relay.fm

What is Relay?

Relay is a podcast network focused on technology and creativity. Its shows are produced as recurring series with regular hosts, and the network's homepage surfaces a "Latest Episode" alongside individual show pages such as Mac Power Users and Paper Places.

Relay

What you'll find there

• Multiple shows under one brand. Rather than one podcast, Relay hosts a roster of series. Mac Power Users is a long-running technology show; Paper Places, in the example on the homepage, is a writing-focused interview show.
• Episode-level detail. Listings typically include an episode number and title, a date, a runtime, the host's name, and a guest where relevant — for instance, Paper Places #29 featured author Rebecca Perry discussing her debut novel, with Kerry Provenzano hosting.
• Sponsor reads. Episodes are supported by advertisers, and the page evidence shows sponsor messages with discount codes included in the show notes.

Who it suits

Listeners who want a steady stream of conversational, host-driven shows about Apple hardware and software, creative work, and the habits behind both. If you prefer tightly edited narrative documentaries, this style of two-person discussion may feel loose; if you like following the same voices week after week, it fits well.

A practical next step

Pick one show rather than browsing the whole network. Open its page, sort by date, and try the most recent episode plus one from a year earlier — that tells you whether the format has stayed interesting to you. If you enjoy the writing side, start with Paper Places; for productivity and Apple gear, Mac Power Users is the more obvious entry point.

Which Relay podcasts cover technology and creativity, and who hosts them?

Relay is a podcast network, not a single show, so the technology-and-creativity angle comes from different programs with different hosts. Its own description frames the network as shows "covering technology and creativity" hosted by "influential and unique voices."

Technology-focused shows

• Mac Power Users — the clearest technology entry visible on the homepage; it's aimed at people who want to get more out of Apple hardware and software, workflows, and productivity.
• Other Relay shows in the same orbit tend to focus on apps, development, and how people actually use their devices day to day.

Creativity-focused shows

• Paper Places — a writing-focused show. The homepage's latest episode features host Kerry Provenzano in conversation with novelist Rebecca Perry about Perry's debut novel, May We Feed the King, and its Booker Prize shortlisting.

Hosts at a glance

A practical next step: if you want technology, start with Mac Power Users; if you want the creative-writing side, start with Paper Places and its episode with Rebecca Perry. For the full roster and current hosts, browse Relay directly, since host lineups change over time and the homepage only surfaces a rotating "latest episode."

How can I listen to Relay FM shows on my preferred podcast app or platform?

Relay FM is a podcast network, not a single show, so "listening on your preferred app" means subscribing to individual shows rather than one network feed. The network's own site, Relay, is best treated as a directory: you browse the show list, open the show you want, and follow its own subscription link into your podcast app.

The usual route

1. Open Relay and find the show you want (for example Mac Power Users or Paper Places).
2. Go to that show's page and look for its subscribe or feed link.
3. Choose your app: on iPhone and iPad, Apple Podcasts; on Android, Pocket Casts, Spotify or YouTube Music; on desktop, Overcast's web player, Pocket Casts or a dedicated app.
4. If a direct "open in app" button does not appear, copy the show's RSS feed URL and paste it into your app's "Add by URL" or "Add a podcast" option.

Which app suits which listener

A concrete scenario

Suppose you want Mac Power Users for a commute and Paper Places for weekend listening. Subscribe to both separately in the same app, then build a queue or filter that plays one during the week and the other at weekends. Because these are separate shows on one network, your app treats them independently — there is no single Relay FM subscription that delivers everything.

Next step

Pick one show on Relay, subscribe in your current app, and play the most recent episode before adding more. If the app cannot find the show by name, use the feed URL from the show page instead — that method works in nearly every podcast app and is the most reliable fallback.

What are the most popular or recommended Relay FM episodes to start with?

Relay FM is a podcast network rather than a single show, so "where to start" depends on which host and topic you already like. The homepage evidence points to two useful entry points: Mac Power Users (a long-running Apple and productivity show) and Paper Places, a newer show about writing and books. The most recent Paper Places episode features Kerry Provenzano talking with novelist Rebecca Perry about her Booker-shortlisted debut, which is a good example of the network's interview style.

A practical way to choose

• If you want Apple/productivity workflows: start with Mac Power Users. It is the network's best-known anchor show and a natural first listen for that subject.
• If you want writing and creativity: start with Paper Places, especially the Rebecca Perry episode, since it shows the show's book-focused format.
• If you want technology news and commentary: look at the network's other shows and pick the hosts whose voices you already recognize, because Relay's appeal is largely host-driven.

Comparison

Next step

Open Relay and browse the show list, then sample one recent episode from two different shows. If a host's conversation style holds your attention for 15 minutes, that show is a better starting point than any single "best episode" list.

Does Relay FM offer premium subscriptions or bonus content, and how much does it cost?

Relay FM does not appear to sell a premium subscription tier or members-only bonus content. The site presents itself as a free, sponsor-supported podcast network: its homepage highlights current episodes, show pages and hosts, and the only monetization visible in the page evidence is host-read advertising, such as the sponsor mentions attached to Paper Places ("Making Light" and "BookBaby"). There is no pricing page, membership signup, or paywalled feed indicated.

What this means in practice

• Listening is free. You can follow any Relay show in a standard podcast app and get the same episodes as everyone else.
• Support is indirect. Revenue comes from sponsors, so the practical way to support a show is to use sponsor codes or buy from sponsors you'd use anyway.
• No bonus tier to weigh. If you were comparing Relay to networks with paid ad-free feeds, there is no equivalent purchase decision here.

If you want to confirm or go deeper

Check an individual show's page and its feed before assuming a bonus tier exists — some networks add member feeds per show rather than network-wide. For comparison, paid-membership podcast models exist elsewhere, for example TWiT and Stolen Dot Com-style independent shows, but their terms differ from Relay's. If your goal is simply ad-free listening, note that Relay's model doesn't offer that as a paid option based on the available information.

How do I advertise my product or service on Relay FM podcasts?

Relay FM sells host-read sponsorship slots across its podcast network rather than running a self-serve ad platform. The practical route is to contact the network directly and pitch a specific show or a small bundle of shows that matches your audience.

What the page itself shows about ads The episode listing on Relay displays sponsor credits inside the show notes, for example a craft-subscription brand offering a discount code and a self-publishing service. That tells you the format you would be buying: a short host-read spot plus a mention and link in the episode description, usually with a promo code to track responses.

How to approach it

• Identify the two or three Relay shows whose listeners overlap your buyers, then ask about those specifically instead of "the network."
• Expect to supply a concise brief: product, audience, one clear offer, a landing page, and a code so results are measurable.
• Ask what a test looks like: how many episodes, over what period, and what the host needs from you.
• Ask who reads the copy. Host-read ads convert differently from announcer-read ones, and hosts often rewrite scripts in their own voice.

Trade-offs to weigh Host-read sponsorship buys trust and context, but you give up precise targeting and full script control, and inventory on popular shows can be booked out. If your goal is direct-response volume at low cost, programmatic or search ads will usually be cheaper per click; if your goal is credibility with a technical or creative audience, a host read is often worth the premium.

A concrete first step Pick one show, listen to three recent episodes and note how its hosts deliver sponsor reads, then write a one-page pitch naming that show, your offer and your budget range. If you want to compare the style of tech and creativity shows before deciding, listen to a few episodes of Mac Power Users on Relay and check whether its audience matches your customer.

If you would rather reach podcast listeners without buying host-read inventory, broader podcast ad networks and platforms such as Apple Podcasts for discovery are a different path, though neither sells Relay's specific slots.