Apple Podcast Statistics 2025: Power Moves in Podcasting

Podcasts have become a staple in how people consume stories, news, and deep dives into niche topics. The Apple Podcasts ecosystem still commands considerable attention, from creators launching new shows to listeners tuning in across devices. Whether marketers use podcast ads or media brands launching premium subscriber feeds, these numbers shape real‑world decisions. Dive into the numbers behind Apple Podcasts’ reach, usage, and influence below.

Editor’s Choice

These are the seven standout statistics to watch in 2025:

• There are approximately 584.1 million podcast listeners worldwide in 2025.
• Apple Podcasts hosts over 2.6 million shows as of Q1 2025.
• Active Apple Podcasts subscriptions exceeded 500,000 in 2025.
• Apple accounted for 37.4% of downloads/views among the top 250 U.S. podcasts.
• 436,240 active podcasts were on Apple as of June 2024.
• In the U.S., Apple’s preferred share among weekly users was 8% (Apr 2025).
• Smartphone listening captures ≈88% usage share for Apple Podcasts users.

Apple Podcasts Overview

• As of Q1 2025, Apple Podcasts lists around 2.6 million distinct shows across its directories.
• That figure reflects a 9% year‑over‑year growth in active shows from 2024 to 2025.
• Of all podcast listens on iOS devices, about 47% happen via Apple Podcasts.
• Apple claims to serve year‑end charts and localized top lists in nearly 100 countries/regions.
• Apple offers detailed analytics on followers, listeners, engaged listeners, and track plays per show.
• Their subscription analytics show trial‑to‑pay conversion, cancellations, and revenue splits.
• If a podcast doesn’t meet a minimum threshold (five unique listeners), analytics may not appear.
• Apple allows access to listener region breakdowns, which helps creators tailor content globally.

Total Number of Podcasts on Apple Podcasts

• In mid‑2024, Apple had 436,240 active podcasts (i.e., meets basic publishing criteria).
• Many shows are inactive or lightly episodic; Apple’s larger listing count includes dormant or low‑activity shows.
• Apple’s directory count is higher; for example, some sources cite 2.74 million total podcasts as of late 2024.
• That total includes shows with no recent episodes or minimal output.
• Between 2021 and mid‑2024, total podcasts worldwide declined by ~5.6% under stricter indexing rules.
• On Apple, there are 95 million+ episodes across its catalog by 2025.
• Over 43% of Apple’s podcasts are labeled “active,” meaning they’ve released an episode in the last 90 days.

Apple Podcasts Listener Statistics

• Globally, in 2025, there are ≈ 584.1 million podcast listeners across platforms.
• In the U.S., about 34% of the population listens to podcasts weekly.
• On average, podcast fans consume ~8 episodes per week.
• Among female listeners, the weekly average is 9.5 episodes; male listeners average 7.2.
• In April 2025, 8% of U.S. weekly podcast users identified Apple Podcasts as their primary platform.
• Over 62% of U.S. podcast listeners prefer YouTube, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts as their top platforms.
• In the U.S., Apple’s “preferred share” dropped to 12.2% as of 2024 data.
• Among Apple Podcasts users, 88% use a smartphone to listen.

Device and OS Usage for Apple Podcasts

• For all podcast users, 70% use a smartphone as their primary device.
• Within Apple Podcasts users, that share rises to ~88% smartphone use.
• Computers/laptops account for 12% of listening across platforms.
• But only 3% of Apple Podcast users use a desktop/laptop as their primary device.
• On non‑Apple platforms, desktop usage is higher (e.g., 21% for YouTube users).
• Smart speakers and tablets capture smaller shares (e.g., 4‑5%) across podcast users.
• iOS (iPhone + iPad) dominates among Apple Podcasts users, given the integrated app experience.
• Apple Podcasts on iOS devices contributes 47% of iOS podcast listening share.

Leading Podcast Genres on Apple Podcasts

• In 2024, Apple published year‑end charts in categories like most followed, industry picks, and top free/subscriber by genre.
• Genres like Culture & Society, Business, Spirituality & Religion host many episodes (millions per category).
• True crime has a high audience gravitation; on Apple Podcasts, it constitutes a meaningful share in charts.
• Some sources estimate true crime comprises ~0.4‑0.5% of total Apple podcasts by count.
• Several top new shows in 2025 fall in genres like history/documentary/crime (e.g., “The Last Appeal”, “10 to Life”).
• Genres with deeper niche followings: Self‑help, Technology, Science, Health & Wellness.
• Apple also supports specialized categories like language learning and personal journals, which have been added over the years.

