Best Science Fiction Podcasts 2026: Top 20 Ranked by Data: Ranked by Real Chart Data
Updated September 2026 · Based on CastFox data covering 23 Apple Podcasts chart snapshots in 78 countries (2026-02-24 to 2026-09-04) and 5M+ indexed podcasts
Search best science fiction podcasts 2026 and most of what comes back is a list of shows somebody liked in 2019. This one is built from CastFox's Apple Podcasts chart data: the 20 shows below all held a place in the US Science Fiction top 100 in every one of the 23 chart snapshots we took between February 24 and September 4, 2026, and they are ranked by how consistently they charted, how high they averaged, and how many of the 78 countries we track they reached.
The category has split into recognizable formats. Space and interstellar fiction, where a small crew talks into a recorder a long way from Earth (Wolf 359, DERELICT, The Leviathan Chronicles, Mission To Zyxx). Serialized thrillers with a science fiction engine (The Road of Shadows, National Emergency, Bunker 8, The Strata). Horror anthologies that Apple files under Science Fiction whether or not you would (The NoSleep Podcast, The SCP Experience, The Warning Woods). Weird fiction built out of found recordings and community radio (Welcome to Night Vale, Archive 81, Desert Skies, The Left Right Game). Fantasy and folklore audio drama (The Silt Verses, Old Gods of Appalachia). Classic short stories and documentary-style fiction (The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast, TANIS). And one Spanish-language paranormal show that outranks most of them (EXTRA ANORMAL).
Each card below shows the cover art, the producer, what the show actually is, why it earned its place in 2026, who it is best for, and the chart record behind it: how many of the 23 US snapshots it appeared in, its average US rank, and how many countries it charted in on the latest scrape. Click through to CastFox for the full profile with audience estimates, chart history by country, reviews, and contact details.
The 20 best science fiction podcasts of 2026 at a glance
| # | Podcast | Hosted by | Avg US rank | Best rank | Countries charting | Episodes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Welcome to Night Vale | Night Vale Presents | 2.7 | #2 | 75 | 368 |
| 2 | The NoSleep Podcast | Creative Reason Media Inc. | 1.2 | #1 | 70 | 707 |
| 3 | Old Gods of Appalachia | DeepNerd Media | 3.3 | #1 | 66 | 132 |
| 4 | The Road of Shadows | Mark R. Healy | 10.1 | #5 | 67 | 57 |
| 5 | National Emergency | The Midnight Mystery | 9.6 | #4 | 60 | 9 |
| 6 | The SCP Experience | Dr. NoSleep Studios | 6.2 | #5 | 55 | 516 |
| 7 | Wolf 359 | Kinda Evil Genius Productions, LLC | 13.3 | #7 | 63 | 100 |
| 8 | Bunker 8 | The Midnight Mystery | 14.9 | #8 | 63 | 31 |
| 9 | The Strata | Mark R. Healy | 11.3 | #6 | 57 | 157 |
| 10 | The Leviathan Chronicles | Leviathan Audio Productions | 12.6 | #6 | 52 | 121 |
| 11 | DERELICT | Night Rocket Productions | 16.1 | #3 | 54 | 44 |
| 12 | Archive 81 | Dead Signals | 24.6 | #17 | 59 | 51 |
| 13 | The Left Right Game | QCODE | 24.5 | #20 | 58 | 11 |
| 14 | Desert Skies | Jared Carter | 17.4 | #10 | 46 | 44 |
| 15 | EXTRA ANORMAL | iEX Studios | 4.1 | #3 | 29 | 470 |
| 16 | The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast - Vintage Sci-Fi Short Stories | Scott Miller | 14.6 | #7 | 39 | 529 |
| 17 | The Silt Verses | Eskew Productions Ltd | 28.7 | #23 | 55 | 56 |
| 18 | The Warning Woods | Horror Stories | Miles Tritle | 14 | #7 | 34 | |
| 19 | Mission To Zyxx | Mission To Zyxx | 15 | #10 | 34 | 152 |
| 20 | TANIS | Public Radio Alliance | 20.5 | #15 | 36 | 65 |
Jump to a Show
- #1. Welcome to Night Vale
- #2. The NoSleep Podcast
- #3. Old Gods of Appalachia
- #4. The Road of Shadows
- #5. National Emergency
- #6. The SCP Experience
- #7. Wolf 359
- #8. Bunker 8
- #9. The Strata
- #10. The Leviathan Chronicles
- #11. DERELICT
- #12. Archive 81
