In this episode of Start, Grow & Monetise Your Podcast, hosts Alex Chisnall and James Burtt dive headfirst into the platform wars raging between Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube. As the podcasting landscape continues to evolve, the trio of giants are battling for dominance—each taking very different approaches to creators, monetization, innovation, and discoverability.

You’ll hear insights on how Spotify’s creator economy push is shaking up the industry, why Apple is falling behind, and how YouTube’s dominance in video podcast discovery is transforming the game. If you're looking to future-proof your show and choose the best platform for growth, engagement, and monetization—this is the episode you need to hear.

What You'll Learn in This Episode:

• Why Spotify’s video podcasting and monetization tools are outpacing competitors

• How Apple’s lack of innovation is hurting creators

• Why YouTube may be the best platform for podcast discoverability in 2025

• How to use Spotify for Creators for monetization and content expansion

• Whether it’s still viable to have an audio-only podcast

• Why understanding platform-specific UX matters for audience growth

• The role of RSS, hosting platforms, and audio advertising

Key Takeaways:

1. Spotify is winning in creator-friendly features and integration of audio + video.

2. Apple Podcasts still has loyal users but has made minimal innovation since 2017.

3. YouTube is now responsible for over 50% of podcast discovery.

4. If you’re launching a podcast now, go video-first and multi-platform.

5. Audio-only podcasts are much harder to grow unless you already have a big audience.

6. The platforms you publish on directly influence your show’s reach and monetization.

Recommended Tools & Resources:

• Spotify for Creators – Host, monetize, and publish video podcasts

• YouTube Podcasts – Optimise with SEO-rich thumbnails and titles

• Apple Podcasts Connect – Still widely used, but limited in creator tools

• RSS Hosts like Libsyn, Captivate, Buzzsprout – Ideal for multi-platform syndication

• Thinkific (via Spotify) – For course creators and educators monetizing podcasts

Join the Conversation:

If you enjoyed this episode, share it with a fellow podcaster looking to grow their revenue. For more resources and expert advice, explore our latest content and stay connected with us on social media for valuable podcasting insights.

Follow Us:

• Instagram: @podschool

• TikTok: @podschool.community

• YouTube: @stargrowmonetiseyourpodcast

• LinkedIn: James Burtt & Alex Chisnall

In this show, we discuss:

podcast platform wars, Spotify podcast tips, Apple Podcasts vs Spotify, YouTube podcast strategy, podcast discoverability, video podcasting 2025, Spotify for creators, how to grow a podcast, podcast monetization tips, podcast SEO, YouTube podcast growth, best podcast hosting, RSS for podcasts, Anchor vs Libsyn, podcast marketing tips, podcasting for creators, start a podcast 2025, video vs audio podcast, how to choose podcast platform