Spotify lets podcasters sell tiered subscriptions directly to fans

Spotify on Tuesday rolled out a new paid podcast memberships program across 34 global markets, including the United States, the United Kingdom, and Canada. The Patreon-style subscription feature lets creators set up customized, recurring monthly fees and retain 90% of the revenue generated. [1][2][4][3]

Podcasters can package multiple membership tiers offering perks such as bonus episodes, exclusive audio or video, reduced advertising, early releases, and archive access. Listeners can join directly from a show's Spotify page, though TechCrunch reports that transactions will be processed through the web rather than via in-app purchases. To qualify, creators must host their shows on Megaphone or Spotify for Creators and have published at least three episodes, while maintaining a minimum of 100 listeners and 100 consumption hours in the past 30 days. [1][2][4]

The rollout launches with shows like Two Hot Takes, Making Sense with Sam Harris, and a dozen programs from YMH Studios. The push into creator-led subscriptions marks an ongoing effort by Spotify to attract podcast talent and better compete with platforms like YouTube, especially as the streaming giant accelerates its push into video podcasting. [1][2][4]