The Podcast industry is gaining massive recognition worldwide. Statistics show that currently, there are over 5 million podcasts available across the world, along with 71 million episodes existing in podcast feeds. The statistics related to the podcast industry are quite impressive with the number of podcast listeners growing each and every day. In Fact, the number of podcast listeners is predicted to reach 504.9 million by the end of the year. In this article, we are going to take a detailed look at how many podcasts are there as per new 2024 data. So, let’s begin.
Top Podcasts Statistics 2024
- In 2024, there are more than 5 million podcasts available globally.
- There are over 71,000,000 episodes existing in the podcast feeds.
- 2.6 million podcasts are listed by Apple podcasts.
- There are around 455,000 active podcasts on the Apple podcast platform.
- By the end of 2024, the number of podcast listeners is expected to reach 504.9 million.
- Chile is the leading nation with the highest podcast growth by 84%.
- The market size of the podcast industry is expected to reach 30.03 billion by the end of the year.
- The average duration of a podcast is between 20 to 40 minutes.
- Spotify is the leading platform used by listeners for streaming podcasts.
- Apple podcast is the top platform with the highest number of download requests by 70.8%.
- In 2024, the number of active podcast listeners is expected to reach over 100 million.
- An Average American listens to 8 podcasts a week.
- Sweden is the leading nation with the highest number of podcast listeners.
- 22% of people tune into podcasts while driving.
- Smartphones are considered the most preferred device used by listeners to stream podcasts.
How many Podcasts are there in 2024?
As of 2024, there are over 5 million podcasts available worldwide, with more than 70 million episodes between them. However, if we remove the inactive podcasts, the total number of podcasts available will drop to 4.2 million today.
2.6 million podcasts are listed in Apple podcasts
Apple podcasts are one of the most used platforms utilized by listeners across the world to stream podcasts. According to research, over 2.6 million podcasts are listed by Apple itself with over 91 million total episodes in the feeds. Even though these might seem a lot it’s important to note that many of the podcasts available are inactive as the new episodes haven’t been published in the past 90 days span. Valid podcasts available on Apple are always available for downloads by listeners regardless of age or active status.
Only around 455,000 of the podcast in Apple podcasts are active
Regardless of 2.6 million podcasts being listed by Apple podcasts majority of them are inactive and haven’t posted a single new episode in the past 90 days. According to research, only 17.50% (which is around 455,000) of the podcasts available are active on the platform. While 82.50% of the podcasts listed are inactive. There are more than 71,000,000 episodes existing in the podcast feeds.
The Global podcasting market size is expected to reach $30.03 Billion in 2024
The Podcasting industry has been gaining massive popularity across the world with listeners tuning in to new episodes every day. With such a high response from the listeners, the market size of the podcast industry is also reaching new heights every year.
By the end of 2024, the global market size of the podcast industry is expected to reach $30.03 billion along with predictions to reach 38.36 billion in 2025. In Fact, according to various experts, the podcasting industry is also expected to cross the milestone of 100 billion in the coming years and reach $131.13 billion in market size in 2030. Below we have mentioned a table showcasing the market size of the podcast industry over the years:
| Year | Market Size of Podcast Industry |
| 2023 | 23.56 billion |
| 2024 | 30.03 billion |
| 2025 | 38.36 billion |
| 2026 | 49.03 billion |
| 2027 | 62.71 billion |
| 2028 | 80.07 billion |
| 2029 | 102.53 billion |
| 2030 | 131.13 billion |
Total number of Podcast listeners globally
As of 2023, the number of podcast listeners worldwide was 464.7 million which is 8.68% of the entire internet users. By the end of 2023, the numbers of podcast listeners are expected to witness a massive rise and cross the milestone of 500 million by reaching 504.9 million listeners globally. One of the major reasons behind the sudden rise of podcasts among the audience is due to its ability to create a deeper bond with the listeners, especially the niche audience in comparison to other media streams. Below we have mentioned a table showcasing the number of podcast listeners over the years:
