While consumers are wired to respond to visuals, the podcast industry has grown significantly over the years. One reason for its success is the convenience that it offers. Considering that multitasking has become second nature to us, this medium allows us to get information while we continue with our daily lives, whether that’s commuting to work, cooking, or exercising.
Though, it’s not always used purely as a source of information. Some listeners have found a like-minded community via podcasts. As podcast hosts often interact with their subscribers on social media platforms, it’s actually more engaging than it sounds.
From a creator’s point of view, podcasting also presents another opportunity for making money online through sponsorships and ad revenues from the comfort of your own home. Overall, it’s pretty easy to start a podcast and there are free platforms that can help you to monetize your content. Plus, as you don’t have to release a new episode every single day, it can be a manageable side hustle.
If you’re still not convinced that podcasting’s success isn’t going to be brief, take a look at the following statistics. As you’ll see, for the past decade, it has only grown.
- Top Podcast Statistics (Editor’s Pick)
- Podcast Listener Statistics
- Podcast Download Statistics
- Podcast Length Statistics
- Podcast Platforms and Distribution Statistics
- Popular Podcast Genres and Content Statistics
- Podcast Listener Demographics Statistics
- Podcast Advertising and Monetization
- Podcast Emerging Trends and Technologies
- Key Takeaways
- Frequently Asked Questions
Top Podcast Statistics (Editor’s Pick)
- There are 3,396,560 podcasts and 203,664,964 individual episodes.
- 67% of the consumers in the US listen to podcasts.
- Podcast episodes from the top 1% of podcasts are downloaded 4,740 times in the first seven days of release.
- 32.1% of podcasts are 30 to 45 minutes long and 31.3% of podcasts are 15 to 30 minutes long.
- Apple Podcasts’ US listeners will increase to 29.2 million by 2025, while Spotify will have 42.4 million listeners.
- Society and culture is the most popular podcast genre in the world.
- 59% of the US podcast listeners are aged between 12 and 34 years.
- Over 86% of people listen to podcasts using their smartphones.
- The podcasting industry will be worth $4 billion in 2024.
- Nearly 64% of new podcast listeners prefer watching video podcasts.
- 66% of podcasters use AI to improve their podcasts.
Podcast Listener Statistics
1. There Are Around 4 Million Podcasts
As of writing, there are a total of 3,396,560 podcasts available worldwide. When it comes to individual episodes, the number reaches a whopping 203,664,964.
However, it's important to consider that these figures may not be exact due to various factors, with one of the key factors being the inclusion of inactive podcasts. An alternative source, the Podcast Index, suggests that the actual number is now more than 4.2 million.
According to Insider Intelligence, the total number of podcast listeners will be around 505 million by the end of 2024. So, we can expect to see a boost in the figure from the Podcast Index.
2. There Are Over 500 Million Podcast Listeners
As you would expect, there are also millions of podcast listeners. At the moment, the global community of podcast listeners is around 500 million people. This is roughly 23.5% of all internet users. From 2023 to 2024, the number of podcast listeners grew by over 40 million, an 8.6% increase in just a single year.
3. Americans Like Listening to Podcasts
According to eMarketer data, the number of people in the US actively tuning in to podcasts will reach 109.1 million in 2024. That’s a 5.2% increase from last year. However, the growth rate is slightly lower than 5.4% in 2023.
The popularity of podcast listening is set to continue in the country, with the number of weekly listeners hitting 114.7 million in 2025, at a growth rate of 5.1%. Eventually, this number will reach 119.4 million in 2026.
4. Australians Love Listening to Podcasts
According to the Edison Research Infinite Dial 2023, Australia has emerged as the leading country when it comes to podcast consumption. A notable 43% of Australians aged 12 and above have engaged in podcast listening within the past month, while 33% of individuals in this demographic have listened in the last week. Approximately 10% of Australians aged 12 and above engage in daily podcast consumption.
When it comes to preferred platforms, Australians use Spotify (34%), followed by YouTube (24%), and then Apple Podcasts (11%). It should be noted that Apple Podcasts are inaccessible on Android devices, which is a drawback since Kantar reports that Android holds a dominant 51.6% market share in Australia.
