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podcast monetization

How to Start a Podcast on Spotify

Set up a new show with Spotify for Creators, publish your first episode, and learn how RSS distribution, existing shows and Spotify monetization work.

By VGSources Team 10 min read
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The simplest way to launch a new podcast on Spotify is to host it with Spotify for Creators: create a show, record and edit an episode with a separate tool, then upload and publish it. If your podcast is already hosted elsewhere, keep that host and submit its RSS feed to Spotify—or claim its existing Spotify listing—instead of creating a duplicate.

For a new show, the basic sequence is: sign in at Spotify for Creators, choose Add a new show → Create a new show, prepare an episode and cover art, upload it, complete the details and publish. Spotify publishes shows it hosts to Spotify automatically; you must submit the RSS feed separately to other podcast platforms.

What you need before starting

  • A Spotify account and access to its verification email. Spotify requires account verification before you publish your first episode or video.
  • A show name and a short description that explain what listeners can expect.
  • A finished first episode in MP3, M4A or WAV format for audio. Spotify also supports video workflows; see its current recording and editing guidance for listed video formats.
  • Cover art. Aim for a simple design that remains legible as a small thumbnail; this is practical design advice, not a Spotify technical specification.
  • Permission to use every recording, song, voice, image and other piece of material in the episode. Spotify says uploading audio that belongs to someone else violates its Terms of Service.

Spotify’s help pages do not establish a current creator-hosting price, so check the live signup flow rather than assuming a price. As editorial advice—not a Spotify requirement—prepare a trailer or more than one episode before launch so a new listener has a reason to follow the show.

Choose how to host your podcast

Hosting is where the episode files and show information are managed. An RSS feed is the distribution file that carries items such as episode titles, descriptions, links and artwork to podcast apps. Spotify for Creators can host a new show or manage a show hosted elsewhere.

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Your situation Route to consider
You are starting from scratch and want the fewest setup steps Host with Spotify for Creators. New episodes are published to Spotify automatically.
You already use another podcast host Keep the host and use its RSS feed to submit the show to Spotify, or claim the existing Spotify listing.
You need Spotify-native monetization Check the current eligibility shown in Spotify for Creators. Some features require hosting there.
You want more control over hosting or an existing distribution workflow Compare independent RSS-based hosts and keep your existing workflow where it serves you.
You are building an enterprise operation with multiple shows or a larger team Megaphone is Spotify’s enterprise-oriented hosting option; it is generally not the simplest starting point for a one-person show.

Spotify-hosted shows can use Spotify creator tools, but RSS distribution beyond Spotify takes an extra step, and enabling that feed exposes the account email address. Spotify says its own recording tools are no longer available. If you already have a host, retaining it avoids an unnecessary move just to appear on Spotify.

Create a new show on Spotify for Creators

  1. Go to creators.spotify.com and sign in with your Spotify account.
  2. Select your avatar, then choose Add a new show. On mobile, open the menu first if the avatar menu is not visible.
  3. Choose Create a new show for a brand-new podcast. This is also the route for uploading new audio or video, or bringing existing videos to Spotify.
  4. Complete the show setup. Use the show name and description you prepared, and make sure the account can receive the verification email.

If the podcast is already listed on Spotify or is hosted elsewhere, choose Find an existing show instead. The existing-show path is explained below.

Record and edit your first episode

Spotify no longer provides its own recording tools. For a simple solo episode, a phone, tablet or computer’s built-in voice recorder may be enough. Spotify lists Riverside for remote multitrack audio or video, and Descript or Zoom for remote recording. For editing audio, its examples include GarageBand, Audacity, Adobe Audition, Pro Tools and Ferrite; for video, it lists iMovie, Adobe Premiere and DaVinci Resolve. These are options, not requirements.

  1. Record in a quiet room and keep an untouched copy of the original.
  2. Edit out long silences, obvious mistakes and distracting noise. Add an intro or outro only if it helps the episode.
  3. Export the audio as MP3, M4A or WAV. Keep the project file and a backup.
  4. Before uploading, play the exported file from start to finish and confirm it is the version you intend to publish.