Apple Podcasts vs. Spotify and Other Platforms

• In audio‑only podcast listening share (U.S.), Apple Podcasts held 33%, with Spotify at 37% as of December 2024.
• When including video podcasts, Apple’s share drops to 12%, behind YouTube (31%) and Spotify (21%) globally.
• Among the top 250 U.S. podcasts (by downloads/views), Apple accounted for 37.4%, followed by YouTube at 23.2%.
• As of April 2025, Apple Podcasts is the most used podcast listening app at 37.5%, while Spotify stands at 33.2% based on Buzzsprout data.
• In the U.S., the combination of YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts accounts for 68% of weekly listeners’ preferred platforms.
• Some platforms tout competitive advantages: Spotify, for example, charges creators only 5.5% commission on subscriptions vs. Apple’s up to 30%.
• Spotify’s larger catalog (over 7 million titles) gives it reach, while Apple’s integration with iOS gives it discovery advantages.
• For Gen Z (age 15–29), Apple Podcasts is used less frequently (≈ 9%) compared to Spotify (35%) and YouTube (46%) in a recent study.
• In U.S. listening trends, Apple’s lead is narrower at higher tiers of podcast usage, with many listeners shifting to hybrid or video platforms.

Monthly Podcast Consumption by Age Group

• Younger listeners (18–34) consume more episodes per month than older cohorts, often 10–12 in U.S. surveys.
• In 2025, the global average listening time is about 7.7 hours per week (~66 minutes per day).
• Among heavy podcast users, 46% listen within 24 hours of publication.
• Some studies suggest 70% of listeners finish most or all of an episode.
• Middle-aged groups (35–54) still represent large shares of weekly consumption, but their average weekly hours lag younger peers.
• Ad tolerance varies: ~56% of listeners express higher trust in host‑read ads versus generic ones.
• For older age groups (55+), listening tends to skew toward news, history, and interview formats rather than entertainment or pop culture.
• Some segmentation studies show that the 25–34 demographic drives the highest growth in podcast listenership globally.

Global Reach and Country-Wise Distribution

• In 2025, the global podcast audience is estimated at 584.1 million listeners, up ~6.8% from 2024.
• Forecasts suggest the global podcasting market will hit $38–$40 billion in 2025.
• Apple Podcasts operates localized directories in nearly 100 countries/regions.
• In the U.S., over 158 million people (≈ 55% of the population) listen to podcasts monthly.
• In many non‑English markets, Apple’s presence is lower due to competition and local platforms.
• Latin America, India, and parts of Southeast Asia show the fastest per‑year growth in new listeners.
• Some regions (e.g., parts of Africa) remain underpenetrated, leaving room for growth in Apple’s expansion.
• In major markets like the UK, Canada, and Australia, Apple Podcasts often ranks among the top two platforms for listenership.

Monetization Trends and Subscription Growth

• In 2025, podcast ad spending globally is projected at $4.46 billion, a ~10.95% rise since 2024.
• U.S. podcast ad revenue is forecasted to be around $2.55 billion in 2025.
• The IAB expects podcast ad spending to grow ~4.8% in 2025, even as broader digital ad markets slow.
• Some forecasts suggest the market size may reach $47.8 billion in 2025 (from $36.3B in 2024).
• Subscription and premium podcast models are growing: Apple and other platforms now support paid subscriber tiers.
• Podcast creator revenues overall are growing ~15.8% YoY, faster than general social media creator revenue growth.
• Ad-based revenue still dominates, but blending subscriptions, merch, and events is becoming common.
• Platforms differ in monetization fees (e.g., Apple’s cut vs. Spotify’s).
• Some niche shows report > 50% of revenue from listener subscriptions rather than ads.

