Spotify launches podcast Memberships, creators keep 90% of the revenue

Spotify first previewed Memberships at its Investor Day back in May, and today the feature is rolling out in 34 markets. It lets eligible podcast creators charge their biggest fans a monthly fee for exclusive content and perks, and it replaces the podcast subscriptions Spotify introduced in 2021.

Creators get to decide what their Membership includes: exclusive audio or video, bonus episodes, fewer ads, early access, access to a show's archive, or all of the above. They can also split their benefits into up to three tiers, each with its own price. Spotify isn't setting prices itself, though its own mockups use $4.99 per month with a seven-day free trial as an example.

Both Free and Premium users can find a show's Membership options on its Spotify page and then listen to member content without leaving the app. The checkout itself happens on the web rather than through in-app purchases, presumably so Spotify doesn't have to give Apple and Google a cut. Members can show a badge when commenting on episodes, and creators can greet new members with welcome clips.

Creators keep 90% of the revenue, and Memberships sit alongside advertising, sponsorships, and the Spotify Partner Program as ways to earn money on the platform. Spotify also gives them targeted promotions, free trials, analytics on what's driving sign-ups, and exportable member data, including contact information from fans who choose to share it. To be eligible, a show has to be hosted on Spotify for Creators or Megaphone and have at least three published episodes, 100 listeners or viewers, and 100 consumption hours on Spotify in the previous 30 days.

Among the first shows to offer Memberships are The Adam Friedland Show, Making Sense with Sam Harris, The Shawn Ryan Show, and YMH Studios' network, which is bringing them to 12 shows. The initial rollout covers Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the UK, and the US.

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