- #13. The Left Right Game
- #14. Desert Skies
- #15. EXTRA ANORMAL
- #16. The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast - Vintage Sci-Fi Short Stories
- #17. The Silt Verses
- #18. The Warning Woods | Horror Stories
- #19. Mission To Zyxx
- #20. TANIS
Rising this month · How we ranked these · How to pick the right show · FAQ
The 20 Best Science Fiction Podcasts to Listen To in 2026
Space and Interstellar Fiction
#7. Wolf 359
Hosted by Kinda Evil Genius Productions, LLC
About this show: Communications officer Doug Eiffel records audio logs aboard the U.S.S. Hephaestus, in orbit around a red dwarf 7.8 light years from Earth, with a stern mission chief, an unnerving science officer and a malfunctioning station AI for company.
Why it made the list in 2026: A completed 100-episode run that is still charting in every snapshot years after its finale, which almost nothing else in fiction podcasting manages. Chart record: 23 of 23 US snapshots, average US rank 13.3, best #7, charting in 63 countries on the latest scrape.
Best fit for: Anyone who wants a full story with an actual ending.
#10. The Leviathan Chronicles
Hosted by Leviathan Audio Productions
About this show: A full-cast audio drama universe spanning the deepest ocean trenches and deep space, blending science fiction, covert espionage and secret histories with original scores and cinematic sound design.
Why it made the list in 2026: One of the oldest continuously charting audio drama universes in the category and still holding a top-6 US peak in 2026. Chart record: 23 of 23 US snapshots, average US rank 12.6, best #6, charting in 52 countries on the latest scrape.
Best fit for: Listeners who want production closer to film than to radio.
#11. DERELICT
Hosted by Night Rocket Productions
About this show: An ancient artifact that looks like a giant door is found nineteen thousand feet down in the sea floor, and the galaxy's most powerful corporation builds a secret laboratory around it. Season one, FATHOM, is written by science fiction author J. Barton Mitchell and produced by Night Rocket Productions.
Why it made the list in 2026: Peaked at number 3 in the US in 2026, the highest peak of any newer space-and-deep-sea series on this list. Chart record: 23 of 23 US snapshots, average US rank 16.1, best #3, charting in 54 countries on the latest scrape.
Best fit for: Listeners who want corporate science fiction with a locked door at the center of it.
#19. Mission To Zyxx
Hosted by Mission To Zyxx
About this show: An improvised science fiction sitcom following a team of ambassadors as they try to establish diplomatic relations with planets in the remote and chaotic Zyxx Quadrant, across 152 episodes.
Why it made the list in 2026: The only improvised comedy series in this top 20, holding an average US rank of 15 all year. Chart record: 23 of 23 US snapshots, average US rank 15, best #10, charting in 34 countries on the latest scrape.
Best fit for: Listeners who want jokes with their space opera.
Serialized Sci-Fi Thrillers
#4. The Road of Shadows
Hosted by Mark R. Healy
About this show: It is 1984 and Daniel Knox is on the run from creatures disguised as ordinary people, the ones he calls Shadows. Created by Australian author Mark R. Healy as a Beyond the Dark production.
Why it made the list in 2026: The highest placed of three Mark R. Healy series charting in this genre at the same time, with a top-5 US peak. Chart record: 23 of 23 US snapshots, average US rank 10.1, best #5, charting in 67 countries on the latest scrape.
Best fit for: Listeners who like a period thriller with a supernatural engine.
#5. National Emergency
Hosted by The Midnight Mystery
About this show: Unexplained emergency broadcasts start taking over devices with survival instructions where one mistake means you disappear. A man wrongly convicted of murder during the first incident is released into a world with 600,000 confirmed emergencies.
