What is it? A tracker for things you want to watch, read, listen to, or play
Who is it for? Anyone who easily forgets recommendations or likes logging their favorite stuff
How much does it cost? Free, with optional premium features ($4/£4 monthly, $30/£30 yearly, or $180/£180 lifetime)
What makes it special? It’s an all-in-one media tracker that now includes a podcast player, too
We’ve written about Sofa before – it’s a big hit around here. If you’re new to Sofa, helps you organize downtime activities by dumping all the movies, TV shows, books, podcasts, and games you’re interested in onto virtual piles so you don’t forget about them. When you get around to finishing an item, it goes to the archive, which doubles as a kind of media diary for posterity.
The reason we’re revisiting this app is that a recent update added something particularly interesting: a built-in podcast player. Sofa now allows you to both keep track of and directly listen to podcasts in one place, removing the hassle of switching between apps. Once you’ve listened, episodes automatically get checked off your ‘to listen’ list, making the whole process smoother. But is the player any good?
Thankfully, the answer is yes. The podcast interface is thoughtfully designed, featuring chapter selection, clear show notes, custom playlists, and even CarPlay support. It’s has a way to go to match the best podcast apps out there, like Overcast, but if you prize simplicity there’s a lot to be said for having one less app to manage.
Sofa’s main strengths – curating personal ‘up next’ lists – are a definite boon for a podcast player, which can often get overwhelming with so many missed episodes and followed shows. If you’re used to the default iOS Podcast app, this will feel like a step up. And it’s generously included as part of Sofa’s free tier.
In short, if your media recommendations tend to pile up, Sofa is definitely worth a look – especially if you’re a podcast fan. More than ever, it gives users a practical way to cut through the clutter and actually enjoy more of what you’ve planned to listen to.