Podcaster Earnings and Revenue Insights

• In 2025, many full‑time podcasters report earnings ranging from $60,000 to $250,000+ annually, depending on audience size and niche.
• Mid‑tier podcasters (100,000–500,000 downloads/mo) often earn $20,000–$100,000 from ad and subscription blends.
• Larger podcasts with millions of downloads may negotiate six‑figures for season sponsorships or branded content.
• Apple’s subscription analytics allow creators to see trial-to-paid conversion, churn, and revenue per subscriber.
• Sponsorship rates per 1,000 downloads (CPM) vary by niche, e.g., business or tech genres command higher CPMs than general talk formats.
• Some podcasters scale by cross‑platform repackaging (YouTube, newsletters, events) to magnify revenue.
• The top 1% of podcasts often command 70–80% of total category revenue.
• Tools and agencies now support dynamic ad insertion, enabling revenue per episode to vary in real time.
• Emerging monetization: listener tipping, micro‑donations, and affiliate links inside show notes.

Most Popular Platforms for Podcast Listening

• In April 2025, Apple Podcasts leads with 37.5% of listening share (Buzzsprout data), ahead of Spotify at 33.2%.
• Spotify’s share in audio‑only listening is ~37% vs. Apple’s 33% (Dec 2024).
• Globally, YouTube holds 33% of podcast listening preference, making it the single biggest platform by user choice.
• In the U.S., YouTube, Spotify, and Apple together command ~68% of weekly listener usage.
• Web browser, Amazon Music, Google Podcasts, and iHeartRadio account for the rest (each under ~5–7%).
• Some users begin new podcast discovery via YouTube (31%), ahead of Spotify (24%) and Apple Podcasts (12%).
• For Gen Z (age 15–29), YouTube dominates (46%), then Spotify (35%), then Apple Podcasts (9%).
• Podcast apps and platform choice vary by region: in some markets, local apps still compete effectively.

Podcasting Market Growth and Forecasts

• The global podcasting market is projected to grow from $30.72 billion in 2024 to $131.13 billion by 2030, at a 27 % CAGR from 2025 to 2030.
• Another forecast routes the market at $36.28 billion in 2024, growing to $47.75 billion in 2025 (≈31.6 % growth).
• According to Research Nester, the 2025 podcasting market is estimated at USD 35.09 billion, up from ~USD 31.26 billion in 2024.
• A long‑range report from GlobeNewsWire expects podcasting to scale from US$27.88 billion (2024) to US$204.75 billion by 2033, with ~24.8 % CAGR.
• Grand View Research also supports strong growth, noting sustained double‑digit annual expansion in the coming years.
• Exploding Topics highlights rapid regional growth, e.g., Latin America’s podcast industry projected to expand at ~28.4 % CAGR over the next decade.
• The fast growth is fueled by smartphone penetration, improved monetization models, better discovery tools, and rising demand for niche content.
• Some markets (e.g., Asia-Pacific) are emerging as new frontiers for growth, particularly where mobile-first content is already mainstream.

Implication for Apple Podcasts:
With a maturing global podcast economy, Apple will need to maintain competitive features, support international creators, and adapt monetization frameworks to stay relevant in a high‑growth but fiercely competitive market.

Integration with Apple Services

• Apple Podcasts is tightly integrated with the Apple ecosystem (iPhone, iPad, macOS, CarPlay, HomePod), easing discoverability and subscription management for users.
• Show pages within Apple can link to Apple News+, Apple Music, or Apple TV+ cross‑promotions.
• Subscriptions through Apple Podcasts use the same payment system as other App Store purchases, simplifying billing and conversions for listeners.
• Analytics dashboards offer filters by region, device, follower status, and engagement, giving creators a unified view inside the Apple environment.
• Apple supports Apple Watch playback and offline syncing, boosting usability for on-the-go listeners.
• Podcast creators can tie into Siri voice commands (“Hey Siri, play …” or “subscribe to …”) via system-level integration.
• Apple might leverage bundle strategies (e.g., offering podcast perks to Apple One or Apple One+ subscribers) in the future.
• Because Apple controls the tech stack, feature rollouts (e.g., subscriber-only episodes, early access) can propagate more uniformly across its devices.

Podcast Analytics and Key Metrics

• Apple Podcasts offers metrics like Listeners, Plays, Time Listened, Follower trends, and you can filter by episode, location, and engagement level.
• Some commonly tracked podcast metrics (across platforms) include total downloads, plays over time, listener retention rate, chart ranking, reviews & ratings, subscriber count, and geographic distribution.
• Retention rate is critical: it shows the percentage of listeners who stay past a threshold (e.g., 30–40%). Low dropoff is a sign of content resonance.
• Engagement curves (when listeners drop off) help creators adjust content pacing and structure.
• Chart position (on Apple, Spotify, etc.) reflects both engagement and recency, not only raw downloads.
• Combining analytics across platforms provides more insight. Podtrac aggregates data across directories, episodes, and country levels.
• Advanced tools (third-party) can enrich data with listener demographics, drop-off heatmaps, listening session lengths, and social mentions.

