4 free CarPlay apps that maintain me entertained on lengthy roadtrips

There’s not a lot on this world I dislike greater than a subscription. I am the kind of one who pays for full-year subscriptions to apps or different providers at one time, then thinks about renewing them the subsequent yr. That very same mentality extends into my automobile. I’ve written about infotainment here at Pocket-lint for fairly a while now, and these 4 apps keep in my rotation it doesn’t matter what.

Whether or not it is getting your audiobooks without spending a dime by supporting native libraries or maintaining along with your favourite faculty sports activities groups, there are many free apps that may maintain you greater than entertained and knowledgeable in your day by day commute. It simply takes some digging to seek out them. Fortunately for you, I’ve achieved all of the digging.

That is my new favourite method to get audiobooks

I nonetheless subscribe to Audible, however this makes me really feel significantly better

Did you ever go to the library as a child? There have been loads of days when a tiny Tanner was bopping across the native library with a load of books in hand. I nonetheless have my previous library card mendacity round the home, someplace. Nevertheless, after shifting to West Texas, I discovered the Libby app, which led me to get my free library card on the native library.

In doing so, I now have entry to over 5,000 audiobooks in my native library and over 10,000 Kindle books, all with my library card. The very best half? You’ll be able to take the audiobooks on the highway with Libby’s CarPlay compatibility. If you do not have a fairly well-stocked native library, Libby may not give you a lot, however in the event you’re anyplace close to a big metropolitan space, I can promise it is definitely worth the brief journey to get your new library card. On high of all of that, you are supporting local libraries within the course of, which is about essentially the most healthful factor you are able to do in 2025.

Sustain with each sports activities crew you observe

As a fan of a number of faculty groups, this app is superb

The Varsity Community app is the brainchild of Learfield, the licensing firm that in all probability owns the rights to your college’s radio and audio packages. Learfield is not going broke anytime quickly, however which means its revenue margins do not depend on charging customers to make use of an app. For those who’re like me and end up behind a steering wheel at any time when your favourite groups are taking part in, the Varsity Community app is the perfect free answer you may ask for.

The app supplies play-by-play audio streams from the radio voices you in all probability already know and love. I used it final weekend to hearken to Mississippi State’s first SEC win in two seasons, and plan on utilizing it this weekend to maintain up with Texas Tech and BYU (together with the remainder of the nation, it appears). For those who’re like me and reside on the highway, there is no higher app for maintaining you in contact with the groups you already love.

Podcasting might be improved, consider it or not

Till Spotify will get its act collectively, I will be utilizing this

My greatest beef with Spotify podcasting, which I have been quite vocal about on this very web site, is that the app by no means performs the episode or present I would like it to after I end my first episode of every day on my commute. Overcast, nevertheless, allows you to construct podcast playlists to tailor your day by day podcast dosage to your individual liking.

It is unimaginable to me that Spotify hasn’t discovered a method to make the identical operate a bit extra intuitive in their very own person interface but. Nonetheless, till it does, you may solely catch me listening to my favourite podcasts by Overcast. From the perfect sports activities reveals within the enterprise to hard-hitting day by day information feeds, Overcast retains me knowledgeable and entertained, all without spending a dime — a declare that the majority third-party podcasting apps can’t make.

Understanding the climate in your route has by no means been simpler

I put 30K miles a yr on my automobile, and I must know what’s forward of me

Whereas it could not have the perfect status, MyRadar’s CarPlay software continues to be the perfect in its class by a protracted shot. It supplies pretty up-to-date Doppler climate radar info alongside any route or at any location a driver might select.

Understanding the climate at any given time is a robust instrument for deciding when to go away on a extra prolonged highway journey or just for realizing what lies forward. Just lately, as flying has turn into costlier, I have been taking longer and longer highway journeys, and I’ve discovered that MyRadar is one among my most-used utility apps within the CarPlay ecosystem. Does MyRadar have a status for promoting information? Completely. Fortunately, I’ve it on good authority that MyRadar is about to get a brand new competitor in that area, so maintain a watch out.