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Free Apple Podcast Downloader (Online & Desktop)

ava By Ava Morrison
Updated on: May 15, 2025
Category: Apple Music Tips

Apple Podcasts is a built-in app on Apple devices that allows you to discover, follow, and listen to millions of popular podcasts - all for free. With premium subscriptions, you can unlock even more content, including ad-free listening and early access to new episodes. Downloading episodes for offline listening is easy - just tap on an episode and select "Download Episode." However, these downloaded files aren't stored in a local folder, so you can't access them like regular files.

While the streaming capabilities of Apple Podcasts are convenient, they can fall short when you're on the go or in areas with spotty internet. That's where third-party podcast downloader tools come in handy. In this article, we'll explore the best free Apple podcast downloader options, both online and desktop apps, to help you maximize your podcast experience. Let's dive in!

Free Apple Podcast Downloader

Part 1: Official Apple Podcast Downloader (Premium subscription required)

The Apple Podcasts app makes it simple to download podcast episodes for free. All you need is an Apple ID and the Podcasts app, and you can start downloading MP3 files of your favorite shows. However, there's one catch - you can only listen to those downloaded episodes within the Podcasts app itself. If you don't mind that limitation, the Podcasts app is still a great way to build up a library of MP3 podcast files. Here's how to download episodes on your iPhone/iPad and Mac.

Download Apple Podcasts on iPhone/iPad

  1. Open the Podcasts app on your device.
  2. Find the episode you want to download and tap the three-dot menu icon at the bottom right.
  3. Select "Download Episode" to save the MP3 file locally on your device.
  4. The download icon will turn grey once the episode has finished downloading.
download apple podcast iphone

Download Apple Podcasts on Mac

  1. Open the Podcasts app on your Mac.
  2. Browse or search for the podcast you want to download.
  3. Right-click on the episode you want and select "Download Episode".
  4. The downloaded episode will appear in your "Downloaded" list within the app.

With these simple steps, you can build up a collection of Apple Podcast episodes as MP3 files to listen to anytime, even when you're offline. Just keep in mind you'll need to stay within the Podcasts app to access your downloaded content. If you want to keep the Apple podcasts forever for offline playback, we recommend you try a handy podcast downloader tool instead.

download apple podcast mac

Part 2: Best Apple Podcast Downloader - TuneCable BeatOne

TuneCable BeatOne specializes in downloading podcasts and music from popular platforms, including Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube Music, Tidal, Amazon Music, LINE MUSIC, Deezer, Pandora, Audible, Dailymotion, YouTube, Vimeo, SoundCloud, etc. It also includes free channels for podcasts and radio, along with a suite of handy tools like AI Optimize, AA/AAX Converter, Format Converter, Burn CD, Tag Editor. TuneCable BeatOne supports exporting music in a variety of popular formats, making it compatible with a wide range of devices and apps. After conversion, you can easily transfer the converted songs, albums, playlists, podcasts, radio, and audiobooks to Android phones, iPhones, USB drives, SD cards, MP3 players, gaming consoles, and wearables.

Why Get Podcasts via TuneCable BeatOne?

  • The podcast feature offers FREE, fast downloads in high-quality MP3/MP4, preserving audio quality.
  • Convert Apple Music podcasts to MP3, FLAC, WAV, AIFF, ALAC, AAC.
  • Features 320 top shows, plans to expand, and doubles as an online player.
  • Covers 100+ renowned websites like BBC, TED, Podbean, NPR, ESPN, The Verge, Wondery, Podbay, making global podcasts accessible.
  • Enables permanent playback of podcasts across any device.
  • 10x conversion speed & batch download multiple episodes.
  • Download podcasts with ID3 tags preserved.

