Netflix moves into video podcasting through US pact with fellow streamer Spotify
Streaming behemoths Netflix and Spotify are going into business together through a wide-ranging agreement for video podcasts.
The pact will make a selection of video podcasts available on both services, including The Bill Simmons Podcast and several sport-focused shows from pod network The Ringer and Spotify Studios.
The deal will begin in the US in early 2026, with Netflix noting that it will expand to other markets in due course, although these have not yet been disclosed.
In addition to The Bill Simmons Podcast the sports offerings will include The Zach Lowe Show, The McShay Show, Fairway Rollin’, The Mismatch and The Ringer’s F1 Show, Fantasy Football Show, NFL Show and NBA Show.
Among the culture and lifestyle podcasts will be The Rewatchables, The Big Picture, The Dave Chang Show, Recipe Club and Dissect. True-crime podcasts Conspiracy Theories and Serial Killers are also part of the deal.
The agreement brings together the world’s biggest paid video streamer with the world’s largest audio platform. Together, the companies have more than 575 million paying subscribers, with Netflix disclosing more than 300 million at the start of the year before it stopped reporting overall membership numbers. Spotify, meanwhile, has more than 275 million paying subscribers and says it has almost 700 million active monthly users.
Netflix has been weighing a move into the podcasting space for about a year, particularly as it has looked for ways to grow engagement and bolster its advertising business. Earlier in the year, Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos signalled his interest in the video podcasting space, noting that the “lines between podcasts and talkshows are getting pretty blurry.”
Part of Netflix’s rationale has been a desire to expand its offerings as it looks to gain ground on YouTube, which has become the runaway leader in terms of video streaming viewership in the US, in part because of its podcast videos. In August, YouTube commanded 13.1% of total streaming video viewership in the US, versus Netflix’s 8.6%, according to Nielsen’s The Gauge report.
“As video podcasts continue to grow in popularity, our partnership with Spotify allows us to bring full video versions of these top shows to both Netflix and Spotify audiences,” said Netflix’s VP of content licensing and programming strategy Lauren Smith.
“From pop culture and lifestyle to true crime and sports, this curated selection of video podcasts adds fresh voices and new perspectives to Netflix, making our entertainment line-up more exciting than ever.”
Roman Wasenmüller, who serves as VP, head of podcasts at Spotify, said the deal “marks a new chapter for podcasting.”
“Together with Netflix, we’re expanding discovery, helping creators reach new audiences, and giving fans around the world the chance to experience the stories they love and uncover favourites they never expected. This offers more choice to creators and unlocks a completely new distribution opportunity.”
