Ever catch yourself thinking, “Is starting a podcast actually worth it?”
Like… really worth it? Does anyone listen to a podcast? Are they growing? Is anyone making money from their podcast content or just making noise?
You’re not the only one. Every week I hear from coaches, authors, consultants, and speakers who want to grow their visibility and authority but feel unsure if podcasting is the right move.
So I wrote this to help you. I pulled together the latest podcast statistics that actually help you make smarter decisions. Top podcast listener trends, downloads, ad revenue, platform data, popular podcast genres, and insights.
All current, all practical.
This isn’t about impressing anyone with podcast stats. It’s about understanding what those numbers mean for your next step.
Whether you’re launching your first episode or looking to improve the one you’ve already got, the data in this article will give you more clarity, more confidence, and probably a few “ahh, now I get it” moments along the way.
Let’s dig into the podcasting industry data and make it work for you.
Podcast Statistics at a Glance
Want the clearest picture of the podcasting industry right now?
These quick-hit podcast statistics and trends break down podcasting’s reach, behavior trends, and audience makeup in 2025 and why this medium is still exploding across industries.
- Global podcast audience: 505 million listeners worldwide (Statista)
- US monthly listeners (12+): 55%, up from 47% in 2024 (Infinite Dial 2025)
- Regular podcast listeners: 42-53% of Americans tune in at least monthly (Pew, HubSpot 2025)
- Gen Z monthly listeners: 47% engaged with podcasts in the past month (SXM Media, Edison Research)
- Business leader listenership: 83% of senior executives listened in the past week (Signal Hill)
- Main reason people listen: 55% do it to learn something new (HubSpot 2025)
- Time spent listening: 23% spend over 10 hours a week with podcasts (YouGov 2025)
- Platform of choice: Spotify leads at 37%, Apple Podcasts follows at 33%, YouTube dominates video podcasting (YouGov 2025)
- Mobile-first medium: 73-75% tune in on smartphones (HubSpot 2025, Loopex Digital)
- US podcast ad spend: Expected to hit $4.26 billion in 2025, with ads delivering a 4.9x ROI (IAB, HubSpot 2025)
Podcast Statistics Worldwide
Podcasting isn’t just a US thing; it’s a global shift in how people learn, connect, and consume. From Gen Z listeners rising to new markets spiking, here’s how podcasting is scaling worldwide.
General podcast statistics
The podcast world is massive, with millions of shows and a mix of creators making it work. Here’s a snapshot of what’s happening worldwide:
- Nearly 1 in 4 internet users globally are podcast listeners (Statista)
- The global podcast market grew 27.8% in 2023 alone (Market Report)
- Over 4.5 million podcasts exist; 4.4 million meet minimum episode requirements (Podcast Index 2025)
- 7 out of 10 podcasters with shows older than two years make money (HubSpot 2025)
- Just over 1 in 10 female listeners create their own podcast (Edison Research)
- Interviews dominate with a 30.6% market share; solo shows are growing at 28.2% yearly (Market US)
- Comedy leads with up to 35% market share, followed by news, true crime, and sports (HubSpot 2025, Edison Research)
- Average episodes run 20 to 40 minutes, ideal for commutes (YouGov 2025)
Global podcast statistics
Podcasting isn’t just popular with podcast consumers. It’s becoming a serious business for podcast creators worldwide.
Here are the global statistics you need to know on where the money and growth are heading:
- The market could top $100 billion by 2030 (Demand Sage)
- Latin America is booming, growing 28%+ annually for the next decade (Market US)
- Chile’s market is growing 84%, fastest globally (Voxnest)
- China’s listener base will jump nearly 29% by 2026 (Demand Sage)
- Podcast ad revenue hit $1.4 billion in 2021, could reach $4 billion by 2024 (IAB)
- Ad spending is set to rise 10% from 2024 to 2025 (MarketingCharts)
- Over half of listeners visit a brand’s website after an ad; more than a quarter make purchases (Veritonic 2024)
- Spanish podcast listeners have a 97% positive brand view (Acast)
Podcast Growth Statistics
The podcast space keeps evolving. More creators, better tech, and stronger listener loyalty. The trends below show where things are heading and how fast things are moving.
Podcast growth and trends
Podcasting’s not slowing down. More people are tuning in, more creators are jumping in, and the money is flowing in faster than ever.
