Spotify has decided significantly loosen the conditions for accessing monetization for video podcasts, with the idea that many more creators can start earning money from their content. The measure comes in a context of strong competition for the audiovisual format, where platforms like YouTube set the pace and audio no longer travels alone, and the Video podcasts are gaining ground.
With this change, the Swedish company It opens the door to smaller or just-started projects.reducing the minimum requirements to enter its partner program and accompanying it with new advertising and technical tools. Although the announcement has global reach, the move also affects the creators of Spain and Europe, who will be able to access these revenue streams sooner.
Much lower requirements to monetize video podcasts
Until now, joining Spotify's video podcast monetization program required meeting conditions that were difficult for many creators to achieve. It required having published at least 12 episodes, accumulate 10.000 hours of consumption in the last 30 days and have a minimum of 2.000 listeners that reproduced the content within that same period. These requirements have been monitored and analyzed in the Industry news.
With the announced update, those thresholds are significantly reduced. From now on, it will be enough to have three episodes published, reach 2.000 hours of viewing or listening and gather at least 1.000 “engaged” audience members over the last 30 days. In other words, the idea of an active follower base is maintained, but with much more manageable numbers.
The company explains that this adjustment aims to facilitate the entry of new podcasts into the partner program and accelerate access to additional income streams for those building their community. In practice, this means that projects that a year ago weren't even considering reaching the minimum can now do so if they achieve some initial traction.
The changes were announced on January 7, 2026 and will be rolled out gradually over the next few months, so that creators will see the new eligibility system reflected on their dashboards without needing to complete any additional procedures.
How creators get paid: premium subscribers and ads
Within this program, the business model combines several approaches. On one hand, podcasters receive direct payments based on the number of premium users who stream their episodes on video. These paid subscribers don't see ads, but their consumption generates specific compensation for the creators.
On the other hand, there is a second aspect based on advertising. Spotify shares with podcasters. a portion of the advertising revenue generated by users who listen to the free version of the platform. In this way, the same content can be monetized both through views from those who pay for a subscription and through ads served to those who use the service for free.
The company explained that, in addition to direct monetization within Spotify, creators integrated into the program can earn revenue from ads managed from other platforms or networksprovided they comply with the content policies. This allows some flexibility in combining your own agreements with the campaigns that the service automatically distributes.
In the specific case of video podcasts, the platform insists that the goal is enhance the appeal of the visual format for brands and advertisers, so that the advertising pie grows and, with it, the figures that end up in the hands of the creators.
New sponsorship and ad management tools
The adjustment in requirements comes with New features designed to professionalize advertising management in video podcasts. Spotify has announced specific tools to manage sponsorships and ads read by the presenters themselves (the so-called host-read ads).
Among the possibilities that are incorporated, creators will be able to update, schedule and measure in more detail These are advertising spaces within their video episodes. The idea is to make placing a sponsorship, changing it when the campaign expires, or analyzing its performance simpler and less manual.
These features will be available in the app Spotify for Creators and in MegaphonesThe company's podcast hosting and monetization suite is set to roll out in April, giving podcasters time to adapt their business strategies to the new options.
The company emphasizes that this series of new features is part of an investment of more than 10.000 billion dollars This investment, made over the last five years, has focused on the podcasting ecosystem. It has been directed towards technical infrastructure, agreements with creators, and the development of specific monetization solutions.
For those producing from Spain or the rest of Europe, these tools can be useful for close more structured sponsorship campaignswith data and metrics that facilitate negotiation with local brands and agencies that are already familiar with video advertising formats.
APIs for videos and partnerships with hosting platforms
As part of its strategy to seriously compete in the video arena, Spotify has also introduced a new API geared towards podcasts in audiovisual formatThanks to this interface, creators will be able to upload and monetize their video episodes directly from the hosting platforms they already use.
Popular tools in the sector such as Acast, Audioboom, Libsyn, Omny or Podigee They have already adopted this API, allowing podcasters to maintain their usual workflow while distributing their content on Spotify without cumbersome intermediate steps. For those operating from Europe, where these platforms have a strong presence, the integration promises to significantly simplify their daily operations.
This commitment to interoperability aims to The video should not become an additional technical burden. For creators. Instead of forcing them to duplicate the publishing effort, the platform aims to allow them to centralize management and have the hosting ecosystem itself handle communication with Spotify.
Ultimately, the company aims to strengthen its position as a real alternative to YouTube in the field of video podcastsTherefore, it is also making moves in its video strategy to stand up to competitors.
Nearly double consumption and a strategy to gain ground in video
Changes in monetization don't happen in a vacuum. According to internal company data, Monthly consumption of video podcasts on Spotify has almost doubled. Since the launch of the partnership program, those who were already investing in the format have seen how the audience reacts.
Roman Wasenmuller, the company's global head of podcasts, explained that The average podcast user on Spotify currently plays twice as many video programs per month compared to the period prior to this initiative. This behavior reinforces the idea that video is becoming a key component within the audio experience.
However, the company itself admits that some of this growth may be related to a greater promotional push for video content within the app. In other words, it's not all due exclusively to a spontaneous change in habits, but also to how that content is presented and recommended to the end user.
In any case, the combination of a larger audience, more tools, and lower barriers to entry points to a scenario in which the supply of video podcasts will continue to increaseThis trend is growing both globally and in markets like Spain, where many audio projects are beginning to explore the leap to visual formats. Other platforms are also promoting filmed formats, which is accelerating this trend.
In-house studies and support for podcast production
In addition to the changes in the digital realm, Spotify has announced the opening of a new physical space dedicated to content production. It is called A studio for recording podcasts and videos in West Hollywood, which will serve as the main headquarters for The Ringer podcast network and will be available to some selected creators in the partner program.
This study adds to the facilities which the company already operates in the arts districts of Los Angeles, New York, Stockholm, and London. With this network of spaces, the company aims to reduce production and rental costs for certain podcasters, offering them access to professional infrastructure without having to shoulder the entire investment themselves. Furthermore, the improvement in equipment and accessories for creators It facilitates production.
Although these studies are concentrated in key cities, their existence sends a clear signal to the sector: the platform sees podcasting, especially video podcasting, as a long-term strategic format and is prepared to back it up with physical resources as well, not just with software and advertising deals.
For European creators, the presence of a studio in Stockholm and London It opens the door to possible collaborations, one-off recordings, or special projects that require a more advanced technical environment than the usual home studio or a local radio booth.
The reduction in monetization requirements, the strengthening of sponsorship tools, the new API for video podcasts, and the commitment to in-house studios paint a picture in which More and more creators will be able to turn their video podcasts into a real source of income.Those who have a loyal audience, even if it's not yet massive, will now find it somewhat easier to make the leap to monetization within Spotify, both in Spain and Europe as well as in the other markets where the platform operates.
