Spotify takes on YouTube by paying podcasters for video views
So far in 2025, Spotify has paid podcasters more than $100 million, a big payout for creators. Spotify first shared that figure with The New York Times Deal Book, which says the funds have two purposes: to give podcasters a new way to monetize content and to lure both creators and audiences away from YouTube, which dominates video podcasting.
The company first announced its new Spotify Partner Program in November 2024, promising creators "audience-driven payouts" from ads and premium subscribers. At the same time, Spotify also revealed that some subscribers would be able to watch video content "uninterrupted by ads."
Now, we know how much more some popular podcasters are earning. In a press release, Spotify said "total earnings for participating creators [increased] 23% month-over-month from January to February, and 29% month-over-month from February to March."
"Ultimately, Spotify is committed to building a sustainable ecosystem where creators can thrive. This $100 million payout is just one step in that journey. We'll continue to invest in new tools, resources, and programs to support creators in all formats, and we're excited to see what the future holds for podcasting on Spotify," the company said in its press release.
It makes sense that Spotify is paying up. Increasingly, people are more interested in watching their podcasts than they are in listening to them, which has a lot of users gravitating toward YouTube rather than Spotify. According to data from Edison Podcast Metrics, weekly podcast listeners are more likely to watch podcasts on YouTube (31 percent) than listen to them on Spotify (27 percent). The New York Times also reports that YouTube's podcasting audience (1 billion) dwarfs Spotify's (170 million).
As podcasts shift to video, Spotify has somehow lost its grip on podcast listeners. However, it still hosts some of the most popular podcasts, including The Joe Rogan Experience, What Now? With Trevor Noah, and The Comment Section with Drew Afualo.
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