Brands In Audio home
Insights · 1,329 podcasts

State of branded podcasting

Live numbers from every show in the Brands In Audio directory. Updated October 8, 2026.

37%still publishingNew episode in the last 3 months
49%have gone quietNo new episode for over a year
58%made in-houseof 1,301 with a known producer
50%aimed at businesses (B2B)of 770 with a known audience

Launches per year, and how many are still going

Each column is the shows launched that year, split by their status today.

  • Active today
  • Paused today
  • Ended today
13<2014Launched Before 2014: 13Active 11Paused 1Ended 1
62014Launched 2014: 6Active 4Paused 0Ended 2
142015Launched 2015: 14Active 4Paused 2Ended 8
412016Launched 2016: 41Active 20Paused 4Ended 17
532017Launched 2017: 53Active 14Paused 4Ended 35
972018Launched 2018: 97Active 34Paused 12Ended 51
1252019Launched 2019: 125Active 44Paused 12Ended 69
1942020Launched 2020: 194Active 66Paused 15Ended 113
1882021Launched 2021: 188Active 48Paused 22Ended 118
1962022Launched 2022: 196Active 56Paused 27Ended 113
1832023Launched 2023: 183Active 68Paused 36Ended 79
1332024Launched 2024: 133Active 67Paused 26Ended 40
612025Launched 2025: 61Active 31Paused 20Ended 10
252026Launched 2026: 25Active 22Paused 3Ended 0
Show as table
LaunchedTotalActivePausedEndedStill active
Before 201413111184.6%
2014640266.7%
20151442828.6%
2016412041748.8%
2017531443526.4%
20189734125135.1%
201912544126935.2%
2020194661511334%
2021188482211825.5%
2022196562711328.6%
202318368367937.2%
202413367264050.4%
20256131201050.8%
202625223088%

Top categories

Share of podcasts listing each Apple Podcasts category.

  • BusinessBusiness703 podcasts · 52.9%52.9%
  • Society & CultureSociety & Culture312 podcasts · 23.5%23.5%
  • TechnologyTechnology288 podcasts · 21.7%21.7%
  • EducationEducation241 podcasts · 18.1%18.1%
  • NewsNews172 podcasts · 12.9%12.9%
  • ManagementManagement163 podcasts · 12.3%12.3%
  • EntrepreneurshipEntrepreneurship155 podcasts · 11.7%11.7%
  • Health & FitnessHealth & Fitness153 podcasts · 11.5%11.5%
  • ScienceScience127 podcasts · 9.6%9.6%
  • ArtsArts115 podcasts · 8.7%8.7%
Show as table
CategoryPodcastsShare
Business70352.9%
Society & Culture31223.5%
Technology28821.7%
Education24118.1%
News17212.9%
Management16312.3%
Entrepreneurship15511.7%
Health & Fitness15311.5%
Science1279.6%
Arts1158.7%

Show formats

Share of podcasts with a known format.

  • InterviewInterview619 podcasts · 74.8%74.8%
  • NarrativeNarrative104 podcasts · 12.6%12.6%
  • Host perspectiveHost perspective95 podcasts · 11.5%11.5%
  • ScriptedScripted8 podcasts · 1%1%
  • Brand OutcomesBrand Outcomes1 podcasts · 0.1%0.1%
  • OtherOther1 podcasts · 0.1%0.1%
Show as table
FormatPodcastsShare
Interview61974.8%
Narrative10412.6%
Host perspective9511.5%
Scripted81%
Brand Outcomes10.1%
Other10.1%

Hosting platforms

Where the audio is hosted, by share of podcasts.

  • megaphone.fmmegaphone.fm185 podcasts · 14.1%14.1%
  • simplecast.comsimplecast.com168 podcasts · 12.8%12.8%
  • libsyn.comlibsyn.com115 podcasts · 8.8%8.8%
  • transistor.fmtransistor.fm111 podcasts · 8.5%8.5%
  • omny.fmomny.fm97 podcasts · 7.4%7.4%
  • anchor.fmanchor.fm85 podcasts · 6.5%6.5%
  • buzzsprout.combuzzsprout.com73 podcasts · 5.6%5.6%
  • captivate.fmcaptivate.fm64 podcasts · 4.9%4.9%
  • cohostpodcasting.comcohostpodcasting.com55 podcasts · 4.2%4.2%
  • podbean.compodbean.com55 podcasts · 4.2%4.2%
  • OtherOther302 podcasts · 23.1%23.1%
Show as table
PlatformPodcastsShare
megaphone.fm18514.1%
simplecast.com16812.8%
libsyn.com1158.8%
transistor.fm1118.5%
omny.fm977.4%
anchor.fm856.5%
buzzsprout.com735.6%
captivate.fm644.9%
cohostpodcasting.com554.2%
podbean.com554.2%
Other30223.1%

Busiest production companies

Active shows by agency (154 active agency-made shows).

  • Lower StreetLower Street12 active shows · 7.8%12
  • JAG in Detroit PodcastsJAG in Detroit Podcasts10 active shows · 6.5%10
  • Quill PodcastingQuill Podcasting10 active shows · 6.5%10
  • Stories and StrategiesStories and Strategies9 active shows · 5.8%9
  • Jar AudioJar Audio7 active shows · 4.5%7
  • VoxtopicaVoxtopica6 active shows · 3.9%6
  • Puddle CreativePuddle Creative5 active shows · 3.2%5
  • Steve Stewart Podcast ProductionsSteve Stewart Podcast Productions5 active shows · 3.2%5
  • Fresh Air ProductionFresh Air Production4 active shows · 2.6%4
  • iHeartMediaiHeartMedia4 active shows · 2.6%4
Show as table
CompanyActive showsShare
Lower Street127.8%
JAG in Detroit Podcasts106.5%
Quill Podcasting106.5%
Stories and Strategies95.8%
Jar Audio74.5%
Voxtopica63.9%
Puddle Creative53.2%
Steve Stewart Podcast Productions53.2%
Fresh Air Production42.6%
iHeartMedia42.6%

Measurement vendors

Tracking prefixes in episode URLs. 19% of 1,329 analysed shows use at least one; 30% are on a host with dynamic ad insertion.

  • PodtracPodtrac127 podcasts · 9.6%9.6%
  • Spotify Ad Analytics (Podsights)Spotify Ad Analytics (Podsights)52 podcasts · 3.9%3.9%
  • Magellan AIMagellan AI44 podcasts · 3.3%3.3%
  • PodscribePodscribe42 podcasts · 3.2%3.2%
  • Swap.fmSwap.fm26 podcasts · 2%2%
  • Chartable (discontinued)Chartable (discontinued)25 podcasts · 1.9%1.9%
  • CohostCohost22 podcasts · 1.7%1.7%
  • PodrollPodroll22 podcasts · 1.7%1.7%
Show as table
VendorPodcastsShare
Podtrac1279.6%
Spotify Ad Analytics (Podsights)523.9%
Magellan AI443.3%
Podscribe423.2%
Swap.fm262%
Chartable (discontinued)251.9%
Cohost221.7%
Podroll221.7%