Long have I searched for a solution to sync my podcasts at my desktop and phone without paying for a service. The simple answer most people would give is to use Spotify or Amazon Music. But I am stubborn.
Here is my criteria:
- Sync on Phone
- Sync on Desktop (Windows and Linux because I use both)
- Be Open Source
- Sync with Nextcloud
Sync Server: GPodder Sync on NextCloud
Let’s start with the crux of this issue. Go on over to nextcloud and install Gpodder Sync as an app.
Easy enough. With that out of the way you have your sync client to be used with apps
Android App: AntennaPod
AntennaPod…this app is seriously good. In fact I’ve used a dozen or so podcast apps on android and iOS and this one is probably the best or second best. It even has an OLED black mode. It has special features like skip audio silence. But most importantly it let’s you add a podcast from an RSS feed. Why is this feature so hard to find on other apps! I do not understand it. If I had any complaint about AntennaPod it’s the blue icon, there’s just too many apps with a blue icon. How about a nice green or orange instead!
However, the stand-out feature that sets it apart is that it can sync with Gpodder on Nextcloud! Head down to settings in AntennaPod and click on ‘Synchronization’
Add in your nextcloud credentials and you are all sync’d up!
iOS App: I have no idea
I am not aware of anything on iOS that can achieve what I am looking for ;-(
Linux Desktop: KDE Kasts
This was tougher. I actually had a hard time finding any desktop podcast app that Synced with Nextcloud. If anyone does find other options I’d love to know. Luckily the ‘Kasts’ app built for KDE is a perfect fit regardless. I also use KDE so even better!
Kasts is a great app to be sure. What I discovered when looking for a desktop podcast app was that most people don’t listen to podcasts from their computer. ;-(
Personally I don’t like being tethered to my phone, so my phone is mainly used to play podcasts in the car. Most of the time I leave it in my desk and listen to podcasts on my computer both at work and at home.
The landscape of podcast apps on linux boil down to a few patterns:
- Minimalistic podcast apps that are sleek and lightweight but no syncing
- Podcast apps built into music players (Like Rhythmbox)
- Players that were built on a pentium 3 from the Paleolithic era but work flawlessly with Gpodder.net
- Electron apps that are built on dedicated platforms like Spotify or PocketCast
I tried using Gpodder.net but I could never get the site to load correctly or create an account. My best guess is it’s dead.
Kasts is a godsend. It doesn’t have extra features like AntennaPod but it is otherwise totally functional and modern.
To sync with nextcloud click on ‘settings’ on the bottom left and then ‘Synchronization’
Login to your Nextcloud GPodder and you are Golden
Windows Desktop: KDE Kasts….again?
I am stuck using windows at my day job. As such I find myself scavenging a graveyard of open-source apps that have felt very little love in your lonely life.
I found zero official options that meet my criteria of Syncing on windows until I stumbled across a reddit post mentioning that Kasts has a build for Windows which can be found here.
It is not a one to one mirror of the beautiful Linux app though. This is a nightly build and does not include an installer.
After downloading the package you will need to extract it somewhere (Like Program Files) and double click the Kasts.exe in the bin directory to launch it.
It would be wise to right click kasts.exe and pin it to taskbar or start menu for ease of access later.
This is a clunky version, it feels slow, has no dark mode, and takes a few seconds to launch even on my beefy development computer at work.
But…it is totally functional. I have not found another solution to sync with NextCloud Gpodder on windows. This solution is fine. If anyone finds another one please let me know.
Honorable Mention: PocketCasts
For a while I just used PocketCasts. It ticks most of the boxes. It is open-source as of last fall, it has desktop apps for Linux and Windows, it has apps for android and ios, and you can add podcasts manually by RSS feed.
Pocketcasts also has special features like trim silence as well and it syncs across all platforms using it’s own servers. It all sounds great, and truly it is. There are a few minor misses though.
- The desktop apps are just electron apps
- The apps are just the website running as a desktop application (A good website though)
- However the desktop app stopped working for me on windows about 6 months ago
- The Linux app stopped working for me last month. Podcasts don’t play
- It is Paid
- But the price is very reasonable. I believe I paid $8 for a year subscription!
- It does not sync with Nextcloud
- This is fine since it’s paid. Sometimes the sync can be slow. 5-10 min max to update between devices but usually it works well.
- They Make their Icon a Rainbow for Pride Month
- I am tired of politics and the culture war
PocketCasts is really a great deal and definitely the 2nd best solution. Even though the desktop apps don’t work anymore the website is great.
So that is my journey for self-sufficiency in podcasts. It was sometimes messy, but totally functional in the end!