Podcast Statistics and Trends You Need To Know

Podcasts are one of the fastest-growing media formats. They appeal to a larger audience with their convenience and wide range of topics. Studies reveal that over 504.9 million people in the world are estimated to listen to podcasts in 2024, and there are no signs of slowing down. Podcasts have not only surged in popularity, but they have also brought opportunities to monetize and develop a profitable business model out of podcast shows.

With listeners spending around 7 hours a week on average, podcasts have become a crucial tool for businesses and individuals to market their brands and engage with their target audience. While genres like news, comedy, and true crime have gained a massive popularity in the US and other parts of the world, there is a significant demand for podcasts across all genres and categories.

Whether you are an individual content creator or want to add podcasts to your brand’s marketing mix, you should have some clarity about the current podcast industry and their usage in the US as well as all over the world. Let’s explore some facts and figures about podcasts and their listeners to develop a better understanding of this rapidly-growing industry.

Top Podcast Statistics 2024

We are witnessing the golden age of podcasts. Considering so many people around the globe have access to the tools needed to start a podcast, it is no surprise that it has become such a popular medium for creative expression. Before we go through all the statistics and trends that can impact your podcasting goals, here are a few of the major highlights of the podcast industry that you should know.

How Many Podcasts Are There?

As of August 2024, there are around 4.18 million podcasts in the world. The number usually varies depending on several factors.

How Many Active Podcasts Are There?

If we ignore the podcasts that have been inactive for more than a year, the number may drop to somewhere near 4 million. Nearly 4 million podcast episodes are updated everyday. 

How Many People Listen to Podcasts?

The number of podcast listeners in the world is expected to reach 504.9 million by the end of 2024, showing an 8.7% increase compared to the previous year. The estimated number is equal to 23.5% of the total internet users. In 2023, there were around 464.7 million podcast listeners worldwide.

Podcast Statistics Worldwide

It is quite evident that the podcast industry is booming, with millions of listeners tuning in everyday for entertainment, education, or a mix of both. Let’s take a look at the major statistics and trends in 2024 that provide an overview of the current podcast industry at large.

• There are over 464 million podcast listeners in the world, which is expected to reach 504.9 million by the end of 2024.
• The global podcast market is expected to reach a value of $30.03 billion in 2024 and is projected to grow at a CAGR of 27.6% between 2023 and 2030.
• On average, a podcast listener spends about 7 hours per week on their favorite podcast app.
• Even though listeners have busy schedules and short attention spans, most of them prefer listening to episodes between 20-40 minutes.
• In terms of podcast listenership, women (48%) have a higher percentage than men (43%).
• Podcasting is not an American thing. In terms of monthly listeners by percentage of internet users, Sweden and Norway have the highest numbers.
• Video podcasts are gaining massive popularity as they offer a new dimension to audio storytelling.
• Spotify and Apple Podcasts are the most popular podcast platforms.
• Morning is the peak podcast listening time.
• A majority of podcast listeners enjoy the episodes on mobile devices.

Podcast Statistics in the US

While the rise of podcasts is a global phenomenon, their popularity in the USA is unparalleled. Since a majority of podcasts are published in English, Americans find it easier to get access to a variety of content. Moreover, the vast number of American podcasts is also the reason why the podcast listenership in the US is so massive.

• As of 2024, 79% of Americans are aware of podcasts. This share was just 20% back in 2006. In the last 17 years, the awareness of podcasts in the US has increased by 59%.
• At the beginning of 2024, the US podcast industry was valued at $2 billion. It is expected to reach a market value of $4 billion by the end of 2024.
• More than 205.5 million US citizens (62% of the country’s population) have listened to a podcast at least once in their lives.
• With over 100 million active listeners, it is considered the golden era for podcasting in the US.
• The most popular podcast show in the US is The Joe Rogan Experience.
• 28% of the US population listens to podcasts weekly, consuming around 11 episodes on average. 41% of the US population tunes into a podcast every month.
• 79% of Americans listen to a podcast on their smartphones. 1/4th of the listeners tune in to their favorite podcasts via a web browser, while only 6% of the listeners use a tablet to listen to a podcast.
• Comedy is the most popular podcast genre in the US, with 22% of US podcast listeners tuning in for laughs. Comedy is closely followed by news (21%) and true crime (18%).