| Year | Number of Podcast listeners | Percentage of Internet users |
| 2019 | 274.8 million | 14.4% of Internet users |
| 2020 | 332.2 million | 16.5% of Internet users |
| 2021 | 383.7 million | 18.7% of Internet users |
| 2022 | 424.2 million | 20.3% of Internet users |
| 2023 | 464.7 million | 22% of Internet users |
| 2024 | 504.9 million | 23.5% of Internet users |
American nations are witnessing massive growth in the number of podcasts
When it comes to growth in the number of podcasts, American nations are leading the race as Chile has 84% of growth in podcasting followed by Argentina in second place by 55.3%. Peru secured the third place with a growth rate of 49.1%. Below we have mentioned a table displaying the top 5 nations with the highest podcast growth rates:
| Nations | Podcast growth rate |
| Chile | 84% |
| Argentina | 55.3% |
| Peru | 49.1% |
| Mexico | 47.8% |
| China | 43.6% |
Countries with Largest Share Of Podcast Listeners
According to Statista, Sweden is the leading country with the highest share of podcast listeners worldwide with 47%. Followed by Ireland and Brazil in the second and third positions with over 40% of podcast listeners. Statista conducted a survey of 54 countries with 1,000 to 5,700 respondents from each country where Sweden was found to be the country with the highest number of podcast listeners. Based on this survey, the United States had 34% of podcast listeners while the United Kingdom had 31% of podcast listeners.
| Country | Percentage of Podcast listeners |
| Sweden | 47% |
| Ireland | Over 40% |
| Brazil | Over 40% |
| United States | 34% |
| United Kingdom | 31% |
| Canada | 30-39% |
| Australia | 30-39% |
| Russia | 20-29% |
| India | 20-29% |
| China | 19% |
| Japan | 5% |
Source: Statista
Number of users of podcasts in the United States from 2020 to 2027
Over the past few years, the number of podcast listeners has been rising in the United States rapidly and gaining new listeners almost every day with an average American tuning into at least 8 podcasts on a weekly basis. As of 2024, the number of podcast listeners in the United States reached 249.42 million and the number is expected to keep on rising in coming years. According to Statista, podcast listenership is expected to reach 254.35 million by 2027. Below we have mentioned a table showcasing the number of users listening to podcasts in the US from 2020 to 2027:
| Year | Number of podcast listeners |
| 2020 | 236.91 million |
| 2021 | 237.57 million |
| 2022 | 244.69 million |
| 2023 | 247.77 million |
| 2024 | 249.42 million |
| 2025 | 251.12 million |
| 2026 | 252.79 million |
| 2027 | 254.35 million |
Americans between 12 to 34 are the largest age group to listen to podcasts every month
Podcasts are gaining massive popularity among teenagers and young adults all across the United States. Based on a survey by Statista in 2022, it was revealed that about 50% of the users in the survey aged between 12 to 34 have stated that they had listened to a podcast in the last month. Making 12 to 34 the largest age group listening to posts every month in the United States. While, 43% of the people in the survey who aged between 35 to 54 claimed to have listened to a podcast in the previous month. Below we have mentioned a table showcasing the percentage of Podcast listeners in the US based on Age group:
| Year | Age 12-34 Share | Age 35-54 Share | Age 55+ Share | Average Share |
| 2019 | 42% | 36% | 17% | 32% |
| 2020 | 49% | 40% | 22% | 37% |
| 2021 | 56% | 39% | 26% | 40% |
| 2022 | 50% | 43% | 22% | 38% |
| 4-Year Average | 49% | 40% | 22% | 37% |
Distribution of Podcast Listeners in the US based on Gender
In the United States, both genders have played a significant role when it comes to streaming podcasts. But in comparison, males are more likely to stream a podcast than females. In 2019, 36% of males were listening to podcasts in the US in comparison to 29% of females with a difference of 7%. Similarly, in 2020, men were more keen on listening to podcasts by 39%, while the share for females was 36%. In 2021, the number for males was 43%, while for females it was 39% with a difference of 4%. In 2022, 41% of males were tuning to podcasts while 36% of females were streaming podcasting in the United States.
