Spanish podcasts
The Spanish podcasts worth your time are Coffee Break Spanish and the Duolingo Spanish Podcast for beginners, Notes in Spanish and Hoy Hablamos for intermediate listeners, and Españolistos once you can follow a whole episode in Spanish.
Most are free to listen to; transcripts and extra episodes are often for paying members. Not sure of your level? Take the free 2-minute Spanish test and start one step below the result.
Checked October 2026 · 11 listed
Quick answers
| Best for beginners | Coffee Break Spanish Season 1 (free podcast) or the Duolingo Spanish Podcast, stories told in easy Spanish with English narration. |
|---|---|
| Best for intermediate | Notes in Spanish (free episodes by level) or Hoy Hablamos, an all-Spanish daily show with two tracks by level. |
| Best for advanced | Españolistos (free, 500+ episodes with transcripts) and the Advanced level of News in Slow Spanish. |
| With transcripts | Españolistos and Unlimited Spanish publish transcripts; Hoy Hablamos and News in Slow Spanish keep full transcripts for paying members. |
| Prices checked | Paid plans on each listing were read on the official site on 10 October 2026 and are dated there. |
Ranked, our picks first
- Coffee Break Spanish
A friendly podcast course from zero, free to listen; course materials sold by season.
Free tierlisteninggrammar 
Duolingo Spanish PodcastFree true stories in easy Spanish with English help; a 151-episode archive, possibly no longer updated.
Freelistening- Notes in Spanish
Natural conversations by level, free to listen; worksheets and courses sold separately.
Free tierlistening - Hoy Hablamos
An all-Spanish daily podcast for intermediate learners; transcripts with Premium.
Free tierlistening - Españolistos
A free all-Spanish podcast with transcripts for upper intermediate learners.
Free tierlistening 
SpanishPod101A huge library of short Spanish lessons; the free account is enough to see whether it suits you.
Free tierlisteningvocabulary- News in Slow Spanish
Weekly news read slowly at three levels, in a Spain or Latin American edition; from $6.90 a month.
Free tierlisteningvocabulary - Unlimited Spanish
A long-running podcast with transcripts, plus paid courses by level.
Free tierlistening - Spanish Obsessed
A beginner-friendly podcast with paid Foundations courses; Foundations 1 $99.
Free tierlistening - Easy Spanish
Real people interviewed in the street, with subtitles; free on YouTube.
Free tierlistening 
Spanish with AlejandraOne real Latin American Spanish conversation a week by email, with the phrases your app skipped.
Free tierlistening
How to choose a Spanish podcast
Choose by how much of an episode you follow without reading. Under half and you are listening to noise; over ninety per cent and you are not learning much. The sweet spot is about two thirds.
Beginners do best with a show that explains in English: Coffee Break Spanish, the Duolingo Spanish Podcast or SpanishPod101's short lessons. From B1, switch to all-Spanish shows such as Hoy Hablamos or Españolistos, and replay the same episode instead of always moving on.
Check the accent too. Hoy Hablamos is Spain Spanish; News in Slow Spanish sells a Spain and a Latin American edition; each listing says what we found. None of that matters much at first, but it helps to know what you are hearing.
Podcasts, listening apps or video?
Podcasts are the cheapest way to get hours of Spanish into your ears on a commute. Video with Spanish subtitles is easier to follow at first: see Spanish YouTube channels and comprehensible input for Spanish. For a mix of both with tools, see Spanish listening practice.
How we rank
We rank apps by who they genuinely suit, what they cost, and how much they help with the skill learners neglect most: understanding real spoken Spanish. Every price and fact was checked on the product's own site or app store listing on the date shown; where a price is not published we say so and what is free. Nobody pays to be listed or ranked, and there are no affiliate links. More about this site.
Questions
What is the best podcast to learn Spanish?
For beginners, Coffee Break Spanish. For intermediate learners, Notes in Spanish or Hoy Hablamos. For advanced learners, Españolistos, which is free and long-running.
Are there Spanish podcasts for beginners?
Yes. Coffee Break Spanish Season 1 starts from zero and explains in English, and the Duolingo Spanish Podcast tells true stories in easy Spanish with English narration.
Are there Spanish podcasts with transcripts?
Españolistos and Unlimited Spanish publish transcripts free. Hoy Hablamos and News in Slow Spanish keep full transcripts for paying members.
Can you learn Spanish just by listening to podcasts?
Podcasts train your ear and build vocabulary, but they do not correct you. Pair one with a course or a tutor, and listen to the same episode more than once.