5. 67% of US Consumers Listen to Podcasts
According to data shared by Statista, 67% of all US consumers listen to podcasts. What’s more, the number of podcast listeners has steadily increased during the past eight years. While it only increased from 64% to 67% in the past year, it has doubled over the last 10 years.
6. Asia-Pacific Trails the Rest of the World in Podcast Adoption
Although the rest of the world has seen exponential growth in its podcast industry, Asia-Pacific is still lagging behind. In fact, according to eMarketer, the region is behind the whole world in terms of podcast adoption.
The lowest podcast penetration rate is in China, where only 8.7% of internet users listen to podcasts. This is followed by Japan at 11.8% and South Korea at 12.2%. Although the listener base is growing quickly in China, Japan and Korea are seeing a slow increase in their podcast listenership.
7. English Dominates as the Most Popular Language in Podcasts
Currently, there are over 2 million English podcasts, making it the most widely used language. Spanish trails behind with more than 373 thousand podcasts, while Portuguese ranks third with just over 214 thousand. Following these are Indonesian, German, French, Chinese, and Japanese as the next most popular languages for podcasts.
8. Nearly 40% of Podcast Listeners Average 1+ Hours of Listening Time Per Week
YouGov found that nearly 40% of weekly podcast listeners spend more than an hour listening to podcasts every week. This shows the potential for growth in the industry as it becomes a preferred form of entertainment and information consumption.
The highest percentage of podcast listeners spending over 1 hour per week is in Indonesia, where 57% of podcast listeners tune in for more than an hour. The country is followed by Thailand with 52% of listeners, India and Vietnam with 47%, and the Philippines with 43%.
In Europe, Romania leads with 47% of podcast listeners spending more than an hour per week, followed by Spain at 41% and Sweden at 41%. As for North America, 39% of podcast listeners in the United States and 31% in Canada spend over an hour per week listening to podcasts.
Like the eMarketer study above, YouGov also found a low podcast adoption rate among Japanese listeners. Only 10% of Japanese podcast listeners spend more than an hour per week listening to podcasts.
9. US Listeners Spend 28 Minutes Per Day With Podcasts
According to eMarketer, podcast listeners in the US spend 28 minutes per day with podcasts. The duration has been increasing exponentially since 2020, increasing from 16 to 28 minutes in just five years. In the future, businesses and individuals can expect to see longer listening times, increasing the scope for podcast marketing.
Podcast Download Statistics
10. Episodes From the Top 1% of Podcasts Are Downloaded Over 4,500 Times
Buzzsprout reports that new episodes from the top 1% of podcasts are downloaded 4,740 times in the first seven days of release. For the top 5%, this number is lower at 1,094, and for the top 10%, it’s at 472.
This shows that if you can break into the top 1% of podcasts, you have a better chance of reaching a larger audience and increasing your downloads. However, this also highlights the competitive nature of podcasting and the importance of consistently producing quality content to maintain or improve your ranking.
11. You Need Over a 100 Downloads to Be in the Top 25% of Podcasts
According to the Podcast Host, if you get 115 downloads, you’re in the top 25% of podcasts. With just 30 downloads, you’re in the top 50%. However, to reach the top 5%, you need 1,100 downloads. With 4,782 downloads, you are golden in the podcast world, ranking among the top 1%.
12. Most Podcast Downloads Come From the US
Buzzsprout revealed that 45% of podcast downloads come from the US, followed by 6.1% from the UK. It’s easy to see that most other countries don’t download podcasts excessively. Canada, which is in third place, only accounts for 4.5% of podcast downloads.
13. Over 97,000,000 Podcasts Are Downloaded Every Month
As of writing, Buzzsprout reports that 97,605,862 podcasts are downloaded every month. Compared to the same time last year, when the number of downloads was at 150,006,641, this number is significantly lower.
Podcast Length Statistics
14. Over 32% of Podcasts Are 30 to 45 Minutes Long
Riverside’s research found that 32.1% of podcasts are 30 to 45 minutes long, compared to 31.3% of podcasts being 15 to 30 minutes long. Only 4.6% of podcasts are over an hour long.
