The 12 Best Unbiased News Podcasts (2026)

Up First is basically the podcast equivalent of that friend who reads everything before breakfast and gives you the rundown while you're still pouring coffee. NPR's daily news briefing lands in your feed by 6:30 a.m. Eastern on weekdays, and it packs the three biggest stories of the day into roughly ten minutes. That's it. No filler, no rambling tangents.

The weekday rotation features Leila Fadel, Steve Inskeep, Michel Martin, and A Martinez, each bringing their own reporting background to the anchor chair. Weekends shift gears a bit -- Ayesha Rascoe hosts Saturday editions, and Sundays expand into The Sunday Story, a longer-form piece that takes one topic and really sits with it.

What makes Up First stand out in a crowded morning news space is how cleanly it's structured. Each story gets a correspondent who actually covered it, not just a desk reader summarizing wire reports. You'll hear from NPR reporters stationed everywhere from Capitol Hill to Nairobi, and they tend to explain the "so what" behind a headline rather than just restating it. The production is tight and well-paced -- there's a reason this show has pulled in over 54,000 ratings on Apple Podcasts with a 4.5-star average.

It's not trying to be comprehensive. It's trying to be useful. If you want a no-nonsense morning briefing that respects your time and doesn't assume you already know the backstory, Up First nails that format better than almost anyone else doing daily news audio right now.

The Daily essentially invented the modern daily news podcast format when it launched in 2017, and it's still the one everyone else measures themselves against. Host Michael Barbaro (along with Rachel Abrams and Natalie Kitroeff) takes one major story each episode and spends about 20 to 25 minutes actually explaining it. Not skimming it. Explaining it.

The format usually starts with a New York Times reporter who covered the story sitting down for an interview-style conversation. You hear the reporting process itself -- what they found, who they talked to, what surprised them. It feels less like a news broadcast and more like getting the inside scoop from the journalist who was actually there. Six days a week, usually available by 6 a.m.

With over 100,000 ratings and roughly 2,500 episodes in the archive, this is one of the most listened-to podcasts in any category, not just news. The production quality is excellent -- sound design, pacing, and editing are all top-tier. Barbaro's interviewing style has become iconic at this point; those thoughtful pauses and "hmm" responses are practically a meme, but they genuinely do create space for nuance.

The Daily leans on the Times' massive reporting infrastructure, so you're getting stories backed by serious investigative resources. It's not trying to cover everything that happened today. It picks one thing and makes you actually understand it. That restraint is what makes it so effective as a daily listen.

The Economist calls this "noise-cancelling news," and honestly, that's a pretty accurate description. Each weekday episode runs about 20 to 26 minutes and covers three stories drawn from The Economist's global correspondent network. Hosts Jason Palmer and Rosie Blau guide you through the picks with a style that's informed but never stuffy.

What sets The Intelligence apart from other daily briefings is its genuinely international perspective. This isn't a US-centric show with a token international segment tacked on at the end. On any given day you might hear about Brazilian agricultural policy, a political crisis in Southeast Asia, and a tech regulation fight in Brussels -- all treated with equal depth. The correspondents reporting these stories are usually based in the countries they're covering, which makes a real difference.

Saturdays bring The Weekend Intelligence, a longer deep-dive into a single story told with more narrative flair. It's a nice complement to the weekday format. Over 2,000 episodes in and holding a 4.5-star rating from nearly 2,500 reviews, the show has built a loyal audience that appreciates its analytical approach.

The Economist has a particular editorial voice -- measured, data-oriented, classically liberal in the European sense -- and that comes through clearly. It's not neutral in the way a wire service tries to be, but it's transparent about its perspective. If you want global news coverage that actually makes you smarter about how the world fits together, this is one of the strongest options available.

Reuters has been a trusted wire service since the 1850s, and their World News podcast strips that same just-the-facts approach down to a tight ten-minute daily briefing. Hosted by Kim Vinnell, it covers the major global stories each day without much editorializing or opinion layered on top.

The pitch is simple: everything you need to know about your world in ten minutes, straight from Reuters frontline journalists. And they mostly deliver on that promise. Episodes typically cover four to six stories with clean handoffs between correspondents, giving you enough context to understand what's happening without drowning you in background.

With about 960 episodes since launching in 2023, the show has built a steady following, though it's still smaller than some legacy competitors -- around 240 ratings on Apple Podcasts, averaging 4.3 stars. Some listeners have flagged that the narration style can feel a bit stiff at times, and US-based listeners sometimes wish episodes dropped earlier in the American morning.

But here's what Reuters brings that nobody else really can: the wire service DNA. Their reporters are trained to separate fact from interpretation in a way that's almost surgical. There's no punditry, no hot takes, no personality-driven commentary. If you specifically want news delivery that stays as close to pure reporting as possible, Reuters World News is probably the most stripped-down, opinion-free daily podcast you'll find. It's not flashy, but it's reliable in a way that matters.

