The news: Spotify is adopting Apple technology that will let video podcast creators publish videos once and reach both Apple Podcasts and Spotify without extra work. This removes a major friction point for cross-platform video distribution. 

Integration with Apple’s protocol starts later this year via Spotify for Creators and Megaphone, and including monetization on Apple Podcasts means video creators keep revenues across both platforms.

Earlier this year, Spotify began allowing hosting providers (Libsyn, Podigee, Audioboom, Audiomeans, and Podspace) to publish video podcasts directly to Spotify with monetization via the Spotify Partner Program.

Why it’s worth watching: Nearly 400 million users have streamed Spotify’s catalog of 500,000 video podcasts as of November 2025, per Spotify. Meanwhile, more than 1 billion people check out podcasts on YouTube, which remains a closed, siloed competitor. 

YouTube doesn’t support Apple’s protocol for podcasting or offer cross-platform revenue share with either Apple or Spotify. YouTube also requires creators to upload and manage content separately on YouTube Studio and YouTube Content Manager, and juggle YouTube’s own monetization tools and Google’s YouTube Ads buying platform. 

Implications for the podcast industry: Video podcasters must now weigh ease of distribution (Apple-Spotify) against potential scale (YouTube). 

Smaller and mid-tier shows benefit from the Apple-Spotify route due to lower barriers and automatic monetization. Larger shows may still host on YouTube as well, but they’ll face duplicate workflows. 

Advertisers can seek podcast partners enrolled in the Spotify Partner Program. Compare reach, CPMs, and conversion rates before reallocating material budget. Let data, not speculation, determine the split.

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