These findings show that the optimal length for podcasts is between 30 and 45 minutes, providing enough time for in-depth discussions while also being manageable for listeners with busy schedules. Some of the top social media podcasts are in this length range. Based on insights from your audience, you can opt for a longer or shorter format depending on what works best for your listeners.
15. Only 16% of Podcasts Are Under 10 Minutes in Length
You might think that shorter podcasts would be more popular (considering the spike in short-form content viewing), but the Buzzsprout report found that only 16% of podcasts are under 10 minutes long. This could be due to the fact that listeners want to dive deeper into topics and engage in longer discussions rather than just getting a brief overview.
Shorter podcasts are also not appealing to advertisers who are looking for longer segments to promote their products. So, longer podcast episodes can attract both listeners and advertisers.
16. Most Podcasters Publish Episodes Every 8 to 14 Days
According to Buzzsprout, 39% of episodes are published every 8 to 14 days, while 34% are published every 3 to 7 days. This is in line with the longer duration of episodes. Since it takes more time to produce longer episodes with in-depth discussions and interviews, podcasters tend to have a longer publishing schedule.
Podcast Platforms and Distribution Statistics
Apple Podcast Statistics
17. Apple Podcasts Is Forecasted to Have 29.2 Million US Listeners in 2025
According to Statista, there were 28.5 million Apple podcast listeners in the US in 2022. The number is expected to increase to 29.2 million by 2025. The growth of Apple podcast listeners is quite slow in comparison to Spotify.
18. Apple Podcasts Accounts for 32.6 of All Podcasts
According to the Buzzsprout Platform Stats, Apple Podcasts is the second most popular platform for global podcast listeners, with a share of 32.6% and 31,830,090 podcast downloads. The platform’s popularity has declined since 2022, when it was the most popular podcast platform.
19. Over 20% of Companies Note Apple Podcasts As a Growth Driver
In a survey, 20.7% of companies stated that Apple Podcasts are a major driver of growth for their business. Businesses can cover a ton of podcast topic ideas, from marketing and customer service to leadership and personal growth.
Many of them focus on ideas specific to their businesses. For example, an apparel company might discuss fashion trends or design principles, while a tech company could talk about the latest gadgets and software updates.
Spotify Podcast Statistics
20. Spotify Is Forecasted to Have 42.4 Million US Listeners in 2025
In the same Statista report mentioned above, it was forecasted that Spotify will have 42.4 million listeners in 2025, a significant increase from 32.5 million in 2022. Spotify’s growth is visibility quicker and more pronounced than Apple Podcasts due to the platform’s focus on introducing new podcast features, such as offline listening and videos.
21. Spotify Accounts for 34.7 of All Podcasts
Buzzsprout Platform Stats reveal that Spotify is the most popular platform for global podcast listeners, with a share of 34.7% and 33,869,237 podcast downloads. Spotify and Apple are followed by other platforms, such as Buzzsprout Embed Player, Castbox, Overcast, Pocket Casts, and Podcast Addict.
22. Spotify Has Over 250,000 Video Podcast Episodes
Spotify introduced video podcasts to select users in 2020, a medium which has since grown significantly. In 2024, there are over 250,000 video podcast episodes on Spotify, a massive increase from just 100,000 in 2023. More than 170 million Spotify users have watched a video podcast on the platform, and 70% of these users watch video podcasts in the foreground.
Video podcasts are most popular among creators in the US, Brazil, and Mexico. In Brazil and the Philippines, around 20% of all active creators publish videos.
23. Spotify is the Top Podcast Publisher in the US
Spotify has become the leading audio podcast platform globally and the top podcast publisher in the United States. With over 100 million podcast listeners on Spotify, the growth has been incredible, increasing by a factor of 10. In terms of consumption, there has been an astounding growth rate of over 1,400%.
The podcast content available on Spotify has expanded from 200,000 titles to an impressive collection of over 5 million shows. Notably, 165 of Spotify's Original and Licensed shows achieved the massive feat of reaching the number one chart position in 2022 across 99 markets.
Popular Podcast Genres and Content Statistics
24. Society & Culture Top the Global Podcast Genre
Globally, the most popular podcast genre is society & culture boasting over 589 thousand podcasts. Education follows closely behind with over 535 thousand podcasts. Business is in third place with over 391 thousand podcasts, while arts ranks in fourth place with a little over 385 thousand podcasts. Other popular genres include religion and spirituality, comedy, health and fitness, news, and music.