| Year | Share of Males | Share of Females | Difference |
| 2019 | 36% | 29% | +7% (Men) |
| 2020 | 39% | 36% | +3% (Men) |
| 2021 | 43% | 39% | +4% (Men) |
| 2022 | 41% | 36% | +5% (Men) |
US Podcast Listener Preferences
As of January 2024, there are over 4.3 million podcasts available giving users a massive range of podcast choices to stream. Around 82,886 podcast shows were published in the last 3 days and about 224,560 of the podcast shows were published in the Last 10 days itself. Therefore, it’s pretty clear there is a wide range of podcast show options available for the audience to keep them entertained and hooked to the platform. Below we have mentioned a table showcasing how often a podcast show gets published:
| Time Period | Number of Published Podcast Shows |
| Last 3 Days | 82,886 |
| Last 10 Days | 224,560 |
| Last 30 Days | 316,445 |
| Last 60 Days | 395,579 |
| Last 90 Days | 451,780 |
With such a massive range of choices available. An average American completes 8 episodes on a weekly basis. Below we have mentioned the number of episodes listened to per week by listeners:
| Number of Episodes Listened to in Last Week | Share of Podcast Listeners |
| 1 | 14% |
| 2 | 18% |
| 3 | 13% |
| 4 or 5 | 21% |
| 6 to 10 | 16% |
| 11+ | 18% |
Podcast Platform Usage in the US
There is a huge demand for podcasts in the United States as a large number of audiences tune into different podcast platforms and spend 7 hours on average every week listening to podcasts. Currently, Spotify is the leading Podcast Platform with 25% of the share of listeners in the United States, followed by Apple Podcasts ranking second on this list with 20% share of listeners. Below we have mentioned a table showcasing the top Podcast platforms in the United States:
| Podcast Platform | Share of US Listeners |
| Spotify | 25% |
| Apple Podcasts | 20% |
| Google Podcasts | 16% |
| Pandora | 15% |
| Website (stream) | 11% |
| Audible | 10% |
| NPR One | 9% |
| Tune In | 8% |
| Deezer | 7% |
| Podcast Addict | 7% |
| Radio Public | 6% |
| Stitcher | 6% |
| Overcast | 6% |
| Pocket Casts | 6% |
| CastBox | 5% |
Both Spotify and Apple Podcast are the two leading podcast platforms in the United States that are highly utilized by people to stream podcasts. Both platforms have a huge number of listeners. In 2023, Spotify had 36.3 million listeners in the US, while Apple Podcast had 28.8 million listeners with Spotify leading with over 4 million listeners.
Below we have mentioned a comparison table of Spotify listeners and Apple Podcast listeners to showcase the difference between the two leading podcast platforms along with mentioning the difference:
| Year | US Spotify Listeners | US Apple Podcast Listeners | Difference |
| 2020 | 19.9 million | 27.8 million | +7.9 million (Apple) |
| 2021 | 28.3 million | 28.1 million | +0.2 million (Spotify) |
| 2022 | 32.5 million | 28.5 million | +4 million (Spotify) |
| 2023 | 36.3 million | 28.8 million | +7.5 million (Spotify) |
| 2024 | 40 million | 29 million | +11 million (Spotify) |
| 2025 | 42.4 million | 29.2 million | +13.2 million (Spotify) |
When it comes to Podcast Publishers, iHeartRadio is the leading publisher with over 252.32 million global streams and 870 active shows. Followed by Wondery ranking second in the podcast publisher list with 112.86 million global streams and 232 active shows. Below we have mentioned a table showcasing the Top 10 publishers along with their global streams, active shows, and US Listeners:
| Rank | Publisher | US Listeners | Global Streams | Active Shows |
| 1 | iHeartRadio | 29.82 million | 252.32 million | 870 |
| 2 | Wondery | 18.42 million | 112.86 million | 232 |
| 3 | NPR | 18.18 million | 129.19 million | 49 |
| 4 | New York Times | 8.75 million | 63.34 million | 12 |
| 5 | NBC News | 8.72 million | 51.32 million | 78 |