Podcast Listener Demographics

• In 2025, 66% of U.S. adults aged 12–34 and 61% aged 35–54 listen to podcasts monthly.
• Women’s Weekly listenership grew to 45% in 2025 (vs. 32% in 2024) in the U.S.
• Podcast listeners tend to be more affluent and more likely to hold a college degree compared to the broader U.S. population.
• Millennials represent the largest share of U.S. podcast listeners (~32.7%), with Gen Z close behind (~28.9%).
• Gender parity is approaching: women now account for nearly 50 % of podcast audiences in some markets.
• In global markets, some countries show high adoption: e.g., 58 % of South Korean adults listen monthly.
• In 49 global markets, ~41 % of consumers report spending an hour or more per week listening to podcasts, and ~9 % more than 10 hours.

Popular Podcast Channels and Shows

• In Q2 2025, Edison Research ranked the Top 50 U.S. podcasts (weekly reach) with top shows including The Joe Rogan Experience, Crime Junkie, The Daily, Call Her Daddy, and This Past Weekend.
• The Joe Rogan Experience remains a dominant podcast, spanning audio and video formats, with a huge audience pull.
• Call Her Daddy holds strong in Spotify and cross‑platform charts, with millions of followers.
• News and current‑affairs podcasts (e.g. The Daily) maintain consistent placements in top charts.
• Emerging celebrity/pop-culture podcasts (e.g., New Heights with Taylor Swift & Kelce) generate massive viewership spikes (millions of views in short windows).
• YouTube has launched a podcast chart; The Joe Rogan Experience ranked #1 on it in early May 2025.
• Some podcasts cross into other media (TV, streaming) as show IPs, further boosting brand and listener base.

Video Podcasts on Apple Podcasts

• In April 2025, 42 % of U.S. weekly podcast listeners preferred watching a podcast (i.e., consuming video) vs purely audio.
• Spotify’s video podcast library had grown to 330,000+ titles by early 2025 (from ~100,000 in 2023).
• Over 270 million users on Spotify have watched a video podcast to date.
• Among video podcast viewers, 62 % are aged 18–34, making that the dominant demographic.
• Globally, more than 420 million people watch video podcasts monthly.
• In the U.S., 33 % of weekly podcast listeners use YouTube (i.e., video) as their service of choice.
• The definition of “podcast” is shifting: in one survey, 52 % of respondents consider YouTube-only video shows as podcasts, and 72 % say

Recent Developments

• In 2025, YouTube officially surpassed one billion monthly podcast views, solidifying its lead in video podcasting and challenging audio-first platforms.
• Spotify expanded its video podcast capabilities, increasing its catalog to over 330,000 video-enabled titles, and continues to invest in exclusive shows.
• Netflix and Spotify announced a strategic partnership to co-distribute select video podcasts, blurring the lines between streaming and podcasting content.
• Apple Podcasts introduced enhanced analytics tools for paid creators, including improved visibility into subscriber engagement and churn behavior.
• Sounds Profitable merged with Podcast Movement, streamlining podcast industry events, research, and trade advocacy under one banner.
• Several major podcast studios announced multi-format production strategies, converting audio-only shows into video, newsletter, and event spin-offs.
• Apple’s competitors began adopting AI-based podcast summarization and discovery tools, raising user expectations for search and navigation.
• Ad load increased significantly across the industry in 2025, with some episodes now dedicating up to 10–12% of runtime to advertising.
• Amid tightening privacy laws, platforms, including Apple, began refining listener data transparency policies, balancing creator insights with user consent.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Conclusion

Apple Podcasts in 2025 stands at a pivotal intersection of legacy dominance and rising disruption. With millions of active shows, a loyal base of iOS users, and deep integration across Apple’s services, it remains a core platform in the global podcasting ecosystem. Yet, the market is evolving, and video formats, creator-first monetization, and cross-platform distribution are becoming standard.

The platform’s share in audio-only consumption is still substantial, but the surge in visual podcasts and Gen Z’s preference for YouTube and Spotify highlights an urgent need for innovation. Apple must respond not just with better tools for creators, but also with strategic product updates to stay relevant in a world where content is increasingly visual, interactive, and user-driven.