Podcast listeners are divided on the issue of ads

As the reach of podcasts grows, so does the interest of brands and organizations in podcasts as a marketing channel. But how do listeners actually feel about ads in podcasts? To what extent do they accept commercial messages, do ads encourage them to take action, and are listeners willing to pay for exclusive content?

Acceptance of ads

More than a third of podcast listeners (34%) consider podcasts a (very) suitable medium for ads. The main reasons are that ads in podcasts are relatively well accepted (31%) and that listeners view podcasts as a medium with an interesting target audience and a wide reach (27%).

Younger listeners, in particular, have a positive attitude toward ads in podcasts. Among listeners aged 35 and under, 46% consider podcasts a suitable advertising medium. Among those aged 55 and older, that share is significantly lower at 14%.

At the same time, there is also a critical group. Nearly one-third of listeners (31%) actually find podcasts unsuitable for ads. They primarily perceive ads as annoying or disruptive (43%), while 35% indicate they have no need for ads in podcasts at all.

Behavior after hearing podcast ads

Although opinions on ads are divided, podcast ads do appear to have an effect. Three out of five listeners report taking some kind of action after hearing an ad.

The most common next step is to search online for more information about the brand, product, or service (15%). Some listeners also visit the brand’s website or social media channels. A smaller group (5%) even reports purchasing the product or service immediately.

Willingness to pay for podcasts is growing

The willingness to pay for podcasts is also on the rise. While 12% of podcast listeners paid for podcasts in June 2023, that figure rose to 24% in May 2026.

The majority of podcast listeners who pay for a podcast do so through a subscription to a streaming service (53%). More than a quarter (27%) pay the podcast creator directly.

Listeners are particularly willing to pay when exclusive episodes are available only to paying subscribers (45%). Furthermore, satisfaction among paying listeners is high: more than two-thirds (69%) are (very) satisfied with what they get in return for their subscription.

Want to learn more about podcast listeners’ behavior? Or are you curious about how your brand can advertise effectively in podcasts? Download the latest edition of the Markteffect Podcast Monitor here.

Research methodology

This representative survey was conducted in May 2026 by the research firm Markteffect among 2,029 Dutch residents, 1,088 of whom were podcast listeners. This is the thirteenth edition of the Markteffect Podcast Monitor.