1. How to Download Podcasts from Apple Music

Step 1 After installing TuneCable BeatOne on your Windows or Mac computer. TuneCable offers music/podcast downloading features for almost all the popular streaming music services. You can easily find Apple Music on the main interface, and click on it. TuneCable allows you to download podcasts from both the Apple Music/iTunes app and web player. You can click the "Switch to App/Web player" button in the upper-right corner to change the audio source.

tunecable beatone

Step 2 Now you can search for the podcasts, music or playlist you want to download on Apple Music, open the podcast info page, then click the "Click to add" button. TuneCable will give you a list of all the episodes, select the one you want to download. Go to the Settings option on the left side, here you can choose the audio format and quality.

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Step 3 When you finished all the settings, go back to the convert interface, then tap the "Convert" button to start downloading Apple podcasts to your computer.

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Step 4 The download folder will pop up automatically, and now you can see the podcast has been successfully downloaded with iD3 tags.

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2. How to Download Free Podcasts

Step 1 Cannot find your favorite podcasts on Apple Music? No worries. TuneCable still has your back. This TuneCable podcast downloader tool offers a free online podcast downloading feature for totally free. Simply go to the Podcast option on the left panel. Browse through a comprehensive set of labels to swiftly locate your desired podcasts. Additionally, use the keyword search function to pinpoint specific content. Hovering over any podcast instantly reveals convenient download and play buttons, streamlining your access to your favorite audio content.

free podcasts

Step 2 Find the Podcast panel on the left side. Here you can see hundreds of free podcasts from online sources. Click the podcast cover art, you will see more options. Click the "download icon" next to every single episode to download it. Or click the "Download All" button to get all episodes.

check podcasts details

Step 3 The downloading will start automatically. TuneCable downloads free podcasts at 300x speed, so you will get an one-hour podcast episode within one minute.Upon successful conversion, a dedicated folder automatically appears, granting you instant access to your downloaded podcasts. For a comprehensive overview, simply head to the "Converted" section where your entire download history is neatly organized.

download podcasts
Pros Cons
Apple podcast can be downloaded in MP3, AAC, WAV, FLAC, AIFF, and ALAC formats. Only compatible with Windows and Mac computers, no mobile version.
Download podcasts not only from Apple Music, but also Spotify, TIDAL, Amazon Music, and online sources.
Support to download online podcasts for totally free with 300x speed.
Keep ID3 Tags for the downloaded podcasts.

Part 2: Free Online Apple Podcast Downloader

In this section, we'll introduce you to some of the top free online tools for downloading Apple Podcasts. We'll delve into the details of how each Apple podcast downloader works, as well as their respective pros and cons. This will help you choose the right downloader to meet your specific podcast needs.

1. aaplmusicdownloader

Website: https://aaplmusicdownloader.com/

aaplmusicdownloader.com is a free online tool that allows you to download songs from Apple Music. While the website itself is free to use, some advanced features are reserved for premium users, such as the ability to download entire playlists. Free users can only download individual tracks one at a time. The website supports both MP3 and M4A file formats, and premium users can even choose the specific bitrate for their MP3 downloads (64kbps, 128kbps, 192kbps, 256kbps, or 320kbps).

💡 How to Use:

  1. Copy the link to the podcast you want to download from the Apple Music app or website.
  2. Paste the link into the search box on aaplmusicdownloader.com.
  3. Click "Generate Download Link" and select your desired file format. Wait a moment, and your song will download to your computer's Downloads folder.
download apple podcast from aaplmusicdownloader
Pros Cons
Ad-free. Free users can only download tracks instead of albums.
Free to use. Music can only be downloaded in MP3 and M4A formats.
The bit rate can be customized. The sample rate cannot be customized.

2. fame.so

Website: https://www.fame.so/download-apple-podcast

If you're looking for a simple way to download Apple Podcasts for offline listening, try using Fame - a user-friendly platform designed for podcast downloads. With just a few clicks, you can convert Apple Podcasts to MP3 format. However, it's important to note that free users are limited to one free podcast download per month. To download more, you'll need to upgrade to a Premium account.

