The 19 Best True Crime Podcasts (2026)

Crime Junkie is the true crime podcast that became a phenomenon, and its audience skews heavily female for good reason. Host Ashley Flowers does the deep research -- combing through court records, interviewing families, tracking down leads -- and then presents each case to co-host Brit Prawat in a conversational storytelling format. It feels like your friend telling you about a case she's been obsessing over, except your friend is a meticulous investigator.

New episodes drop every Monday, running anywhere from 28 minutes to over 90 minutes depending on the case. The show covers cold cases, missing persons, and underreported crimes that often don't get mainstream media attention. Some of their most compelling episodes have actually helped generate new leads in real investigations, and Ashley has become a genuine advocate for victims' families. With nearly 500 episodes, a 4.7-star rating from an astonishing 361,000+ reviews, Crime Junkie sits at the top of true crime podcasting for a reason. The pacing is tight, the research is thorough, and Ashley knows exactly when to let a detail land without over-explaining it. Recent standout episodes include deep investigations like the Rachel Hansen case and a lengthy interview with Elizabeth Smart. If you've ever stayed up past midnight reading about an unsolved case, this podcast was made for you.

Serial changed what people thought a podcast could be. Produced by Serial Productions and The New York Times, each season takes a single story and reports it out over the course of multiple episodes, building tension and revealing new details with every installment. The first season famously reexamined a 1999 murder case in Baltimore, but the show has since covered everything from a prisoner of war controversy to institutional failures in a university hospital system. The pacing is deliberate and the research is thorough, which makes it genuinely absorbing during long stretches of highway. Teens who are old enough for serious journalism will find themselves leaning in, and the cliffhanger structure of each episode means nobody in the car will want to stop listening when you pull into a rest stop. Serial has won a Peabody Award and is widely credited with launching the modern podcast boom. With over a dozen seasons in the archive now, there is plenty of material to fill multiple road trips. The storytelling strikes a careful balance between accessibility and depth, making it easy for the whole family to follow along even if some members are hearing the story for the first time. Parents and teens alike tend to come away with strong opinions, which makes for lively conversation once the episode ends and the car goes quiet.

Alaina Urquhart works as an autopsy technician. Ash Kelley is a hairstylist. Together, they created Morbid in 2018 and it has since become one of the most popular mystery and true crime podcasts anywhere, with 848 episodes and a staggering 97,000-plus reviews on Apple Podcasts. The show blends true crime deep dives, creepy history, and paranormal investigations with a conversational dynamic that feels like eavesdropping on two friends who happen to be obsessed with the macabre. Alaina brings forensic knowledge from her day job, which adds a level of detail you simply will not get from hosts without that background. Ash provides humor and emotional reactions that keep episodes from becoming clinical. They release new episodes twice a week, covering everything from notorious serial killers to haunted locations to historical oddities. The tone is explicitly casual -- they joke around, go on tangents, and bring genuine personality to dark subject matter. That approach has drawn some criticism from listeners who prefer a more serious treatment, and the show's 4.4-star average reflects that divide. But the massive audience speaks for itself. Recent episodes have covered topics like the Perron family haunting and various cold case deep dives. The show is now distributed through SiriusXM Podcasts, with a premium subscription offering ad-free access. If you like your mysteries served with a side of dark humor and real chemistry between hosts, Morbid delivers consistently.

My Favorite Murder essentially created the true crime comedy genre when Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark started recording in 2016. The concept is simple: two friends sit down, each tells the other about a murder or crime that fascinates them, and they react in real time with a mix of horror, humor, and genuine empathy. It sounds like it shouldn't work, but over 1,100 episodes and 170,000 Apple Podcasts ratings later, the formula clearly resonates.

Karen is a comedian and writer, Georgia a television personality, and their dynamic feels genuinely unscripted. They go on tangents about their personal lives, their cats, their therapy sessions — and then pivot seamlessly into the details of a serial killer case. The phrase "Stay Sexy and Don't Get Murdered" became a cultural catchphrase and the title of their bestselling book.

