Adding Your Feed to a Podcast App
Your private feed URL works in any podcast app that supports subscribing by URL. This page covers the most common apps. If your app isn’t listed, look for an option called “Add by URL,” “Add feed,” or “Custom RSS” — the process is the same.
Finding Your Feed URL
Your feed URL is in two places:
- Your welcome email — sent automatically when you first subscribed
- Your subscriber account page — your host’s site has an account page where you can copy your URL and reset it if needed
Your URL looks something like:
https://[yourhost].com/podcast-feed/?token=a1b2c3d4...
It’s long. Use the copy button on the account page or the QR code rather than typing it.
Apple Podcasts (IPhone, IPad, Mac)
Using a deep link (easiest):
On your subscriber account page, tap Open in Apple Podcasts. The app opens and asks you to confirm the subscription.
Manually:
- Open Apple Podcasts
- Tap Search
- Scroll to the bottom and tap Add a Podcast by URL
- Paste your feed URL
- Tap Subscribe
Overcast (IPhone, IPad)
Using a deep link:
Tap Open in Overcast on your subscriber account page.
Manually:
- Open Overcast
- Tap + in the top right
- Tap Add URL
- Paste your feed URL
- Tap Add
Pocket Casts (IPhone, Android, Web)
Using a deep link:
Tap Open in Pocket Casts on your subscriber account page.
Manually:
- Open Pocket Casts
- Tap the Discover tab
- Tap the search bar
- Tap Add a private podcast by URL
- Paste your feed URL
- Tap Subscribe
Podcast Addict (Android)
- Open Podcast Addict
- Tap + in the bottom right
- Tap RSS feed
- Paste your feed URL
- Tap the search icon
Spotify
Spotify does not support private subscriber-authenticated podcast feeds. Your feed URL will not work in Spotify. This is a Spotify platform limitation, not a Benecaster issue.
If your host also publishes a free public podcast feed, that feed can be added to Spotify through Spotify’s standard podcast submission process.
Other Apps
Most podcast apps support custom RSS URLs. Look for one of these options:
- “Add by URL”
- “Add feed”
- “Custom RSS”
- “Add private podcast”
Paste your full feed URL — token included — exactly as it appears on your account page.
Removing and Re-adding Your Feed
If you need to reset your feed URL (for example, if you believe it’s been shared with someone who shouldn’t have it), you’ll need to:
- Reset your token on the subscriber account page
- Remove the old feed from your podcast app (delete/unsubscribe)
- Add the new URL from the account page
Your episode history in the app is stored locally — you won’t lose track of which episodes you’ve listened to, but the app may show episodes as unplayed again after re-adding.
Deep Links
The subscriber account page shows direct links to open your feed in major podcast apps. Tapping a link opens the app with your feed URL pre-filled — you don’t need to copy and paste. The URL schemes used:
| App | URL scheme |
|---|---|
| Apple Podcasts | podcast:// |
| Overcast | overcast://x-callback-url/add?url= |
| Pocket Casts | pktc://subscribe/ |
| Castro | castro://subscribe/ |
Spotify does not support private subscriber-authenticated feeds. If your host has submitted a public podcast feed to Spotify, the account page shows a link to your show’s Spotify page — but Spotify users cannot access your private feed content there.
QR Codes
The subscriber account page includes downloadable QR codes for your private feed after your feed URL is revealed or reset. Useful for:
- Scanning with a podcast app’s built-in QR scanner
- Sharing your feed at a live event without reading out a long URL
- Printed cards or show notes
Download formats:
| Format | Size | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| SVG | 50 mm × 50 mm (vector, any scale) | Professional print — business cards, posters, print-on-demand |
| PNG | 1000 × 1000 px (~300 DPI up to ~8.4 cm) | Digital use, simpler print applications |
The display size of the QR code on your account page is separate from the download dimensions — the size attribute on [benecaster_qr_code] controls how large it appears on screen (default 200 px, range 80–1000 px). Download files are always full quality regardless of display size.
To show only one download button, use the format attribute on the shortcode:
[benecaster_qr_code show_id="3" format="svg"] <!-- SVG button only -->
[benecaster_qr_code show_id="3" format="png"] <!-- PNG button only -->
