S-Town
From Serial Productions: a man convinced his Alabama town is covering up a murder pulls host Brian Reed into a story that becomes something else entirely.
Podcasts Like S-Town
If you loved S-Town, here are the best podcasts to try next. Matched by case type, storytelling style, and community ratings from our database of Investigative, Psychological Crime shows.
Why listeners love S-Town
The first podcast ever to win a Peabody Award — still one of the genre's most singular pieces of audio storytelling. With a binge factor of 9/10, 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
9/10
Community-rated compulsive listenability
Format
Serialized
One story told across multiple episodes
Style
Novelistic, immersive, compelling
Presentation approach
Episode Length
45-60 min
Typical episode duration
Host Style
Solo narrator
Presentation format
Verdict
Must listen
Our editorial rating
Recommendations
12 podcasts like S-Town
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.
You Didn't See Nothin
Pulitzer Prize and Peabody Award-winning series in which Yohance Lacour revisits a violent Chicago incident from 25 years earlier that shaped his path into journalism.
Pipeline
The Crime Desk's investigation into four professional divers sucked hundreds of feet into a Caribbean oil pipeline in 2022 — and the failing safety standards that put them there.
The Missing Cryptoqueen
BBC journalist Jamie Bartlett tracks down Dr Ruja Ignatova, who persuaded millions to invest in OneCoin before vanishing without a trace.
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.
Spotlight: Snitch City
The Boston Globe Spotlight Team exposes one police department's rampant abuse of confidential informants — a top critical pick of 2025.
Death, Lies & Cyanide
A Spotify Original narrated by journalist Sashi Kumar, chronicling how Jolly Joseph allegedly poisoned six members of her own family over 14 years in Kerala.
Crime Story
CBC's Kathleen Goldhar brings journalistic integrity and a conversational edge to white-collar scandals, high-profile trials, and under-the-radar Canadian stories.
The Shrink Next Door
Veteran journalist Joe Nocera's Hamptons neighbor was a therapist to the stars — until Nocera discovered everything he thought he knew about him was wrong.
Murder Mile UK True Crime
London-focused true crime where the host physically walks the streets where each murder happened — seven-time award nominee.
True Crime South Africa
South Africa's flagship true crime podcast, hosted by award-winning journalist Nicole Engelbrecht — the country's most popular true crime show even against international competition.
Manhunt: Finding Kevin Parle
Ex-Flying Squad detective Peter Bleksley runs a live fugitive hunt for BBC Radio 5 Live, tracking a man wanted over two murders.
How they compare
| Podcast | Format | Country | Binge |
|---|---|---|---|
| S-Town (original) | Serialized | United States | 9/10 |
| Crime Next Door: The Beast of Birkenhead | Serialized | United Kingdom | — |
| You Didn't See Nothin | Serialized | United States | 9/10 |
| Pipeline | Serialized | United Kingdom | 9/10 |
| The Missing Cryptoqueen | Serialized | United Kingdom | 9/10 |
| The Trial of Erin Patterson | Serialized | United Kingdom | 9/10 |
| Spotlight: Snitch City | Serialized | United States | 9/10 |
| Death, Lies & Cyanide | Serialized | India | 8/10 |
| Crime Story | Episodic | Canada | 8/10 |
Newsletter
Get recommendations like this weekly
Curated picks, new reviews, and hidden gems. Find your next obsession.
You can unsubscribe anytime. See our Privacy Policy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What podcasts are similar to S-Town?
The best alternatives to S-Town are podcasts that share its Investigative, Psychological Crime focus and serialized format. We've matched alternatives based on case types, storytelling format, and community ratings from our database.
Why do people love S-Town?
S-Town is known for its novelistic, immersive, compelling approach to Investigative and Psychological Crime. It scores 9/10 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 S-Town?
Episodes of S-Town are typically 45-60 min long. It follows a serialized format, covering one story across multiple episodes.
Where can I listen to S-Town?
S-Town is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify. You can find it by searching the show name on any of those platforms.
What is the best episode of S-Town to start with?
New listeners are recommended to start with Chapter I. As a serialized podcast, it's best to start from the beginning of a season.