Pocket Casts, the podcast app owned by Automattic, the parent company of Tumblr, has launched a new playlist feature that allows users to organize podcast episodes in any order they choose. Users can curate playlists manually or let the app assemble them automatically.
The update aims to give listeners a more personalized experience as Pocket Casts works to expand its paid user base. The platform currently has 60,000 subscribers, far behind Spotify’s 281 million.
With playlists, users can build collections around topics, themes, or even their favorite guest appearances across different shows. It’s also a convenient way to queue episodes for long flights, road trips, or commutes.
To create a manual playlist, users can head to the Playlists tab and tap the “+” icon on mobile or “New playlist” on the web. From there, they can handpick episodes from their favorite shows.
For a hands-off approach, Pocket Casts offers Smart Playlists. By selecting “Smart rules,” users can set criteria that automatically gather episodes, such as only including shows under 25 minutes, filtering for unplayed episodes, or selecting only downloaded content. This is especially useful for listeners with busy schedules.
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The Playlist feature is now available on the web player and desktop apps, with the Android rollout already underway. iOS users will receive it soon.
This update follows the company’s recent move to make its web player free, positioning Pocket Casts as a stronger competitor in the podcasting space, especially against platforms that keep content locked behind subscriptions.
