Podcasting's boom brings the global market close to a billion users
Podcast platforms now collectively have almost a billion monthly users (965.4 million gross users in Q4 2025), according to a new report, “Podcast market shares 2025”, by MIDiA Research.
YouTube remains the largest podcast platform, with its userbase growing from 281.2 million in 2024 to 308.2 million in 2025, giving it a 32% market share. YouTube added 27.0 million users in 2025, compared with 10.8 million for Spotify and 2.0 million for Apple. YouTube leads in almost every territory, with China, where YouTube does not operate, a clear exception. Together, YouTube and Spotify account for 50.0% of global podcast market share.
YouTube has sustained global growth since 2019 and holds over half of the market share in Latin America. While YouTube has achieved global dominance, Spotify retains a stronghold in the Nordics.
Ximalaya FM, China’s largest online audio-sharing and podcast platform, ranks second with a 29.2% market share – a notable position given that its userbase is almost entirely in China. Spotify follows in third place, while Apple Podcasts ranks fourth globally and third when China is excluded.
Across all platforms, total podcast users grew by over 60 million between 2024 and 2025, with YouTube driving the most growth. Monthly active podcast accounts have increased by 184% since 2020. With the term “podcast” only coined in 2004, this growth has been very strong.
The report finds that platform scale matters as much as the podcast proposition. Multi-purpose platforms such as YouTube and Spotify embed podcasts within their existing audiences, putting audio-only services such as Audible, BBC Sounds, and NPR at a structural disadvantage.
Multi-use entertainment platforms are winning on podcast users. However, growing screen fatigue and wider concerns about time spent watching video could give audio-only platforms an opportunity to regain some ground.
“The podcasting industry has traditionally focused on listenership, regardless of platform. MIDiA Research’s podcast market share model offers a new perspective, measuring the competitive landscape through the platforms themselves. As the industry evolves from individual hit shows to broader networks and platform ecosystems, understanding market share will be increasingly valuable in identifying opportunities for growth and success.” Laura Fisher, Audio and Entertainment Analyst at MIDiA Research
“Podcasting is a nascent industry and growth remains strong. Since 2020 we’ve seen an 184% growth in the number of global monthly active accounts. Growth in overseas markets, the pandemic boom, and diversification of platforms has all contributed to this.
The major audio and video platforms have been paying attention, in a world unlike music where podcast production is very fragmented, the platforms who hold significant market share have much more bargaining power.” Mark Qi, Forecasting and Modelling Analyst at MIDiA Research
About MIDiA Research
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This is a press release which we link to from Podnews, our daily newsletter about podcasting and on-demand. We may make small edits for editorial reasons.