Key points:
- Monetization thresholds reduced 80% (January 2026): You now need just 1,000 engaged listeners, 2,000 consumed hours, and 3 published episodes to qualify for the Spotify Partner Program.
- Revenue split: Spotify takes a 50% cut of ad revenue. Premium video revenue is a separate, additional payout for video podcasters whose content is watched by Premium subscribers.
- Browser recording cost: Spotify’s Riverside integration requires a paid plan — $29/month billed monthly or $24/month billed annually (Pro plan). The integration does not support the free Riverside tier for recording.
- Distribution API (2026): Creators on Acast, Audioboom, Libsyn, Omny, and Podigee can now monetize video on Spotify without switching hosting platforms.
Spotify hardly needs an introduction—it’s the most-used audio platform in more than a dozen countries. It’s also the number one podcast publisher in the United States due to its free hosting service: Spotify for Creators.
Are you considering using Spotify for Creators? This guide will help you understand the features, pricing, and limitations so you can make an informed decision.
We will begin with a high-level overview of Spotify for Creators, including what it is and pros and cons. Next, we dive into key hosting features and genuine user feedback. If you find Spotify for Creators doesn’t meet your needs, we also explore four alternatives to help you compare your options.
Let’s start with a high-level overview of what you should know.
Table of Contents
- What Is Spotify for Creators?
- How Do You Get Started with Spotify for Creators?
- What Are the Benefits of Using Spotify for Creators?
- What Are the Drawbacks of Using Spotify for Creators?
- What Are the Key Features of Spotify for Creators?
- What People Are Saying About Spotify for Creators
- Spotify for Creators Pricing Plans and Options
- What Are the Best Alternatives to Spotify for Creators?
- The Bottom Line on Spotify for Creators
- Frequently Asked Questions About Spotify for Creators
What Is Spotify for Creators?
What can your podcast gain from Spotify for Creators?
Here’s a quick breakdown of what to expect:
| Best for | Features | Mobile app | Monetization tools | Price |
| Free podcast hosting | Browser recording, podcast analytics, audience feedback, video podcasts, monetization tools | ✔️ (iOS and Android) | ✔️ | Free |
Not sure how Spotify for Creators compares to the competition?
Our podcast hosting checklist can help you make informed decisions.
How Do You Get Started with Spotify for Creators?
To get started with Spotify for Creators, simply visit the Spotify for Creators website and create an account. There, you’ll upload your audio or video podcasts directly from your device. The platform is quite user-friendly, allowing you to manage your content easily.
Once you have created your account, you can explore features such as browser recording, podcast analytics, and monetization tools.
Note: while the hosting service is free, you will need a paid Riverside subscription to utilize the browser recording feature (starting at $29/month ($24/month billed annually).
Once you get your feet wet with the basics, you should familiarize yourself with the monetization options through the Spotify Partner Program.
To qualify for the Spotify Partner Program as of January 2026, your show must meet all of these updated criteria:
- Hosted on Spotify for Creators (or via a compatible third-party host through the new Distribution API)
- Legal address in an eligible country (US, UK, Canada, Australia, Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Ireland, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Netherlands, New Zealand, or Switzerland)
- At least 3 published episodes (down from 12)
- Minimum 2,000 hours consumed on Spotify in the last 30 days (down from 10,000)
- At least 1,000 engaged listeners on Spotify in the last 30 days (down from 2,000)
Spotify reduced these thresholds by approximately 80% on January 7, 2026, marking the program’s first anniversary. Check your current eligibility in the Monetize tab of your Spotify for Creators account.
What Are the Benefits of Using Spotify for Creators?
- Spotify for Creators is 100% free. You don’t have to pay a dime to get started.
- With Spotify for Creators, you can get many advanced features that normally cost extra on other podcast hosting platforms. For example, video podcasting, podcast monetization features, and podcast analytics are available at no extra cost.
- You can launch Spotify for Creators on your laptop, tablet, or mobile phone. This is a handy feature if you record in the field (or need to take podcast work with you).
- Spotify offers a simple switching feature to migrate from your existing podcast host in 15 minutes or less. All you need to do is enter the name of your show — Spotify automatically imports all of your episodes and metadata.
TPC Insight: Spotify for Creators is the first hosting platform we recommend when a financial advisor or RIA asks whether podcasting fits their practice before committing to production costs. The zero-cost entry point removes the financial objection entirely. For established shows, the January 2026 Partner Program changes have made Spotify’s video monetization accessible to shows we previously would have considered too early-stage — a 1,000-listener threshold is realistic for a regional wealth manager with an engaged client base within six to twelve months of launch.