Do not assume that music available to a Spotify listener is automatically cleared for use in a podcast. You need the rights to include the audio in your episode; Spotify has a separate policy on submitting music via a podcast. If you are unsure whether a track is cleared, leave it out or obtain permission before publishing.

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Upload and publish an episode

On the web

  1. Open your show in Spotify for Creators and select New episode.
  2. Select Select a file to upload your audio file and wait for the upload and processing to finish.
  3. Enter the episode title and description, complete the content checks, and add season and episode numbers if they apply.
  4. Add episode artwork if desired. Choose Now or Schedule under the publish-date option.
  5. Publish the episode or save it as a draft.

In the mobile app

  1. Tap Podcast, then +.
  2. Tap Select a file, choose your episode and complete its details and publishing options.

Spotify says it has no file-size limit, but larger files take longer to process and are more vulnerable to interrupted uploads. Keep MP3 metadata and embedded artwork reasonably small. A newly published Spotify-hosted episode goes live on Spotify immediately unless you schedule it for later.

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Add or update show artwork

On the web

  1. Open Settings.
  2. Select Update show art, then Upload an image.

On mobile

  1. Tap Podcast, then Edit Details.
  2. Tap the show’s cover art, choose an image and tap Save.

Spotify says artwork changes typically appear within 24 hours. Its steps and artwork guidance are on the cover-art help page.

Confirm the episode, then distribute beyond Spotify

After publishing, open the show page in a private browser window and check the episode title, description, artwork, numbering and playback. Confirm the content checks reflect the episode accurately, then share the show or episode link. Publishing makes the episode available; it does not itself build an audience.

Enable and copy the RSS feed

  1. Sign in at Spotify for Creators.
  2. Go to Settings → Availability.
  3. Scroll to RSS Distribution and enable or copy the feed as needed.

The RSS section does not appear until at least one episode has been published. Important privacy trade-off: enabling the feed makes the account email address public to anyone with the feed link. Some third-party apps may also find and list public feeds without you submitting them.

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Submit the feed to other services

Spotify hosting automatically publishes your show on Spotify, not everywhere else. Submit the RSS feed separately to each service where you want the podcast listed. Spotify’s distribution guide covers services including Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Castbox, Goodpods, iHeartRadio, Overcast, Pocket Casts and RadioPublic.

Spotify says many platform submissions publish within a few hours, but some services review shows manually. New or updated episodes usually appear within a few hours; allow up to 24 hours for many updates. A video episode distributed elsewhere generally becomes audio-only. Music-and-talk episodes containing songs from Spotify’s catalog are available only to Spotify listeners.

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Submit or claim a podcast you already have

Do not create a second show if your podcast is already hosted elsewhere or already listed on Spotify. In Spotify for Creators, choose Add a new show → Find an existing show. Use the show’s RSS feed to submit a podcast that is not yet listed, or claim the existing Spotify listing. Claiming an existing show requires its RSS feed and lets you access creator functions such as analytics, comments, polls, trailers, previews, transcripts and chapters.

Spotify’s help page on adding a show covers the available paths. If you change hosts later, understand the old host’s RSS and redirect process before making the move; the Spotify listing, hosting and feed are related but distinct parts of distribution.

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Promote the show without confusing publication with discovery

  • Ask listeners to follow the show. Spotify says followers automatically save new episodes to their libraries and may see the show in personalized app sections.
  • Share the show and individual episode links on your existing social channels, website or newsletter.
  • Embed the Spotify player where you publish episode notes or related material.
  • Use clear episode titles and descriptions so a prospective listener can tell what an episode covers.
  • Publish consistently enough to give listeners a reason to return, and use analytics to see how the show is performing.

These are organic promotion steps. Spotify Advertising is a separate paid option; it is not a prerequisite for publishing or promoting a new podcast.

Can you make money from a Spotify podcast?

