Free tool · For hosts
Podcast Episode Title Generator
Type what the episode is about, the hook and the guest, and get the title in the layouts Apple’s own guide recommends, in Title Case or as you typed it. The episode number goes where Apple says it belongs, and the checker reads the titles you already have. No sign-up, no AI, nothing stored.
The subject, in the words a listener would search for.
The claim, question or preview that makes someone press play.
Printed exactly as you type it.
A role or a record, not a job title nobody knows. Adds a third layout.
Never printed in the title: you get the feed tag it belongs in.
Not printed: the app shows it already. The checkers use it.
26 characters · Apple Podcasts Connect takes up to 150
Keep this layout for every episode: Guest name: the hook. For a guest listeners already know: Apple's guide names big-name guests as a thing to lead with.
Fill in the topic and the hook, and the checks run.
Nothing is sent or saved: this runs entirely in your browser, and every word in the title is one you typed or a fixed joining word.
Titles that name guests need guests
A free host account lists your show with the guest topics you want, lets you search guest profiles by topic and invite the ones who fit. Free to join.
Check the titles you have
Paste one title, or your last ten, one per line. Each gets the same checks: an episode number up front, the show’s name, a date, the length, and any title used twice. Put the show name in the box above to check for it.
How it works
- 1
Type the topic and the hook
The subject a listener would search for, and the claim or question that makes them press play.
- 2
Add the guest, then pick a layout
Guest first for a name listeners know, hook first for one they do not yet.
- 3
Copy it, and keep the layout
Paste it into your hosting platform, and use the same layout for the next episode.
What Apple’s guide says about episode titles
Apple Podcasts publishes one short paragraph on episode titles, under the heading “Write episode titles that hook listeners”. Every layout above follows it, and every check below quotes it. Here it is whole:
The title of your episode is your first chance to convince potential listeners to press play.
Don't worry about including your show's name and upload date in your title. Those details will already be visible on Apple Podcasts, and episode numbers should be added through the appropriate tags in your RSS feed. Lead with your most eye-catching, important information like trending topics, big-name guests, or an interesting preview of the episode.
While every episode's title should be unique, stick to a consistent layout for your titles to help keep them clear and catchy.
Source: Apple Podcasts for Creators, “Present your podcast”. The 150-character limit is from Apple’s “Create an episode” page for Apple Podcasts Connect.
How 1,918 recent episode titles are written
We read the most recent episode titles in the RSS feed of each of the 385 shows in our directory. These are established shows that book guests, so this is what working titles look like, not a rule. The median title is 56 characters, half fall between 41 and 74, and nine in ten are 93 or shorter. About one in five still opens on an episode number, and in 85 shows most of the recent titles do, which is the habit Apple’s guide asks podcasters to move into the feed.
Titles as published in each show's feed. An episode number is counted only when it opens the title with a mark ("#12", "Ep. 12", "S2E4", "182:"), so a bare leading number ("254 One Thing") is not counted and the row under-states. A date is a calendar date, not a bare year.
| What the title carries | Titles | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Opens with an episode number | 424 | 22% |
| Repeats the show's own name | 49 | 3% |
| Carries a calendar date | 17 | 1% |
| Longer than 150 characters | 11 | 1% |
What the checker flags
Each check names a cost; none rewrites your words. Four come from Apple’s guide and form. The length reading is a measurement of the directory, not a platform rule.
| Check | The rule |
|---|---|
| An episode number up front | Apple: episode numbers go in the feed's tags, and apps show them beside the title |
| The show's name | Apple: the app already shows it, so spend the characters on the hook |
| A date | Apple: the upload date is already visible, and a date ages the title |
| Apple Podcasts Connect length | Up to 150 characters in Apple's episode form |
| A long title | Longer than 93 characters, which nine in ten directory titles are not |
| A title used twice | Apple: every episode's title should be unique (paste several, one per line) |
The title guests read
A would-be guest checks your recent episode titles before pitching, and a title that names its guest is the proof a show books them. Our guide on how to get guests to pitch your podcast measures that across the directory. Once the title is set, the podcast promotion playbook covers the rest of the launch kit.
Frequently asked questions
What makes a good podcast episode title?+
One that gives a stranger a reason to press play. Apple's guide for podcasters puts it this way: "The title of your episode is your first chance to convince potential listeners to press play." and "Lead with your most eye-catching, important information like trending topics, big-name guests, or an interesting preview of the episode." Keep the layout the same from episode to episode, so a listener learns how to read your titles.
How long should a podcast episode title be?+
There is no single rule. Apple Podcasts Connect's episode form takes up to 150 characters. Across 1,918 recent episode titles from the 385 shows in our directory, the median is 56 characters, half fall between 41 and 74, and nine in ten are 93 or shorter. Narrow lists cut long titles, so whatever the length, put the hook first.
Should I put the episode number in my podcast episode title?+
Apple's guide says no: "episode numbers should be added through the appropriate tags in your RSS feed." That tag is <itunes:episode>, and most hosting platforms write it from an episode number field. Even so, 424 of the 1,918 recent titles we read (22%) open with one.
Should the podcast's name be in the episode title?+
No. Apple's guide: "Don't worry about including your show's name and upload date in your title. Those details will already be visible on Apple Podcasts." 49 of the recent titles we read repeat their own show's name, and 17 carry a date.
Should I put the guest's name in the episode title?+
Yes, for an interview. Apple's guide names big-name guests as one of the things to lead with. When the guest is not yet well known, lead with the hook or with what they are known for, and credit the name after it. A named guest is also what tells the next would-be guest that your show books guests.
Is this podcast episode title generator free, and does it use AI?+
It is free with no sign-up, and it does not use a language model. It arranges the words you type into titles in a few fixed layouts, in your browser: nothing you type is sent to a server or stored.