Spotify for Creators makes sense for podcasters who are testing whether podcasting fits their content strategy before committing budget, want immediate access to Spotify’s 713 million users without intermediary distribution steps, plan to publish video podcasts and want native video support included at no cost, or can reach the Partner Program thresholds where the 50% revenue split still generates meaningful income. The platform works less well for podcasters who need responsive customer support since Spotify discontinued its Listener Support program in January 2025, want to maximize ad revenue retention, require IAB-certified analytics for sponsor reporting, or prefer to maintain relationships with their own advertising partners.
What Are the Drawbacks of Using Spotify for Creators?
- While you can record podcasts using Spotify’s Riverside integration, this requires a paid Riverside plan. The free tier allows up to 2 hours of recording total (not per month), with content exported at 720p with a Riverside watermark. The Pro plan, at $29/month ($24/month annually), adds 4K video and 15 hours of monthly recording time.
- Several podcast monetization features offered by Spotify are only available in specific areas. For example, if you’re located outside of its 34 markets, you won’t be able to tap into dynamic ads.
- Spotify’s listener subscription feature (Spotify Open Access) connects your show to Patreon or Supporting Cast for paid subscriber access. This is a third-party integration rather than a native Spotify subscription tool, meaning your subscription management lives outside the platform.
- With Spotify for Creators, you only take home 50% of your ad revenue. This is a steep cut compared to other podcast hosting platforms that allow you to keep 70% or more of your profit.
- On January 2, 2025, Spotify discontinued its Listener Support program, meaning customer service response times may be longer than paid hosting alternatives. This change affects creators who rely on timely technical support.
Spotify reduced Partner Program eligibility thresholds by approximately 80% on January 7, 2026, marking the program’s first anniversary. The new requirements are: 3 published episodes (down from 12), 2,000 hours consumed in 30 days (down from 10,000), and 1,000 engaged listeners (down from 2,000). Additionally, Spotify launched a Distribution API allowing creators on Acast, Audioboom, Libsyn, Omny, and Podigee to publish and monetize video on Spotify without switching hosting platforms. New sponsorship management tools roll out in April 2026, enabling creators to remove, replace, and schedule host-read sponsorships with performance tracking.
What Are the Key Features of Spotify for Creators?
Spotify for Creators offers a wide range of features suiting beginner, intermediate, and advanced podcasters alike.
Below are a few of its most unique features:
Browser Recording
Spotify for Creators uses a native Riverside integration so podcasters can record episodes directly in their browser. To access recording, you’ll need a paid Riverside plan:
- Pro: $29/month billed monthly ($24/month billed annually) — includes 15 hours of recording, Magic Audio noise reduction, teleprompter, and live call-ins
Once on a paid Riverside plan, you can record your podcast in real-time, use transcript-based editing, and publish directly to Spotify. Keep in mind this integration replaced Spotify’s previous Music+Talk tool, meaning creators can no longer add background music from Spotify’s sound library or upload more than one file at a time through the mobile app.
Podcast Analytics
Like many other podcast hosting tools, Spotify offers a detailed analytics dashboard. You can use this tool to evaluate podcast listener demographics, listener behaviors, and common devices:
- Age and gender
- Geographic location
- Popular episodes
- Device listeners
- Impressions data
- Episode drop-off
- Viewers vs listeners
- Watch hours vs watch percent
You should know Spotify for Creators relies on aggregate podcast trends—it does not disclose individual podcast listener data. This means you’re only seeing generalized changes and not necessarily a detailed breakdown of individuals.
Monetization Tools
If you’re looking to make extra income from your podcast, you can use Spotify for Creators to generate money from each episode.
Spotify for Creators offers the following monetization tools:
- Podcast Subscriptions: You can encourage your audience to pay extra for special content. Please keep in mind you must use Spotify for Creators for 60 days (and publish two episodes to 100 listeners) before enrolling in this program.
- Spotify Partner Program (ad revenue + Premium video revenue) Launched January 2025, the program now covers 14 eligible markets after expansions through 2025. Eligible creators earn a 50% share of ad revenue recognized by Spotify, plus separate Premium video revenue when Spotify Premium subscribers watch your video episodes without dynamic ad interruption. As of January 2026, eligibility requires just 1,000 engaged listeners, 2,000 consumed hours, and 3 published episodes—thresholds reduced approximately 80% from launch requirements.
- Ads: If you’re lucky enough to receive an invite, you can tap into the Spotify Audience Network (SPAN) to insert dynamic ads into ad breaks. Keep in mind you can’t select the exact ads that run in your podcast. Plus, Spotify reserves the right to deactivate this feature if you don’t publish an episode in six months or more.
Audience Feedback
Spotify for Creators allows you to engage with your audience using polls, Q&A sessions, and listener comments.
With polls, you can set up a question-based answering system that keeps your audience engaged and intrigued with your show. Those who engage can see how other audience members answered immediately after submitting their responses.
