Luminary Podcasts & Originals Reviews

by Kaitlinnie

Crashes frequently, often unable to play episodes and when I contacted them about it multiple times and was ignored or told “we don’t know why that happens sorry” with no resolution. Search function is not good comparable to other podcast apps, it makes it difficult to search on a subject. Some functions are randomly unavailable like right now “play next” does not work. Embarrassed I paid for this honestly! The Free version of Stitcher is better than this and that’s saying something

by Dimitri1177

App itself is decent. Nothing special. It doesn’t connect to google home speakers like other apps do. That’s a major con for me.

Overwhelming majority of content is stuff that’s free and can be accessed on other better apps. The amount of original content is minimal. Not all of it is even original. It’s stuff that already existed but is now exclusive to luminary.

For most, there may be 1 or 2 originals that interest you, if any. $5 isn’t a lot but I just don’t see it as a good value. I mean think about it. Netflix is $10 and has a ridiculous amount of original content that costs a fortune to produce. I’m willing to bet all these originals combined don’t cost as much to produce as 1 episode of stranger things.

by Mannepd

Signed up online for the annual subscription and created an account there. When I downloaded LuminaryPodcastsOriginals , there’s no place to sign in with an existing account. It only makes you create an account with Google, Apple, etc. If you go to create an account with email it will note that you already have an account and will prompt you to sign in but it doesn’t actually sign you in. So I can’t get access to LuminaryPodcastsOriginals with an account created online… please fix bug. 🙏

by Tom Hanks Is Bela Lugosi

The beauty of podcasting is its open nature: make something, release it to the world. That’s how I discovered A Very Fatal Murder years after its release. Terrific, terrific stuff.

Season 1 was released broadly, but season 2? A Luminary exclusive. Alright, I thought. What the heck. Worth tossing some money Luminary’s way to get more of this fantastic show.

Only... whoops! Luminary has seemingly wiped season 2 from existence. Why? Nobody online will say. One minute, presumably, it was there, and now... who knows?

Thank god Luminary didn’t produce season 1 too, or you wouldn’t be able to listen to that either. Fortunately for you, my friend, season 1 can be listened to for the better-than-Luminary price of absolutely free.

One star, because LuminaryPodcastsOriginals LITERALLY could not do the single thing I downloaded it to do. Worthless. If you want a good podcasting app, by the way, I highly recommend Overcast.

by Katie Hummel

I hate LuminaryPodcastsOriginals. As a podcast lover I really wanted to like it bc the regular podcast app has flaws but after using and (paying) for luminary I like that one better. My main complaints.

1. Every time I open LuminaryPodcastsOriginals it plays the same Lena Dunham podcast that I never finished months ago without me even clicking on it. And it takes a couple minutes for me to click off.

2. If you have to return to a podcast you didn’t finish it takes forever to load or sometimes doesn’t save the correct spot.

3. Doesn’t show correctly on the home page new episodes of podcasts you follow. Which is the entire reason of following a podcast.

4. And this is my biggest annoyance with LuminaryPodcastsOriginals. IT DOESNT PAUSE WHEN MY MAPS IS GIVING DIRECTIONS! Which makes me miss parts of the podcast and also is just super freaking annoying.

If Guys We F***d ever goes off Luminary I am definitely cancelling my subscription.

by DejaDrewit

UPDATE;
I loved LuminaryPodcastsOriginals mainly for Spooked podcast but the other day I fell asleep listening to it and I had sleep paralysis for the first time in YEARS and i tried to open my eyes but couldnt and each time could hear demons screaming inside me. In the dream where I was aware I was sleeping and trying to wake up but couldn’t I felt possessed by demons.
I asked my friend to pull the demons out of me and then I started to yell Jesus and it stopped and I finally woke up.

Sure think of me as crazy. I used to hear oh sleep paralysis is just your soul trying to go back to your body and I used to believe that until now. After doing a lot of research on it, I now know that demons are real and listening to scary stuff about ghosts and demons invites them into you while you sleep. Do your research. Sorry I had to delete my membership and LuminaryPodcastsOriginals .

Old review:
I really really wish i can sort my episodes better.
1. If an episode is already played, I don’t even want to see it on the list. Yet it’s still there and keeps randomly playing old episodes
2. I want to sort and see only luminary episodes and not the ones from the Podcast app because I already listened to all those. It’s frustrating to have to keep listening to every episode only to realize you already heard it then have to manually mark it as played and then keep going down the list but the old played episodes still show on the list.

by Batoolis

Luminary has a great selection and I love LuminaryPodcastsOriginals . My only complaint is that sometimes it will close out of nowhere and take a minute to reload and get back to the podcast I was listening to. Also it’s inconsistent, sometimes when I close LuminaryPodcastsOriginals , it will hold the place of the podcast I was listening to. Other times it like completely restarts and I have to go back and manually find my place.

The more annoying outcomes are few and far between but the restart takes a minute each time. Just bugs me. I’m still very happy with LuminaryPodcastsOriginals though.

by JoJo Tom 96

After listening to several original podcasts including British Villains, Anthem: Homunculus, and Spooked; I am blown away by the outstanding audio production quality and content. However, I’ve experienced some streaming interruptions when my phone automatically locks itself or LuminaryPodcastsOriginals just randomly crashes.

