Video podcasts Spotify (2026): the operator guide to how Spotify works as an open video distribution channel, as no other platform does. In order to find out what file specifications are required and how to upload your video to Spotify, simply go to Spotify’s support site. However, they do not explain to you how to approach Spotify as a video distribution channel that operates nothing like YouTube. In fact, there is a lot of confusion among even seasoned producers about how to make money using the Partner Program after January 2026. Our company has been producing video episodes for clients for weeks now, and we wish we had this operator’s guide when video became available to all creators in late 2024. See the complete Video Podcast guide for additional information and comparisons to other Video Podcast platforms.
State of Video Podcast format on Spotify as of 2026: where it is right now
At the end of 2024, Spotify announced that video podcasts would be made available to all creators, along with audience-driven payouts and the launch of the Spotify Partner Program (newsroom.Spotify.com). Since that time, the focus of video on Spotify has been as a monetization path rather than as a YouTube replacement.
When listening to music, audiobooks, or video podcasts, premium subscribers in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia see all video footage without commercials, while free users see dynamic ads inserted into the video version playback (creators.Spotify.com).
Everything you do in creating and publishing video podcasts on Spotify is driven by the behavioral context that users expect to use the app to listen. While users may occasionally choose to view video while getting ready or viewing while driving, the primary behavior of users is to view video as a secondary foreground while listening.
This is not how users of YouTube behave. Therefore, decisions regarding formatting, thumbnails, and more are affected by this difference in user behavior.
Spotify also added short-form video clips in 2025 called “clips.” These were 15–90-second vertical videos pulled from the full-length episodes published on the platform (support.Spotify.com).
These functioned similar to YouTube Shorts: a feed of clips created for discovery purposes that direct new listeners to listen to the full episode. Podnews reported that Spotify is making offers to some ‘video-focused’ creators “up to seven figures”, encouraging them to produce content exclusively for Spotify in addition to YouTube (cohostpodcasting.com).
This indicates how aggressively Spotify will purchase video content in 2026. This also explains why the criteria for being accepted into the Partner Program were recently relaxed for many creators.
How to upload a Video Podcast to Spotify
To upload a Video Podcast to Spotify, three things need to happen first:
Host your podcast on Spotify for Creators. This is the free version of the platform provided by Spotify.
Publish at least three episodes. The number of episodes is important, especially if you want to meet the new eligibility standards for monetizing your podcast (see below).
Have a physical street address in an approved market. Currently, there are fourteen approved markets, including but not limited to the US, UK, Canada, and Australia (support.Spotify.com).
Once you have met these requirements, follow these basic steps:
1. Sign in to your account on Spotify for Creators.
2. Click on the name of your podcast.
3. Click on the link for your individual episode.
3. Upload your video file either instead of your audio version file or as an alternative.
4. Enter in your metadata, including title, description, publication date and chapter markers if you have included them.
5. Submit for approval. Once submitted, the review process can take anywhere from a few hours to several days depending on how quickly your application is reviewed. Subsequent uploads are usually processed much quicker.
File specifications & recommendations
Spotify provides very broad guidelines regarding acceptable file formats for uploading. They prefer MP4 files and allow H. 264 and HEVC (h.265) codecs but discourage FLV and AVI (support.Spotify.com).
Recommended resolution is 1080p or higher (minimum is 180p, but this is not intended to be used).
- Aspect ratio must be 16:9 widescreen. Videos not formatted 16:9 will be letterboxed.
- Bitrate for 1080p video should be set at 25 Mbps constant bit rate (CBR); bitrate for 4K should be set at 35 Mbps CBR.
- Framerate must be either 24, 25, 30, 50, or 60 frames per second.
- Keyframes must occur once each second. More frequent keyframes result in poor performance of the playback controls on Spotify’s players.
- Audio: audio must be encoded using either AAC-LC, PCM, or FLAC; minimum sample rate is 128 Kbps; must be stereo (mono will be up-mixed; surround-sound will be down-mixed).
- File size should be less than 10 GB but cannot exceed 60GB. Length should be less than four hours but can be no more than 12 hours.
- Artwork: minimum dimensions for podcast artwork are 1400 x 1400 pixels; maximum dimensions are 2048 x 2048 pixels; aspect ratio should be exactly 1:1 square; image type must be either PNG or JPEG; color space must be RGB. (help.podbean.com).
What changed with the Spotify for creators eligibility requirements of the partner program in 2026?
