Guides

You can join the Spotify Partner Program without hosting on Spotify, but only through five hosts. Here is who supports it, what it costs, and the catches.

You do not need 10,000 downloads to land a podcast sponsor. Marketplaces like Buzzsprout Ads and Acast accept shows at 1,000 downloads. Here is the real math.

What is a good podcast download number in 2026? Benchmarks by episode, what percentile you are in, and the download counts sponsors actually care about.

How much does it cost to start a podcast in 2026? A real budget: hosting, a mic, and editing. You can launch for under $100, and here is where the money goes.

Do you need a podcast host if you’re on Spotify or YouTube? Only to reach every app and own your feed. Here’s when you can skip one and when you can’t.

Live streaming for podcasts comes down to two tools: StreamYard for a clean live show plus recording, Restream for multistreaming. See 2026 pricing.

The best podcast host for monetization is Captivate for self-serve sponsor ads on every plan, or Acast to start free and let its marketplace sell ads for you.

The best newsletter for podcasters is Beehiiv for growth, Kit for automation, or MailerLite on a budget. Here’s how to pick the email tool that grows your show.

Podpage is the best podcast website builder when your host’s site is weak, and Beamly wins for all-in-one memberships. See the real 2026 pricing compared.

What counts as a podcast download? Under IAB v2.2: at least 60 seconds requested, bots filtered, deduplicated per 24 hours. Here’s what that means.