PocketCasts is the default for most Android users, and the Apple Podcast app is the default on iPhone. They’re fine, but also somewhat subpar. They’re messy, they have other cluttered features you don’t need, and ultimately don’t prioritize the two most important things: the feed and the player. Most apps also just look ugly.

With this in mind, a whole range of startup podcast apps have emerged that aim to hone in on the core experience while offering a better visual look — and this too is challenging to achieve. For example, Queue gets a lot of love in design circles for its very trimmed-down take on a podcast app. But its animations are slow, it’s fiddly to control, and it’s so focused on the titular queue that it sacrifices convenience in the player interface. It frustrated me more than it delighted me, so I ultimately uninstalled it soon after the download.

The best I’ve found, then, is Neuecast. It’s simple, clean, with an interface that puts what you need where you want it, and does little else. It has all the features you’d want — dark and light mode, sleep timers, playlist control, customizable fast-forward and rewind buttons, bookmarks, etc. — but it handles them all in a simple, clean way, with none of the stuff you don’t want.

The home page is the “New” tab, for the latest episodes in your subscription feed; the second is “Browse,” to search for new episodes and podcasts; the third is “Subscribed”; the fourth is “Library” — to check your queue, your downloaded episodes, and your recent listens — and the final is settings, where you can customize your experience. The player has all the controls you want, the title of the episode in large text, and the description just a tap or swipe away. It’s simple, intuitive, and stylish — and simply better than anything else on the market.

It’s available to download on iOS on the App Store, and can be used for free, with a paid support option adding further control customisation.