Spotify just dropped numbers that show video podcasts aren't just a side experiment anymore - they're becoming the main event. The streaming giant now hosts nearly 500,000 video podcasts, with over 390 million users having streamed video content on the platform. That's a 54% jump year-over-year, and it's reshaping how we think about audio-first platforms in an increasingly visual world.
Spotify is quietly winning the video podcast war, and the numbers from its latest earnings call prove it. The platform that started as a music streaming service now hosts nearly half a million video podcasts, with more than 390 million users having watched video content - a staggering 54% increase from last year.
The growth trajectory tells a compelling story about where media consumption is heading. Just 18 months ago, Spotify had around 250,000 video podcasts when it rolled out tools for non-hosted creators to upload their content. Now it's doubled that catalog while transforming the entire user experience with comments, Q&As, and polls that make the app feel more like a social network than a traditional streaming service.
"We think that when the creator wins, we win," incoming co-CEO Alex Norström told investors during the earnings call. "They wanted to syndicate everywhere. And we believe in helping them reach audiences in as many places as possible, which is consistent with our core philosophy on being creator-first."
That creator-first philosophy is paying off in engagement metrics that would make YouTube nervous. Time spent with video content on Spotify has more than doubled year-over-year, largely driven by video podcasts. Even more telling, video podcast consumption has surged over 80% since the launch of the Spotify Partner Program in January, which gives qualifying creators new monetization options including audience-driven payouts from Premium subscribers.
But Spotify isn't content to keep this growth contained within its own walls. The company's recently announced partnership with Netflix to distribute video podcasts starting in 2026 represents a bold bet on becoming the YouTube of audio-video hybrid content. While investors didn't get details on revenue-sharing during the earnings call, the strategic logic is clear - position Spotify as the creator hub while leveraging Netflix's massive reach.
"It's part of our ubiquity strategy," co-CEO Gustav Söderström explained. "While we build a good user experience, we also need to have a very strong creator offering." The company points to its existing YouTube distribution as proof of concept - Spotify podcasts on YouTube actually drive incremental usage back to the main platform as users discover shows and want the full experience.
The TV angle adds another layer to Spotify's expansion beyond smartphones. The recent upgrade to its Apple TV app isn't just about convenience - it's about capturing screen time across every device where people consume content. More platforms mean more usage, which directly feeds Spotify's advertising business that's becoming increasingly important to its revenue mix.
Speaking of revenue, Spotify delivered solid Q3 numbers with €4.27 billion ($4.9 billion) in revenue, beating Wall Street expectations, and an €899 million net profit ($1 billion). Monthly active users grew 11% year-over-year to 713 million, showing the platform's reach continues expanding even as it diversifies beyond music.
However, the stock slipped after Tuesday's opening bell due to mixed guidance for Q4, and Spotify warned that 2025 will be a "transition year" for its ads business. The company doesn't expect advertising growth to improve until the second half of 2026, even as it gives advertisers programmatic access to both audio and video inventory.
This timing creates an interesting dynamic. Spotify is building a massive video podcast ecosystem just as traditional platforms like YouTube face increasing competition and Meta doubles down on short-form video. The question isn't whether video podcasts will continue growing - it's whether Spotify can maintain its creator-first advantage as bigger tech giants inevitably respond to this shift in media consumption patterns.
The video podcast boom represents more than just another content format for Spotify - it's a fundamental shift toward becoming a creator economy platform that happens to include music. With 390 million users already engaged and partnerships like Netflix on the horizon, Spotify is positioning itself to own the intersection of audio and video content. The real test will be whether this creator-first strategy can sustain growth as advertising revenue faces headwinds and competition intensifies across every screen where people consume media.