💡 How to Use:

  1. Head over to the Apple Podcasts web player, browse the available shows, and select the episode you want to download.
  2. Copy the URL of the individual podcast episode, and paste the URL into the search box on the Fame website.
  3. Follow the instructions to enter your email address. The Fame team will send you a download link within an hour.
  4. Use the link to download the Apple Podcast episode to your computer.
download apple music from aaplmusicdownloader
Pros Cons
Ad-free. Free users only have one free download per month.
Free to use. Personal email address required for downloading.
No app installation is required and cross-platform compatibility Need to wait for the download email for one hour.

3. aplmate.com

APLMate is an online tool that allows you to download songs, albums, and playlists from Apple Music - for free. While this website doesn't cost anything to use, the tradeoff is that you'll encounter numerous ads during the download process.

💡 How to Use:

  • Step 1: To use APLMate, first open the website in your browser. Then, head over to the Apple Music app or web player and find the podcast you want to download. Copy the URL for the podcast.
  • Step 2: Next, paste that URL into the search box on APLMate and click "Download." Be careful here - an ad will pop up that you'll need to avoid clicking.
  • Step 3: Once the music finishes loading, click "Download" followed by "Download MP3." Your file will then be downloaded to your computer. However, keep in mind that the sound quality is limited to 126kbps, and the downloaded file will include the APLMate website name.
download apple music from aplmate
Pros Cons
Free to use. There are many ads.
Podcasts can only be downloaded in MP3 format.
Download podcasts from YouTube but not the original source.

Part 4. FAQs about Apple Podcasts Download

1. Can You Download Apple Podcasts Directly from Apple?

Yes, there is a native Apple Podcasts app that allows you to download podcast episodes directly. However, the downloaded content is stored in a proprietary format and cannot be directly exported as MP3 files. (You can only download Apple Podcast episodes to MP3 format through iTunes.)

2. Why aren’t my podcasts downloading via Apple Podcasts App?

  1. Check the internet connection (Wi-Fi or cellular data).
  2. Ensure "Download" is toggled on for the show/episode.
  3. Verify available storage on your device.
  4. Restart the Podcasts app or your device.

3. Do downloaded podcasts expire or get deleted?

Download via Apple Podcast app: yes, Apple may auto-delete downloaded episodes after you've listened to them or when your storage is low.

Download via TuneCable BeatOne: no, the downloaded podcasts will be kept on your local computer forever.

4. Why Can't I Download the Apple Podcasts App?

  • On iPhones and iPads, Apple Podcasts is a built-in app and cannot be downloaded separately from the App Store.
  • Apple Podcasts requires iOS 12 or later.
  • Apple Podcasts may not be available in some countries.
  • Check your internet connection.
  • If you have Screen Time restrictions enabled, the app might be blocked.
  • Apple Podcasts is only available on Apple devices (iPhone, iPad, Mac).

5. How to Download the Apple Podcast Transcript?

  1. Open Apple Podcasts on your iPhone, iPad, or Mac. Find the episode you want the transcript for.
  2. Check if a transcript is available: On iOS/iPadOS, tap the episode, then scroll down to the "Transcript" section; On Mac, click the episode, then look for the "Transcript" tab below the description.
  3. Tap and hold to select text, then copy and paste it into a notes app or document. On Mac, you can highlight the text, right-click, and Save as a Text File (.txt).

Video Tutorial: Download Podcasts to MP3 for Free


The Final Words

Looking for an Apple podcast downloader tool? You've got several straightforward options to choose from. The Apple Podcasts app is a natural starting point if you prefer a familiar interface. Alternatively, TuneCable BeatOne is a great tool that makes it easy to convert Apple Podcasts into various formats beyond just MP3. And if you're looking for a free online solution, there are plenty of tools that can help you download your favorite shows from the Apple Podcasts library. Simply pick the Apple Podcast downloader that best fits your needs.


Tips What's next? Download TuneCable BeatOne now!

Ava Morrison

Ava Morrison | Senior Writer

Ava Morrison has authored numerous reviews on music-related content. She specializes in seamlessly integrating streaming music services with various software and devices.