Apple Podcasts video now pays: what podcasters should do
Apple Podcasts now plays HLS video with dynamic video ads. How the money works, which hosts support it, the 1080p specs and how to switch it on.
Yes, video on Apple Podcasts can now earn money, but Apple doesn't pay you directly. Since iOS 26.4 shipped on March 24, 2026, Apple Podcasts plays video delivered with HLS (HTTP Live Streaming), and creators can dynamically insert video ads, including host-read spots, through a hosting provider that supports it (Apple Newsroom; Apple security releases). Apple doesn't charge creators or hosts to distribute video. It said it would charge participating ad networks an impression-based fee for dynamic ads in HLS video "starting later this year." In August 2026, RSS.com opened paid video ads to any creator on its Max plan, with a 70% revenue share and no audience threshold (RSS.com changelog). To earn, pick a host that offers dynamic video ads, connect it to Apple Podcasts Connect with an API key, and publish in 1080p.
What changed, and when
| Date | What happened | Source |
|---|---|---|
| February 16, 2026 | Apple announces HLS video for Apple Podcasts, with dynamic video ads. Beta testing starts in iOS 26.4 betas. | Apple Newsroom |
| March 24, 2026 | iOS 26.4 and iPadOS 26.4 released; shows with video episodes get a video badge | Apple security releases; Apple Podcasts for Creators |
| May 14, 2026 | Spotify says Spotify for Creators and Megaphone will support Apple's HLS video "starting this year" (announced, no date yet) | Spotify for Creators |
| August 10, 2026 | RSS.com takes video out of early access: ads on video episodes, 70% to the creator, no threshold | RSS.com changelog; Podnews |
At launch, Apple named Acast, ART19, Triton's Omny Studio and SiriusXM (including SiriusXM Media, AdsWizz and Simplecast) as supporting HLS video, "with additional providers to join in the future."
How the money works
Apple's model is different from YouTube's. On YouTube, the platform sells ads and shares revenue with you. On Apple Podcasts, "creators distribute through participating hosting providers and ad networks, maintaining complete control of their content and monetization" (Apple Newsroom). Your host or ad network sells and inserts the ads. That gives you three ways to earn from a video episode:
- Dynamic video ads. Your host or ad network inserts video ads, including host-read spots, when the episode plays. The revenue split is set by your host, not by Apple.
- Baked-in sponsorships. Host-read ads recorded into the episode still work. Apple's FAQ says, "Many podcasters already do this today" (Apple Podcasts for Creators).
- Apple Podcasts Subscriptions. Paid subscriptions exist, but Apple says they "remain audio-only at this time." You can't put video behind the paywall yet.
Apple's own charge sits with the ad networks: an impression-based fee for dynamic ads in HLS video (Apple Newsroom). Apple hasn't published the rate. Ask your host whether it passes that cost on.
Which hosts support video and video ads
Apple keeps a directory of hosting providers with a column for each feature. "Video" means publishing HLS video to Apple Podcasts from the host's dashboard. "Dynamic Video Ads" means earning from ads inserted into video episodes (Apple Podcasts for Creators). As of September 30, 2026:
| Host | HLS video | Dynamic video ads |
|---|---|---|
| Acast | Yes | Yes |
| Audiomeans | Yes | Yes |
| Flightcast | Yes | Yes |
| Omny Studio | Yes | Yes |
| RSS.com | Yes | Yes |
| ART19, Audioboom, Ausha, Blubrry, Buzzsprout, Captivate, Disctopia, Firstory, Libsyn, Listen, Megaphone, Podbean, Podigee, Podspace, RedCircle, Riverside, Simplecast, Spotify for Creators, Substack, Transistor | Yes | Not listed |
Twenty-five hosts can publish HLS video, including Spotify for Creators, which Spotify had announced in May. Five list dynamic video ads. If your host is in the bottom row, you can still publish video and earn from baked-in sponsorships, but automated video ad revenue has to come from somewhere else. Apple says it is expanding availability "on a rolling basis," so check the directory before you switch hosts.
The RSS.com model: ads from the first episode
RSS.com is the clearest example of "anyone can earn." Its August release says ads run automatically on video episodes from the first one you publish, and you keep 70% of the revenue once you activate its PAID ad program, which means accepting the terms and adding a PayPal account. There's "No download threshold. No follower threshold." Video episodes need its new Max plan. The same upload also goes to YouTube (RSS.com changelog).
