A 2020 survey found that American podcast users prefer a mix of free, ad-supported content, and paid podcasts that are ad-free, although 30 percent of all adults favored completely free podcasts which generate money via advertising. Hispanic users were the most likely group to have an aversion to paying for podcasts, with 38 percent believing that podcasts ought to be available for free with ads.
Attitudes to free, paid, and ad-supported podcasts among podcast users in the United States as of June 2020, by ethnicity
Characteristic
White
Black
Hispanic
Other
It's okay for there to be a mix of free ad-supported and paid ad-free podcasts
66%
60%
50%
58%
All podcasts should be available for free and ad-supported
28%
31%
38%
34%
All podcasts should cost money and be ad-free
6%
9%
12%
8%
0%20%40%60%80%
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YouGov. (June 16, 2020). Attitudes to free, paid, and ad-supported podcasts among podcast users in the United States as of June 2020, by ethnicity [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved March 14, 2025, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/1128218/paid-or-ad-supported-podcasts-us-by-ethnicity/
YouGov. "Attitudes to free, paid, and ad-supported podcasts among podcast users in the United States as of June 2020, by ethnicity." Chart. June 16, 2020. Statista. Accessed March 14, 2025. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1128218/paid-or-ad-supported-podcasts-us-by-ethnicity/
YouGov. (2020). Attitudes to free, paid, and ad-supported podcasts among podcast users in the United States as of June 2020, by ethnicity. Statista. Statista Inc.. Accessed: March 14, 2025. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1128218/paid-or-ad-supported-podcasts-us-by-ethnicity/
YouGov. "Attitudes to Free, Paid, and Ad-supported Podcasts among Podcast Users in The United States as of June 2020, by Ethnicity." Statista, Statista Inc., 16 Jun 2020, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1128218/paid-or-ad-supported-podcasts-us-by-ethnicity/
YouGov, Attitudes to free, paid, and ad-supported podcasts among podcast users in the United States as of June 2020, by ethnicity Statista, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1128218/paid-or-ad-supported-podcasts-us-by-ethnicity/ (last visited March 14, 2025)
Attitudes to free, paid, and ad-supported podcasts among podcast users in the United States as of June 2020, by ethnicity [Graph], YouGov, June 16, 2020. [Online]. Available: https://www.statista.com/statistics/1128218/paid-or-ad-supported-podcasts-us-by-ethnicity/
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