Life & fun · alternatives · 2026

24 alternatives to Match 3 - 22: The Jonathan Franzen of Podcasts

Downwell, Evan Narcisse, and a pie in a mailbox

Below are 24 products that do a similar job, ranked by how close each is in meaning and then by launch-day votes. Match 3 - 22: The Jonathan Franzen of Podcasts launched in 2015; newer entries below may have overtaken it.

1
a16z - A podcast about podcasts▲140
Discussing podcast discovery & community w/ PH & Roman Mars
2015 · soundcloud.com · its alternatives →
2
The Probe #1: The Teaser▲65
Satirical take on popular magazine-style news podcasts
2016 · podcasts.apple.com · its alternatives →
3
NTMY The Show - 1: Pieter Levels▲142
The inaugural episode of Tobias van Schneider's new podcast
2015 · vanschneider.com · its alternatives →
4
The Message - Episode 1▲64
Cyphercast, the podcast within a podcast
2015 · w.soundcloud.com · its alternatives →
5
Parasocial▲204
Listening to podcasts should be a joy. So let's get started.
Aug 2026 · parasocial.fm · its alternatives →
6
Dithering▲154
A new podcast from Ben Thompson and John Gruber
2020 · dithering.passport.online · its alternatives →
7
Bithell Games Podcast - Episode 01▲53
GOTY picks, conference planning, and reader mail
2016 · content.libsyn.com · its alternatives →
8
Longform Podcast▲78
A weekly conversation with a non-fiction writer or editor.
2014 · longform.org · its alternatives →
9
Tung▲96
A social podcast player
2016 · its alternatives →
10
Building Nexcast Part 6: What's Up With Podcasting?▲62
Many strangers give us their take on podcasting
2016 · podcasts.apple.com · its alternatives →
11
The Podglomerate▲70
A hybrid podcast network and production house
2017 · thepodglomerate.com · its alternatives →
12
3W6 – Rollenspiele und Superhelden▲60
A Biweekly German Podcast About RPGs and Storytelling
2016 · 3w6-podcast.com · its alternatives →
13
Inside Podcasting▲126
Curating the resurgence of the spoken word
2017 · inside.com · its alternatives →
14
Podcatch▲81
A good podcast listen, now.
2015 · dave.podcatch.com · its alternatives →
15
Startup - 16: The Secret Formula▲76
Gimlet Media breaks down how they produce podcasts
2015 · overcast.fm · its alternatives →
16
Hello Tech Pros: Announcing the IMDB of Podcasting▲54
Matthew Rehm from PodXRef on Entrepreneurship
2016 · gadgetsprimer.com · its alternatives →
17
Ground Ego - 9: Plata O Plomo▲60
Fun and entertaining podcast discussing current issues.
2015 · soundcloud.com · its alternatives →
18
Re/code Decode podcast▲131
Kara Swisher's weekly podcast
2015 · recode.net · its alternatives →
19
Narwhals▲64
A podcast about design, dev, business, family and fun.
2014 · its alternatives →
20
Hatching - 17: How to meet your heroes▲93
A podcast about the inner workings of Need/Want
2015 · soundcloud.com · its alternatives →
21
FiveThirtyEight - Totally Subjective Odds▲72
A pre-launch experiment for their new politics podcast
2015 · soundcloud.com · its alternatives →
22
Tim Ferriss Show - Challenging Reality w/ Eric Weinstein▲65
Quite possibly one of my favorite podcast episodes ever.
2016 · tim.blog · its alternatives →
23
Boss Jock▲99
Podcast from iOS, no PC needed
2016 · bossjockapp.com · its alternatives →
24
Hunt the Truth — S1E1: A hairline fracture▲88
The intro to Microsoft's "Serial"-style Halo podcast
2015 · soundcloud.com · its alternatives →

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Ranked by how close each launch is in meaning, then by votes. Prices were read from each product’s own site when checked and can change. Refine with your own description →