Why it made the list in 2026: Nine episodes published and it still appeared in all 23 US snapshots, peaking at number 4. Chart record: 23 of 23 US snapshots, average US rank 9.6, best #4, charting in 60 countries on the latest scrape.
Best fit for: Listeners who want a short, tense serial they can catch up on in a weekend.
#8. Bunker 8
Hosted by The Midnight Mystery
About this show: Jack, an Australian ex-soldier, takes a six-month posting at a classified Antarctic facility where he oversees assets locked in cells, follows strict protocols and is told never to ask questions.
Why it made the list in 2026: The second Midnight Mystery series in this top 20, with a top-8 US peak across 31 episodes. Chart record: 23 of 23 US snapshots, average US rank 14.9, best #8, charting in 63 countries on the latest scrape.
Best fit for: Listeners who want claustrophobic, single-location dread.
#9. The Strata
Hosted by Mark R. Healy
About this show: In a dystopian city, an aging courier is forced into business with an underworld ganglord to pay for the treatment keeping him alive. 157 episodes from Mark R. Healy.
Why it made the list in 2026: The deepest catalog of the Healy series here and the one moving up: its latest US rank of 6 sits well above its 11.3 average. Chart record: 23 of 23 US snapshots, average US rank 11.3, best #6, charting in 57 countries on the latest scrape.
Best fit for: Cyberpunk listeners who want a long, continuous story rather than an anthology.
Horror Anthologies That Chart as Science Fiction
#2. The NoSleep Podcast
Hosted by Creative Reason Media Inc.
About this show: A horror fiction anthology from Creative Reason Media built on original short stories with full-cast narration and heavy sound design. The archive runs past 700 episodes.
Why it made the list in 2026: The most consistent performer in the category: it never left the US top 100 in 2026 and averaged rank 1.2 while doing it. Chart record: 23 of 23 US snapshots, average US rank 1.2, best #1, charting in 70 countries on the latest scrape.
Best fit for: Anyone who wants a new self-contained horror story every week rather than a serial to keep up with.
#6. The SCP Experience
Hosted by Dr. NoSleep Studios
About this show: An audio series set in the SCP Foundation universe, adapting containment files, anomalous technologies and forbidden research through narration and sound design. New episodes land Mondays and Fridays, and the archive is over 500 deep. The producers mark it for adult listeners.
Why it made the list in 2026: Publishing twice a week keeps it permanently in the US top 10 with no gaps anywhere in 2026. Chart record: 23 of 23 US snapshots, average US rank 6.2, best #5, charting in 55 countries on the latest scrape.
Best fit for: Listeners who already fall down SCP wiki holes and want them performed.
#18. The Warning Woods | Horror Stories
Hosted by Miles Tritle
About this show: A scary-story anthology from Miles Tritle. The show publishes no description on Apple, so we describe only what the chart record supports.
Why it made the list in 2026: Appeared in all 23 US snapshots with a top-7 peak, and its latest rank of 12 sits above its own 14.0 average. Chart record: 23 of 23 US snapshots, average US rank 14, best #7, charting in 34 countries on the latest scrape.
Best fit for: Listeners who want short scary stories with no serial to follow.
Weird Fiction and Found Recordings
#1. Welcome to Night Vale
Hosted by Night Vale Presents
About this show: Twice-monthly community radio updates from the small desert town of Night Vale, where every conspiracy theory is true. Night Vale Presents has kept it running past 360 episodes, and the show tells new listeners to start with the current episode or go back to episode 1 and binge.
Why it made the list in 2026: The show that turned fiction podcasting into a mainstream format, and it is still holding the top of the US chart more than a decade in. Chart record: 23 of 23 US snapshots, average US rank 2.7, best #2, charting in 75 countries on the latest scrape.
Best fit for: Listeners who want surreal comedy horror they can drop into at almost any episode.
