PodFinder
PodFinder is a chatbot on Facebook Messenger that makes podcast recommendations. You can ask it for shows in a specific category, and if you're new to podcasting, the bot will give you a few options by genre.
The PodFinder team says it listens to every show before adding it to the database. It's also a big fan of sending GIFs, so be prepared to get plenty of those along with podcast recommendations.
Discover Pods
Discover Pods mixes podcast recommendations with reviews for those wanting an in-depth description of a show before committing. It also provides industry news for podcast enthusiasts.
Users can sort shows by looking at top charts, category lists, and award winners.
PodSearch
PodSearch is a website and app that sorts podcast recommendations into lists like chart-toppers and new releases.
PodSearch also has a large category index, which lets users choose from podcast genres they might not even know exist. A feature called MyPodSearch finds recommendations based on categories and lets you search by keyword to refine your search.
Listeners can access clips from shows, and for those who sign up, a bookmark feature saves favorites for later.
Breaker
Breaker is a podcast discovery app with a social component. Users can follow their friends on the app, send and share podcasts on social media, chat in the app, and create playlists.
Breaker also has a "sleep timer" option that stops a podcast after a certain amount of time or at the end of a show for users who fall asleep while listening.
Spkr
Spkr is a new app that autoplays short clips from mainstream and independent podcasts that users can skip, listen to in full, or save for later.
Business Insider beta tested the app and talked with founder Andy Schuon about how it works to facilitate podcast discovery.