Beginning January 2026, Spotify greatly expanded eligibility requirements for joining their partner program (newsroom.Spotify.com).
Here is how GetPodPush describes the change (GetPodPush.com). This huge change opens doors of opportunity for many creators who previously did not meet the prior requirements.
Eligibility requirements for the Partner Program (as of May 2026). Currently, eligibility requirements include:
- Your podcast must reside on Spotify for Creators.
- You must have a registered office in an approved market country. There are currently fourteen approved market countries. You may find a list of approved markets here.
- You must have uploaded at least three episodes.
- Total engagement from listeners and/or viewers of your podcast must equal over 2 million consumed hours in the past thirty days.
If you meet these requirements, you can submit yourself for consideration for the Partner Program by checking via the monitize tab found within Spotify for Creators (support.Spotify.com).
Estimated RPM by niche for 2026, according to GetPodPush
GetPodPush estimates RPM (revenue per thousand listener-hours) by niche for 2026. Here are some examples of estimated RPM by niche (GetPodPush.com):
- Finance and investing — $50 – $100 per thousand listener hours
- Business — $40 – $80 per thousand listener hours
- True crime — $20 – $50 per thousand listener hours
- Self-improvement — $25 – $60 per thousand listener hours
- General entertainment — $10 – $25 per thousand listener hours
Editing for Spotify exclusive content: the listen-then-glance reality (Vidpros original)
The single most misunderstood aspect of creating video content for Spotify is that most users will not watch most of what is shown. Users hit “play,” put their phones on the screen, look at the video for the first 90 seconds, and then slide the phone back into their pocket. While Spotify keeps playing music in the background, this creates a unique editing environment.
There are three aspects of editing that result from this environment:
1. The first 90 seconds carry all the visual content. Put the most important visual elements (face, title cards, b-roll establishing shots) in the first 90 seconds. Any additional visuals after that point are merely icing on the cake.
2. Cut every 15-25 seconds for the first 90 seconds and then loosen up. Since viewers are actively paying attention during the first 90 seconds, aggressive cutting works. Once the viewer has gone into “background mode” (i.e., no longer actively watching), the pace of the cuts should slow down. This is the opposite of YouTube, where the pace of cuts remains constant because viewers remain engaged.
3. Default caption setting: users watch videos on their phones while commuting. Burnt-in captions are needed for the first 90 seconds. Optional caption tracks may be provided for the rest of the episode.
Deliverables for clients sending Videos on Spotify are different than those for YouTube
While you send the same MP4 file to both Spotify and YouTube, you are underserving one platform.
Spotify Episode artwork and thumbnail strategy
Spotify utilizes the same 1:1 square (1400-2048 pixels) as YouTube for episode artwork. However, when a user clicks to open an episode on their mobile device, Spotify takes a frame from your uploaded video and displays it as the cover art. Therefore, load a custom episode image when uploading to ensure that the first frame of your video is visually appealing (some devices display this video frame).
Spotify Chapter markers
Chapter markers are underutilized in podcast production. On Spotify, chapter markers reside in the playback control panel and allow listeners to jump to specific points in the episode. Typically, a 60-minute episode has 8-12 chapters. Chapters are added by the host at various transitions throughout the episode, such as at changes in topics, guest introductions, etc. In addition to being utilized as a navigation tool for listeners, chapter markers also assist creators in understanding listener engagement patterns within their episodes.
Adding Chapter markers
Hosts utilize recording software such as Riverside and Zencastr to create marker tracks during recordings. Editors review and clean up marker tracks prior to exporting final episode files.
Cross-posting Options video shows: Apple Podcasts Vs. YouTube Vs. Spotify
YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts each serve as a separate and independent way to distribute your media. The behavior of each audience is different when compared to one another. For instance, users who don’t frequently access podcasts or radio will most likely use Spotify. Users who are mostly consumers of video content but occasionally listen to podcasts or radio will be found in YouTube. Users who are primarily consumers of audio-based content will find themselves in Apple Podcasts, although there was no video capability until April 2026. See how YouTube and Spotify stack up for a deeper comparison.
To best utilize cross-posting on all platforms, follow these guidelines:
A. Use the same audio file for all platforms (use one MP3/WAV file). Save yourself the hassle from having to encode the same audio file every time you upload it to a new platform and only encode your audio file once.
B. Edit the same file differently for each platform if your budget allows: Differentiate how you edit your videos based on the platform you are releasing them on. For example, while pacing should remain constant on YouTube, visuals should receive priority in the first 90 seconds of your Spotify video. If budget permits, make your edits similar to what you would use on Spotify for Apple Podcasts.