#12. Archive 81
Hosted by Dead Signals
About this show: A fiction podcast about horror, cities and the subconscious, told through found archival recordings. Episodes land every other Wednesday and the producers point new listeners to "01 - A Body In A New Place".
Why it made the list in 2026: Appeared in every 2026 snapshot we took, unusual staying power for a found-recording serial. Chart record: 23 of 23 US snapshots, average US rank 24.6, best #17, charting in 59 countries on the latest scrape.
Best fit for: Listeners who want the show most of the found-tape podcasts that followed were built on.
#13. The Left Right Game
Hosted by QCODE
About this show: Tessa Thompson stars as a young journalist following a group of paranormal explorers obsessed with a road game called the Left/Right Game, into a supernatural world none of them can handle.
Why it made the list in 2026: Eleven episodes, a top-20 US position across the entire year, and the most recognizable cast of anything on this list. Chart record: 23 of 23 US snapshots, average US rank 24.5, best #20, charting in 58 countries on the latest scrape.
Best fit for: Listeners who want a cinematic limited series rather than an ongoing commitment.
#14. Desert Skies
Hosted by Jared Carter
About this show: A service station on the highway between this life and the next, staffed by the Attendant, the Mechanic and C.A.S.H. Register. Written, produced and performed entirely by Jared Carter.
Why it made the list in 2026: A one-person production holding a top-10 US peak against studio-funded competition. Chart record: 23 of 23 US snapshots, average US rank 17.4, best #10, charting in 46 countries on the latest scrape.
Best fit for: Listeners who like quiet, strange, character-driven fiction.
Fantasy, Folklore and Mythic Audio Drama
#3. Old Gods of Appalachia
Hosted by DeepNerd Media
About this show: A horror anthology set in an alternate Appalachia where something old and hungry sleeps under the mountains and digging into the mines was only the first mistake. Produced by DeepNerd Media across 132 episodes.
Why it made the list in 2026: Hit number one in the US in 2026 and reaches 66 countries, the widest footprint of any independent audio drama on this list. Chart record: 23 of 23 US snapshots, average US rank 3.3, best #1, charting in 66 countries on the latest scrape.
Best fit for: Listeners who want folk horror with a strong sense of place.
#17. The Silt Verses
Hosted by Eskew Productions Ltd
About this show: A horror and fantasy serial in which Carpenter and Faulkner, two worshippers of an outlawed god, travel the length of their deity's black river while a police manhunt closes in and stranger gods surface along the way.
Why it made the list in 2026: The strongest fantasy entry in a chart otherwise dominated by science fiction and horror, in every snapshot with a top-23 US peak. Chart record: 23 of 23 US snapshots, average US rank 28.7, best #23, charting in 55 countries on the latest scrape.
Best fit for: Listeners who want dense, literary world-building.
Classic Stories and Documentary-Style Fiction
#16. The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast - Vintage Sci-Fi Short Stories
Hosted by Scott Miller
About this show: Narrated vintage science fiction short stories spanning the 1700s through the mid-1960s, drawn from early speculative fiction, 19th-century tales and the pulp magazine era. Released several times a week across 529 episodes.
Why it made the list in 2026: The largest archive of classic science fiction on the chart and the only vintage-story show to hold a US top-20 place all year. Chart record: 23 of 23 US snapshots, average US rank 14.6, best #7, charting in 39 countries on the latest scrape.
Best fit for: Listeners who want the source material the whole genre grew out of.
#20. TANIS
Hosted by Public Radio Alliance
About this show: A serialized docudrama from the Public Radio Alliance, hosted by Nic Silver, about the myth of Tanis and about the nature of truth, conspiracy and information, told as the line between science and fiction blurs.
Why it made the list in 2026: The higher placed of the two Public Radio Alliance shows charting in this genre, with a top-15 US peak. Chart record: 23 of 23 US snapshots, average US rank 20.5, best #15, charting in 36 countries on the latest scrape.
Best fit for: Listeners who like fiction presented as investigative journalism.
Spanish-Language Science Fiction and Paranormal
#15. EXTRA ANORMAL
Hosted by iEX Studios
About this show: A Spanish-language paranormal series from iEX Studios covering unexplained phenomena, hidden dimensions, listener accounts and occult theory, with 470 episodes published.
