Spotify’s Memberships program for podcasts is here to compete with Patreon

Spotify is launching Memberships, a programme that lets podcast creators charge fans for access to exclusive content. It adds another way for creators to earn recurring income on the platform and places Spotify in competition with services such as Patreon and YouTube.

Creators can set different membership tiers and prices, and will keep 90 per cent of the revenue. The service is due to launch in 34 markets; eligible shows hosted on Spotify for Creators or Megaphone need at least 100 listening or viewing hours, 100 listeners or viewers, and three published episodes. The move builds on Spotify’s Partner Program, introduced in 2024, and its paid subscription tools launched in 2021.