Everything You Need to Know About Apple’s New Podcast Subscription Service

The podcast platform boomed since Apple first released the free streaming platform on all devices in 2005. More and more people are tuning in to podcasts regularly. Many asked what the next revolutionary step would be for the industry. Well, Apple’s Podcast Subscription service unveiled this past week, raising a lot of questions about function, opportunity, and adjustment within the podcast community. Here’s our quick take on this new chapter of podcasting.

What are Apple Podcast Subscriptions?

Starting in May 2021, Apple will allow podcast creators to sell subscriptions to particular shows or groups of shows starting as low as $0.49/month. This subscription could be anything from bonus episodes to ad-free content. Essentially, extra content outside your regularly scheduled show can be behind a subscription, and you get to set the price. However, this is purely optional. Apple will not penalize or favor shows based on their having a subscription available.

What’s my cut of the pay?

Creators would pay $19.99 per year to charge a subscription fee. Also, 30% of each subscriber’s first year payments will go to Apple, which drops to 15% after the first year. For example, if a subscriber-only subscribes for a year, Apple will take 30%, and the rate won’t drop until that subscriber decides to join again. Incentivize creators to keep subscribers around longer.

How does this affect my uploading content?

All subscription content will be directly through Apple, meaning the content can’t be uploaded through a hosting provider (which is what we use). The hosting provider can still upload your regular content, but Apple will essentially run the relationship on subscription content.

Anything else cool announced?

Apple also released a search function on the platform, allowing listeners to browse through free or subscription-based content on their homepages to find new shows. Enabling categorical and chart-driven content to be found more easily by listeners looking for something new.

Apple is also releasing a “Smart Play” option where serialized shows can be easily played from the beginning of a series, or episodic shows played where the listener last left off. Thank the Lord! This seems like the no-brainer feature that should have been added years ago.

Should I Do This?

You might be asking, should we make the jump now and start charging through Apple's subscription service? 100% no! We’ve heard NOTHING but problems with shows that have already started the process. From episodes disappearing to entire show feeds disappearing, there are still A LOT of problems. We will be keeping a close eye on this development.