Spotify launches paid podcast memberships in 34 markets, creators keep 90% of revenue

Spotify has begun rolling out a new paid membership system for podcasters, giving creators a way to earn money from their most committed listeners beyond advertising and paywalled bonus episodes. According to TechCrunch, the feature launched on Tuesday and is now available in 34 markets, including the United States.

The concept was first shown off at Spotify's Investor Day in May, where the company also demonstrated AI features that let listeners ask questions about what they are watching or hearing, and introduced tools for managing creator sponsorships. At the time, Spotify positioned memberships as a path for fans to go deeper with the shows they follow while opening up additional revenue for creators.

How memberships work

Creators decide which perks to offer and can bundle them across multiple tiers and price points. The options include bonus audio or video, early access to episodes, reduced advertising, or combinations of these, TechCrunch reports. Fans discover memberships on a show's Spotify page, where they can subscribe, pay and immediately unlock the exclusive content.

One notable detail: Spotify told TechCrunch that membership purchases are handled on the web rather than through in-app purchases.

Creators keep 90% of membership revenue, according to both TechCrunch and The Verge. Spotify is also providing analytics tools, targeted promotions and free trial offers to help podcasters grow their paying audience.

The Verge compares the system to a Patreon-style membership model, in which fans voluntarily pay extra to support creators they like, and notes that it is separate from the podcast subscription feature Spotify introduced back in 2021. Memberships can be used alongside Spotify's other revenue streams, including advertising and the Spotify Partner Program.

Eligibility and launch partners

To qualify, shows must be hosted on Spotify for Creators or Megaphone, and have at least 100 consumption hours, 100 listeners or viewers, and three published episodes. That is a relatively low bar, meaning smaller shows can take part rather than the feature being reserved for major networks.

Spotify is also easing the switch for creators already running subscriptions elsewhere. According to The Verge, the company's Open Access feature allows podcasters who manage paid subscriptions on other services to bring their existing paywalled content onto Spotify.

A handful of well-known shows are offering memberships at launch, including The Adam Friedland Show, Making Sense with Sam Harris, Shawn Ryan Show, The Sculpt Society and Two Hot Takes. YMH Studios is bringing memberships to 12 shows across its network.

Community features on the way

TechCrunch reports that Spotify plans to add community engagement features such as membership badges and welcome clips soon, giving creators more ways to recognise and onboard paying supporters.

The launch is part of a broader effort to make Spotify more attractive to podcast creators as the company pushes further into video and positions itself against YouTube. While podcasters have long been able to monetise through ads, memberships offer fans reasons to pay that go beyond the occasional bonus episode.

Why it matters

Memberships give podcasters a recurring revenue stream that does not depend on advertising budgets, which have become less reliable for many creators. The 90/10 revenue split is notably generous compared with typical platform economics, and the web-based purchase route signals Spotify is trying to keep the deal attractive to creators.

The comparison to Patreon is the key competitive angle: Spotify is building direct fan funding, subscriptions and analytics into the same app where listeners already stream, potentially reducing the need for creators to juggle external membership platforms. Combined with Open Access for migrating existing paywalled content, Spotify is making a play to become the primary home for podcast businesses rather than just a distribution channel — a move that matters as YouTube courts the same creators with its own monetisation tools.