- U.S. podcast ad revenue hit $2.3 billion in 2023, projected to exceed $3 billion by 2025 (IAB 2024)
- 3 in 5 marketers now include podcasts in their content strategy (HubSpot 2025)
- Monthly U.S. podcast listeners have grown 6-10% yearly since 2020 (Pew Research)
- Podcast consumption grows fastest in India, Indonesia, and Brazil, with 20%+ annual growth (Spotify)
- YouTube is now the #1 platform for podcast discovery and listening in the U.S. (Cumulus/Signal Hill 2024)
- Smart speaker podcast listening has doubled in 3 years, now in 30% of U.S. homes (Edison Research 2024)
- Short-form podcasts (under 15 minutes) gain traction, especially on TikTok and YouTube Shorts (Podnews)
- Gen Z listens at 2x speed more than any other generation (Spotify Wrapped 2024)
Are Podcasts Becoming More Popular?
Short answer? Yes. But it’s not just about more people listening. It’s how podcasts are baked into daily routines, marketing budgets, and content strategies.
Are podcasts still popular?
Despite all the noise in content, all types of podcasts are still growing and they’re sticking around longer than trends like Clubhouse or short-form video.
- Over 60% of weekly listeners have tuned in for 3+ years (Edison Research 2024)
- Weekly podcast listening beats streaming TV for 18-34 year-olds (Spotify Culture Next 2025)
- 1 in 3 Americans listens to podcasts at least weekly (Pew Research 2025)
- Podcast subscriptions (paid or bonus content) jumped 26% last year (Supercast 2024)
Podcast popularity statistics
The podcast industry statistics don’t lie. More ears, more downloads, and more devices plugged into podcast apps every day.
- The average U.S. fan listens to 9 shows per week (Edison Research 2025)
- 42% of listening happens before noon (Nielsen 2024)
- 76% of listeners finish most or all of an episode (Spotify 2025)
- Podcasts rank #2 for learning new things, just behind video (Demand Sage 2025)
- Over 30% of new car buyers say built-in podcast support influences their vehicle choice (Edison Research 2024)
Podcast Listener Statistics
Podcasting isn’t just growing. It’s getting more specific. Knowing who’s tuning in, where they are, and how they listen can shape how you create and market your show.
How many listeners does the average podcast have?
Most podcasts won’t pull Joe Rogan-level podcast listener stats and that’s fine. The average show still gets decent traction if it’s consistent and clear about its audience.
- Only 10% hit over 500 downloads in week one (Buzzsprout 2025)
- The top 1% break 5,000+ downloads per episode early on (Buzzsprout 2025)
- Weekly episodes outperform monthly or irregular shows by 60%+ in downloads (Libsyn 2024)
Podcast listener demographics
Podcast fans aren’t one-size-fits-all but there are clear trends in age, income, and habits that matter if you want your show to land.
- 50% of U.S. listeners are aged 12-34, younger than TV or radio (Edison Research 2024)
- 57% are male, but the gender gap is closing (Edison Research 2024)
- 65% have a college degree; 45% earn $75k+ annually (Edison Research 2024)
- 80% of listening happens on mobile devices, mostly on the go (Edison Research 2024)
- Top listening times: commuting, workouts, and chores (Spotify Wrapped 2024)
Podcast listeners by country
Podcasting has gone global. Some countries are growing faster than the U.S. and they’re building loyal audiences hungry for fresh voices.
- The U.S. leads with 100+ million monthly listeners (Statista 2025)
- India is the 3rd largest market with 100+ million users and fast growth (PwC 2024)
- Sweden, Norway, and South Korea have the highest per-capita listenership (Reuters Institute 2024)
- Brazil and Indonesia rank among the fastest-growing markets globally (Spotify Trends 2025)
- Over 30% of Canadians and Australians listen monthly (Podnews Global 2024)
Podcast audience statistics
Beyond age and country, podcast listeners are loyal, focused, and often act on what they hear, more than on any other content format.
- 63% of regular listeners follow hosts or guests on social media. (Edison Research 2024)
- 1 in 4 prefer host-read ads over scripted ones. (Audacy 2023)
- 85% listen alone, making podcasts a personal channel. (Edison 2024)
Podcast Download Statistics
Downloads aren’t everything, but they’re still one of the clearest signals of reach. Here’s what you should know about podcast download statistics if you’re tracking growth or sizing up a podcast.
How many downloads does the average podcast get?