I really believe Luminary is a high-quality and groundbreaking service for the podcast and audio drama industry, but I hope LuminaryPodcastsOriginals will improve enough to overcome the crashes. When that time comes, Luminary will have a perfect 5-star app.

by Bentlayy

Pros: all of my podcasts are in one place! I originally signed up to listen to Guys We Fked but I’ve found several other podcasts on here that i really love.
Cons: LuminaryPodcastsOriginals runs so slow on my phone. It times out so i have to close and reopen LuminaryPodcastsOriginals 1-2 times every time i get in the car. It’s slow with apple CarPlay. The episode i was listening to will vanish and it’ll say it’s “unavailable”
Kinda frustrating. I pay for the whole year which is fine, because the podcasts i like are worth it, but the bugs are so annoying

by MFDean1995

LuminaryPodcastsOriginals has great content, and I love the ability to pay for and support content creators. However, I mainly listen while running - which is far more conducive to do via Apple Watch then to have to lug my phone around. If LuminaryPodcastsOriginals doesn’t create compatibility with Apple Watch I will likely no longer subscribe because it doesn’t meet my listening needs.

by A Name 123 Happy?

As the title suggest LuminaryPodcastsOriginals could use some tweaks and improvements. The search feature is not quite accurate and crashes a lot. I have had issues with downloading content and downloads in general being unplayable at times. Other than that the content is great. I love the wide variety of selections and the HOME page is done very well.

by Jkbfes

I like Luminary a lot I think it is a very good podcast app. I love listening to podcast stories to fall asleep but also like being able to pick up at the same episode and rewind a little. The sleep timer doesn’t have a lot of options though which I think is a major downfall. A custom option on the sleep timer would be great but I would be happy with a 15 AND 20 minute timer.

by Rollo999

A little limiting for me but it has Russell Brand so, good on you. OK, the play button with the two adjoining buttons on either side, one of them doesn’t fit on my iPhone X screen. Not a big deal but just want to let you know. Still no iPad app that works and vertical as well as horizontal. This is still my numbing and hair pulling that apps arbitrarily decide to make life difficult for iPad users.

by Breakups To Makeups

Very well produced and incredible content, thought provoking. It’s unfortunate many will not hear it because they won’t join Luminary. Too many subscriptions out there in general. Hopefully it can be made available to general public.

by Krystle Menter

I am obsessed with all of the spooked stories. Listening to stories while working everyday has become an addiction at this point. The only thing that I can come up with that would make It better would be to have some sort of system identifying if a particular episode is on the free subscription on the Apple podcast app- just so I don’t have to listen to half of the episode before realizing I’ve already heard It.

by SirTrapLord

Granted I only have listened to spooked and became a patreon because of it but aye. We want more!!! If you could make this a year round podcast… I’d pay more for it🔥🖤🙏🏼 “spooked” is one of my favorite things to distract me from my regular work day! Keep it up! My favorite way to find legit spooky stuff… love it. This is a one of a kind podcast of its own kind

by 1 BADCAT

I have been a dedicated Snap Judgment listener… the first episode I heard was late at night on my way home from work about this convenient store worker who saved a bunch of people in a tornado. Then I discovered Spooked, and I was enchanted!

I never believed in the supernatural… but I am a believer now. I do believe in ghosts, I do I do!!

Listen! You will be satisfied 🌟✨✨

by Maurag17

I have had trouble using the luminary app. I often have to close out LuminaryPodcastsOriginals and reopen it multiple times, in order to listen to an episode. Many of the episodes I listen to take forever to load. I hope this gets fixed soon because I do love the podcasts that are on the platform.

by Hugo Rissa

I use air travel constantly for work and listening to podcasts has become a regular part of my routine. I joined Luminary specifically for the GWF podcast and since then I have found so many other shows I enjoy. It is so easy and convenient download episodes to listen without wifi or cell service.

by Holturd

I love the layout and ease of using Luminary! They make it easy to know when I have a new episode available for a podcast I subscribe to, AND make it easy to see recommended podcasts. The entire Luminary experience has been amazing. Compared to other apps, they are by far my favorite. Plus exclusive podcasts are on here including my favorite, GWF!

by AnnettieB

I am such a fan of one podcast (Spooked) that I finally relented and attempted to download LuminaryPodcastsOriginals as it has exclusive episodes. LuminaryPodcastsOriginals makes you sign up. Fine. Not doing Facebook, so options are Google (no), email or Apple. Tried email but the keyboard just doesn’t show for the password entry. Fine, tried Apple, but that somehow routed me to change my Apple password. Ugh I don’t think so. F LuminaryPodcastsOriginals deleting after downloading.

by Tzulu

The most recent issue is 175 listings of one podcast under the “your latest episodes” section - and nothing else.
A long standing issue is the inability to push to an earlier part of a podcast — the only option is to tap the :15 sec rewind button over and over and over and over and over and over....
There are better podcast options that are free.

by Convo Wa 3yo

I have LuminaryPodcastsOriginals for Spooked and love that pod. LuminaryPodcastsOriginals itself glitches out, stops playing or closes. I have to go back in, re-find the show to get it started again. A bit frustrating when on long drives and it stops playing. I use LuminaryPodcastsOriginals a ton, flipping between apple podcasts and this one. If it could stop crashing out, I would use it primarily.

by BBG7972

Great content - I look forward to finding net shows. My only complaint is LuminaryPodcastsOriginals could benefit from a bit of a UX refresh. When I find a new shows, it's hard for me to find the whole show and all the episodes to choose from without extra steps which I see as unnecessary.

by Marksroon

LuminaryPodcastsOriginals is fantastic, and has improved light years over the last year or so. I love the smooth flow, the aesthetics, and usability. I’m not currently a paying member, but LuminaryPodcastsOriginals and the content are so good, I’ll be signing up soon for sure. Keep up the great work, I love the improvements!

by Bucketman Kicks It

Honestly was a bit skeptical at first of the subscription content behind a paywall, but after being a listener and subscriber for a few months I can say this is well worth it.

Love the shows!