Apple Will Keep 15 to 30% Cut of Podcast Subscriptions

Apple today announced a new podcasts subscription feature that's coming to the Podcasts app. Podcast subscriptions will let podcast publishers sell subscriptions to an individual show or a group of shows, with pricing starting at 49 cents per month.

Apple Podcasts iOS 14 5
Publishers will be able to set their own pricing, but according to Recode, Apple plans to take a cut. Apple will collect 30 percent of subscription revenue that creators generate in their first year on the platform, and after that, Apple will collect 15 percent. This is the same pricing setup that Apple uses for other subscription options.

Apple does not plan to require podcast creators to create content exclusively for Apple, but it is encouraging them to distinguish between content available from Apple Podcasts and content on other platforms, such as ad-free shows, shows with extra content, or early or exclusive access to new content. Those who want to participate will need to sign up for the Apple Podcasters Program, which is priced at $19.99 per year.

Podcast creators will be able to start offering subscriptions as of next month, with subscriptions available to listeners in more than 170 countries and regions. Up to six family members can share a subscription.

Apple has a number of partners on board ready to create premium podcast content, including Tenderfoot TV, Pushkin Industries, Radiotopia from PRX, and QCODE, NPR, the Los Angeles Times, The Athletic, Sony Music Entertainment, and more.

Tag: Podcast

Popular Stories

iphone 16 pro ghost hand

5 Reasons to Skip This Year's iPhone 17 Pro

Thursday July 10, 2025 4:54 am PDT by
Apple will launch its new iPhone 17 series in two months, and the iPhone 17 Pro models are expected to get a new design for the rear casing and the camera area. But more significant changes to the lineup are not expected until next year, when the iPhone 18 models arrive. If you're thinking of trading in your iPhone for this year's latest, consider the following features rumored to be coming...
apple wallet drivers license feature iPhone 15 pro

Apple Says iPhone Driver's Licenses Will Expand to These 8 U.S. States

Tuesday July 8, 2025 11:26 am PDT by
In select U.S. states, residents can add their driver's license or state ID to the Wallet app on the iPhone and Apple Watch, providing a convenient and contactless way to display proof of identity or age at select airports and businesses, and in select apps. Unfortunately, this feature continues to roll out very slowly since it was announced in 2021, with only nine U.S. states, Puerto Rico,...
iPhone 17 Pro in Hand Feature Lowgo

iPhone 17 Pro to Reverse iPhone X Design Decision

Monday July 7, 2025 9:46 am PDT by
Since the iPhone X in 2017, all of Apple's highest-end iPhone models have featured either stainless steel or titanium frames, but it has now been rumored that this design decision will be coming to an end with the iPhone 17 Pro models later this year. In a post on Chinese social media platform Weibo today, the account Instant Digital said that the iPhone 17 Pro models will have an aluminum...
iPhone 17 Pro in Hand Feature Lowgo

Leaker Reveals Amount of RAM in iPhone 17 Through iPhone 17 Pro Max

Wednesday July 9, 2025 8:08 am PDT by
Three out of four iPhone 17 models will feature more RAM than the equivalent iPhone 16 models, according to a new leak that aligns with previous rumors. The all-new iPhone 17 Air, the iPhone 17 Pro, and the iPhone 17 Pro Max will each be equipped with 12GB of RAM, according to Fixed Focus Digital, an account with more than two million followers on Chinese social media platform Weibo. The...
apple account card feature

Apple Account Card Expanding to More Countries

Tuesday July 8, 2025 7:34 pm PDT by
Apple is expanding the ability to add an Apple Account Card to the Wallet app to more countries, according to backend Apple Pay changes. With iOS 15.5, Apple updated the Wallet app to allow users to add an Apple Account Card, which displays the Apple credit balance associated with an Apple ID. If you receive an Apple gift card, for example, it is added to an Apple Account that is also...
macbook pro blue green

M5 MacBook Pro No Longer Coming in 2025

Thursday July 10, 2025 12:38 pm PDT by
Apple does not plan to refresh any Macs with updated M5 chips in 2025, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Updated MacBook Air and MacBook Pro models are now planned for the first half of 2026. Gurman previously said that Apple would debut the M5 MacBook Pro models in late 2025, but his newest report suggests that Apple is "considering" pushing them back to 2026. Apple is now said to be...
iOS 26 Feature

Everything New in iOS 26 Beta 3

Monday July 7, 2025 1:20 pm PDT by
Apple is continuing to refine and update iOS 26, and beta three features smaller changes than we saw in beta 2, plus further tweaks to the Liquid Glass design. Apple is gearing up for the next phase of beta testing, and the company has promised that a public beta is set to come out in July. Transparency In some apps like Apple Music, Podcasts, and the App Store, Apple has toned down the...
iCloud General Feature Redux

iPhone Users Who Pay for iCloud Storage Receive These Five Perks

Wednesday July 9, 2025 9:20 am PDT by
If you pay for iCloud storage on your iPhone, did you know that Apple offers you five perks beyond the extra storage space, at no additional cost? Here are the perks included with all iCloud+ plans:Private Relay keeps your Safari browsing history entirely private from network providers, websites, and even Apple. Hide My Email generates unique, random email addresses whenever needed. Hom...

Top Rated Comments

Michael Scrip Avatar
55 months ago
"Apple Will Keep 15 to 30% Cut of Podcast Subscriptions"

Because of course they will...
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Wildkraut Avatar
55 months ago
Podcast going that route will die.
Podcasts paid by ads are fine, just like it currently is.

Apple platform is becoming less and less appealing with every device and os release.
They are trying to make almost everything to money, and set their feet into stuff by doing nothing.
Amazing blood suckers!
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
jefhai Avatar
55 months ago
I will boycott or subvert any podcasts that require a subscription... if I want to give to them I’ll give to them directly
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
bobmans Avatar
55 months ago

Then better choose a payment method that 100% goes to the creator, that way you support them even more.
Apple would get 15%-30% for doing nothing other than playing the gatekeeper again.
I don't think you realise how many more people would click a simple button inside the podcast app and subsribe to the podcast producer with one click all in the same app rather than do the effort to go to their patreon page and deal with a bunch of external stuff.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
averagenerd81 Avatar
55 months ago

Podcast going that route will die.
Podcasts paid by ads are fine, just like it currently is.

Apple platform is becoming less and less appealing with every device and os release.
They are trying to make almost everything to money, and set their feet into stuff by doing nothing.
Amazing blood suckers!
Nothing in life is free.

Podcast distribution costs someone, there is no free lunch here. Advertising the podcast costs money, there is no free lunch here.

I use Pocket Casts but the discovery for it mostly features whodunnit or muder related podcasts anymore, I welcome a better selection of curated content if it works well for most.

Apple's ecosystem gets better and better for me each year.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Michael Scrip Avatar
55 months ago

I will boycott or subvert any podcasts that require a subscription... if I want to give to them I’ll give to them directly
Exactly!

Or I'll listen to ads... which has worked for the last 15 years.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)