Possibly, but monetization is not automatic when you publish. Spotify’s requirements vary by feature, market and time; check the Monetize area of your account for the current eligibility shown for your country. Spotify’s public monetization page and support documentation do not present identical market descriptions, and eligibility can change.

Spotify Partner Program

Spotify’s US support documentation lists these Partner Program requirements: the show must be hosted on Spotify for Creators, the creator must have a legal address in an eligible market, and the show must have at least three published episodes, 2,000 global Spotify consumption hours in the last 30 days, and 1,000 unique Spotify listeners or viewers in the last 30 days. These are the thresholds stated on Spotify’s US help page; they are not a guarantee of eligibility everywhere or a permanent worldwide list.

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The program can provide ad revenue and, in selected markets, Premium video revenue. Spotify says creators receive 50% of revenue it recognizes when a Spotify-monetized ad plays; this is not half of every sponsorship or all podcast income. At least one ad break must be inserted in an episode to earn ad revenue. The show must meet monetization policies; Spotify also says it must publish an episode and earn at least $10 during any six-month period to remain eligible. Approved creators need to complete payout setup. If earnings reach $1,000 or more in one month, Spotify requires two-step verification and says payouts can be held if it is not activated within 30 days of reaching that threshold.

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Subscriptions and other income

Spotify’s current support page says Spotify-hosted creators need at least two published episodes and 100 Spotify listeners in the last 30 days for subscriptions, as well as creator and audience locations in an available market. The setup path is Spotify for Creators on the web → Monetize → Subscriptions → Get Started; choose the content type, set up Stripe, choose a monthly price, select included episodes, and mark future subscriber episodes Subscription only when publishing. Spotify says creators keep 100% of subscription earnings excluding payment-processing fees.

Spotify also names Patreon, Substack and Supporting Cast as examples of external membership platforms that can connect paid content to Spotify. External services can add another vendor, fee structure and account layer, so they make more sense once you have a clear member benefit and an engaged audience. Sponsorships are another possible route, but none is guaranteed by publishing a show.

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Common problems and fixes

The upload fails or takes a long time

  • Check that the file is MP3, M4A or WAV and plays correctly on your device.
  • Re-export the episode if it is damaged, and reduce unnecessary embedded metadata or artwork.
  • Try a stable connection. If mobile upload fails, use the web interface; if web upload fails, try the mobile app.
  • Allow time for a large file to process before restarting the upload.

The verification email is missing

Confirm the address on the Spotify account and check filtered or spam folders. Publishing the first episode or video requires account verification; complete it before troubleshooting the upload itself.

The RSS option is missing

For a Spotify-hosted show, the RSS section appears only after the first episode has been published. Once it appears, find it under Settings → Availability → RSS Distribution.

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The show or episode is missing from another app

  • Confirm that you enabled the RSS feed and submitted it to that particular platform; Spotify does not submit it everywhere for you.
  • Check whether the service is manually reviewing the show, and allow up to 24 hours for many episode updates.
  • Check that the feed contains the show information the service needs and that you are looking at the correct listing.

A duplicate listing appears

Public RSS feeds may be found by third-party apps. If a duplicate appears, contact the platform hosting the duplicate and request removal or consolidation.

You want to record inside Spotify

Spotify says its own recording tools are no longer available. Record with a device recorder or a separate tool such as Riverside, Zoom or Descript, then upload the finished file.

You want to include a song

Do not assume a song can be included because it is available on Spotify. Check that you have the necessary rights and follow Spotify’s music-via-podcast policy.

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Spotify podcast publishing and 24/7 YouTube video streaming are different jobs. If you also want an uploaded video to keep a YouTube channel live continuously, StreamNeo is a separate cloud service for looping uploaded videos to YouTube. Upload a recording, add your YouTube stream key once and go live; nothing has to stay on at home. It streams the upload as made, up to 4K 60fps, at one price per slot regardless of quality, and automatically recovers if YouTube drops the stream. The first day is free with no card. Monthly is $9.99 per month. Start the free day on StreamNeo.

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