How to Make Money with Podcasts and How Much You Monetize

Nowadays, podcasts are confirmed as an increasingly widespread and strategic format in the digital communication landscape. According to the latest report by Edison Research and Infinite Dial, over 60% of global internet users listen to at least one podcast per month, with constant growth year over year. This increase in listening has made podcasting a potential source of income for thousands of creators, journalists, industry experts and enthusiasts.

But how much do you actually earn with a podcast? The answer, inevitably, is: it depends. Earnings derive, in fact, from a combination of factors and different monetization strategies, each with specific dynamics. Here’s everything you need to know.

Is creating a podcast worth it? Here’s how to do it

If the answer to "how much do you earn with a podcast" is "it depends", on the other hand you have to start somewhere in order to be able to monetize later. What is certain is that today podcasting is a strategic tool for both individual creators and companies, confirming itself, in some cases, also as one of the most profitable channels for marketing activities.

With over 500 million global listeners and a growing advertising market, starting a podcast can represent a real opportunity to generate revenue. As long as you follow the necessary steps.

1) Define the concept and the audience

• The first step is to identify a clear thematic niche and a target audience. Successful podcasts often focus on specific topics, such as personal finance, mental health or technology, addressing a well-defined audience.

2) Choose your equipment and software

• To get started, all you need is a good quality microphone, headphones, and audio editing software. Tools like Audacity or GarageBand are free and beginner-friendly.

3) Select a hosting platform

• It’s essential to choose a reliable hosting platform to distribute your podcast. Popular options include:
  • Podbean: Offers built-in monetization and performance analytics tools;
  • Buzzsprout: Great for beginners, with an intuitive interface and easy publishing options;
  • RedCircle: Supports monetization through listener donations and advertising.

4) Create and publish content

• Once you’ve recorded and edited your episode, you can publish it to major listening platforms, such as Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube. It is advisable to maintain a regular publication cadence to retain the audience.

How to earn money with podcasts: all the strategies to monetize

Today there are many versions of podcasts available and depending on the platform and the product you can think about the actual earnings. For example, a short, episodic podcast could earn much less than a longer weekly one, even if in the second case the production costs must be taken into account.
One thing is certain: with podcasts you can earn and a lot.

Sources of income: advertising, sponsorships and direct support

Podcasters can monetize in different ways.

• Sponsorships and collaborations: commercial agreements with brands interested in promoting their products or services through personalized audio content. These collaborations can be paid per episode, on a monthly basis or based on the number of listens.
• Ad Space: Audio ads within episodes, divided into pre-rolls (beginning), mid-rolls (middle), and post-rolls (end). According to 2025 data from AdvertiseCast, average CPMs for podcasts range from $18 to $25 for pre-rolls and up to $40 for mid-rolls, making them a solid source of revenue, especially for shows with large listener bases.
• Listener Direct Contributions: Through platforms like Patreon, Ko-fi, or even simple PayPal links, fans can financially support the podcast through recurring or one-time donations. Many creators incentivize this type of support by offering extra content or exclusive merchandise.
• Affiliate marketing and dedicated shops: Another way is to promote affiliate products (such as courses, digital tools or books) earning a percentage of sales, or create an online shop to sell branded products, such as t-shirts, mugs or posters linked to the podcast identity.
• Producing content on behalf of third parties: Finally, some podcasters are paid to create content on behalf of third parties, that is, for others. These products include personalized episodes, sponsorship of content or participation in promotional initiatives.

The key is the audience: you need quality, consistency and promotion

All of these strategies, however, are based on one essential assumption: having an audience. It is difficult to significantly monetize without a loyal community of listeners. Building this foundation requires time, quality content, a strong editorial identity and a constant presence.

It is essential to choose a theme that responds to a real question from the public and that allows you to create a coherent and interesting narrative episode after episode. However, it is not enough to speak well: you also need to be found. For this reason, an effective promotion is essential.

Using social media strategically is now a standard practice: promoting new episodes on Instagram, TikTok or LinkedIn (depending on the target), creating surveys to involve listeners, asking for feedback and suggestions on upcoming episodes are useful tools to build engagement and grow your project.

Finally, extra content such as bonus episodes, exclusive interviews or insights can be used to retain users and differentiate the offer, both free and paid.

How much do you earn on Spotify?

Platforms like Spotify offer revenue-sharing programs. In the first quarter of 2025, Spotify distributed over $100 million to podcasters, highlighting the growing importance of subscriptions and premium content.

But monetization for podcasts on Spotify, for example, does not happen by listening. There are different ways to earn, for example by creating a paid podcast or receiving donations, but also by inserting advertisements during the episode.

Anyone can publish a paid podcast, but to earn from advertisements you have to wait, get in line compared to the many who have been doing the same thing, but for longer. In any case, it is difficult to earn more than $4-5 per 1,000 streams: in fact, it is almost impossible.

If that were not enough, Anchor (the app from which you create and upload podcast episodes to Spotify) takes $0.20 every time you collect money (starting at $10). While in the case of paid podcasts, Anchor takes an extra commission of 5.5% on each payment processed.

Original article published on Money.it Italy. Original title: Come guadagnare con i podcast e quanto si monetizza