Compare that with the other two big platforms. YouTube and Spotify both make you meet audience thresholds before you share ad revenue. Spotify's are covered in our Spotify Partner Program requirements post. The trade-off is that PAID stands for Programmatic Ads Inserted Dynamically, so what you earn depends on how many ads it fills, and we found no published rates. Treat it as a way to start earning early, not as a replacement for sponsors.
How to turn on video for your show
Apple's steps (Apple Podcasts for Creators):
- Use a host that supports video. Check the directory above.
- Sign in to Apple Podcasts Connect, and claim your show if it isn't in your account.
- Open your show's Settings. If video podcast delivery is available, follow the steps to generate an API key.
- Generate the key: go to Account, open the Keys tab, click + next to Active, name the key and click Generate.
- Download the key once and share it with your host. You can only download it once, so keep a backup. Don't rename the file; it contains your Issuer ID and Key ID.
- Publish from your host's dashboard. Your host handles the quality variants and any extra steps.
The key lets your host publish on your behalf. Apple says hosts won't see your listening analytics, subscription reports, or banking and tax information. If you already shared a key for Apple Podcasts Subscriptions, you don't need a new one.
File specs: plan for 1080p
Apple leaves file requirements to hosts, so check yours. Two examples:
- Acast recommends 1920 × 1080, 5 to 10 Mbps, SDR (not HDR), with a 10 GB limit per episode and a maximum width of 4,096 pixels (Acast Help).
- RSS.com needs MP4, MOV or MKV, at least 1,080 pixels on the shorter side, up to 5 GB and 2 hours. A file that misses any of these publishes as audio only. RSS.com also says Apple has to approve your show for video before it appears (RSS.com Help).
The safe export on either is 1920 × 1080. A 720p webcam recording won't qualify on RSS.com.
What video podcasters should do now
- Keep one show. HLS video lives on the same show page as your audio. Listeners switch between watching and listening, and you don't lose followers or downloads. Old-style RSS video needs a separate show for the video version (Apple Podcasts for Creators).
- Choose your ad route. If you want automated video ad revenue, you need one of the five hosts that list dynamic video ads. If you sell your own sponsors, any video host works.
- Record for video from the start. Apple's full-screen view is horizontal, and RSS.com passes on Apple's recommendation of 1920 × 1080 (16:9). Vertical and square video are accepted but show with black bars full screen (RSS.com Help).
- Read your analytics as one number. Apple groups video and audio consumption together in your show's metrics, so you won't see a separate video audience in Apple Podcasts Connect.
- Fix your transcripts. Apple auto-generates transcripts, and you can supply your own through the RSS transcript tag if your host supports it. A VTT file lets you name every speaker (Apple Podcasts for Creators). Exemplary AI transcribes episodes and exports SRT or VTT files you can correct before adding them to your feed. The same transcript can also become your show notes; see podcast show notes for SEO.
- Promote with vertical clips. A video episode is also raw material for Shorts, Reels and TikTok. Exemplary's podcast clip generator picks moments from a full episode, reframes them to 9:16 and captions them. See our guide to podcast clips for TikTok and Instagram.
For how Apple fits next to YouTube and Spotify, see the video podcast playbook for 2026 and our explainer on YouTube's Top Podcasts lineup.
FAQ
Does Apple Podcasts pay creators for video views?
No. Apple doesn't pay per view. You earn from ads your host or ad network inserts into video episodes, from sponsorships, or from audio-only Apple Podcasts Subscriptions.
How do I monetize video on Apple Podcasts?
Use a host that lists dynamic video ads in Apple's directory (Acast, Audiomeans, Flightcast, Omny Studio or RSS.com as of September 30, 2026), connect it with an Apple Podcasts Connect API key, and publish HLS video. Your host sets the revenue share.
Is there a minimum audience to earn from video on Apple Podcasts?
Apple doesn't set one. Hosts can. RSS.com says it has no download or follower threshold.
Can I put video episodes behind an Apple Podcasts subscription?
Not yet. Apple says Apple Podcasts Subscriptions "remain audio-only at this time."
Does Apple charge for video?
Not to creators or hosts. Apple said it would charge participating ad networks an impression-based fee for dynamic ads in HLS video, starting later in 2026.
Is HLS video available everywhere?
Apple says HLS video "may not be available in all countries and regions" (Apple Podcasts for Creators). Apple Podcasts itself is available in more than 170 countries and regions (Apple Newsroom).