C. Wherever possible, add chapter markers across platforms: Add chapter markers whenever possible, i.e., Apple Podcasts, YouTube
Troubleshooting common upload issues of video podcasting
Below are common problems reported by our clients attempting to upload Video-based content to Spotify in order of frequency:
- “Video won’t process.” Most likely due to an incorrect codec or bitrate setting. Try re-encoding your Video to H.264 1080p @ 25 Mbps constant bitrate, and 99% of these errors resolve themselves.
- “Audible is out of sync.” Virtually always occurs when utilizing variable frame rate sources. Prior to uploading, try re-encoding your Video to a constant frame rate (CFR) at 30 FPS.
- “Only hearing audio, no video, on mobile devices.” A caching error occurring due to either large file size or a high bitrate. The vast majority of cache errors occur within 24 hours of upload. If it continues past this timeframe, consider reducing the size/bitrate of your uploaded file.
- “No chapter markers displayed.” Your chapter markers were embedded in the audio file as ID3v2 tags, but Spotify only retrieves them via the upload interface found in Spotify for Creators.
- “The aspect ratio appears letterboxed.” Either your original footage was shot in non-standard format (i.e., not 16:9) or your edit was exported in a non-standard format (i.e., not 16:9). Consider exporting in standard 16:9 format or accepting letterboxing.
Prior to reaching out to Spotify customer service (which can take days), test a 30-second clip from your longer file using the exact same encoding settings as above. If the short clip successfully processes without any issues, there is some element within your longer file preventing successful processing. If both tests fail, it is clear that your encoding preset needs adjustment.
Analytics for measuring the performance of Video-based podcasts on Spotify
All analytics related to Video performance live within Spotify for Creators. For measuring Video performance metrics include:
- Plays vs. Video views (ratio indicates percentage of total listens viewing your Video)
- Engaged audience size vs. Consumed hours (both metrics used to determine eligibility for the Partner Program)
- Followers vs. monthly listeners (monthly listeners represents actual growth/decline in overall audience)
Compare analytics data collected from Spotify with YouTube Studio and your podcast host’s RSS analytics on a weekly basis. Data collected solely from Spotify will represent less than half of your total reach if you are publishing to YouTube as well.
Repurpose each individual episode posted on Spotify into 25+ downstream content assets.
Frequently asked questions & next steps
Is hosting on Spotify for Creators free?
Yes. There is no upfront cost associated with hosting, distributing or monetizing your content through Spotify for Creators. The only expense will be a revenue share (50% advertising dollars; audience-driven Premium Video dollars) created through monetization of your content (seecreators.Spotify.com).
I already have a podcaster host (e.g., Buzzsprout/Libsyn). Can I still use it and also upload a video to Spotify?
In order to upload video content directly to Spotify, you must utilize their proprietary hosting services called Spotify for Creators. Alternatively, you can continue utilizing your podcaster host for delivery of your audio content and upload your video content separately via Spotify for creators.
Does Spotify support 4K video?
Yes, however, they recommend a maximum bitrate of 35 mb/s CBR. Most listeners will not notice a significant difference between 1080p and 4k on their smartphone screens; therefore, utilizing a lower resolution, such as 1080p, results in much smaller file sizes and faster upload times.
How frequently does Spotify change terms regarding their partner program?
Terms regarding their partner program are adjusted quarterly. Regularly refer to support.Spotify.com to confirm current revenue splits prior to developing revenue models based upon projected video revenue.
Key takeaways for hosts
Front-load visual elements; utilize chapter markers; separate edits for YouTube from those you intend to utilize for Spotify when possible.
If you would prefer another party manage per-platform edits on behalf of yourself, contact Vidpros regarding outsourcing the creation of a Spotify-ready edit. We offer completed MP4 episode files (optimized for both YouTube and Spotify), 8-15 vertical clips per episode, and pre-created chapter markers ready for import into the uploader tool on a fixed monthly fee. Send us a copy of your unedited raw recording, and we will create an initial edit free of cost, allowing you to evaluate the quality of per-platform outputs before committing
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Sources: Spotify newsroom (November 2024 launch, January 2026 Partner Program updates); Spotify support and creator pages (verified May 2026); GetPodPush 2026 Partner Program analysis; The Podcast Consultant; Cohost Podcasting on Podnews coverage. Spotify changes Partner Program terms frequently; verify on support.Spotify.com before committing.
