Free Podcast Revenue Calculator to Estimate Your Ad Earnings
I’ve created an easy-to-use calculator for estimating podcast ad revenue. I’ll also share an annual revenue table and insights into average podcast earnings so you can evaluate your potential income.
Use my free podcast revenue calculator to estimate potential ad revenue.
In the United States, podcast ads have a standard CPM ranging between $15 and $30 for 60-second pre-recorded ads and around $25 to $40 for host-read sponsorships.
I’ll discuss the factors affecting podcast advertising costs and average podcast revenues to help you understand how to charge a fair rate.
Podcast Sponsorship Calculator
Podcasts often have three ad slots:
- Pre-roll ad (captures attention effectively, perfect for brand awareness): First 10% of the episode, lasts 15 to 30 seconds
- Mid-roll ad (retains attention well as listeners are already hooked to the episode): Middle of the episode, lasts 60 to 90 seconds
- Post-roll ad (lower engagement but still works for promotions): End of the episode, lasts 15 to 30 seconds
Estimate your podcast revenue from ads and sponsorships with my free calculator below, which uses the following metrics:
- Ad slots per episode are where podcasters insert ads for content monetization.
- Cost per mille (CPM) means cost per 1,000 listens/ad impressions. Creators also commonly use this pricing structure for newsletter sponsorships.
- Fill rate measures how much of an ad inventory contains paid ads.
- Download-through rate (usually 50% to 90%) is the average portion of an episode downloaded by listeners to replay later.
Podcast Revenue Calculator
Ad Slots Per Episode
Average CPM in USD
Platform Split
Fill Rate (%)
Download Through Rate (%)
Podcast Revenue Model (CPM)
Podcasters mostly calculate ad rates using the cost per mille (CPM) model or charge a flat fee.
These factors affect podcast ad rates:
- Ad number and length: Short podcasts often have 1 to 2 ads, which cost more as sponsors don’t have to compete for attention. Longer episodes may fit up to 5 less expensive ads.
- Audience size: The bigger, the better.
- Audience demographics: Podcasts with Western audiences, especially U.S. and U.K. audiences, have higher CPMs.
- Niche: Specialized niches, like luxury products, command higher ad rates.
- Ad placement: Mid-roll ads, considered prime time, are longer and more expensive as listeners pay more attention in the middle of an episode.
How much money you make as a podcaster depends on your sponsorships, premium content, network distribution deals, merchandise sales, listener donations, and affiliate marketing.
Pro Tip: In addition to your podcast audience size, tell your sponsors about your social media followers and newsletter subscribers if you have a thriving online presence to promote your podcast and negotiate higher ad rates.
Average Podcast Revenue
So, are podcasts profitable? Yes, definitely!
According to the U.S. Podcast Advertising Revenue Study by IAB, podcasting will likely reach $2.6 billion in ad revenues by 2026.
Around 95% of U.S. listeners have taken action after listening to a podcast ad, reports Acast. Podcasts are basically modern-day infomercials (but with better storytelling).
Podcaster Joseph Liu advises providing a listener-friendly experience instead of cluttering your shows with too many ads for better engagement.
Here’s how much podcasters make on average:
- Smaller podcasts earn around $18 to $50 CPM.
- Mid-range podcasts earn anywhere from $50 to $100 CPM.
- High-end podcasts with bigger, more popular episodes earn $100+ CPM.
- Full-time U.S. podcasters earn an average annual income of $70,000. More successful podcasters with varied revenue streams earn $100,000+ to millions yearly.
Take a look at this U.S. annual podcast revenue table, based on recent IAB reports forecasting steady growth:
| Year | U.S. Podcast Revenue | Annual Increase |
| 2020 | $842.3 million | +19% |
| 2021 | $1,448.7 million | +72% |
| 2022 | $1,825.3 million | +26% |
| 2023 | $1,925.2 million | +5.5% |
| 2024 | $2,164.7 million | +12.4% |
| 2025 | $2,379 million | +9.9% |
| 2026 | $2,562.1 million | +7.7% |
Did You Know? Standup comedian Joe Rogan, one of the highest-paid podcasters, earns a whopping $60 to $100 million annually. Spotify collectively paid him $450 since 2020 to host The Joe Rogan Experience exclusively on their platform. Podcast duo Karen and Georgia, who co-host the true-crime comedy podcast My Favorite Murder, earn around $30 million annually.
Boost Your Podcast’s Profitability
By using my podcast revenue calculator and understanding ad rate factors, it’s easier for you to determine a fair pricing structure that makes your content profitable and attracts sponsors.
Plan your episodes wisely and promote your content using social media and influencer marketing to gain more listeners.
Finally, explore various monetization strategies to amplify your earnings, from partnering with brands and offering subscriptions to asking for listener donations and crowdfunding.