The show spawned the Exactly Right podcast network, which now produces dozens of shows across true crime, comedy, and pop culture. MFM itself releases episodes twice a week, including full-length episodes and "minisodes" featuring listener-submitted hometown crime stories. The community aspect — the "Murderino" fanbase — has become its own phenomenon with local meetup groups and fan conventions.

At a 4.6-star rating, the show maintains strong audience support despite being nearly a decade old. The early episodes are looser and rougher around the edges, while recent seasons feature tighter production and more researched cases. It's not for purists who want strict factual reporting, but for people who want to process dark subject matter with humor and humanity, MFM practically invented the space.

Casefile True Crime has been the gold standard for mystery and crime podcasting since its debut in 2016. The host remains anonymous by choice, and that decision shapes the entire show -- there is no personality cult here, just meticulously researched cases presented with the kind of discipline most podcasts cannot match. Across 481 episodes, the show has covered everything from small-town disappearances to international crime rings, always drawing from original police records, court transcripts, and media archives. The narration is fully scripted, which gives each episode a polished, almost documentary quality. Episodes run anywhere from 30 minutes to over 90 for multi-part cases, and they release weekly with the occasional bonus installment. The anonymous host is Australian, and the show started with Australian cases before expanding globally. That international scope is one of its real strengths -- you will hear about crimes from Japan, Scandinavia, South America, and places that rarely show up on American-centric podcasts. The production team includes dedicated researchers and writers like Milly Raso and Elsha McGill, with Mike Migas handling production and music. The show carries a 4.7-star rating from nearly 33,000 reviews on Apple Podcasts, which puts it in rare company. A Casefile Premium subscription offers ad-free episodes a week early, plus the companion show Behind the Files. If you want your mysteries told straight, without banter or filler, this is the benchmark.

Stephanie Soo built her YouTube following through mukbang videos and eating challenges, then pivoted into true crime storytelling with Rotten Mango and somehow made it one of the biggest podcasts on YouTube. With 509 episodes and a 4.8-star rating from over 25,500 reviews, the show covers dark crimes from around the world with an emphasis on psychological analysis and cases that Western media tends to overlook. Stephanie has a knack for finding stories from South Korea, Japan, India, and other countries that English-speaking audiences rarely hear about. Her research is thorough, and she presents cases in a narrative style that keeps you hooked even when the subject matter is genuinely disturbing. The tone walks an interesting line. Stephanie is naturally bubbly and conversational, which creates a strange contrast with the heavy topics she covers. Some listeners love that juxtaposition, finding it makes the content more approachable. Others find it jarring. The show releases weekly with episodes running about 60 to 90 minutes. Recent coverage has included multi-part series on cults and exclusive interviews with people involved in high-profile cases. If you are a true crime fan who has heard every American case covered a hundred times already, Rotten Mango opens up a whole world of international stories you probably do not know about.

True Crime Obsessed takes true crime documentaries and turns them into something you would actually want to watch with your funniest friends. Hosts Gillian Pensavalle and Patrick Hinds recap docs with what they call humor, sass, and heart -- and Vulture once noted the show was so funny it nearly caused a listener to crash their car. That is the vibe.

The format is simple but effective: Gillian and Patrick watch a true crime documentary, then sit down to recap it scene by scene, reacting to the evidence, the suspects, the investigators, and the production choices. Their chemistry is sharp and natural, built on a friendship that started long before the podcast launched in 2017. Nearly 600 episodes later, the catalog is enormous, covering everything from Netflix originals to obscure festival docs.

The show has a 4.2-star rating from an impressive 34,700 reviews, which reflects a passionate but somewhat divided audience. Loyal fans adore the personality-driven format and consider Gillian and Patrick essential viewing companions for any crime documentary. Some listeners have noted that the show has drifted toward more personal commentary and less crime content in recent years.

True Crime Obsessed spawned the Obsessed Network, and the hosts have expanded to YouTube with full video episodes. They also run an active Patreon with over 400 bonus ad-free episodes and virtual events for subscribers. It fills a specific gap: if you already watch true crime documentaries and want two genuinely entertaining people to process them with afterward, this is that show.

