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What are some of the best podcasts for women, by women?
The podcast market is super saturated these days. Not in a bad way exactly, but there are so many exciting and entertaining options that it can feel overwhelming.
To make things easier for you, we’ve compiled a list of some of the best podcasts for women that we find most inspiring—both for personal development and career advice.
So, whether you’re looking for inspiration, an honest conversation with special guests like Michelle Obama, to be invigorated personally or professionally, or to simply step up your everyday life dinner party conversation skills—be sure to give ‘em a listen.
Table of Contents
- Business + Career Podcasts for Women
- Life Advice Podcasts for Women
- Parenting + Motherhood Podcasts for Women
- Money Podcasts for Women
- True Crime Podcasts for Women
- Wellness + Health Podcasts for Women
- Society + Culture Podcasts for Women
- Comedy Podcasts for Women
- Podcasts from the Past
Business + Career Podcasts For Women
Can we take a moment to humblebrag about The Career Contessa Podcast? We host a weekly advice podcast focused on women, work, and all the answers to your career questions so you can be more fulfilled, healthy, and successful at work.
Our CEO, Lauren McGoodwin, chats with leading experts—from authors to creatives, CEOs to happiness psychologists—to give you step-by-step career advice you can use immediately.
Meet "Work Appropriate," a podcast that delivers humorous but practical workplace advice on topics like “How do I get my manager to stop texting me after hours?"
Inspired by her immensely popular newsletter, author Anne Helen Petersen turns her attention to the wild world of work in Work Appropriate. Featuring guest appearances by the smartest people Anne knows, the show delivers humorous but practical workplace advice for a range of listener questions.
Side Hustle Pro, hosted by Nicaila Matthews Okome, profiles Black women entrepreneurs who took their side hustles and scaled them into profitable and successful businesses. If you're looking for inspirational stories, actionable strategies, and enlightening advice from Black women who are doing the thing, tune in to this podcast.
4. PRETTYSMART
PRETTYSMART is a love letter to women with something to say: those with bold thoughts and inquisitive minds. In thought-provoking conversations with some of today’s most dynamic voices—from entrepreneurs and authors to politicians and celebrities—journalist Danielle Robay digs into the hearts, souls, and stories of people who put a new spin on Pretty.
5. Unlocking Us
Brenè Brown has spent over 20 years studying the emotions and experiences that bring meaning and purpose to our lives, and if there’s one thing she's learned it’s this: We are hardwired for connection, and connecting requires courage, vulnerability, and conversation. Unlocking Us is real, unpolished, honest, and reflects both the magic and the messiness of what it means to be human. Episodes include conversations with the people who are teaching, challenging, confusing, or maybe even ticking Brenè off a little.
Bonus: Here are 7 leaderships quotes from Brenè Brown that we love.
9 to 5ish is the work advice you need, from women who’ve been there. Every week, join the co-founders and co-CEOs of theSkimm, Carly Zakin and Danielle Weisberg, as they help you get what you want out of your career by talking to the smartest leaders they know.
Bonus: We had theSkimm founders share their management tips with us.
HBR staffers Amy Bernstein, Amy Gallo, and Emily Caulfield are untangling some of the knottiest work problems women face like narrowing the wage gap, standing up to interrupting male colleagues, and more. On Women at Work, they interview experts on gender, tell stories about their own experiences, and give lots of practical advice to help you succeed in spite of the obstacles.
Remotely Curious is a podcast from Dropbox that asks all the questions about hybrid, remote, and virtual work. This podcast is for those working from home, commuting to the office twice a week, or whatever combination you have going on! If you consider yourself remotely curious, listen for smart tips and relatable stories about the new working reality
Hosted by creator Alexis Barber, Too Smart For This is dedicated to exploring confidence and self-empowerment for ambitious women critical of society’s pressures.
Life + Advice Podcasts
10. Latina to Latina
Hosted by Alicia Menendez (who also wrote one of our favorite books, The Likeability Trap) Latina to Latina is a podcast interview series. In it, Menendez speaks with remarkable Latinxs about making it, faking it, and everything in between. Nothing is off-limits, as Menendez and her guests dive into politics, power, art, and activism.
