comedy and entertainment.
Midroll Media
Midroll Media is a digital media company serving as a podcast network and providing a podcast’s production, distribution, and networking services. This podcast network now serves more than 300 shows on their network.
.
Final Thoughts
In summary , podcast directories allow to list the show on the platform for consuming all across the internet. The very first thing you should do after publishing at least one single episode on the show is submitting the show to top podcast listening platforms such as apple podcast ,google podcast and spotify. The moment you get a little bit of exposure on the show , create podcast audiograms and promote the show all across the internet including social media platforms in 2025.
