Podcast Chapters

Podcast Chapters is a native Mac application that lets podcasters add chapter markers and metadata to MP3 episode files without re-encoding audio, preserving original sound quality. It targets independent podcasters and producers who want listeners to jump to sponsors, skip spoilers, or preview upcoming segments within an episode. The app works entirely offline, avoiding file uploads or web interfaces.

Users import an MP3 file, place chapter markers with a built-in audio player for precise timing, and set podcast and episode metadata including cover art before exporting. On supported Macs, it can transcribe audio on-device, producing text or .srt files, and allows exporting selected transcript sections as audio clips. A metadata viewer displays existing tag information regardless of which application originally created it.

The software includes features aimed at users managing multiple shows, such as a presets system for saving metadata and show art, CSV import for automation workflows, and JSON export including an optional web player. It supports podcast namespace RSS tags and recent versions add Shortcuts automation for opening podcasts, adding chapters, applying presets, transcribing, and exporting. A related product, PodChapters, extends this functionality with AI-assisted chapter generation, outline-to-chapter conversion, and support for additional export formats like Podcasting 2.0, Podlove, and YouTube.