Bonus: Alicia joined us on The Career Contessa Podcast to discuss the likeability trap.
11. This Is Love
Love is more than you think. From the creators of Criminal comes This Is Love podcast. It is not your traditional "life advice," but we're adding it here because the podcast tries to decode the mystery of how our romances, obsessions, and relationships drive us. Listening to it can feel like a contact high.
UnF*ck Your Brain is the podcast for high-achieving feminist women who struggle with anxiety, self-doubt, and imposter syndrome. If you know you’ve accomplished a lot professionally but still secretly feel like you’re unqualified….if you want to feel confident but you worry about what everyone else thinks about you...if you want to succeed but fear failure...this podcast is for you.
In each episode, Master Certified Confidence Coach Kara Loewentheil, J.D., will teach you how to overcome social conditioning and your own self-critical thoughts so that you can reduce your anxiety and insecurity, boost your self-confidence, and get what you want in life.
13. Unladylike
Find out what happens when women break the rules—those unwritten but all too real bullsh*t expectations of how we should live our lives. Cristen Conger and Caroline Ervin (formerly of Stuff Mom Never Told You) tackle questions through their trademark obsessive research, stories from rule-breakin’ ladies, and a solid dose of delightful feminist rage in Unladylike.
14. Life Kit
Everyone needs a little help being a human. From sleep to saving money to parenting and more, we talk to the experts to get the best advice. Life Kit is here to help you get it together.
15. TED Talks Daily
TED Talks Daily brings you the latest talks in audio. Join host and journalist Elise Hu for thought-provoking ideas on every subject imaginable—from Artificial Intelligence to Zoology, and everything in between—given by the world's leading thinkers and creators.
Lauryn Evarts Bosstick is the entrepreneur & creator behind The Skinny Confidential. Michael Bosstick is a serial entrepreneur and the Co-founder and CEO of the Dear Media Podcast Network.
The dynamic couple is also married, and in this show, you will find a mix of audio entertainment with world-class leaders, entrepreneurs, athletes, best-selling authors, experts, and thought leaders. Him & Her Podcast is completely raw and unfiltered, no-holds-barred conversation around the topics and questions you really want answered. Lauryn and Michael never hold back, and this show never fails to bring value.
Bonus: Listen to our CEO, Lauren McGoodwin, share job search tips on The Him & Her Podcast.
Parenting + Motherhood Podcasts For Women
At the end of the day, does anything even matter if we're not good humans? That's the question Dr. Aliza Pressman, developmental psychologist, parent educator, and mom, is trying to answer in Raising Good Humans. Each episode shares the most effective approaches and tools to utilize in order to raise good humans. Because we need good humans.
Join clinical psychologist and mom of three Dr. Becky Kennedy on her weekly Good Inside podcast, as she takes on tough parenting questions and delivers actionable guidance—all in short episodes, because we know time is hard to find as a parent. Her breakthrough approach has enabled thousands of people to get more comfortable in discomfort, make repairs after mistakes, and always see the good inside.
You'll gain the tools to embody your authority while developing a stronger parent-child connection, helping you become the parent you want to be and helping your child develop the skills necessary for life success.
Money Podcasts for Women
Host Bola Onada Sokunbi is a Certified Financial Education Instructor, and she knows her stuff when it comes to finances. Her podcast, The Clever Girls Know, revolves around women and careers as well as how to successfully invest, save, and generally manage your money.
Clever Girl Finance's topics range from specific (saving for a wedding) to general (how to create a budget that works), and she interviews experts in the financial world. You’re in for tips that are actually helpful, and you’ll walk away feeling more optimistic about your own financial future.
Bonus: We're also so lucky to call Bola Onada Sokunbi a friend of Career Contessa—and she's gifted us her expertise on several occasions by appearing on The Career Contessa Podcast. Check out her episodes on building a 7-figure portfolio and how she saved $100k in three years.