There’s a big range here depending on your niche, frequency, and how long you’ve been publishing. But here’s what the numbers actually say.
- 27 downloads per episode in 7 days is average. (Buzzsprout 2025)
- 115+ downloads in 7 days puts you in the top 25%. (Buzzsprout 2025)
- 1,000+ downloads in 7 days reaches the top 5%. (Buzzsprout 2025)
- 5,000+ downloads is top 1% territory, typically shows with built-in audiences. (Buzzsprout 2025)
- Most episodes reach 70-80% of lifetime downloads within 30 days. (Blubrry)
Podcast Length Statistics
There’s no perfect formula for how long your episodes should be, but patterns do show what most creators are doing. Length and frequency depend on the format, your audience, and how consistent you can be.
Average number of podcast episodes
Most shows don’t make it past the early stage.
- 44% of podcasts have fewer than 3 episodes (Amplifi Media, 2023)
- Over 70% haven’t published more than 10 episodes (Amplifi Media, 2023)
How often to release podcast episodes
Consistency still wins (that’s podcasting 101). You don’t have to go daily, but your audience should know when to expect the next one.
- 36% publish weekly episodes. (Podnews, 2023)
- 21% publish 2-3 times per month. (Podnews, 2023)
- Just 8% go daily. (Podnews, 2023)
Podcast Advertising Statistics
Sponsors care about results. And podcasts (especially niche ones) convert better than most platforms. Here’s a look at how podcasters are making money and what advertisers are paying attention to.
Podcast monetization statistics
You don’t need millions of listeners to get paid, but you do need an engaged audience.
- 78% of listeners are fine with ads if the content is free. (IAB, 2024)
- 55% of US listeners have bought something after hearing a podcast ad. (Edison Research, 2023)
- Host-read ads drive 4.4x higher brand recall than display ads. (Nielsen, 2022)
Podcast production statistics
Running a podcast takes more than just hitting record. Here’s what goes into it behind the scenes.
- 38% spend 1-3 hours editing per episode; 22% spend 3+ hours. (Podnews, 2023)
- Nearly half say it costs less than $100 per episode to run their show. (Podnews, 2023)
Podcast Data Analytics
Podcasting isn’t all fun and guests; the backend matters too. Metrics like downloads, listener drop-off, and episode length all play a role in whether a podcast sticks around.
What percentage of podcasts fail?
Most podcasts never make it past the first few episodes. Here’s how the numbers shake out.
- 44% haven’t released more than 3 episodes. (Amplifi Media, 2023)
- 26% only have 1 episode. (Amplifi Media, 2023)
- About 75% of podcasts are inactive. (Amplifi Media, 2023)
Popular Podcast Platforms
Podcasting is everywhere, but certain platforms like Apple and Spotify lead the pack when it comes to audience size, podcast discovery stats, and engagement.
Knowing where listeners spend their time helps you pick the right places to launch and promote your show (and experience all the benefits of podcasts).
Google podcast statistics
Google is shutting down its Podcasts app and moving all podcast action over to YouTube Music.
- YouTube Music will now serve as Google’s main podcast platform.
- Voice search for podcasts still grows but will be integrated more through Google Search and YouTube.
Spotify podcast statistics
Spotify isn’t just for music anymore. It’s going all-in on originals, video podcasts, and creator tools.
- Spotify hosts more than 4.5 million podcasts globally (Podcastatistics 2025)
- Spotify’s subscriber base hit 268 million, up 12% year-over-year (Spotify 2025)
- Video podcast consumption on Spotify is up over 20% since launching the Partner Program (Spotify 2025)
- Paid creators earned $100M+ in Q1 2025 from video, ads, and subscriptions.
- Monthly active users reached 678 million, a 10% increase year-over-year (Spotify 2025)
Apple podcast statistics
Apple Podcasts was the pioneer in podcast directories and still holds strong influence despite competition. It skews toward more engaged and loyal listeners.
- Hosts about 2.8 million podcasts with over 106 million episodes available. (Podcast Industry Insights 2025)
- 44% growth in total episodes since 2021. (Podcast Industry Insights)
- Makes up 70.8% of all podcast downloads. (Buzzsprout 2025)
- Only 15% of shows are currently active. (Daniel J. Lewis 2025)
- The iPhone is the top device for listening, used by 62% of Apple podcast listeners. (Buzzsprout 2025)
Radio vs Podcast Statistics
The media landscape is shifting fast. Podcasts are carving out serious ground, competing head-to-head with traditional radio.