Why it made the list in 2026: An average US rank of 4.1 across every snapshot, the highest-charting non-English show anywhere in this category. Chart record: 23 of 23 US snapshots, average US rank 4.1, best #3, charting in 29 countries on the latest scrape.
Best fit for: Spanish-speaking listeners who want paranormal storytelling rather than scripted drama.
Rising This Month: Science Fiction Podcasts Climbing the Charts (September 2026)
These are the science fiction shows moving up fastest in CastFox rankings. We compare each show's average US chart position across the 3 most recent snapshots (2026-08-08 to 2026-09-04) with the 3 snapshots before that. A show that was outside the top 100 in the prior window is marked as new to the top 100. This section is refreshed every month; the main list above changes more slowly because it rewards consistency.
SCP: Find Us Alive
Hosted by Hodgepodge Audio. SCP: Find Us Alive moved from an average of #97.7 to #59 (up 38.7 places), with a best US rank of #49 so far in 2026 and a top-100 position in 17 countries on the latest snapshot. Find Us Alive follows the strange developments at Site-107, a small Foundation research site trapped inside dimensional anomaly SCP-6320, as narrated by the site’s radio operator, Dr. Harley.
Station 151
Hosted by Pale Matter | Realm. Station 151 moved from an average of #90 to #60.5 (up 29.5 places), with a best US rank of #37 so far in 2026 and a top-100 position in 29 countries on the latest snapshot. Station 151 is Antarctica’s first and only astronomical radio observatory. Built by the Telders Corporation at an estimated cost of $200M USD, the station promises to reveal the darkest secrets of the universe. Join...
Apollyon New to the top 100
Hosted by Observer Pictures | Realm. Apollyon new to the US top 100, now averaging #75, with a best US rank of #53 so far in 2026 and a top-100 position in 8 countries on the latest snapshot. In the early 22nd century, the Apollyon virus wiped out 75% of the world’s population, and now most of the world is governed by the International Conglomerate of Research Scientists. Dr. Theo Ramsey is an ICRS research...
A Voice From Darkness New to the top 100
Hosted by Jac Rhys. A Voice From Darkness new to the US top 100, now averaging #76.5, with a best US rank of #67 so far in 2026 and a top-100 position in 9 countries on the latest snapshot. Join parapsychologist and radio broadcaster Dr. Malcolm Ryder as he helps those who suffer the supernatural on his call-in radio show.
Cuentos y Leyendas de Honduras New to the top 100
Hosted by Cuentos y Leyendas de Honduras. Cuentos y Leyendas de Honduras new to the US top 100, now averaging #77, with a best US rank of #57 so far in 2026 and a top-100 position in 5 countries on the latest snapshot. Cuentos y leyendas de Honduras nació como un programa radial creado por Jorge Montenegro a la edad de 24 años, fue transmitido por primera vez el 9 de septiembre de 1964.
How We Ranked These: CastFox Methodology
CastFox scrapes the Apple Podcasts charts every day in 78 countries and stores every position in the top 200 of every genre. For this list we took the 23 2026 snapshots of the US Science Fiction chart between 2026-02-24 and 2026-09-04, and scored every show that appeared in the top 100 of any of them.
- Consistency (50% of the score): the number of snapshots in which the show appeared in the US top 100. Every show on this list scored 23 out of 23, which is the filter that removes one-week spikes.
- Average US rank (30%): the mean of the show's US chart positions across those snapshots. Lower is better.
- Global reach (20%): the number of tracked countries in which the show was in the genre top 100 on the most recent snapshot. This is what separates a show with a large US following from a show with a global one.
There are no paid placements and no editorial overrides. A few shows on this list would not be our personal picks; they are here because the chart data put them here, and we would rather show you what people are actually listening to than what we think they should be. Chart position is not the same as audience size, so treat the ranking as a measure of sustained popularity rather than a download count. For a deeper look at what chart data can and cannot tell you, read how podcast audience demographics are calculated.
