Podcast Index
The Podcast Index is here to preserve, protect and extend the open, independent podcasting ecosystem.
Website: podcastindex.org
Latest news
- Aug 28: Audacy is to close its podcast hosting and monetisation service, Audacy Creator Lab, on Nov 1. Launched as Podcorn in 2019, which was acquired by Audacy for $22.5mn in 2021, the new "Creator Lab" was announced at Podcast Movement Evolutions in Apr 2025 - making some podcasting companies angry at its marketing tactics. It announced YouTube integration this March. There appear to be just 426 shows hosted on Audacy Creator Lab in the Podcast Index, though you could also take part in the Creator Lab Marketplace wherever you were hosted.
- Aug 24:
There is a new Podcast Index search endpoint for people. It uses the
podcast:personfeature of Podcasting 2.0; the data here doesn't yet appear to be based on thechannel, just theitem, but you'll find this data now linked from our podcast pages, like the page for Podcasting 2.0. Here, for example, are Podcasts with Alberto Betella. - Aug 10: "I look at what AMP wants podcast app developers to do in support of advertisers. Then I look at what podcast app developers are actually doing with advert skipping. One of those will win out. And, it isn't the one that requires tons of first party data collection/reporting and the taking on of privacy liabilities." - so says Dave Jones of the Podcast Index.
- Aug 3: Livewire episode data for July appears to show Spotify for Creators has rebounded back to having a 24% share of all episodes released. Spreaker is on a 2026 record of 13.6%. The increased numbers for Spotify and Spreaker mean that almost all other podcast hosts are showing a decline in share this month, with one exception: new entrant Firstory has shown a significant increase. Having said that, Podcast Index's public data shows that many new shows from Firstory are chinese-language spam promoting coupon codes.
- Jul 20:
"Forget streaming payments. Streaming payments is just not going to work. It's over." Speaking in the Podcasting 2.0 podcast this week, Adam Curry and Dave Jones said they'd close the Podcast Index "lightning node" since it was costing more to run than it earned, and urged podcasters to focus on a clean, simple method of support using the
podcast:fundingtag. As of today, Podnews has a simple, clean payment page, via Stripe linked from our RSS feed's funding tag.
Data credits: Podnews newsletter