| 6 | The Walt Disney Company | 7.59 million | 35.68 million | 103 |
| 7 | DailyWire+ | 5.93 million | 50.1 million | 14 |
| 8 | Barstool Sports | 5.48 million | 23.11 million | 99 |
| 9 | Paramount | 4.9 million | 28.24 million | 87 |
| 10 | Vox Media | 6.19 million | 38.19 million | 61 |
Podcasting Platforms Statistics Worldwide
Spotify is the leading podcast streaming platform worldwide with more than 33% of share hosting some of the most popular and in-demand podcasts by podcasters all around the world. Overall, Spotify has played a significant role in boosting the demand for podcasting all over the world. Apart from Spotify, Apple Podcasts is the second leading podcasting platform with a 27.6% share worldwide, followed by iHeartRadio with 6.2%. Below we have mentioned a table showcasing the leading streaming podcasting platforms worldwide:
| Platform | Percent share |
| Spotify | 33.7% |
| Apple podcasts | 27.6% |
| iHeartRadio | 6.2% |
| Google Podcasts | 3.6% |
| Amazon Music | 2.7% |
| Others | 26.2% |
In 2024, the US Podcast industry is expected to be worth $4 Billion
As of now, the podcast industry is valued at $2 billion in the United States itself. The growing reach and acceptance of podcasts among American internet users have been on the rise for the past few years. With 100 million active listeners the nation is currently witnessing the golden age of podcasting in the United States. By the end of 2024, the podcast industry in the United States is expected to reach a milestone of $4 billion.
Most Popular Podcasting Platform
When it comes to podcasting platforms, Spotify is the leading with a share of 33.7% followed by Apple podcasts in second place with a share of 27.6%. Below we have mentioned a table showcasing the top most popular podcast streaming platforms worldwide:
| Podcast Platforms | Usage percentage |
| Spotify | 33.7% |
| Apple podcast | 27.6% |
| iHeartRadio | 6.2% |
| Google Podcasts | 3.6% |
| Chrome | 2.8% |
| Amazon Music | 2.7% |
| Castbox | 1.5% |
| Alexa | 2.0% |
| Stitcher | 0.8% |
| Overcast | 0.6% |
Overall, Spotify and Apple podcasts are the two dominant platforms in the podcast industry, with the highest usage.
Apple Podcast is the leading platform with the highest number of podcast downloads
There is no doubt that Spotify is the top platform when it comes to streaming podcasts. However, in terms of podcast downloads Apple podcast has no match. More than 70% of the podcast download requests come from Apple podcasts followed by Spotify in the second position with 8.9% of download requests. So, clearly apple podcast has no competition when it comes to download requests from the listeners. Below we have mentioned a table showcasing the top platform with the highest podcast downloads:
| Platform | Percentage of download request |
| Apple Podcast | 70.8% |
| Spotify | 8.9% |
| Other | 5.9% |
| iHeartRadio | 3.0% |
| Alexa | 2.3% |
| Overcast | 1.6% |
Most Popular Podcast Channel (2024)
Below we have gathered some of the most in-demand podcast channels worldwide that have been loved by the audiences. This list covers the top 10 most popular podcast channels of 2024:
| Rank | Podcast Channel |
| 1 | The Joe Rogan Experience |
| 2 | The Daily |
| 3 | This American Life |
| 4 | Stuff You Should Know |
| 5 | Pod Save America |
| 6 | Call Her Daddy |
| 7 | Office Ladies |
| 8 | The Ben Shapiro Show |
| 9 | Morbid: A True Crime Podcast |
| 10 | My Favorite Murder |
Source: Riverside
Wrapping Up
The podcast industry is growing at a fast pace in terms of active podcasts, number of listeners, and number of episode releases. Currently, there are over 5 million podcasts available worldwide with over 71 million episodes existing in the podcast feeds. In the coming years, the demand for podcasts is expected to reach new heights and by 2030 the market size of the podcast industry is predicted to reach 131.13 billion.