Tangle does something genuinely unusual in political media: it presents the strongest arguments from both the left and the right on a given issue and lets you decide where you land. Founded and hosted by Isaac Saul, it grew out of a popular newsletter and has become one of the go-to sources for people who are exhausted by partisan coverage.

Each episode typically takes a political story dominating the news cycle and walks through what conservatives are saying, what progressives are saying, and where Saul himself comes down -- always with the caveat that he's showing his work. He also does longer-form episodes called "Suspension of the Rules" with co-host Kmele, where they dig into meatier topics over an hour or more.

The show has racked up over 1,100 episodes and holds a 4.7-star rating from nearly 800 reviews, which puts it among the highest-rated political podcasts on Apple. That rating reflects an audience that genuinely appreciates the multi-perspective approach. Managing editor Ari Weitzman also contributes regularly.

What makes Tangle work is that Saul isn't pretending to have no opinions. He's transparent about his views while still steel-manning the positions he disagrees with. That honesty feels more trustworthy than the performance of objectivity you get from outlets that claim to be perfectly neutral. If you find yourself frustrated that most political podcasts only tell one side of the story, Tangle is built specifically to fix that problem.

Jordan Berman is a lawyer who got tired of watching people argue about politics using bad information, so he started UNBIASED Politics to do something about it. Each daily episode runs 30 to 60 minutes and covers US political news with an emphasis on getting the facts right before forming opinions.

Berman's legal background shapes the show in noticeable ways. When a Supreme Court ruling drops or a new piece of legislation moves through Congress, he doesn't just tell you what happened -- he walks through the constitutional framework, explains the legal reasoning, and lays out what both supporters and critics are actually arguing. It's the kind of breakdown you'd get if your smartest lawyer friend sat you down and explained the news over dinner.

The numbers back up the approach: 387 episodes since 2022, a 4.8-star rating from over 2,400 reviews on Apple Podcasts. A university political science instructor even added it to their course syllabus, which says something about the rigor. The audience skews toward people who want to understand the mechanics of American government, not just react to headlines.

Berman uses multiple sources for each story and makes a point of presenting different perspectives before offering his own analysis. He's upfront about the fact that complete neutrality is impossible, but he works harder at it than most. If you want a daily political podcast that treats you like an adult and backs up its claims with actual evidence, UNBIASED delivers on its name more consistently than you'd expect.

Start Here is ABC News' daily podcast, hosted by Brad Mielke, and it aims to give you a straightforward look at the day's top stories in about 20 minutes. The format is clean: Mielke sets up each story, then brings in an ABC News correspondent who's been covering it to explain what's actually going on and why it matters.

Since launching in 2018, the show has built a strong reputation as a morning commute staple. It holds a 4.5-star rating from over 6,200 reviews on Apple Podcasts, and listeners consistently praise its concise format and accessible tone. Each episode typically covers three to four stories, moving briskly between domestic politics, international affairs, and cultural news.

Mielke's hosting style is conversational without being casual. He asks the kind of follow-up questions a regular person would actually want answered, and the correspondents generally respond in plain language rather than reporter-speak. The show wraps up with a "one last thing" segment that's usually lighter -- a palate cleanser before you head into your day.

Start Here benefits from ABC News' reporting infrastructure, which means you're getting stories backed by a major network's resources. The pacing is tight enough that it never feels like it's wasting your time, but thorough enough that you come away actually understanding the stories rather than just hearing about them. It sits comfortably in that sweet spot between the ultra-brief ten-minute briefings and the deeper single-story shows.

Erica Mandy created The NewsWorthy with a tagline that perfectly captures its appeal: the day's news made fast, fair, and fun in ten minutes. As a veteran broadcast journalist, Mandy curates the most important stories across politics, tech, business, and entertainment, then delivers them in a tight package that respects your schedule.

The show has been running daily since 2017, amassing over 2,000 episodes and earning a 4.7-star rating from more than 1,300 reviews on Apple Podcasts. That consistency is impressive for what's essentially a one-person operation -- Mandy researches, writes, and hosts every episode herself, which gives the show a cohesive voice you don't always get from larger productions.

Each episode moves quickly through five or six stories, giving you enough context to be informed without burying you in details. Mandy's delivery is polished and professional, with a warmth that makes the format feel personal rather than robotic. She covers the full spectrum -- politics, science, pop culture, business -- so you get a genuine snapshot of what's happening across different spheres.

The fairness angle is central to the show's identity. Mandy makes a conscious effort to present stories without inserting her own political lean, and she's built an audience that specifically seeks out that approach. It's not the show for deep analysis on any single topic, but as a daily catch-up that covers a lot of ground quickly and doesn't talk down to you, The NewsWorthy does exactly what it promises.

