I purchased the app many years ago to support them and get complete access and functionality. In the last few years, the app has started going down the dark hole of advertising itself to paid users to switch to its subscription, and now has more recently placed a banner ad for the same. It will only be a matter of time before I, as someone who purchased the app, will be forced out. Again, I paid for the app to remove ads.
Damon Taibi
I paid full price for this app because I did not want to see ads in my podcast app. The app has now started showing ads, and it is demanding a subscription fee to hide them. Edit: apparently this app is free now. It didn't used to be. Some of us paid for it. i don't remember the exact price, but it was at least $5. Enough to expect no ads!
Jacob Peters
Long time fan and heavy user of the app. I get that you have to pay for development but adding ads to an ad free app isn't the way. I'd happily support you with a one time purchase but not at the current cost structure of the subscription. The features and value are simply not there. The app is otherwise a 5/5 and does everything you'd want it to do.
Francesco Petracca
It's a decent app and used to get the job done. I've used it for a very long time. I've paid for the full app, only to see them add subscriptions later. That's fine, I didn't need any of those features. then they started shoving the subscription features in your face. And now they've added Ads everywhere. it's stopped being the central source for my podcasts, and just an annoyance
Daniel Ungard
Switched to this app from another due to ads. Now this app, which I've used for months without issue, is showing ads in the player when it wasn't before, and specifically for their $40 a year subscription plan. I just need a basic player without fancy features and no ads. If the ads aren't removed by the end of the month, I'm finding a new podcast player.
Jason Miller
I've used this app for years and love it, but I'm now looking for a different podcast player. I have an un-closable banner ad across the top of the player window. When I try to close it, I get directed to the page to subscribe to the app. If I could pay a 1-time fee to just remove the ads and support the dev, I definitely would. But I don't have any use for the other "plus" features, and I would never consider paying a subscription fee for a podcast app.
Lindsey P
I do appreciate an app that listens to its customer base, even if it's just because they want to boost their ratings again. Going to stick with Pocket Casts for now. If you need to uninstall/reinstall the app for any reason, be prepared to lose all downloads. I figured it would have saved all of the ones you previously downloaded and you'd just have to re-download, but that's all lost. No idea which episodes of certain shows I had saved up.
Adam Davis
I used to love this app. I paid a one-time fee for it originally, but then they decided shortly after to switch to a subscription model and call me a "free" member. It's been mostly fine since then, except I don't get new features. I could overlook that. But now they're putting ads everywhere in an app that I paid lifetime price for. No thanks, I'm moving on.
Matthew
Added intrusive ads on both your feed and the podcast player with the last update. They're getting overly greedy by having ads on these pages, plus sponsored posts on the Discover page, plus asking for a subscription fee. BTW, I paid a one-time fee for the premium app a long time ago and I guess that's just null and void?? Eh, I guess that's just way of world these days with tech. Look up "ensh#ttification." That's what's happening here.
R Otto
The decline continues. I loved this app so much that I paid for it way back when. When they switched to a subscription service after that, I was annoyed but continued to use it anyway. The app has only gotten worse since then. Frequent freezes and crashing, along with the introduction of adverts, is driving me away from this app. Unfortunate.