Finance bros are out, #RichGirls are in. Join Money with Katie and her guests as they talk spending habits, smart investing, and tax strategies—without putting you to sleep. Listen weekly to learn how to turn your Rich Girl mindset into money.
Bonus: Katie shared 5 money mistakes with us and Lauren shared "dream job" myths on The Money With Katie Show.
21. So Money
Host Farnoosh Torabi is Editor-at-Large of CNET Money, an award-winning financial strategist, TV host, and bestselling author. So Money brings inspiring money strategies and stories straight from today's business minds, authors and influencers. Advice and insights are always delivered through a lens of equity and inclusivity.
Bonus: Listen to how Farnoosh overcame financial meltdown on The Career Contessa Podcast.
True Crime Podcasts for Women
The much-acclaimed My Favorite Murder offers up interesting (and sometimes harrowing) murder stories. Hosts Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark research and tell these stories to each other (and to us). It kind of feels like you are listening to your best friends chat about these murder cases.
Their funny banter and down-to-earth personalities make this a great—and not too scary—listen. And “stay sexy, don’t get murdered,” their sign-off at the end of each episode, has become famous in its own right for its message of empowerment to women.
23. Criminal
Criminal is a classic—and consistently ranking on top podcast lists—for a reason. Hosted by Phoebe Judge, each episodes details an interesting crime—or crime-adjacent topic. Phoebe has a way of storytelling that's at once calming and leaves you wanting more.
24. Twin Flames
We all want love, that happily-ever-after feeling of finding your soulmate. What if someone not only claimed they could help you find that perfect partner, they guaranteed it? Jeff and Shaleia, a young couple famous on YouTube, teach about ‘Twin Flames' — a deep, romantic connection with your perfect partner in their videos.
It’s divine love, you’re designed for no one else, and they’re designed for no one else. But the path to finding your Twin Flame isn’t so simple. Some followers claim they were encouraged to cut ties with friends and family that are holding them back, and to claim their Twin Flame by any means necessary. From Wondery, Twin Flames is a podcast about what happens when the quest for love turns into a dangerous obsession. Hosted by Stephanie Beatriz.
Wellness + Health Podcasts for Women
Need a break from the toxicity of diet culture? Check out The Food Heaven Podcast for a refreshing look at subjects like HAES (health at every size), food + culture, intuitive eating, and body acceptance. Join BFFs and registered dietitian nutritionists Wendy Lopez and Jessica Jones as they talk to different health and nutrition experts about how we can live healthier, more balanced lives. No restrictive diets or quick fixes here.
Consistently thought-provoking, On Being with Krista Tippett offers up conversations with authors, psychologists, historians, artists, and scientists about questions of meaning and being human. It is simultaneously serious and heartening. A must-listen.
A weekly podcast from licensed psychologist Dr. Joy Harden Bradford, Therapy for Black Girls focuses on making mental health topics more relevant and accessible for Black women—especially as they face the stigma against seeking out and receiving mental health help. Every week, Dr. Bradford opens this space to present mental health topics in an accessible and relatable way.
Beyond the podcast, there is a community of support in The Yellow Couch Collective, resources to find therapists, and a blog exploring topics like anxiety, identity, and grief.
Bonus: Dr. Bradford lent us some of her own expertise when she appeared on The Career Contessa Podcast to discuss "How to Prepare for Intimidating Conversations at Work."
Michael Hobbes and Aubrey Gordon debunk the junk science behind health fads, wellness scams, and nonsensical nutrition advice on Maintenance Phase.
You know how when someone asks "How are you?" you just say "Fine,” even if you’re totally dying inside, so everyone can go about their day? Terrible, Thanks for Asking is the opposite of that. Nora McInerny asks real people to share their complicated and honest feelings about how they really are. It’s sometimes sad, sometimes funny, and often both.
