Best True Crime Podcasts: What Changed and How to Judge a Show

Updates beat reprints. This is an update.

This list covers ten shows with the Care Standard. Working as a full-service podcast production agency, we reopened each show on its live Apple page, noted what moved and drafted new sections.

Below you will find what changed, a refreshed comparison, notes on each show and a few ways to choose between them.

What changed since this list was last updated

I rechecked all ten shows on their live Apple Podcasts pages on October 12, 2026. Most are healthy. A few details have moved, and one has changed shape.

• Bear Brook returns. Apple says new Season 3 episodes start October 21, 2026. The season follows a Christmas tree farmer who vanishes and whose wife never reports him missing.
• Serial is in its seventeenth season. The current season, The Last 12 Weeks, follows a capital defense team trying to stop an execution, according to Apple.
• In the Dark is on Season 7, titled The Journey, with five episodes listed.
• Tenfold More Wicked now sits inside a different feed. The Apple page for the old link is titled Wicked Words, an interview show hosted by Kate Winkler Dawson, and describes Tenfold More Wicked as a limited series inside it.

That last point matters for readers. Say a list calls a show a single historical case with short episodes. The link then opens an interview feed of about an hour. The list has failed you. I call this the Moved Feed problem, and the fix is to open the link before you recommend it.

The quick comparison, refreshed

 

Counts and lengths are Apple snapshots from October 12, 2026 and shift weekly. Some pages list slightly different counts in different places, so use them for scale.

Refreshed notes on the ten shows

1. Serial

Sarah Koenig and Dana Chivvis host the show. Apple says it began in 2014 as a spinoff of This American Life and has been part of the New York Times Company since 2020. The page shows a 4.5 rating from 75,175 ratings.

Each season takes on one story. Season 17 is listed with main episodes of about 31 to 46 minutes, so a season fits a short commute habit. Listen on Apple Podcasts.

2. In the Dark

Madeleine Baran leads a series that Apple calls award-winning investigative journalism. Past seasons include the Jacob Wetterling case and the six trials of Curtis Flowers.

The listing shows a 4.6 rating from 28,096 ratings and says the show has won a Pulitzer Prize for audio, three Peabody Awards and a George Polk Award. Season 7 episodes run about 51 to 59 minutes. Listen on Apple Podcasts.

3. Criminal

Phoebe Judge hosts weekly stories about people who have done wrong, been wronged or been caught somewhere in between. The page counts about 497 episodes and a 4.7 score from some 36,700 raters.

Most full episodes run about 36 to 51 minutes, which suits listeners who want a finished story in one sitting. A paid tier offers bonus episodes and an ad-free feed. Listen on Apple Podcasts.

4. Bear Brook

NHPR’s series by Jason Moon has three seasons. Season 1 covers two barrels, four bodies and a cold case. Season 2 follows a man serving life for a murder he says he did not commit.

The page shows a 4.8 rating from 15,393 ratings and a Clean content rating. Season 3 starts October 21, 2026, so this is the best moment to start from the beginning. Listen on Apple Podcasts.

5. Suspect

Suspect is an investigative series about wrongful convictions and the choices made by police, lawyers and jurors. Season 3 follows Leon Benson, who served 24 years for a 1998 murder, as attorney Lara Bazelon works to overturn the conviction.

Apple shows 31 episodes across three seasons, a 4.2 rating from 6,225 ratings and episodes of about 22 to 41 minutes. The page shows no release dates, so check how recent the latest season is. Listen on Apple Podcasts.

6. Crime Junkie

Ashley Flowers and Brit Prawat cover well-known and underreported cases, including cold cases and missing persons, with a new episode each Monday. Apple lists 532 episodes and about 365,000 ratings at 4.7.

That is the largest rating count of the ten. Recent episodes range from 31 minutes to 1 hour 50 minutes, so check the length before you press play. Listen on Apple Podcasts.

7. Crimetown

Marc Smerling and Zachary Stuart-Pontier examine the culture of crime in a different city each season. Season 2 covers Detroit from 1971, including police misconduct, the heroin trade and political scandal.

Apple shows 54 episodes across two seasons and a 4.7 rating from 14,093 ratings. The page shows no release dates, so treat it as a finished archive, not a weekly feed. Listen on Apple Podcasts.

8. You’re Wrong About

Sarah Marshall and Michael Hobbes revisit people and events the public has misunderstood. The page lists 354 episodes, a biweekly schedule and a 4.5 rating from 22,001 ratings.

Episodes lately last from roughly 63 minutes to nearly 2 hours 20 minutes, and the newest listed one is dated September 29. It suits listeners who like a rethink more than a mystery. Listen on Apple Podcasts.

9. My Favorite Murder

Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark share true crime stories and hometown stories from friends and listeners. Apple describes it as a true crime comedy show, with about 1,200 episodes and a 4.6 rating from 171,059 ratings.

Shown episodes range from 17 minutes to 1 hour 47 minutes, with most between 20 minutes and an hour. The page lists semiweekly updates. Listen on Apple Podcasts.

10. Wicked Words, home of Tenfold More Wicked

Kate Winkler Dawson interviews journalists, podcasters and authors about the stories behind their investigations. Apple lists 299 episodes, a biweekly schedule and a 4.8 rating from 6,990 ratings.

The limited series Tenfold More Wicked is now part of this feed, according to the page. Recent episodes run about 54 minutes to 1 hour 5 minutes. Update your link text if the old list calls this a single case series. Listen on Apple Podcasts.

The Source Ladder: how to judge a true crime show

True crime is not one kind of show. Some programs report from court records and interviews. Others retell a case from public coverage. Others add jokes. I use a ladder with four rungs to describe how much a show relies on original reporting.

