Acast’s Podcast Pulse 2026: The Format Argument Is Over - Audiences Ended It

Historically, the media industry treated audio, video, and social as competing silos. Acast’s annual Podcast Pulse 2026 report, released today, reveals that audience behavior has shattered those boundaries - proving that in podcasting, what people consume is no longer a format choice but a context choice, driven by daily routines.

For podcasters, this means multi-format distribution is about flexible audience reach - not a mandatory shift to video production. For advertisers, it means the potential audience is bigger than any single format can reach.

The study reveals that 78% of fans globally consume podcasts across two or more formats, moving fluidly between long-form audio, video feeds, and podcast clips on social media based on where they are and what they’re doing. Multi-format consumption expands core audio rather than replacing it: 88% of fans actively consume both audio and video (up ten points from last year), while 10% remain dedicated audio-only listeners (and pure video sits at just 2%). Demonstrating this real-world fluidity, 63% of listeners start an episode in one format and finish it in another, with three-quarters switching apps mid-story to do so.

"The industry spent years arguing over formats, but audiences moved on long ago," said Greg Glenday, CEO at Acast. "A podcast fan’s decision isn’t driven by format loyalty; it’s driven by whether they’re driving at 7 AM or on the couch at 9 PM. Once you see that, the audio-versus-video debate stops being interesting, and a much better commercial opportunity takes its place."

Trust is moving in the same direction. 42% of fans now trust brand and product recommendations from podcasters, up nine points from 2025 - the only creator source to gain ground over the year. Journalists (31%), YouTubers (29%), celebrities (25%) and social media influencers (25%) all held flat or declined.

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Multiple Moments, One Connected Audience

Drawing from 4,300 respondents across 13 markets, Podcast Pulse 2026 maps how daily context dictates what audiences listen to, watch, and buy across four of the moments where the data was loudest:

• Companion (screen-free reach): Audio dominates screenless moments, with 64% confirming podcasts are a daily companion. Conversion is exceptionally high, with 80% of audio listeners taking direct action post-episode.

• Settled (co-viewing at scale): 55% of fans co-view video podcasts on a Connected TV, making it podcasting’s primary screen moment where an advertiser reaches a room. Delivering results, 48% say video podcast ads increase brand recall.

• Scroll (the discovery engine): Social video clips are the main audience growth driver, with 63% of clip viewers converting into full-episode podcast consumers.

• Live (commercial advocacy at scale): Live event attendance has surged 80% since 2024 (1 in 3 fans), driving high-intent commerce: 28% buy from event sponsors, and 34% post user-generated content.

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What This Means for Advertisers

In a multi-format environment, context solves the industry's biggest media buying challenge: ad decay. Fans don't stay in one place, so a brand doesn't have to repeat itself constantly in one place to be remembered. When people meet a brand across both audio and social clips, 1 in 3 pay it maximum attention - more than they give a message repeated inside a single show. 

"Meet a fan in one moment, and you’ve met part of their day," added Glenday. "Meet them across several, and you’ve met the whole person. That’s the cross-format strategy we’ve built Acast to deliver."

The findings reflect Acast’s global position, connecting 140,000+ creators with advertisers across audio, video, and social feeds. Through an open approach - from partnering with Apple Podcasts to targeted network expansions like Backyard Ventures - Acast provides brands with seamless reach across every consumption moment.

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To read the full Podcast Pulse 2026 report, visit acast.com/pulse

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Methodology

Podcast Pulse 2026 is based on a survey of 4,300 respondents aged 16 to 64 across 13 markets, conducted by independent research firm Differentology, in August 2026. Figures describing all fans are based on the full sample. Figures describing format consumers are based on that format’s own audience base.