25. Comedy Is the Most Popular Genre In the US
Edison Research found that comedy is the most popular podcast genre in the US, followed by society and culture, news, true crime, and sports. Education, which is the second-most popular genre in the rest of the world, is in sixth place in the US. Similarly, arts ranks in 12th place, business in seventh place, and religion in ninth place.
26. US Podcast Listeners Tune In for Education, Entertainment, and Diversion
Pew Research data shows that 87% of Americans tune in to podcasts for entertainment, while 88% listen to podcasts for learning purposes. In comparison, 81% listen to podcasts when they’re doing something else, such as working out or on their way to work.
US podcast listeners are also open to other people’s views, which is the reason for 71% of the listeners tuning in to podcasts. Similarly, a majority (64%) of listeners do so to keep up with current trends.
27. Vodcasts Are On the Rise
Video podcasts, or vodcasts, have gained popularity by providing a mix of audio and visual content that appeals to various audiences. Riverside.fm's Annual Report revealed that 85.4% of companies are recording video for their podcasts, with 44% of these podcasts featuring an interview-style format.
The most common use of video for company podcasts is creating short clips for TikTok, followed by hosting full-video episodes on YouTube. Spotify has also witnessed an increase in its vodcast category as the company made video functionality available worldwide last year.
28. Comedy and News Podcasts Are Most Popular In the UK
According to the 2024 MIDAS Spring survey, 31% of podcast listeners in the UK tune in for comedy podcasts, followed by 20.8% listening to news and politics podcasts. Sports podcasts are in third place, with 18% of listeners tuning in to them. Other popular genres in the UK include true crime, health and fitness, music, fiction, society and culture, and technology.
29. Edison Podcast Metrics Ranks the Top 50 Most-Listened-To Podcasts in the US
The top three on the list are The Joe Rogan Experience, Crime Junkie, and The Daily. Hosted by comedian and UFC commentator Joe Rogan, The Joe Rogan Experience is a highly popular podcast featuring various guests and diverse topics. Crime Junkie, a true crime podcast produced by audiochunk, explores lesser-known crime cases. The Daily, produced by The New York Times and hosted by journalist Michael Barbaro, provides in-depth coverage of a single news story each day, featuring interviews with experts and reporters.
Podcast Listener Demographics Statistics
30. Podcast Listeners in the US Are Young
According to a Statista survey, 59% of podcast listeners in the US are aged between 12 and 34 years old. In comparison, 27% of those aged 55 or above had listened to a podcast. However, the number of older podcast listeners has been increasing in the past few years, with listeners aged 35 to 54 almost catching up with their younger counterparts.
31. Most Podcast Listeners Are in the US and China
With 129.9 million listeners, the US tops the list as the country with the most podcast listeners, followed by China with 117.1 million listeners. Other top countries include Brazil, with 51.8 million listeners and Mexico, with 27.5 million.
In total, North America accounts for 143.3 million listeners, followed by Latin America with 135.2 million listeners. Western Europe comes in third with 111.3 million podcast listeners.
32. Most People Find Podcasts Through Word of Mouth
The same MIDAS survey mentioned earlier found that 29% of listeners find podcasts through word of mouth, which means that they follow suggestions by friends and family. Meanwhile, 27% of listeners discover podcasts through social media, and 21% get suggestions from podcast players.
The same trend is also evident in the US, where 67% of people say that they have recommended a podcast to someone, and 60% say that they have listened to a podcast recommended by a family member or friend. In fact, 36% of podcast listeners tune in to the same podcasts as their friends or family, and 24% of them often share something they have heard in a podcast with someone.
33. More Men Listen to Podcasts
In the UK, 56% of men listen to podcasts compared to 44% of women. The trend is somewhat similar in the US, with 48% of women listening to podcasts every month. Meanwhile, 32% of the women in the US are weekly podcast listeners.
The increase in female listeners is likely due to the influx of influencer podcasts, especially in the society and culture, fashion, music, and fiction genres.
