Beyond the Big Four: Podcast Directories Worth Submitting To

Pocket Casts, Overcast, Podcast Addict, Castbox and more — the long tail of directories that adds 15% to reach.

The landscape

When it comes to the long-tail directories that compound your reach, the details matter. Here's what the evidence and practitioner experience point to:

• Pocket Casts and Overcast are the two biggest independent apps — Pocket Casts accepts direct submission; Overcast pulls automatically from Apple's directory (list on Apple first).
• Podcast Index (podcastindex.org) is the open alternative to Apple's directory — many apps pull from it; listing is free and automatic for most hosts.

What actually works

When it comes to the long-tail directories that compound your reach, the details matter. Here's what the evidence and practitioner experience point to:

• Castbox, Podcast Addict, Player FM, TuneIn and iHeart each accept RSS submissions — combined they represent meaningful incremental reach for zero extra work.
• TuneIn also feeds smart speakers (Alexa) — worth submitting for voice-assistant discoverability.

Putting it into practice

When it comes to the long-tail directories that compound your reach, the details matter. Here's what the evidence and practitioner experience point to:

• Most directories auto-poll your feed after initial submission — list once, update never again; the marginal cost is a one-time 10 minutes each.
• PodKrafter's distribution checklist covers each directory with direct links — work through it once per show.

Key takeaways

• Pocket Casts and Overcast are the two biggest independent apps — Pocket Casts accepts direct submission; Overcast pulls automatically from Apple's directory (list on Apple first).
• TuneIn also feeds smart speakers (Alexa) — worth submitting for voice-assistant discoverability.
• PodKrafter's distribution checklist covers each directory with direct links — work through it once per show.

Ready to put this into practice? PodKrafter turns research into broadcast-ready podcast episodes — start free.