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How Much do Podcast Ads Cost? — 2023 Podcast Advertising Rates

This article breaks down industry-standard podcast advertising rates across ad types, how costs vary across shows, and how to verify pricing.

Want access to podcast reach, demographics, contact information, and more? Sign up for Podchaser Pro to unlock the most valuable podcasting insights in the industry. It’s perfect for supercharging any podcast ad campaign. Learn more.


Table of Contents


Podcasting’s Projected Ad Revenue in 2023 and Beyond

According to the Internet Advertising Bureau, the podcasting industry experienced a 19% increase in advertising revenue in 2022 with no signs of slowing for the rest of 2023. The same study showed significant milestones expected for podcasting.

  • $2b projected ad revenue in 2023
  • $3.2b projected ad revenue by 2024
  • $4b projected ad revenue by 2025

Is Podcast Advertising Effective?

Is podcast advertising effective?

Short answer is yes, but only if you do it right. If you’re not convinced by the avalanche of money companies are spending on podcast advertising, let’s break down some more stats.

To start, 183 million Americans have listened to a podcast, with 42% of those listening within the last month and 31% within the last week. That’s a huge audience!

And that huge audience is trusts and buys from podcast ads. Acast found that podcast ads are ranked #1 is audience receptivity, and attentiveness – handily beating most established advertising mediums like TV and digital ads. Plus podcasts have a 60% higher ROAS (return on ad spend) than any other channel.

To top it all off, podcast ads are still underutilized. Acast found 44% of podcast ad spend goes to the top 500 shows, but these shows only account for 12% of monthly reach. That means that 88% of the podcast audience is still untapped for podcast advertising.

If you want to read more about the effectiveness of podcast advertising, check out our full article.


Average Podcast Advertising Rates in 2023

Updated: May 17th, 2023.

The following represents the average CPM rates for standard, host-read pre-roll, mid-roll, and post-roll ads. Note that CPM, “cost per mille,” in this instance refers to the ad cost per 1,000 listens.

Podcast Pre-roll Ad CPM

  • The average 15-25 second pre-roll ad spot will have a $15 CPM.
  • It’ll cost approximately $1,500 to purchase a pre-roll ad on a podcast that generates 100,000 listens.

Podcast Mid-roll Ad CPM

  • The average 30-60 second mid-roll ad spot will have a $30 CPM.
  • It’ll cost approximately $3,000 to purchase a mid-roll ad on a podcast that generates 100,000 listens.

Podcast Post-roll Ad CPM

  • The average 15-25 second post-roll (also known as an “end-roll”) ad spot will have a $10 CPM.
  • It’ll cost approximately $1,000 to purchase a post-roll ad on a podcast that generates 100,000 listens.

Variables in Podcast Advertising Rates

What we presented are averages, but there are several variables that may alter the cost of a specific ad spot. Here are the most common reasons why a podcast ad rate may be more or less than the average advertising rate.

  • Podcast Popularity (listens, social influence, Power Score™, etc)
    • If a podcast is VERY popular, their CPMs will be higher than the average, and vice versa for less popular podcasts
  • What platform you use to buy podcast ads
  • Ad length (longer is more expensive)
  • Host-read vs. traditional ads vs. dynamic insertion ads
  • Number of purchased ad spots per episode
  • Campaign length
  • Podcaster’s discretion

Getting Started Podcast Advertising with Podchaser Pro

Even with defined averages, ad costs vary from podcast to podcast, and tracking down relevant data and contact information for a direct quote can be a headache. So, skip the hassle of continuous research and try Podchaser Pro to quickly see a podcast’s reach, ad inventory, and pricing!

estimated rate card with podchaser pro
A podcast’s estimated rate card, exclusive to Podchaser Pro

Our podcast contact database gives you access to podcasting’s most valuable insights, including reach, demographics, chart position, verified contact information, and much more – giving you the power to make the right decision every time. Forbes called it “an incredibly useful tool for podcast marketing or booking guests.”

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