When discussing podcast apps, Pocket Casts invariably comes up as one of the best out there. But while its Android and iOS apps are highly rated, Pocket Casts, unfortunately, hasn't really had a desktop presence outside of its web player. Today, however, developer Shifty Jelly has upped the ante by launching a Pocket Casts desktop app in beta on the Microsoft Store (via Thurrott).

Pocket Casts desktop appears to be a hosted web app, which may come as a disappointment to some. However, the app feels snappy and fluid enough that the experience of using doesn't feel much different from using a native app. Inside, you'll find plenty of the same features offered by Pocket Casts across other platforms, such as variable speed controls, a dark theme, and a tracker for your listening stats. And if you're listening across different devices, your progress for each podcast will sync back to the desktop app so you can pick up where you left off.

The only catch here is that Pocket Casts desktop isn't free, even if you've bought the app on iOS or Android. While you can download the app for free from the Microsoft Store, you have to pay a $9 fee to access the Pocket Casts web app, which will then flag your account and allow you to sign in with the desktop app.

If you want to give Pocket Casts a shot, you can sign up with an account at the Pocket Casts website and grab the app now from the Microsoft Store.

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