With Q&A sessions, you can ask your listeners questions directly. These responses are private and shared only between you and your listener. However, you could also pin your favorite responses, publicly sharing the respondent’s username.
With listener comments, you can keep an eye on audience sentiment and monitor changes in how they view your show. Spotify offers tools to like, respond, and even pin your favorite comments, which shows your listeners you care about their thoughts.
Video Podcasts
You can use Spotify for Creators to publish video versions of your show—a feature that even paid hosting platforms rarely offer. Now that two in three podcast listeners prefer video over audio, this could be an excellent opportunity to upgrade your podcast audio to video.
Direct browser recording requires a paid Riverside plan (Pro plan at $29/month billed monthly, or $24/month billed annually). However, you can record video independently with a camera setup and upload the file directly to Spotify for Creators without a Riverside subscription—a common workflow for our clients who already use dedicated recording equipment.
TPC Recommendation: For financial advisors adding video for the first time, we typically recommend uploading pre-recorded video files rather than using browser recording. This separates the recording workflow from the hosting decision and avoids adding the Riverside subscription cost until the show has an established production rhythm.
Spotify for Creators Summary
- Price: 100% Free
- Revenue Split: 50/50 with Spotify
- Monetization Options:
- Podcast Subscriptions
- Dynamic ad insertion
- Premium video revenue
- Video Support: Yes (native)
- Analytics: Comprehensive dashboard
- Mobile App: iOS and Android
What People Are Saying About Spotify for Creators
Spotify for Creators averages an 87% positive sentiment rating across popular online review sites.
Here’s how the individual scores break down:
- App Store: 4.8/5 stars from 117,128 user reviews
- Google Play: 3.8/5 stars from 80,184 user reviews
- TrustRadius: 8.9/10 stars from 25 user reviews
Customers love that Spotify for Creators is free. They also appreciate the ability to monetize with recurring subscriptions and dynamic ad breaks.
Current users have said:
- “Use this app and platform. You’ll be amazed how your creativity in format is fully supported by the podcast production tools they provide for us.” — Verified User, App Store
- “I love, love the Spotify for Podcasters app. It makes the work of podcasting on audio pretty easy. I was a bit scared of beginning this journey… but it wasn’t as difficult as I had expected it to be. Now, I’ve been recording for 9 weeks, 2 months, and a week and I’m wondering why didn’t I begin earlier. It’s been AMAZING!” — Adenike, Google Play Store
- “Allowed us to get started in the podcasting space easily and quickly. They’ve enabled us to get set up without having to become experts in all the different facets of running a podcast, like recording and editing software, syndication, hosting, etc. It’s really been a great way to get started quickly.” — Verified User, TrustRadius
However, some reviewers provide critical feedback. A few users mention that recent UI updates have made navigation confusing, while others suggest investing in dedicated podcast editing software instead of relying solely on the built-in tools.
Spotify for Creators Pricing Plans and Options
Unlike many other podcast hosting tools, Spotify for Creators is 100% free. You don’t need to pay extra to establish a plan, access new features, or purchase additional storage.
That said, there may be situations where you may spend (or lose) money with Spotify for Creators.
For example:
- You need to purchase a Riverside plan to record on Spotify for Creators. The Pro plan starts at $29/month billed monthly ($24/month billed annually). The Live plan is $39/month ($34/month annually) and adds multistreaming.
- Spotify takes a 50% cut of your ad revenue. If a podcast episode brings in $100 USD, you’ll only receive $50 USD through Stripe or Spotify Payouts.
- Cashing out your podcast earnings may come with additional fees. Keep an eye out for payment processing fees, foreign exchange fees, and cashout fees.
Alternatives to Spotify for Podcast Hosting
If your show isn’t a fit for Spotify for Creators, you may want to consider its paid-for alternative. Megaphone by Spotify, which is specifically designed for podcasting businesses, starts at $99 USD per month.
Don’t want to host your show on Spotify at all?
One of these four alternatives may be a fit:
Buzzsprout
Buzzsprout is a beginner-friendly podcast host with a clean interface, IAB-certified analytics, and reliable distribution—areas where Spotify for Creators has limitations. Unlike Spotify, Buzzsprout does not take a cut of your revenue, and its analytics are certified to the industry standard required by most podcast sponsors.
Buzzsprout pricing in 2026:
- Free plan: Episodes deleted after 90 days (useful for testing only)
- $19/month: 4 upload hours per month (enough for a weekly 45–60 minute show)
- $39/month: 15 upload hours per month (fits multiple shows or longer interviews)
- $79/month: 35 upload hours per month (suited to networks or high-volume creators)
All paid plans include unlimited storage and permanent episode hosting. Optional add-ons include Magic Mastering (audio enhancement, $6–$12/month) and Cohost AI (transcripts and show notes, $10–$20/month).