34. Women Listen to More Podcast Episodes Per Week
Although more men listen to podcasts, women tend to consume more podcast episodes per week. The same report found that women listen to 9.5 podcast episodes per week, compared to men's 7.2 episodes. On average, podcast listeners tune in to 8.3 episodes per week.
35. Mobile Phones Are the Preferred Device
Buzzsprout data shows that mobile phones are the preferred device for listening to podcasts, used by 86.4% of podcast listeners. While 60.8% of listeners use iPhone’s, 24.4% listen to podcasts on their Android phones.
Only 7.9% of listeners tune in using their Windows computers, while 1% use Apple iPads. So, businesses need to ensure their podcasts are optimized for mobile listening, with clear audio and engaging content.
36. US Podcast Listeners Are Educated and Affluent
Edison Research reports that 56% of podcast listeners in the US have an annual income of over $75k. Around 49% of podcast listeners in the US are also college-educated.
So, there's scope for advertisers to target a more educated and affluent audience through podcast advertising. Since these individuals have a high disposable income, they are more likely to make purchases based on their interests discussed in podcasts.
37. Over Half of US Podcast Listeners Own a Home
Edison Research also found that 56% of podcast listeners in the US own a home and 16% run a business. Almost half (48%) also shop at big-box retailers every week, which means that these people have the purchasing power to buy products advertised to them in podcasts.
38. The Demographics of Podcast Listeners Are Diversifying
In terms of ethnicity, podcasts reach a diverse audience. According to a 2024 report, 48% of black Americans and 43% of Hispanic Americans listen to podcasts on a monthly basis, respectively. White Americans continue to dominate podcast listeners (58%).
39. Black Listeners Are More Likely to Listen to News Podcasts
Compared to other groups, Black listeners turn to news podcasts more often. Around 69% of Black listeners listen to news podcasts compared to 47% of their white and 52% of Hispanic counterparts.
Black listeners are also more likely to keep up with current trends. Over 61% of them are likely to learn about current events compared to 56% of white listeners and 47 of Hispanic ones.
Podcast Advertising and Monetization
40. Podcast Ad Revenue Will Hit Over $5 Billion by 2027
The podcast advertising market is estimated to reach a revenue of $3.46 billion by 2023. It is anticipated to grow annually at a rate of 9.77% from 2023 to 2027, reaching a market volume of $5.03 billion by 2027.
41. By 2024, the Industry Will Be Worth $4 Billion
The annual joint report released by the Interactive Advertising Bureau and PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) about the podcasting business estimates that the industry will be worth $4 billion in 2024.
Execs at the Interactive Advertising Bureau attribute a lot of this success and growth to the advances in ad tech. Thanks to these improvements, advertisers will be able to target their audiences better.
Another source, eMarketer, cites lower growth estimates. According to them, advertisers are expected to spend $2.28 billion on podcast marketing in 2024, of which 9.3% or $211.9 million will be spent programmatically. Ad revenues for Spotify will reach $255.8 million in 2024, while iHeartMedia podcast ad revenues will reach $435.4 million.
42. Almost Half the Podcast Listeners Purchase a Product After Hearing a Podcast Ad
The Edison Research report we have mentioned earlier found that 46% of people have bought a product after hearing an ad or a sponsorship on a podcast. This number is much higher than 34% of the listeners who made a purchase based on a podcast ad in 2020. It’s evident that people are influenced by the content they hear on podcasts.
43. The Average Conversion Rate for Podcast Ads is 1%
According to Spotify’s internal data, 1 in 5 podcast listeners who engage with an advertiser convert. The global conversion rate is at 1.09%. While this may be lower than other ad verticals, it’s hard to ignore that podcast listeners have become a target audience for advertisers.
44. Most Podcast Listeners Trust Podfluecners
Podfluencers or podcast influencers are trusted by most people. In a Spotify report, 63% of podcast listeners said that they trust their favorite podcast host even more than their favorite social media influencers. This is excellent news for brands and podcasters who plan to capitalize on the powerful influence of podfluencers. Use our podcast ad revenue calculator to estimate your earnings.
