Dirty John
True crime fans who love psychological manipulation, con artists, and domestic crime stories with high personal stakes.
Podcasts Like Dirty John
If you loved Dirty John, here are the best podcasts to try next. Matched by case type, storytelling style, and community ratings from our database of Fraud, Domestic Abuse, Murder shows.
Why listeners love Dirty John
Dirty John is a six-episode true crime masterclass about a master manipulator — bingeable in one sitting and impossible to forget. With a binge factor of 8/10, it sits among the most compulsively listenable shows in the genre. It follows a serialized format — each season covers one case in depth, building suspense across episodes.
Binge Factor
8/10
Community-rated compulsive listenability
Format
Serialized
One story told across multiple episodes
Style
Journalistic, tense, gripping
Presentation approach
Episode Length
6 episodes ~30-45 min each; bingeable in one evening
Typical episode duration
Host Style
Solo narrator
Presentation format
Verdict
Must listen
Our editorial rating
Recommendations
12 podcasts like Dirty John
Dr. Death
True crime fans interested in medical crime, institutional failure, and white-collar predators — compelling for anyone who has ever trusted a doctor blindly.
Over My Dead Body
True crime fans who enjoy high-production narrative storytelling and want a varied anthology across different types of extraordinary cases.
The Dropout
People interested in tech fraud, startup culture, and white-collar crime; fans of The Dropout TV series who want the deeper journalism behind it.
Betrayal
True crime fans interested in psychological crime, identity deception, and the personal devastation of discovering you were living with a secret; fans of Dirty John who want the same intimate betrayal format.
Murder in Apartment 12
A Colorado flight instructor vanished on Thanksgiving 2018. Her fiancé had arranged her murder, then burned her body to cover his tracks. Dateline NBC investigates.
The Girlfriends
True crime fans interested in the psychology of women connected to violent men; listeners who want to understand the role of gender in criminal relationships.
American Scandal
History and current affairs enthusiasts who want true crime-style storytelling applied to institutional corruption and political failures.
Crime Next Door: The Beast of Birkenhead
BBC’s Olivia Graham revisits the 1986 Diane Sindall murder and the 2025 quashing of Peter Sullivan’s conviction. Sullivan quashed 13 May 2025; killer unknown.
Foul Play: A Historical True Crime Podcast
<p><em>Foggy</em> <em>gaslit</em> <em>streets.</em> <em>A</em> <em>quiet</em> <em>courtroom.</em> <em>And</em> <em>crimes</em> <em>that</em> <em>history</em> <em>tried</em> <em>to</em> <em>bury.</em><
Serial
Anyone interested in journalism, legal procedure, and deep investigative dives into morally ambiguous cases with no easy answers.
In the Dark
Listeners who want journalism-grade investigation into wrongful convictions, systemic racism, and institutional failures — more 60 Minutes than true crime thriller.
The Trial of Erin Patterson
The Crime Desk's courtroom coverage of the Erin Patterson 'mushroom murders' trial — one of the biggest cases of the decade.
How they compare
| Podcast | Format | Country | Binge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dirty John (original) | Serialized | United States | 8/10 |
| Dr. Death | Serialized | United States | 8/10 |
| Over My Dead Body | Serialized | United States | 7/10 |
| The Dropout | Serialized | United States | 8/10 |
| Betrayal | Serialized | United States | 7/10 |
| Murder in Apartment 12 | Serialised | United States | 6/10 |
| The Girlfriends | Serialized | United States | 6/10 |
| American Scandal | Serialized | United States | 6/10 |
| Crime Next Door: The Beast of Birkenhead | Serialized | United Kingdom | — |
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Frequently Asked Questions
What podcasts are similar to Dirty John?
The best alternatives to Dirty John are podcasts that share its Fraud, Domestic Abuse, Murder focus and serialized format. Our editorial team has hand-picked the most similar shows based on content type, storytelling style, and community ratings.
Why do people love Dirty John?
Dirty John is known for its journalistic, tense, gripping approach to Fraud and Domestic Abuse. It scores 8/10 on our binge factor rating, reflecting how compulsively listenable listeners find it. It has earned a "Must Listen" rating from our editorial team.
How long are episodes of Dirty John?
Episodes of Dirty John are typically 6 episodes ~30-45 min each; bingeable in one evening long. It follows a serialized format, covering one story across multiple episodes.
Where can I listen to Dirty John?
Dirty John is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR. You can find it by searching the show name on any of those platforms.
What is the best episode of Dirty John to start with?
New listeners are recommended to start with Episode 1 — must start from beginning. As a serialized podcast, it's best to start from the beginning of a season.