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Downcast vs Castbox: catalog facts
Downcast	Castbox
Paid A paid purchase or subscription is required.	Freemium A free ad-supported tier is available. Premium is a paid subscription.
macOS, iOS	Android, iOS, Web
Per-podcast rules for downloads, playback speed and episode retention iCloud sync across every Apple device including Watch and TV	In-audio search finds spoken phrases inside episodes Works on phones, web, Alexa, CarPlay and Android Auto
Apple platforms only Paid purchase or subscription depending on platform	Advertising and recommendation-heavy interface on the free tier Closed source
Downloadable app	Downloadable app
Closed source	Closed source
License not stated	License not stated
Not stated if an account is needed	Not stated if an account is needed
Not stated if it works offline	Not stated if it works offline
Official website Full listing and sources Checked September 22, 2026	Official website Full listing and sources Checked September 22, 2026

Catalog facts only. Anything “not stated” is unconfirmed. Check full listings for details.