The free version of Stitcher gives you access to over 65,000 shows from almost every genre imaginable. However, if you use the app often you may want to consider subscribing to Stitcher Premium.

Like the standard version of Stitcher, Stitcher Premium works on several platforms, making it one of the podcasting options for Android and iOS users. You can also listen via a web browser.

How Much Does Stitcher Premium Cost?

Stitcher Premium costs $4.99/month or $34.99/year. Bear in mind that the Stitcher website refers to both of those as "launch prices." They're promotional rates that could eventually go up if demand dictates, so prices are correct at the time of writing.

Maybe you haven't decided whether to take the plunge and get Stitcher Premium. Fortunately, you can take it for a test drive with a free trial. When signing up for the monthly rate, the trial period lasts for one week. If you opt for the annual plan, the trial period lasts for one month.

How to Get Started on Stitcher Premium

Ready to give Premium a try? You'll find there's nothing new to download or install. If you're already a Stitcher user, tap or click the Premium button in the interface. Then, provide your details.

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Sticher uses an auto-renew feature, so you don't have to keep entering payment details. However, if you would rather pay manually, you can disable this by going to your user profile on the Stitcher website.

Select Settings and, in the Subscription Management section, look for the Auto-Renew toggle switch and turn it off. Alternatively, by clicking the Manage button next to it, you can change your payment details. Just select Update Renewal Payment Method.

Alternatively, if this process doesn't work for you, you may have to go to the Google Play store or iTunes Store to manage your Premium subscription options.

Download: Stitcher for iOS | Android (Free, Premium starting $4.99/month or $34.99/year)

Does Stitcher Plus Still Exist?

If you previously subscribed to Stitcher Plus you may want to know how Stitcher Premium affects that service. Essentially, the premium version of Stitcher replaced Stitcher Plus. It's now your only option besides having free access.

The Perks of Stitcher Premium

The most pressing questions on your mind is probably what you actually get for upgrading to Stitcher Premium.

Ad-Free Listening

The main draw is ad-free listening. Advertising is Stitcher's primary source of revenue, but because they're paying for it directly, Premium subscribers won't hear ads.

Still hearing Stitcher's ads after subscribing to Premium? Verify you have logged into the account used to pay for the service. If you recently got Premium and continue hearing ads, quit the app and then relaunch it.

Note that some podcast producers insert ads into their shows before Stitcher gets them, so yu'll still hear those even as a Premium subscriber.

Bonus Podcasts

As a Premium subscriber, you'll also get access to bonus content. For example, The Nerdist and Comedy Bang! Bang! are two comedy podcasts that will keep you laughing in public, and are among thousands of Stitcher shows. After signing up for Premium, you receive early access to new material from these podcasts.

There is so much content for Premium subscribers, you may need some advice for listening to podcasts using Stitcher to help you navigate it all.

Stitcher Premium makes it easy to take a deep dive into archived content too. Stream every episode of WTF With Marc Maron as well as all shows associated with Earwolf.

You can even check out Stitcher Originals. There are over 40 shows exclusively made for Stitcher Premium subscribers.

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If you're searching for new podcasts, look no further than Stitcher Originals. The available genres range from documentaries to audio dramas and much more. Even better, Premium subscribers get new shows and episodes every week.

In the mood to laugh? Premium subscribers can listen to a library of over 120 comedy albums. Whether you like Amy Schumer or Hannibal Buress, it's easy to find content that induces chuckles. After a stressful day, just start playing an album and enjoy transitioning into a more lighthearted mood.

Offline Listening

Perhaps you're in a place that doesn't have Wi-Fi, and you don't want to eat up your data allotment. With Premium, you can still listen to Stitcher by using the Offline Listening feature. The process for doing so varies slightly depending on your platform.

On iOS, swipe right to open the side menu. Then, pick a playlist you want to listen to without an internet connection. After finding one, tap the gear icon and go to the toggle button for Available Offline. Slide it to the right.

If you're using Android, open the menu in the upper left corner of the app. Then, choose Settings.

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After that, look for the Download Settings option and tap it. That's the section that relates to all offline listening preferences.

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You can also permit Stitcher to transfer episodes via your mobile data. The default setting is to only do so on a Wi-Fi connection. Some Download Settings options also let you enable or disable several playlists simultaneously for offline listening.

Download Podcasts Automatically

Stitcher has so many podcasts that it's almost impossible to hear all the ones that immediately interest you. Fortunately, the app has a Listen Later playlist. When you go to a show's information page, there's the option to listen now or later. If you select the latter, the content gets added to the Listen Later playlist.

Want to make the Listen Later material available offline? That's one way to get new episodes without your periodic input. Similarly, create a playlist for any podcast you follow to stay in the loop with new material. Then, activate the option to listen offline. Remember, all offline-enabled playlists update automatically.

However, Stitcher also has a setting called Refresh Automatically. It's also involved in podcast updates and downloaded content.

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If you enable Refresh Automatically in Settings, it updates Listen Later as well as any offline-enabled playlists. Otherwise, it's necessary to manually swipe and hold down on the playlist until the status bar says "Loading." That action initiates a playlist synchronization that keeps the material current.

The Refresh Automatically feature eliminates the need to manually download episodes in all but one instance. If your device's battery level goes below 15 percent, the capability disables itself until you connect to a charger to extend your device's battery life.

By using Refresh Automatically, it's easy to make sure you never miss favorite episodes. If you used an older Stitcher Android version, you might remember a Refresh All Content feature. Releases earlier than version 3.5 included that option, but it's no longer available.

However, you can simply toggle the slider for any offline playlist. During a time when there are no downloads in progress, slide the Offline Listening switch to the off position. Then, enable it again. Doing that on an Android automatically refreshes the content for all offline material.

Delete Downloaded Podcasts After Listening

If you use the Premium features outlined above, you could have a phone full of downloaded material. That's good for entertainment purposes, but not ideal when you need to use your phone for other things. Fortunately, Stitcher allows you to delete downloads after hearing them.

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First, choose Settings from the Stitcher menu. If you're using iOS, look for the Offline Settings section. On an Android, the choice is called Download Settings. Then, find the Download Heard Episodes option. Make sure the toggle switch is in the off position, which is the default setting.

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Then, go to a playlist containing episodes you want to delete. On iOS, hold down on the Play button next to an episode to mark it as heard. If using Android, find the three dots next to the episode. Tap that icon and select the option for marking as heard.

This process allows you to pick and choose episodes that no longer get downloaded with the Refresh Automatically feature during the app's next attempt. Alternatively, you can swipe down on the playlist immediately to perform a manual refresh after marking as heard.

Since the downloads don't occur, they no longer appear on your device. Once you get into the habit of marking podcasts as heard after listening, it's easy to stop the content from piling up.

Stitcher also has an option for deleting all downloads from your device. It's a good solution for freeing up space and starting from scratch.

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To activate it, go to Settings on the Stitcher menu. Then, choose either Offline Settings or Download Settings depending on your operating system. After that, look for the Clear All Downloads option.

What's Your Favorite Stitcher Premium Feature?

Maybe you've thought about subscribing to Stitcher Premium for a while. Or perhaps a podcast-loving friend can't get enough of it and is starting to influence you.

In any case, you should now have all of the information you need to know about using Stitcher Premium. Let it steer your decision, and consider enhancing your podcast listening.

What's your favorite Stitcher Premium feature? Is it all about getting rid of the ads? Or do you like the option to listen offline too? Please let us know in the comments below!