Kendall Rae built a massive following on YouTube covering true crime cases, and her podcast takes that same empathetic, victim-centered approach to audio. With 276 episodes and a semiweekly release schedule, the show has grown quickly since launching in 2022, pulling in a 4.6-star rating from nearly 6,000 reviews on Apple Podcasts.

What makes Kendall stand out in a crowded field is her genuine commitment to advocacy. She does not just recount the details of a case and move on. She actively works with the families of victims, raises money for related causes, and uses her platform to bring attention to cases that have gone cold or received minimal media coverage. It gives the show a sense of purpose that goes beyond entertainment.

Each episode runs between 40 minutes and over an hour, with Kendall narrating solo in a calm, measured tone that never feels sensationalized. She covers everything from high-profile murders to lesser-known disappearances, and her research is thorough enough that even listeners familiar with a case usually learn something new. The production through Mile Higher Media and Audioboom Studios is clean, though listeners consistently mention that the ad load can be heavy.

Her background as a content creator means she knows how to hold attention and pace a story. She does not rush through facts or pad episodes with filler. If you appreciate true crime coverage that treats victims as people rather than plot points, and you want a host who genuinely cares about the outcomes of the cases she covers, this is one of the more thoughtful options in the genre right now.

Dateline NBC has been a staple of investigative journalism on television since 1992, and the podcast version brings that same meticulous reporting into your earbuds. Hosted by Lester Holt and featuring correspondents like Andrea Canning and Keith Morrison (whose voice alone could narrate your grocery list and make it sound sinister), the show covers everything from cold cases to wrongful convictions to high-profile murder investigations.

With over 800 episodes and counting, there is a staggering amount of content here. New episodes drop daily, which means you will never run out of material. The format varies -- some episodes are standalone deep-dives into a single case, while others are multi-part series like "Murder & Magnolias" or "The Girl in the Blue Mustang" that unfold over several installments. There are also "Talking Dateline" episodes where producers and correspondents revisit old cases and share behind-the-scenes details about how stories came together.

What sets Dateline apart from indie true crime podcasts is the sheer production muscle behind it. NBC's resources mean real interviews with law enforcement, families, and sometimes even the accused. The reporting feels grounded and responsible rather than sensationalized. It sits at a 4.4-star rating from nearly 40,000 reviews on Apple Podcasts. If you grew up watching Dateline on Friday nights, the podcast is a natural extension of that experience. And if you didn't, it is still one of the most reliable sources of well-researched true crime storytelling out there.

Nic and the Captain have been cracking beers and talking about unsolved murders since 2015, and honestly, the format hasn't changed much, which is part of the charm. Each week they pick a case (sometimes stretched over two or three episodes), crack open a craft beer they rate and review, and walk through what's known. The appeal is less about breaking new ground and more about hanging out with two friends who've clearly done their homework. Nic handles most of the narrative heavy lifting while the Captain interjects with questions, theories, and the occasional bad joke. They're not journalists, they're not pretending to be, and they're refreshingly upfront about that. Cases range from well-known names like the West Memphis Three to obscure regional mysteries that barely made local news. Episodes usually run around an hour, with a loose, conversational rhythm that makes long drives disappear. The beer reviews are a quirky but genuine part of the show, usually featured at the top before things turn grim. With over a thousand episodes in the archive, newcomers have plenty to chew on, and the back catalog holds up. It's comfort listening for the true crime crowd, even when the subject matter is anything but comfortable.

Small Town Murder is what happens when two stand-up comedians decide to turn their attention to the darkest corners of small-town America. James Pietragallo and Jimmie Whisman pick a small town each week, give you a full demographic breakdown -- population, median income, Yelp reviews of local restaurants, the works -- and then reveal a murder that happened there. The comedy comes from the absurdity of the setting and the strange details of each case, never at the expense of the victims.

