Xiaoyuzhou (xiaoyuzhoufm.com) is a Chinese podcast platform launched on March 26, 2020 by the team behind the Jike social app, self-described as "born for podcasts." Where China's mainstream audio platforms mix podcasts with audiobooks and paid courses, Xiaoyuzhou does only podcasts: the Discover tab offers just three editor-picked episodes per day — episodes, not shows — each paired with a high-quality listener comment as its recommendation (Sspai review, GeekPark, checked 2026-10-01).
Its signature invention is the timestamped comment ("note on the mark"): when a line in an episode resonates, you attach your comment to that exact playback position, and anyone tapping the comment jumps straight to that minute. Comment sections turned into places to swap notes and reactions — a striking contrast to the "all likes" wasteland of other audio platforms — and made Xiaoyuzhou the primary venue where Chinese podcasters interact with listeners.
The homepage screenshot above (2026-10-01) shows the iOS/Android download entries and the creator dashboard; the ICP registration in the footer identifies the operating company as Ningbo Zhuiguang Network Technology Co., Ltd.
At a Glance
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| URL | https://www.xiaoyuzhoufm.com/ |
| Type | Chinese podcast platform (mobile apps + web player) |
| Cost | Free (App Store listing notes "in-app purchases"; exact paid items as shown in-app) (as of 2026-10-01) |
| Sign-up | Public episodes play on the web with no login; in-app interaction requires an account |
| Interface language | Simplified Chinese |
| Clients | iOS, Android, web player |
| Launched | March 26, 2020 (Tencent News interview, The Paper) |
Background
- Born from Jike: Xiaoyuzhou was incubated by the team behind the social app Jike — users in Jike's "listen to podcasts together" circle asked for a good podcast app so often that "the product team couldn't ignore it." The app launched as an invite-only beta, briefly flooding Chinese social feeds with people begging for invite codes (Tencent News interview, Sspai).
- Company: operated by Ningbo Zhuiguang Network Technology Co., Ltd. (matching the ICP registration in the site footer and the App Store developer name; the site's contact email uses Jike's okjike.cn domain).
- Early traction: in a November 2020 interview the team shared that cumulative listening time had reached 240,000 hours; the average comment ran 283 characters; and over 50% of active users listened more than one hour per week — engagement well above industry norms (Tencent News interview).
- Industry impact: The Paper's first-anniversary feature treated it as a landmark of the "Chinese podcast boom," and podcasters widely regard its comment section as the best place to build listener relationships (The Paper).
Key Features
- Daily picks: three fresh episode recommendations every day, each with play count, comment count and one featured comment to help you judge whether it's worth your time.
- Timestamped comments: comments bind to playback positions and jump to the exact minute when tapped; the comment section can be sorted by timestamp, making it easy to find kindred moments and "class-monitor" summaries.
- Per-moment likes: liking a specific moment builds a "highlight reel" progress bar for each episode, so newcomers can see where the best parts are (Tencent News).
- Listening stats: personal listening-time tracking with year-end reports (per App Store user testimonials).
- Creator dashboard: a dedicated backend for podcasters (separate entry on the homepage).
- Web playback: public episodes get standalone web pages that play in the browser with no login, comments visible (verified on an episode page, 2026-10-01).
The episode page screenshot above (2026-10-01) shows a full player, show notes and a like-ranked comment section in a logged-out browser, plus a QR code for listening on mobile — the standard way to share an episode with someone who doesn't have the app.
Who It's For
- Chinese podcast listeners: commute, chores and bedtime listening, plus real conversation with hosts and fellow listeners via timestamped comments.
- People hunting for new shows: three editor-picked episodes a day and a human comment section feel warmer than algorithmic feeds.
- Podcasters: the creator dashboard and the most engaged comment culture in Chinese podcasting.
- Casual sharing: web episode links work for friends who never installed the app.
Limitations
- Chinese-only ecosystem: content is overwhelmingly Chinese-language; for English podcasts a general-purpose client like Apple Podcasts serves better (by design).
- The web version is a teaser: the full experience (subscriptions, commenting, stats) lives in the apps; the web mostly serves episode sharing and preview (observed).
- Opaque monetization: the App Store lists "in-app purchases" without specifics on the website; check the app for current paid items (not exhaustively verified as of 2026-10-01).
- In-car and multi-device experiences depend on the current store versions (observed).