• Rung one: original investigation. The team interviews people, reads records and tests claims. In the Dark and Suspect describe themselves this way on Apple.
• Rung two: narrative retelling with research. A host builds a story from public sources and interviews. Criminal and Serial often sit between rung one and rung two.
• Rung three: case summaries. A host tells a case in one episode from public coverage. Crime Junkie describes well-known and underreported cases this way.
• Rung four: conversation. Hosts share stories and reactions. My Favorite Murder calls itself a true crime comedy show.

The ladder is not a ranking of quality. A rung four show can be a fine companion. A rung one show can be heavy going. Match the show to your mood. If you want to learn what happened, climb up. If you want company, go down.

Here is the counterintuitive part. The most reported shows are not the most downloaded. Crime Junkie has about 365,000 Apple ratings, while In the Dark has about 28,000. Popularity tracks habit and format, not depth, so a long rating count tells you little about sourcing.

Who listens, and what they want

True crime is a mainstream habit. The Edison Research True Crime Consumer Report, published by SSRS, found that 42% of Americans aged 13 and over are true crime podcast listeners, an estimated 119 million people. It also found that 22% of weekly podcast listeners listen to the genre, the third most listened-to genre.

The same report says 89% of weekly listeners have binged true crime podcasts, and 57% of listeners find the stories fascinating. The page does not give a release date for the report, so check Edison’s original before you cite it.

A related survey, covered by Inside Radio, found that 32% of listeners would be much more interested in a victim-centered podcast. It also found that 55% have shared details of a crime to raise awareness. Those numbers show why care and accuracy matter for any show that covers real people.

Podcasts like Serial: where to go next

Many readers want podcasts like Serial after a season ends. This list holds close matches. The best one depends on what you loved.

 

I would start with the show that fits why you liked Serial. If the heavy stories wear you out, move down the Source Ladder.

True crime podcast series, long-form shows and subscriptions

The top true crime podcasts come in very different sizes. A true crime podcast series like Crimetown has 54 episodes. Serial has 134 episodes across 17 seasons. Pick by size for a clear finish line.

The best long form true crime podcasts here are You’re Wrong About and In the Dark. You’re Wrong About runs about 63 minutes to nearly 2 hours 20 minutes. In the Dark Season 7 runs about 51 to 59 minutes. Both reward a quiet hour.

Popularity is another measure. The most popular true crime podcasts by Apple rating count are Crime Junkie at about 365,000, My Favorite Murder at 171,059 and Criminal at about 36,700. A big count shows habit, not sourcing.

A true crime podcast subscription is optional on this list. Criminal’s Apple page lists a paid tier with bonus episodes and an ad-free feed. I could not confirm pricing for every show. Check each page before you pay.

Season shows and weekly shows: choose by habit

Format decides whether you will keep listening. Season shows give you a full story in a few weeks. Weekly shows give you a steady habit with no end.

 

The Binge Burnout is the common mistake. A listener starts a heavy investigative season, plays six hours in two days and then drops the genre for months. Mix heavy seasons with a lighter show.

Bear Brook’s Season 3 premiere on October 21, 2026 is a useful test. If you start Season 1 this week, you can finish before new episodes arrive. If you wait, you will catch up with the pace of release.

What these shows teach people who make narrative audio

The strongest true crime shows share craft habits. They plan seasons before they record. They use a small number of clear voices. They treat music and silence as part of the story, and they edit hard for pace.

If your company is thinking about narrative audio, the same discipline applies. Our team builds narrative shows, and our narrative podcast production service describes how that work runs. Careful podcast editing is the step that separates a strong season from a slow one, and good recording habits protect the raw material. See the cost of a B2B podcast for budget planning.

One caution is worth stating. A brand show should not borrow the tone of a crime show to sell something. Real cases involve real victims. If you want suspense in a business show, find it in a decision or a mistake, not a tragedy.

More lists in the same style

If you like how this page sorts shows, try our lists of history podcasts, comedy podcasts and political podcasts. Each one uses live Apple pages and states what could not be checked.

What I cannot tell you

I cannot tell you which show handles its subject with the most care. I read the Apple descriptions, not every episode, and a listing is not an audit. Ratings reflect fan scores.

I also cannot promise the numbers will stay the same. Apple pages change weekly, and two shows on this list have inconsistent counts or schedules on their own pages. Open the link, check the newest episode and then decide.

Conclusion

A good true crime list is a living list. Shows start new seasons, change feeds and go quiet. Checking dates keeps a list useful.

Open each link, check the newest episode and pick by habit: finished seasons, weekly cases or friendly conversation. If you want help planning narrative audio of your own, book a call to talk through formats with our team.

Strategy-first. Production second. Growth always.

Sources

• Apple Podcasts, Serial (checked Oct 12, 2026)
• Apple Podcasts, In the Dark (checked Oct 12, 2026)
• Apple Podcasts, Criminal (checked Oct 12, 2026)
• Apple Podcasts, Bear Brook (checked Oct 12, 2026)
• Apple Podcasts, Suspect (checked Oct 12, 2026)
• Apple Podcasts, Crime Junkie (checked Oct 12, 2026)
• Apple Podcasts, Crimetown (checked Oct 12, 2026)
• Apple Podcasts, You’re Wrong About (checked Oct 12, 2026)
• Apple Podcasts, My Favorite Murder (checked Oct 12, 2026)
• Apple Podcasts, Wicked Words (Tenfold More Wicked) (checked Oct 12, 2026)
• SSRS, Edison Research True Crime Consumer Report (checked Oct 12, 2026)
• Inside Radio, Survey finds many true crime podcast listeners are focused on victims (checked Oct 12, 2026)