TPC Recommendation: Buzzsprout’s $19/month plan covers the majority of our financial advisor clients producing weekly 30–45 minute episodes with room to spare.
Our complete guide to Buzzsprout covers all these details and more.
Simplecast
Simplecast is an end-to-end podcast hosting platform designed to host and distribute your podcast on various platforms. They offer the basic features you might expect — think RSS feeds and one-click publishing — as well as advanced features such as custom podcast websites.
Simplecast starts at $13.50 USD per month, which makes it more expensive than Spotify for Creators. However, keep in mind you’ll take home 70% of your earnings, which is 20% more than Spotify provides.
Blubrry
One of the oldest podcast hosts is a cloud-based tool called Blubrry. With this platform, you can design a free WordPress site, develop a podcast media kit, and use the Podcast AI Assistant (PAI) to generate clips and social media posts.
Unlike the video podcasting tool offered by Spotify for Creators, you can use Blubrry to convert video podcasts into audio. You can also access advanced analytics, which are IAB certified (and therefore cost extra per month).
Captivate
Captivate is a growth-oriented podcast host with IAB-certified analytics, built-in monetization tools (listener tips, subscriptions, exclusive content), and a dedicated podcast website included on every plan. Unlike Spotify for Creators, Captivate lets you retain all revenue from listener subscriptions, with no platform revenue share.
Captivate pricing in 2026:
- Personal: $19/month — up to 30,000 downloads/month, unlimited podcasts and storage
- Professional: $49/month — up to 150,000 downloads/month
- Business: $99/month — up to 300,000 downloads/month
All plans include a 30-day free trial with access to all features. The only variable between plans is your monthly download ceiling, not storage or feature access.
Choose Captivate over Spotify for Creators if: you need IAB-certified analytics for sponsor reporting, want to keep 100% of subscription revenue, or are managing multiple podcast shows from one account.
The Bottom Line on Spotify for Creators
It’s hard to object to a free podcast hosting platform. And with Spotify for Creators, you can make money without spending a dime. You can record directly in your browser, publish both video and audio episodes, and then monitor their reception with polls, comments, and podcast analytics.
Of course, Spotify for Creators isn’t a 360-degree platform — you’ll still need pre- and post-production support to make your podcast successful. That’s why today’s most successful shows turn to agencies like The Podcast Consultant. From video production to remote recording, we make it easy to launch at a pace that works for you.
Learn more about succeeding in your podcast endeavors by booking a discovery call with The Podcast Consultant.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Spotify for Creators
Yes, Spotify for Creators offers free unlimited podcast hosting with no monthly fees, storage limits, or setup costs. Using the integrated Riverside recording feature requires a paid Riverside subscription—$19/month billed monthly, or $15/month billed annually. Spotify takes a 50% share of advertising revenue generated through the Partner Program. Additional payment processing fees may apply when withdrawing earnings through Spotify Payouts.
As of January 7, 2026, you need: a legal address in one of 14 eligible countries, at least 3 published episodes (down from 12), 2,000 hours consumed on Spotify in the last 30 days (down from 10,000), and 1,000 engaged listeners on Spotify in the last 30 days (down from 2,000). Once eligible, apply through the Monetize tab in your Spotify for Creators account. Spotify reviews content against its monetization policies before approving applications.
Earnings vary based on audience size and engagement. Spotify paid creators over $100 million in Q1 2025, with hundreds earning $10,000 or more monthly. The platform offers a 50% share of ad revenue plus additional Premium video revenue for video podcasters whose content is watched uninterrupted by Spotify Premium subscribers.
Yes, Spotify for Creators fully supports native video podcast hosting at no extra cost. Over 430,000 video podcasts are hosted on Spotify, and monthly video consumption has nearly doubled since the Partner Program launched in January 2025. Video podcasters can earn both ad revenue and Premium video revenue.
The Spotify Partner Program is available in Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Ireland, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Netherlands, New Zealand, Switzerland, United Kingdom, and United States. Ad revenue can be earned globally when listeners consume content on other podcast platforms.
As of January 2026, Spotify’s Distribution API is compatible with Acast, Audioboom, Libsyn, Omny, and Podigee. Creators on these platforms can publish video to Spotify and earn both Premium video revenue and ad revenue through the Partner Program without switching hosting platforms. Additional partners are expected to be added.
Yes, Spotify for Creators generates an RSS feed you can submit to Apple Podcasts and other directories. Unlike some paid hosts offering one-click distribution, you will need to manually submit your RSS feed through Apple Podcasts Connect. Spotify automatically distributes to its own platform upon publishing.