The show has been running since 2017 and has produced over 680 episodes, with new ones dropping on Wednesdays and Fridays. James does the bulk of the research and storytelling while Jimmie reacts in real time, and that dynamic creates genuinely funny moments even when the subject matter is heavy. They are respectful about the actual crimes but absolutely merciless when it comes to the perpetrators and the bizarre circumstances surrounding small-town life.

This is one of the highest-rated true crime podcasts on Apple Podcasts, sitting at 4.9 stars from over 74,000 ratings. That is not a fluke. The show has also expanded to Netflix with a video version. If the idea of mixing true crime with sharp comedy sounds appealing, or if you have ever wondered what really goes on behind the picket fences of towns with populations under 20,000, Small Town Murder delivers exactly that. James and Jimmie also host Crime In Sports, which applies the same formula to athletes who have gone wrong.

Murder With My Husband has a premise that sounds like a sitcom pitch: Payton Moreland is obsessed with true crime, and her husband Garrett wants nothing to do with it. So naturally they made a podcast together. Payton researches and presents each case while Garrett listens and reacts as someone who would honestly rather be doing anything else. That tension -- one host deeply invested, the other slightly horrified -- creates a dynamic that feels surprisingly natural and entertaining.

The show has grown into a legitimate force since launching, with over 440 episodes and a presence across Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, Twitch, and even Netflix. New episodes come out weekly. Payton handles the storytelling with clear, well-organized summaries of each case, and Garrett's reactions range from genuine shock to dark humor. Their dog Daisy makes occasional cameo appearances and has become something of a mascot among listeners.

With a 4.8-star rating from nearly 18,000 reviews, the audience clearly connects with the husband-and-wife format. It works because the relationship feels real -- there is playful bickering, inside jokes, and moments where Garrett genuinely cannot believe what he is hearing. The show covers a wide range of cases, from well-known headline crimes to stories you have probably never encountered. If you want true crime that feels like eavesdropping on a couple's very specific date night, this one nails it.

John Allen, better known as MrBallen, built one of the biggest YouTube channels in the true crime and mystery space before bringing his storytelling to podcast form. The result is exactly what you would expect from someone who perfected the art of the 20-minute creepy story: tight pacing, vivid details, and a narrator who knows how to build tension without overdoing it. His background as a former Navy SEAL gives him a matter-of-fact delivery that makes even the most outlandish stories feel grounded.

Episodes run 25 to 40 minutes and cover cases that span true crime, unexplained disappearances, bizarre accidents, and stories that are just plain strange. New episodes land on Mondays, with bonus remastered episodes from his YouTube catalog dropping on Thursdays. The podcast has over 440 episodes and maintains a 4.9-star rating from nearly 28,000 Apple Podcasts reviews, which puts it in rare company.

What makes MrBallen stand out from other true crime narrators is his ability to tell a story like he is sitting across from you at a campfire. There is no co-host, no banter, no tangents -- just one person telling you something unbelievable that actually happened. He picks cases that often have a supernatural or unexplained element alongside the criminal ones, so the show appeals to a broader audience than strictly true crime fans. If you like your stories strange and your narration rock-solid, MrBallen is hard to beat.

Carter Roy has one of those voices you settle into like a worn leather chair, and Murder: True Crime Stories leans hard on that advantage. No cold open banter, no small talk about what the hosts ate for lunch. He starts telling you about a case and keeps telling you until it's done. That alone puts this Crime House production ahead of a lot of the competition in the genre. The show works through history's most infamous homicides, but it spends real time on the people the crimes left behind, not just the killers and the crime scenes. Episodes drop Tuesdays and Thursdays, with Friday installments set aside for mysteries that never got a tidy ending. Multi-part investigations are common, which gives Roy room to actually build a timeline instead of racing through it in twenty minutes. Fans keep the rating around 4.6 stars, and the running criticism is interesting: listeners get grumpy about occasional mispronunciations and geographic slip-ups, which says more about how closely they're paying attention than anything else. If you've burned out on shows where two friends giggle their way through a murder, this is a palate cleanser. Ad-free listening is available through Crime House+ for a few bucks a month, but the free feed is fine for anyone just checking it out. A solid pick for commute listening when you want a case told straight.