Podcast Statistics on Apple

Even though Apple Podcasts is currently second in popularity, it has a loyal fanbase. In fact, Apple Podcasts is unrivaled in terms of podcast downloads. More than 20% of companies recognize Apple podcasts as a major driver of growth for their businesses. Apple’s consistent growth only highlights its strong market position and effective long-term strategies.

• Apple Podcasts has over 2.6 million podcast titles as of August 2024.
• Over 70% of all podcast episode download requests come from Apple Podcasts.
• The number of Apple podcast listeners in the US is expected to reach 28.7 million in 2024. By 2027, the numbers are projected to reach 30 million.
• As of June 2024, there are 460,536 active podcasts on Apple Podcasts. Almost half of them have only three or fewer episodes.
• 96% of the podcast hosts list their shows on Apple Podcasts.
• A 2023 survey revealed that 20.7% of companies recognize Apple Podcasts as a major driver of business growth.
• There are around 110 categories of podcasts on Apple Podcasts, with new subcategories like Mental Health.
• In 2024, there will be over 71 million podcast episodes on Apple Podcasts, most in the Spirituality and Religion category.
• In 2022, Apple had about 28.5 million podcast listeners.
• Apple Podcast’s US listeners will increase to 29.2 million by 2025.
• Apple Podcasts is the second most popular podcast platform for global podcast listeners, with a share of 32.6% and 31,830,090 podcast downloads.

Podcast Statistics on Spotify

The battle for the top spot between Apple Podcasts and Spotify continues as we approach the final quarter of 2024. As of now, Spotify has retained its position as the leading audio podcast platform worldwide and the top podcast published in the US. The growth of Spotify as a podcast platform has been remarkable. In fact, the platform has witnessed an astounding growth rate of over 1,400% in terms of consumption.

• Spotify hosts over 6 million podcast titles in its library as of August 2024.
• Spotify has over 602 million users and 236 million subscribers across 180 markets.
• According to BuzzSprout Platform Stats, Spotify is the most popular platform for a global audience, with a share of 34.7%
• Spotify podcasts are highly rated among younger audiences, with Gen Z and millennials engaging the most with Spotify’s audio content.
• In 2022, 32.5 million people in the US were said to listen to podcasts on Spotify.
• A 2023 study revealed that 42% of Americans aged 12 and older have engaged with a podcast in the past month.
• Spotify’s US listeners will increase to 42.4 million by 2025.
• In 2020, Spotify introduced video podcasts to certain users. As of 2024, there are over 250,000 video podcast episodes on Spotify.
• More than 170 million Spotify users have watched a video podcast on the platform. 70% of these users watch video podcasts in the foreground.
• A 2023 study on podcast genres revealed that 30% of podcast listening hours on Spotify were spent on comedy podcasts.
• A 2023 Spotify report revealed that 78% of podcast consumption occurred between Monday and Friday. 71% took place while commuting and traveling between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.
• 50% of podcast listeners discovered a new podcast while browsing Spotify.
• A recent Spotify report revealed that 63% of podcast listeners trust their favorite podcast host even more than their favorite social media influencers.

Podcast Download Statistics

The download feature in all the major podcast platforms enables listeners to save the latest podcast episodes of their favorite shows and listen to them on the go. This allows them to have an uninterrupted experience without worrying about the stability of their internet connection. While Apple is the undisputed leader in terms of podcast downloads, there are some crucial statistics about this feature you must know.

• Even though Spotify is the most popular podcast platform in the world, over 70% of podcast downloads happen through Apple Podcasts.
• Spotify users tend to download less. This platform accounts for just 8.9% of total podcast download requests.
• On average, podcasts that have been live for at least 30 days receive around 141 download requests within the first month.
• It is important to note that the average download numbers vary massively between niches. A podcast with episodes on a specific topic may receive fewer downloads, while a podcast discussing a variety of topics in every episode may receive more downloads.
• The rank of a podcast often impacts the number of listens and downloads each episode of the podcast gets. The top 1% of podcasts get about 4,000 downloads within the first 7 days of release.

Podcast Length Statistics

The length of a podcast can vary significantly depending on the amount of content the host has to share. Some podcast episodes are as short as less than 10 minutes, while others may be longer than two hours. The episodes of the Joe Rogan Experience are one such example.

