The best history podcasts, according to hackers
7 history podcasts were recommended on Hacker News between November 2025 and November 2026. We rank them by how many separate people recommend each one, and 5 earn the Hacker Approved badge.
Top picks
The three most recommended history podcasts with the badge. Each figure is one person. RecommendsCriticizes One comment
Excellent audio and production quality
Recommended for engaging, high-quality retellings of ancient history, with a rich narrator and polished production.
Excellent, engaging and informative
Recommended as an excellent, engaging history podcast, with standout series on Elizabeth I and the Aztec and Inca empires. One critic finds its many copycat titles annoying.
Excellent, phenomenal podcast
Long-form history podcast that listeners find engaging, deep and worth the time. Critics say the history is weaker than the presentation.
All 7 history podcasts, ranked
Select a column heading to sort. Approval share is recommenders out of everyone who gave an opinion; the tick on each bar marks the 2 to 1 line the badge needs. Months counts the months, out of 13, in which someone recommended it.
| Rank | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fall of Civilizations podcast | 20 | 1 | 95% | 7 | — | Approved |
| 2 | The Rest Is History podcast | 14 | 1 | 93% | 8 | — | Approved |
| 3 | Hardcore History by Dan Carlin | 13 | 1 | 93% | 7 | — | Approved |
| Tied 4 | Revolutions Podcast by Mike Duncan | 12 | 0 | 100% | 6 | — | Approved |
| Tied 4 | The History of English Podcast by John McWhorter | 12 | 0 | 100% | 5 | — | Approved |
| 6 | The History of Rome podcast by Mike Duncan | 8 | 1 | 89% | 7 | — | — |
| 7 | Empire Podcast | 6 | 0 | 100% | 4 | — | — |
How we rank
Rank is the number of separate people who recommend a product in a Hacker News comment over the past year. Someone who praises the same history podcast in five threads counts once.
The badge goes to history podcasts that at least 10 people recommend, with recommenders outnumbering critics at least 2 to 1, recommended in at least 4 of the 13 months.
Rankings are never for sale. We may earn a commission when you buy through our links. It never changes the order.