Spotify wants podcast fans to pay their favourite shows directly, and it’s offering creators a generous slice of the money to make that happen.
The company has launched Memberships, a program that lets podcasters sell monthly subscriptions to listeners from inside the Spotify app. It’s rolling out now in the US, UK, Canada and dozens of other markets. Creators decide both the price and what sits behind the paywall, whether that’s exclusive audio or video, bonus episodes or a lighter ad load. They can charge a single monthly fee or build tiers that unlock different levels of access, and Spotify says creators will keep 90 percent of membership revenue.
Joining is meant to be frictionless for fans. A join option appears near the top of a participating show’s page, and early memberships appear to be priced at around $5 a month, though that will likely vary as more shows sign up. Nothing forces creators to paywall anything, and those who do can still mix free episodes with members-only material.
The opening lineup leans toward personality-driven shows with devoted audiences, including Making Sense with Sam Harris, The Shawn Ryan Show, The Adam Friedland Show, Two Hot Takes, The Sculpt Society and YMH Studios. That’s exactly the kind of creator who already sells extras elsewhere, which hints at Spotify’s real target.
Until now, podcasters on Spotify have mostly earned through the Spotify Partner Program’s ad revenue, brand sponsorships and video payouts tied to Premium subscribers, with paid tiers often handled on outside platforms. Memberships is a direct play for that subscription money, putting Spotify in competition with Patreon and Apple Podcasts Subscriptions, which launched in 2021 and takes a 30 percent cut in the first year before dropping to 15 percent. A 90 percent share undercuts many rivals on paper and gives creators a strong reason to move paying fans onto Spotify.
There are entry requirements. Shows must be hosted on Spotify for Creators or Megaphone, have at least three published episodes, and reach 100 listeners or viewers plus 100 consumption hours on Spotify within the previous 30 days. That’s a low bar, deliberately opening the door to smaller creators rather than just established names.
The open question is whether listeners will tolerate yet another monthly charge on top of Spotify Premium, and whether creators will want their paying audience tied to a single platform. Keeping billing inside Spotify is convenient, but it also gives Spotify more control over a creator’s most valuable relationship.