Society + Culture Podcasts for Women
30. Be There in Five
Be There in Five is a pop culture and millennial zeitgeist-focused podcast by Kate Kennedy (entrepreneur, author, pop culture commentator). Long-form and solo hosted, Be There in Five explores different facets of popular culture in a comedic, thoughtful, and analytical way, covering entertainment, social media, bloggers/influencers, and celebrities, in addition to focusing on the humor found in reexamining the 90s/00s as an adult (from AIM to Zenon).
Sarah Marshall is a journalist obsessed with the past. Every week she reconsiders a person or event that's been miscast in the public imagination on You're Wrong About.
A podcast about the modern-day “cults” we all follow. Hosts Isa Medina and Amanda Montell ask the culty questions we’re all wondering… Do you think SoulCycle is a cult? What about Elon Musk stans? Or the Royal Family? What about spiritual influencers? Is Instagram itself a cult? Sounds Like a Cult is a podcast that analyzes a different zeitgeisty group every week to try and answer the big question: This group sounds like a cult, but is it really? And if so, how bad is it?
Hosted by Kentuckians Sarah Stewart Holland and Beth Silvers, Pantsuit Politics is an independent podcast that takes a different approach to the news. Sarah and Beth are citizens who prioritize curiosity over the conflict that often drives political conversations. Pay attention without the anxiety.
Staggering success, unexpected loss, over-the-top parties, shocking betrayals, and profound intimacy are woven together into a high-profile family-therapy session. The Just Enough Family follows the meteoric rise and staggering fall of the Steinbergs, once one of America’s richest families, through the eyes of Liz Lange—successful fashion designer, captivating storyteller, and niece of the infamous corporate raider Saul Steinberg. Host Ariel Levy gets an inside look at what happened to the once seemingly invincible clan.
We are all doing hard things every single day—things like loving, losing, and caring for children and parents; forging and ending friendships; battling addiction, illness, and loneliness; struggling in our jobs, our marriages, and our divorces; setting boundaries; and fighting for equality, purpose, freedom, joy, and peace.
On We Can Do Hard Things, Glennon Doyle and her sister, Amanda, will do the only thing they've found that has ever made life easier: They will drop the fake and talk honestly about the hard. Each week they'll will bring their hard to you and will ask you to bring your hard to them and we will do what we were all meant to do down here: help each other carry the hard so we can all live a little bit lighter and braver, more free and less alone.
Comedy
Take a bite out of The Morning Toast, weekdays with Girl With No Job & Jackie O.
37. Absolutely Not
Comedian Heather McMahan creates a safe space for us to tell all and bitch about the rest in Absolutely Not. No topics are off-limits as she breaks down the everyday struggles of doing the most, and the least, at the same damn time. Come for the humor, authentic discussion, or call in the Hotline, or should we say "Absolutely NOT-Line," with your life complaints. It's a joyful take on life's craziest moments.
38. Office Ladies
The Office co-stars and best friends, Jenna Fischer and Angela Kinsey, are doing the ultimate The Office re-watch podcast for you with Office Ladies. Each week Jenna and Angela will break down an episode of The Office and give exclusive behind the scene stories that only two people who were there can tell you.
39. Taste of Taylor
Get a Taste of Taylor Strecker and her tastemaker (celebrity/influencer) guests each week on her podcast with Dear Media! The Phoenix is rising from the ashes baby!!!
Phew, that's a long list but a great one to keep you listening to amazing women all year round!
And don't forget to listen and subscribe to The Carer Contessa Podcast. We drop new episodes every week!
Podcasts From The Past
The following are podcasts we love but that are unfortunately not publishing new episodes right now. These are great for a binge!
Phenomenal Grit, Career Conversations for Women of Color is the go-to place for inspiring you to tap into your personal magic, navigate challenges, crush it at work, advance in your career, and find joy doing it! In each episode, Phenomenal Grit host, Alia Kemet will interview amazing women of color who will share their wit, grit, and wisdom to help you achieve your career goals.
