True crime podcasts have become the dominant force in audio entertainment, and the genre shows no signs of slowing down in 2026. With over 23,000 true crime podcasts now flooding the market, separating the essential from the forgettable has become its own investigation.
Whether you’re a longtime murderino or just dipping your toe into the dark side of podcasting, this guide cuts through the noise to bring you the shows that actually deliver.
From investigative journalism that’s helped overturn wrongful convictions to comedy podcasts that make murder somehow palatable during your morning commute, these are the true crime podcasts worth your time in 2026.
Crime Junkie: The Undisputed Champion
No list of true crime podcasts would be complete without acknowledging the behemoth. Crime Junkie has amassed over 2.6 billion downloads since Ashley Flowers and Brit Prawat launched it from a spare bedroom in 2017. The podcast drops every Monday and covers everything from cold cases to missing persons to serial killers, all delivered with the chemistry of two best friends who’ve known each other since birth. Literally.
Flowers built Audiochuck, her podcast network, on a $13,000 investment. That initial bet now generates hundreds of millions of downloads annually and spawned spinoffs including The Deck, which uses cold case playing cards distributed in prisons as its premise. If you’re new to true crime podcasts, start here.
Serial: The Podcast That Started It All
Serial didn’t just popularize true crime podcasting. It legitimized podcasting as a medium, period. Host Sarah Koenig’s meticulous investigation into the 1999 murder of Hae Min Lee and the conviction of Adnan Syed became a cultural phenomenon when it launched in 2014. The case eventually resulted in Syed’s conviction being vacated.
Now part of The New York Times, Serial Productions continues to produce investigative shows including The Preventionist. Each season focuses on a single case, and Koenig’s narrative style makes listeners feel like co-investigators unraveling the mystery in real time.
Dateline NBC Podcasts: Television Quality In Your Earbuds
Dateline has been the gold standard for true crime television since 1992, and their podcast operation now rivals their broadcast dominance. Keith Morrison’s iconic voice anchors shows like Murder in the Moonlight, which examines a double homicide on the Great Plains that hinged on a gold ring found at the scene.
Their newest series, Something About Cari, dropped in December 2025 and investigates the 2012 disappearance of single mother Cari Farver. The six episode arc features taunting texts, arson, and a twist that defies belief. Andrea Canning’s Dateline: True Crime Weekly provides a news roundup format for those who want to stay current on cases making headlines.
My Favorite Murder: Where Comedy Meets Carnage
Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark essentially invented the true crime comedy genre when they launched My Favorite Murder in 2016. The podcast built the “murderino” community, a massive following of listeners who appreciate that sometimes the only way to process humanity’s darkest moments is with dark humor.
With nearly 200,000 Apple Podcast reviews and a decade of episodes covering everything from the Night Stalker to the Tulsa Race Massacre, MFM proved you could discuss serial killers without treating every moment like a funeral. The show recently celebrated its 10 year anniversary by revisiting listener voted top moments.
In The Dark: Investigative Journalism At Its Finest
If you want true crime that actually changes outcomes, In the Dark delivers. Host Madeleine Baran’s second season examined the case of Curtis Flowers, a Mississippi man tried six times for the same crime. The podcast’s reporting contributed to the Supreme Court overturning his conviction.
Originally produced by APM Reports, the show was canceled in 2020 but recently announced Season 3 is now in production. Baran’s fact heavy approach and cadence make listeners feel like detectives piecing together systemic failures in the justice system.
Morbid: A Lighthearted Nightmare
Hosted by autopsy technician Alaina Urquhart and her hairstylist niece Ash Kelley, Morbid brings professional insight mixed with genuine chemistry. The “weirdos” (their term for fans) appreciate how the duo balances thorough research with just enough humor to make the darkness digestible.
Now part of Wondery’s network, Morbid covers true crime, creepy history, and all things spooky. Episodes average about an hour and the show has built a devoted community on social media with nearly a million Instagram followers.
Casefile True Crime: The Anonymous Approach
What started in 2016 as a one person Australian project has grown into a global production with teams across multiple continents. Casefile’s anonymous host delivers straight facts without editorializing, covering solved and unsolved cases from around the world. The no frills format lets the crimes speak for themselves, and the research quality rivals professional journalism.
48 Hours: CBS News Brings The Receipts
The 48 Hours podcast extends CBS News’ award winning investigative journalism to audio. This show has actually made tangible differences in lives, helping exonerate the wrongly convicted and solving cold cases through renewed attention. The reporting places listeners at the heart of each investigation through key evidence and interviews.
New Podcasts Worth Your Time In 2026
Several newer shows deserve attention this year. Anatomy of A Stalker, hosted by journalist Ruchira Sharma, examines the psychology of stalking through survivor interviews and conversations with stalkers themselves. Given that stalking affects roughly 4% of the UK population annually, the show provides both entertainment and crucial education.
Dead Certain: The Martha Moxley Murder, which concluded in January 2026, spent a decade investigating the 1975 killing that eventually led to the conviction (later overturned) of Michael Skakel. Watching You dropped all episodes in December 2025 and examines the death of Dominique “Nique” Leili through disturbing hidden camera footage her husband collected.
Letters from Sing Sing tells the story of a murder conviction, a journalist, and a letter that transformed both their lives. The emotional ending reportedly leaves listeners in tears.
Quick Hits For Busy Listeners
Not everyone has an hour for true crime. Morning Cup of Murder delivers sip sized episodes ranging from five to fifteen minutes, perfect for short commutes or quick breaks. True Crime and Cocktails, hosted by actress Lauren Ash and her cousin Christy Oxborrow, offers a lighter approach with over 200 episodes that won multiple Canadian Podcast Awards.
Criminal, hosted by Phoebe Judge and named a Best Podcast by The New York Times, covers people who’ve done wrong, been wronged, or gotten caught somewhere in the middle. The show takes a more philosophical approach to crime storytelling.
Where To Start
If you’re completely new to true crime podcasts, begin with Crime Junkie for accessibility, Serial for prestige, or My Favorite Murder if you need levity with your murder. For serious investigative journalism, In the Dark and Dateline’s originals set the standard. And if you’ve already exhausted the major players, newer shows like Anatomy of A Stalker and Letters from Sing Sing offer fresh perspectives on the genre.
The best true crime podcasts don’t just tell stories. They humanize victims, expose systemic failures, and sometimes even deliver justice. In 2026, the genre continues evolving beyond simple murder recaps into something that actually matters.