Are podcasts more popular than radio?
Podcasts are not just an alternative to radio; for many listeners, they’ve become the main source for on-demand audio.
- 60%+ of weekly podcast listeners have been tuning in for 3+ years. (Edison Research 2024)
- Among 18-34s, podcasts beat streaming TV for weekly time spent. (Spotify Culture Next 2025)
- Podcast ads deliver nearly 5x better ROI than other digital ads. (HubSpot 2025)
- Listeners pay more attention to podcast ads than radio, TV, or social media. (IAB 2024)
Podcast Genre Statistics
Podcasts cover every interest under the sun, but some genres dominate listener time and ad dollars. Knowing which niches grow fastest helps you spot opportunities.
Business podcast statistics
Business podcasts attract engaged listeners with buying power, making them gold for advertisers.
- Business podcasts rank in the top 5 for downloads and ad spend. (Libsyn 2024)
- Average CPM is $29, among the highest in the industry. (Libsyn 2024)
- Tech, health/fitness, and government shows also command premium ad rates.
- Over 14,400 active business podcasts in English-speaking countries in 2025, with the US leading by a wide margin. (Saspod)
True crime podcast statistics
True crime remains one of the most popular genres for dedicated fans and binge listeners.
- Makes up to 20% of total listening time in the U.S. (Edison Research 2024)
- Higher-than-average completion rates.
- Download spikes follow media coverage or new season drops.
- Over 23,000 true crime podcasts available in 2025, showing massive saturation and variety.
Video podcast statistics
Adding visuals is transforming how podcasts are consumed and shared online.
- 3x more social media shares than audio-only episodes. (Spotify 2023)
- Short clips (<30 seconds) get 2.5x higher engagement on TikTok. (Headliner 2023)
- More creators promote via YouTube Shorts (42%) than TikTok. (35%) (Podnews 2024)
- Creators using video see faster subscriber growth and higher engagement.
Best Podcast Statistics
Podcasts have their giants and some surprising quirks. Here are the numbers that show who’s leading and what’s catching attention.
Podcast fun facts
Listeners don’t just stick to one show.
- The average fan subscribes to 6 shows. (Edison Research, 2024)
- Super Listeners (5+ hours/week) rack up 11+ hours and mostly use YouTube to find shows. (Spotify, 2025)
- Podcast ads hold a 70% retention rate, miles ahead of most digital ads. (Nielsen, 2023)
- Podcast hosts are seen as 64% more trustworthy, 86% more authentic, and 89% more influential than other influencers. (IAB, 2024)
What is the number one podcast?
Joe Rogan is still the king.
- Pulls around 11 million listeners per episode. (Spotify, 2025)
- Earns an estimated $80,000 per episode from massive Spotify deal, plus ads and sponsorships.
- Covers everything from UFOs to UFC.
What are the top 10 most listened to podcasts (besides Joe Rogan)?
You know them. The most popular podcasts dominate charts and draw millions of listeners per episode. Here are the biggest podcast shows and hosts chasing the throne in early 2025 (Podtrac 2024):
- The Daily: News from The New York Times.
- Crime Junkie: Weekly true crime stories.
- Call Her Daddy: Bold conversations, huge Spotify following.
- Stuff You Should Know: Deep dives on random topics.
- My Favorite Murder: Murder meets comedy.
- The Ben Shapiro Show: Conservative takes, fast delivery.
- The Dave Ramsey Show: Money advice, loyal base.
- The Michelle Obama Podcast: Personal stories and big guests.
- Armchair Expert: Celebrity interviews with depth.
- Morbid: True crime meets horror and humor.
Highest ranked podcast
Ranking depends on audience loyalty and content quality.
- “Serial” is the true crime podcast that changed the game and kicked off podcasting’s rise.
- Podcasts with weekly episodes and strong listener interaction tend to top charts.
- Adding video, transcripts, and social clips helps shows climb faster. (Podpage 2024)
Data’s In. Now It’s Your Move.
These podcast statistics make one thing clear: podcasting is growing fast, and the chance to stand out is real. The data shows where listeners are and what works but the numbers won’t book your guests.
That’s where Talks helps.
Stop wasting time hunting for guests. Sign up for free on Talks and get matched with people who add real value, build your audience, and make your show worth listening to.
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