Left, Right & Center has been running for over two decades, making it one of the longest-standing political discussion shows in American media. The premise is right there in the name: bring together people from different ideological perspectives and let them hash out the week's biggest stories. Current host David Greene moderates alongside regulars like Josh Barro and Rich Lowry, with rotating guests from think tanks and newsrooms.

Each weekly episode runs about 50 minutes and typically tackles three or four major political topics -- immigration, economic policy, elections, foreign affairs. The discussions are substantive and pointed. The panelists genuinely disagree with each other, and Greene doesn't smooth over the friction. That's the whole point. You hear smart people making their best case from different starting points, and you get to weigh those arguments yourself.

The show has amassed nearly 5,000 ratings on Apple Podcasts, with a 3.9-star average. That rating partly reflects how polarized the audience is -- some listeners think the panel leans too far left, others think it leans right, which might actually be a sign they're doing something right. Regular guests include Mo Elleithee from Georgetown's Institute of Politics and Sarah Isgur from The Dispatch.

From KCRW, the Santa Monica-based public radio station, the show brings a West Coast sensibility to national politics without being parochial about it. If you want a weekly political discussion that actually features real disagreement instead of people nodding at each other, this is one of the few places that consistently delivers that.

Straight Arrow News built its brand around one idea: fact-based news without partisan spin. Their Unbiased Updates podcast is the audio extension of that mission, hosted by Craig Nigrelli five days a week. Each episode runs just a few minutes and gives you the day's leading stories in a compact, no-commentary format.

The show launched in 2023 and has already published over 650 episodes, maintaining a 4.6-star rating on Apple Podcasts. Straight Arrow News as an organization was founded specifically to fill the gap between left-leaning and right-leaning news outlets, and the podcast reflects that founding purpose. The reporting focuses on what happened, who's involved, and what the verified facts are.

Nigrelli's delivery is clean and professional. Each episode moves through several stories quickly, and the editorial approach is deliberately restrained -- you won't hear opinion-laden language or loaded framing. For listeners who find even supposedly neutral outlets frustrating, the stripped-back approach is refreshing.

The brevity is both the strength and the limitation here. At just a few minutes per episode, you're getting headlines and essential context, not deep analysis. Think of it as a news flash rather than a news show. If you already listen to a longer daily podcast and want a quick midday or evening check-in that sticks to reporting, Unbiased Updates fills that role well. The Straight Arrow News website and video content complement the podcast if you want to go deeper on any story.

Formerly known as Intelligence Squared U.S., Open to Debate has been hosting structured, moderated debates on major issues since the mid-2000s. Emmy-winning journalist John Donvan serves as moderator-in-chief, guiding expert panelists through rigorous arguments on topics ranging from AI regulation to assisted suicide to foreign policy strategy.

The format is what makes this show distinctive. Two sides present their strongest case on a contested question, respond to each other's arguments, and take audience questions. It's closer to an Oxford-style debate than a cable news shout-fest. Donvan is skilled at keeping discussions focused and pushing back when panelists dodge questions or rely on rhetoric instead of evidence.

With 448 episodes and a 4.6-star rating from over 2,100 reviews, the show has cultivated an audience that values intellectual honesty. Episodes release weekly and typically run 45 minutes to an hour. Recent topics have included whether AI should be used in dating, the ethics of global supply chains, and geopolitical strategy questions that don't break neatly along party lines.

The mission statement -- "restore balance to the public square through expert moderation, good-faith arguments, and reasoned analysis" -- sounds idealistic, but the show actually follows through on it more often than not. It won't tell you what to think about a given issue. Instead, it gives you the strongest version of each side's argument and trusts you to form your own conclusion. In a media environment dominated by confirmation bias, that's genuinely valuable.

Nathan Gonzales and Jacob Rubashkin host The Inside Elections Podcast, a weekly show that analyzes American elections with a data-driven, nonpartisan approach. Gonzales has been covering races for years through the InsideElections.com newsletter, and the podcast extends that analysis into a conversational format that makes political handicapping accessible even if you don't follow every poll.

Each episode breaks down specific congressional, gubernatorial, and presidential races with the kind of granular detail you won't find on most political podcasts. They'll zero in on a particular House district, explain what's driving the race, assess the candidates, and place it in the broader national context. The analysis is based on reporting, polling data, and historical patterns rather than punditry or gut feelings.

The show launched in 2023 and has published 65 episodes so far, earning a perfect 5.0-star rating from its (admittedly small) review base of 22 ratings. That niche audience knows exactly what they're getting: serious election analysis without cheerleading for either party. Rotating guest analysts from political reporting outlets add additional perspectives.

Inside Elections deliberately avoids the horse-race excitement that dominates most election coverage. Gonzales and Rubashkin talk about races the way an analyst would, not the way a partisan would. They're interested in what the data says, not in spinning narratives. If you're the kind of person who wants to understand the 2026 midterms at the district level and appreciate race-by-race breakdowns without ideological baggage, this is your podcast.