Video podcasts are changing how we listen

YouTube users streamed over 700 million hours of video podcasts on their TVs in a single month last year, nearly double the year before. Apple just launched video podcast support. Spotify has been pushing video for years. The podcast industry's biggest shift since smartphones is happening right now, and it's reshaping what "podcast" even means.

What Happened

Video podcasts aren't new. YouTube has hosted conversation-style shows for over a decade. But 2025-2026 marked the tipping point where every major platform decided video was essential, not optional.

YouTube remains the dominant player. About 11 percent of internet users watch a video podcast on YouTube monthly, and the platform's TV app has become a primary viewing destination. The living room couch is the new podcast commute.

Spotify expanded its video offerings and paid out over $100 million to podcasters in a single quarter last year. The platform sees video as the key to higher engagement and longer session times.

Apple announced a major refresh of its Podcasts app in February 2026, letting creators offer audio and video versions from a single feed. Listeners can switch between formats mid-episode, starting with audio on a walk and picking up the video version at home.

Netflix even entered the space, inking a deal with Spotify to bring video podcasts to its platform and investing in original video podcast programming.

Why This Matters for Listeners

For listeners, the video push has some clear benefits and a few drawbacks worth paying attention to.

More content options. Many shows now offer both audio and video versions. You get to choose which format fits your situation. Commuting? Audio. Relaxing at home? Switch to video and catch the facial expressions and visual gags you've been missing.

Better discovery. YouTube's recommendation algorithm is the most powerful discovery engine in media. Video podcasts show up in suggested videos, search results, and YouTube's homepage. If you've been struggling to find new podcasts, YouTube might be the easiest starting point.

Potential fragmentation. The downside is that some creators are moving exclusively to YouTube or Spotify for video, while keeping audio-only versions on traditional podcast apps. This can mean different experiences depending on where you listen.

Data and tracking concerns. Video platforms collect more behavioral data than traditional podcast apps. They track how long you watch, when you skip, and what you click next. If you value the privacy of RSS-based podcasting, keep this in mind when choosing where to watch.

Our Take

Video podcasts make sense for interview and personality-driven shows. Seeing faces adds context that audio alone can't provide. But the format doesn't improve every show. Narrative storytelling, solo commentary, and news briefings work just as well (sometimes better) as pure audio.

The real risk is platform lock-in. Traditional podcasting works because it's open: any app can pull any show's RSS feed. Video podcasts on YouTube or Spotify don't work that way. If your favorite show goes video-exclusive on one platform, you're stuck using that platform to access it.

The 37 percent of people over age 12 who watch video podcasts monthly are skewing younger: those ages 18-34 are 24 percent more likely to watch. This demographic shift will push more creators toward video, whether or not the format suits their content.

What You Can Do

Try video versions of shows you already love. If a podcast you listen to also publishes video, watch an episode and see if it adds anything. For interview shows, it usually does.

Don't abandon audio. Audio podcasts are still the better format for multitasking, commuting, exercising, and any situation where you can't look at a screen. The convenience of listening offline is something video can't match.

Support open podcasting. When a show is available on both traditional podcast apps and video platforms, consider using the RSS version. It keeps the open podcast ecosystem healthy and gives creators data that isn't controlled by a single platform.

If you're interested in how the advertising side of this works, check out our piece on the future of podcast advertising.

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