MinusPod

MinusPod is a self-hosted server that automatically removes advertisements from podcast episodes before you ever hit play. It integrates seamlessly with your existing podcast apps by serving modified RSS feeds and processed audio files.

The system transcribes episodes using OpenAI Whisper (local via faster-whisper or remote API), then uses a large language model to detect and cut ad segments. A built-in verification pass re-transcribes the processed audio to catch any missed ads, while audio enforcement uses volume and transition signals to validate detections programmatically.

A standout feature is pattern learning: as you correct detections, MinusPod builds cross-episode ad patterns that promote from podcast-level to network-level and even global scope, so repeat sponsors get caught without repeatedly querying the LLM. It supports any OpenAI-compatible provider including Claude, Ollama, and OpenRouter.

Processing runs on-demand when you play an episode or automatically when new episodes appear. Once processed, the output is stored on disk and served directly on subsequent plays. The web interface includes an ad editor for manual corrections and fine-tuning.