41. She Did That
On the heels of the She Did That documentary's wildly successful Netflix release, filmmaker and storyteller Renae Bluitt's passion for digging deep into the impactful journeys of Black women entrepreneurs continues with the She Did That podcast. Each episode will offer you front row access to brilliant women who are forging their own paths, finding financial freedom, and harnessing their passions to create more meaningful and fulfilling lives.
Host and best-selling author, Eve Rodsky, along with physician Dr. Aditi Nerurkar invite you to reimagine your time as your most valuable currency. Combining science-based solutions, humor, personal insights, and practical tips, each Time Out episode features a special guest and focuses on a range of subjects from important boundary setting to beating burnout at home and at work, and how to infuse our lives with more creativity, connectivity, and fun.
43. Being Bumo
As we all know, parenthood can feel like one big roller coaster with multiple ups and downs, often just within a day. Raw is the first word that comes to mind with this refreshing podcast. Radically honest in their approach to sharing all the ups, downs, struggles, and gray areas that come with marriage, relationships, parenting, careers, and life in general. Being Bumo brings in experts, inspirational leaders, and celebrities to talk about big issues every parent faces in a straightforward and easy to digest format.
44. Diversifying
Does it feel like the financial system is stacked against you? For many people, it is. Especially if you’re Black or Brown, a woman, or single. In Diversifying, they explore why the traditional rules of money management no longer apply to new generations. Hosted by Delyanne Barros, better known as Delyanne The Money Coach, Diversifying demystifies and humanizes money by examining the culture we make it in and how to make it work for you.
Money Confidential, a new podcast from Real Simple, explores the many aspects of money: making it, saving it, investing it, giving it, spending it and—sometimes, hardest of all—talking about it. Each week, Stefanie O’Connell Rodriguez, a nationally recognized money expert, delves into your (confidential) money problems and delivers smart, practical, and completely doable solutions that will help you work toward your ultimate financial goals.
Kendall Rae is a true-crime content creator on YouTube who has used her platform to spread awareness for victims and their families. Now she is bringing episodes of her YouTube true-crime series to podcast format, to hopefully create even more awareness around the cases she covers. Kendall's approach to true-crime content is empathetic and always approached with victims in mind first. Join Kendall in her journey to spread awareness and bring justice to those who need it most!
47. Black Girl In Om
In addition to the beautiful online publication, Black Girl in Om’s podcast offers inspiring and thoughtful wellness content specifically for women of color. Black Girl in Om’s founder Lauren Ash and Art Director Deun Ivory thoughtfully discuss topics ranging from holistic wellness to beauty. They also consistently feature a variety of guests including wellness writers, holistic doctors, yogis, and more, all offering intriguing advice.
The Hey Girl Podcast unites the voices of phenomenal women near and far. Created with sisterhood and storytelling in mind, author Alex Elle sits down with people who inspire her. From friends to family members and strangers, the hey, girl. guests give us a peek into their stories through candid and intimate conversations.
49. Selfie
Let’s talk self-care and mental health. Kristen Howerton, writer and psychotherapist, is joined by her longtime pal Matthias Roberts, psychotherapist, side-eye aficionado, and dog dad, as they tackle the tricky and often elusive aspects of caring for ourselves. Their weekly conversations on Selfie explore questions like: Can self-care be for everyone? How do I get enough sleep? What aspects of my personality make self-care tricky?
From the Shine app’s co-founders Marah Lidey and Naomi Hirabayashi comes “Friends With Mental Health Benefits,” a podcast highlighting the untold mental health stories of founders and senior leaders. Hear how folks navigate their own wellbeing in the workplace and support the mental health of their teams—especially those most marginalized.
51. Still Processing
This podcast, from The New York Times, is hosted by Jenna Wortham and Wesley Morris. Still Processing brings an incredibly smart mix of pop culture, personality, and education. At the top of every episode, Wortham and Morris take time to work through current (and often touchy) issues.
Ellen Pompeo sits down with a wide range of guests and celebrity friends who inspire her and who do extraordinary things. Through in-depth, candid conversations on Tell Me, Ellen shines a light on people and issues that are important to her and the world at large.