Podcast Emerging Trends and Technologies
45. Most Podcast Newcomers Prefer Consuming Podcasts With Videos
In the future, there will likely be an increase in podcasts with accompanying video content. This trend is already evident as more and more podcasters are experimenting with creating video versions of their audio episodes. Also, Riverside reports that 64% of new podcast listeners prefer watching video podcasts.
46. Audio-Online Podcasts Will Still Be Popular
In the same report, 83% of business podcasters said they expect audio-online podcasts to be a popular format ten years down the line. So, don't underestimate the power of audio-only podcasts.
47. Most Podcasters Are Using AI to Improve Their Podcasts
In a Headliner survey, 66% of podcasters revealed that they use AI to improve their podcasts. The use cases for AI can be as simple as auto volume leveling and noise reduction or as advanced as generating audiograms and transcriptions.
48. AI Saves Podcasters Time
In the same survey, 40% of podcasters said that AI saves them time, while 23% said they use it to generate ideas. Meanwhile, 11% use it for automation, and 13% use it for content creation.
49. Podcasters Are Using Cross-Promotion
Since cross-promotion across all industries increases acquisition by 23%, on average, many podcasters are using this tactic to grow their audience. For example, a podcaster might have a guest on their show who has a similar podcast, and they can promote each other's podcasts to their respective audiences.
Key Takeaways
Podcasts aren’t new. However, unlike TikTok, the industry’s growth was much more gradual.
However, there has been a significant increase in podcast listenership and popularity in recent years. Video podcasts are also emerging as a popular format, with many podcasters using AI to enhance their content and save time.
Speaking of podcasters, many of them are now ''podfluencers,'' giving brands a new avenue to tap into in addition to social media.
What's more, if the predictions by sources in this guide are anything to go by, the next few years will see even more explosive growth in the podcasting industry. With advancements in AI technology and innovative strategies like cross-promotion, it will be interesting to see what the future holds for this medium.
Planning to get into podcasting? Our How to Podcast guide is a great resource.
While most are familiar with the format, only about a third listen to it on a monthly basis. Quickly compare that to how many times you browse your social media accounts per day or binge-watch a show on Netflix and you come to realize that it still has a long way to go.
That being said, it’s proving to be a lucrative market for content creators. On Patreon, the top creator is a podcast host.
What’s more, if PwC’s predictions are anything to go by, the next two years will be massive for the podcast industry. And, considering that the audience is diversifying and more young people are discovering new podcasts on Spotify, it would be interesting to see how the next few years unfold.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I get reliable podcast stats from social listening platforms?
Social media listening tools can give you some insights into podcast mentions and discussions, but they may not provide accurate or comprehensive statistics on the state of podcasting across your industry or the world. You can use them to keep an eye on what people are saying about your podcast, though.
Is there a public tool like SocialBlade for podcasts?
Although not as comprehensive, Buzzsprout and Podcast Index are two public tools that provide some podcast analytics, such as traffic and estimated downloads. For more personalized analytics, check out services like Podtrac and Chartable.
Are there professional tools available for detailed podcast analytics?
Some of the best podcast analytics tools include CoHost, Megaphone, Blubrry, Podbeand, and Transistor. You can also see analytics for your own podcast on platforms like Apple Podcasts Connect and Spotify for Podcasters.
Why are comprehensive podcast statistics difficult to find?
Since podcasts are relatively new in the media industry, there is a lack of standardized measures and metrics for podcast analytics. Different platforms may track and report data differently. As a result, it is challenging to get a holistic view of the podcast market.
How can you find out how many listeners a podcast has?
There's no official way to find the total number of listeners for a podcast. You can use a third-party tool to find out the estimated number of listeners a particular podcast has, but the accuracy may vary. Some of these tools include Rephonic, Podchaser, and Castbox.
What is the success rate of podcasts?
Although there are over 450,000 podcasts, only a little over 100,000 are active. That's less than a quarter of the total number. Even of those who are active, just a few make it to the top. In fact, 90% of podcasters quit after posting less than three episodes. However, once you establish your podcast and have a loyal following, the success rate can be high. For example, many estimate that Joe Rogan makes $100,000 per episode from his podcast. This success can also open doors to other opportunities, such as book deals, business ventures, speaking engagements, and sponsorships.
