61% of British people listen to podcasts every month

Global brand lift measurement company On Device has released new data on the UK’s podcasting habits, revealing a nation deeply engaged with 38% of listeners tuning into humour/comedy podcasts, making it the most popular category.

According to the study, 61% of UK residents listen to podcasts monthly, spending an average of 1.8 hours daily listening to their favourite shows. Prime podcast listening times are in the afternoon and evening, with 30% tuning in between 3:00 PM – 7:00 PM on weekdays.

Following on from humour and comedy related podcasts, Brits are keen to listen to true crime (30%), sports (30%), chat/conversational (27%), and news (22%) themed podcasts. Conversely, the least popular genres include arts (9%), fashion (10%), fiction (12%), business (13%), and technology (13%).

Sarah Robson, Global Head of Advertising Effectiveness from On Device says: "Brits love a good laugh, and it shows with comedy topping the podcast charts. In the UK podcasts are booming with over half the population tuning in every month, which is much higher than other countries such as Australia (53%) and Singapore (55%). And nearly half of those people listen weekly.

“Another key finding across these markets is the time of day that people are listening to podcasts. In the UK, people are using podcasts to wind down at the end of the day and on their commute home, whilst Australians prefer to tune in before their working day starts and Singaporeans much prefer to listen to podcasts on the weekend.

“The UK’s robust podcast engagement, particularly in the sports genre, provides a fertile ground for advertisers looking to tap into a highly engaged audience."

Daily podcast listeners are 53% more likely to also be daily broadcast radio listeners, demonstrating a strong cross-platform engagement. Mobile phones are the preferred device for 76% of listeners, with platforms like Spotify (46%) and BBC/BBC Sounds (22%) leading the way. While 56% use free ad-supported services, 25% opt for subscriptions. Key reasons for listening include entertainment (55%) and relaxation (48%).

Compared to Australia, where 53% listen monthly and spend 1.6 hours daily, the UK’s engagement is notably higher. Additionally, the UK’s preference for smart speakers (22%) surpasses both Australia (15%) and Singapore (11%). These findings are based on responses from 800 UK residents.

Andrew Goldsmith, CEO from Adelicious: "The detailed insights into the UK’s podcast consumption habits uncovered by On Device is not only empowering for us, but also the brands we partner with to develop podcasts that engage with audiences. We’ve known for some time that the podcast market is growing at a fairly quick pace so understanding the habits of UK podcast listeners, such as the genres they want to listen to as well as the time of the day they chose to tune in, is a fundamental part of our development process.”