• A majority of the podcast episodes are between 20 and 40 minutes long. In fact, 32% (around 124,000) of active podcasts follow the same length format.
• In terms of the length of a podcast episode, 70% of podcast listeners said that they did not care about the length of a podcast.
• According to a Buzzsprout report, only 16% of podcasts are under 10 minutes in length.
• The report also revealed that 39% of episodes are published every 8 to 14 days, while 34% are published every 3-7 days. This is in line with the longer duration of episodes.
• According to eMarketer, podcast listeners in the US spend 28 minutes every day with podcasts.
• Back in 2019, 93% of podcast listeners listened to the entire episode.

Podcast Growth Statistics

Podcasts did not always have the mass appeal they currently have. In the past few years, interest in podcasts for both listeners and creators has skyrocketed, and the COVID-19 pandemic played a major role in it.

• Among all the categories available across podcast platforms, the Religion and Spirituality category has seen significant growth. The listenership of this category has grown by 49%.
• The number of podcast listeners is expected to grow to 505 million by the end of 2024, up from 464 million in 2023.
• Since 2014, the average time spent listening to podcasts has grown by a whopping 450%.
• In the first quarter of 2024, 45% of women listened to podcasts every month. This shows a growth of 9% from 39% in 2023, highlighting the growing popularity of podcasts among women.
• As of Q1 2024, 48% of men listened to podcasts on a monthly basis. This shows a growth of 2% from 46% in the previous year.
• 60% of US consumers between the ages of 12 and 24 listened to a podcast in 2024, up from 55% in 2023.
• 55% of US consumers aged between 35 and 54 listened to a podcast in 2024, up from 51% in 2023.
• In the UK, 69% of the population aged 18 and above has listened to a podcast. That is up from 59% in 2021 and 60% in 2023.
• 30% of UK consumers listened to podcasts weekly in 2024, while the share of weekly listeners was 25% in 2023.
• In 2024, monthly podcast listening has increased across all age groups. 56% of UK consumers aged between 18 and 34 listened to podcasts every month, which is an increase from 47% in 2023.
• 45% of UK consumers within the age bracket of 35-54 listened to podcasts every month. The share was 39% in 2023. For the UK consumers aged 55 and above, 28% of them were monthly podcast listeners.
• The number of video podcasts on Spotify increased from just 100,000 in 2023 to over 250,000 in 2024.

Podcast Advertising Statistics

Brands and businesses all over the world have started to realize the potential of podcast advertisements and are increasingly investing in them to reach global audiences. In the process, these advertising strategies are helping businesses boost their revenues significantly.

• Podcast advertising is the most common monetization method for podcasters, with a growth rate of 72%. Online advertising has a growth rate of 35%.
• The global podcasting advertising market is forecasted to reach $4.02 billion by the end of 2024, a 16% increase from the previous year.
• According to Spotify’s internal data, 1 in every 5 podcast listeners who engage with an advertiser convert. The global conversion rate is at 1.09%
• The global podcast advertising market is expected to generate the majority of revenue in the US. It is estimated to be around $2.5 billion in 2024.
• Advertisers are expected to spend $2.37 billion on podcasts in 2024, a 19% increase from the previous year. 9.3% of this amount (roughly $220 million) is estimated to be purchased programmatically.
• By 2026, podcast ads are projected to account for 35% or over $3 billion of spending on total digital audio services.
• Podcasters working with major podcast networks such as Acast or Libsyn Ads can expect to earn somewhere between $15 and $50 per 1000 subscribers or listeners through advertisements.
• As of June 2024, Libsyn reported average podcast ad rates of $25 per 1000 listeners for a 60-second ad. The rate for a 30-second ad is around $18 per 1000 listeners.
• In November 2023, Acast reported the average CPM of podcast ads was between $15 and $30 for pre-recorded ads up to 60 seconds.
• In a recent survey, 6.2% of listeners stated that they would not listen to shows with adverts.

Conclusion

For a major portion of the population, podcasts are a crucial part of their daily routine. Whether you need some form of entertainment on your commute to work or need to unwind after a long day, podcasts offer something for almost everyone. As we approach the final quarter of 2024, it is becoming more evident that the podcasts are here to stay.