ABC News has been running 20/20 on television since 1978, and the podcast gives the audio treatment to the show's long-form investigative segments. These are mostly true crime stories, though the occasional medical mystery or consumer expose still sneaks in. Each episode pulls from a recent broadcast, meaning you get David Muir, Deborah Roberts, and other ABC correspondents walking through cases they've spent months reporting. The production is glossy in the way you'd expect from a network news operation: crisp editing, interviews with investigators and family members, court audio where available. Episodes typically run 40 minutes to an hour, sometimes longer for cases that filled a two-hour TV special. Because it's drawn from the broadcast, the storytelling leans dramatic, with stingers and musical cues you might find heavy-handed if you prefer stripped-down journalism. But the access is the draw: ABC lands interviews that smaller shows can't, and the correspondents have actually sat across from the people involved. Recent episodes have covered high-profile trials and long-running mysteries the network has been tracking for years. If you already watch 20/20 on Friday nights, the podcast is an easy companion. A solid entry point to network-style investigative journalism in audio form.

Paula Barros resurrects the A&E television classic and gives it a second life in audio form. The show digs into cases that sat dormant for years, sometimes decades, before new evidence, renewed DNA testing, or a dogged detective finally pushed them toward resolution. Each episode focuses on a single case and follows it from the original crime through the long stretch of dead ends and into whatever breakthrough eventually came. What works about the show is the pacing: Barros doesn't rush, but she also doesn't pad. You get enough detail about the victims to feel their absence, enough about the investigators to understand the frustration of working a case that keeps slipping away, and enough forensic context to appreciate why some cases took so long to crack. Episodes run 30 to 50 minutes, tight enough for a commute. The archive includes cases from across the US, some famous and some that never made national headlines. It's a little more procedural than emotional, which will either be exactly what you want or feel a touch clinical depending on your taste. Either way, the A&E brand brings production values that match its TV origins, and Barros is a competent, unshowy host. A reliable pick for the cold case subgenre.

Mandy Matney was a local newspaper reporter in South Carolina's lowcountry when she started pulling on threads nobody else seemed interested in. That work turned into the Murdaugh Murders Podcast, which ended up breaking the story of one of the strangest crime sagas in recent American history: a powerful legal family, nearly a century of local influence, a boat crash, a housekeeper's suspicious death, a botched hitman plot, and eventually the conviction of Alex Murdaugh for killing his own wife and son. Matney hosts with co-host Liz Farrell, and their delivery is closer to small-town investigative journalism than entertainment true crime. They know the county, they know the names, they know how the good-ol'-boy system runs. The show ranked number one globally in both 2021 and 2023, which is almost unheard of for something that started as essentially a local reporter's side project. It has since expanded beyond the Murdaugh family under the True Sunlight banner, taking on systemic corruption cases in other parts of the country, though the original Murdaugh arc is still the reason most people show up. If you only know the Netflix version of this story, the podcast fills in the years of context Netflix didn't have time for. Essential listening for anyone interested in how real accountability actually gets built, one episode at a time.

Courtney Shannon and Colin Browen come to Murder In America from The Paranormal Files, a YouTube channel with close to a million subscribers, and you can hear the on-camera experience in the way they pace episodes. The hook is simple and it works: every episode picks a state, then picks a case from that state, and they actually travel to a lot of the locations they cover. The result is true crime that feels more like a road trip than a studio recording. Since 2021 they've put out over 230 episodes and the show sits at a 4.8 rating across more than 8,000 reviews, which is the kind of number you don't fake. Colin handles most of the heavy narrative lifting while Courtney pushes back with questions a listener might actually have, and the dynamic keeps things from drifting into monologue territory. They're respectful about victims without getting preachy about it, and the paranormal background occasionally surfaces when a case has unexplained elements, which is a nice change of pace from shows that treat everything like a courtroom transcript. New episodes drop Fridays. The bonus material lives on Patreon if you want to support them directly. Worth adding to your rotation if you like your true crime with a sense of place, a real co-host chemistry, and hosts who've clearly been doing this long enough to know what they're doing.