How to Pick the Right Science Fiction Podcast for You
What are the best sci-fi audio drama podcasts?
Wolf 359 for a full-cast space station story that actually finished, DERELICT for corporate deep-sea science fiction from novelist J. Barton Mitchell, and The Leviathan Chronicles for the biggest production values in the category. All three appeared in every 2026 US snapshot.
What are the best fiction podcasts to binge?
Wolf 359 is 100 episodes and complete, so nothing is left hanging. The Left Right Game is 11 episodes with Tessa Thompson, and National Emergency is 9. If you would rather have a long runway, The Strata has 157 episodes and The SCP Experience has 516.
What are the best space and sci-fi story podcasts?
Wolf 359 and DERELICT are the two strongest original space stories on the chart. The Leviathan Chronicles runs a connected universe from the ocean floor to deep space, Mission To Zyxx does the comedy version, and The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast narrates the pulp-era stories the whole format came from.
What are the best sci-fi podcasts like Welcome to Night Vale?
Desert Skies is the closest in tone: strange, quiet, and performed by one person. Archive 81 shares the found-recordings structure, and Old Gods of Appalachia applies the same slow dread to a real place. Night Vale itself still averages rank 2.7 in the US after more than 360 episodes.
What are the best fantasy audio drama podcasts?
The Silt Verses is the strongest fantasy serial charting in this category, following two worshippers of an outlawed god up their deity's river. Old Gods of Appalachia is the folklore-horror alternative and reaches 66 countries, more than any other independent drama here.
What are the best sci-fi book review podcasts?
The US Science Fiction chart is almost entirely fiction rather than criticism, so there is no review show in this top 20. The closest are the story shows: The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast narrates vintage short fiction from the 1700s to the mid-1960s, and just outside the top 20, Clarkesworld Magazine and Escape Pod publish stories from the magazines themselves.
Want the next 180 science fiction podcasts?
This list is the top 20. The CastFox Science Fiction chart page shows the top 50 updated daily, and PodcastGPT can find shows on any specific topic across 5M+ podcasts.
See the daily top 50 → Search by topic →Frequently Asked Questions About the Best Science Fiction Podcasts
What is the best science fiction podcast in 2026?
By CastFox's chart score, Welcome to Night Vale is the best science fiction podcast of 2026: it appeared in all 23 US chart snapshots between February and September with an average US rank of 2.7 and a presence in 75 countries. The NoSleep Podcast has the better average rank at 1.2 but charts in 70 countries, and Old Gods of Appalachia is third.
How is this list ranked?
Each show's score combines three things from CastFox's Apple Podcasts chart data: how many of the 23 US Science Fiction chart snapshots taken between February 24 and September 4, 2026 it appeared in (50% of the score), its average US rank across those appearances (30%), and how many of the 78 tracked countries it charted in on the latest scrape (20%). No paid placements and no editorial overrides.
Which science fiction podcasts are finished so I can listen straight through?
Wolf 359 ran 100 episodes and ended, and it still charted in every 2026 snapshot years later. The Left Right Game is a complete 11-episode limited series. Most of the rest on this list are ongoing, which is why episode counts vary from 9 to over 700.
Why are horror and paranormal shows on a science fiction podcast list?
Because Apple Podcasts files them under Science Fiction, and this list is built from Apple's Science Fiction chart rather than from our own taste. The NoSleep Podcast, Old Gods of Appalachia, The SCP Experience and EXTRA ANORMAL all hold top-10 US positions in that category, so we describe them for what they are instead of leaving them out.
Are these science fiction podcasts free?
Yes. Every show on this list is free on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and the other major apps. Several run paid tiers for ad-free feeds, bonus episodes or early access, but the main feed is free in all 20 cases.
How do I find more science fiction podcasts like these?
Use PodcastGPT Podcast Finder and describe what you want in plain English ("audio dramas set on spaceships" or "folk horror anthologies"). It searches by topic rather than by category name, and topic search finds individual episodes. The full live chart for this genre sits at /best-podcasts/science-fiction.