Brandwave

Apple Podcasts vs Spotify:Which is more popular by branded search?

In August 2026, Spotify had more branded searches than Apple Podcasts among podcast apps worldwide. Spotify was estimated to have 55.6M branded searches compared to Apple Podcasts’ 201K, and held a 99.5% Share of Search versus Apple Podcasts’ 0.36%. These are worldwide searches for English-language branded terms.

Share of Search among podcast apps worldwide in August 2026Which is more popular in search, Apple Podcasts or Spotify?
Apple Podcasts0.36%201K searches
vs
Spotify99.5%55.6M searches
Add a brand to this comparison

Follow Apple Podcasts vs Spotify and get free monthly updates on what changed

By continuing you'll get index updates and occasional product news from Brandwave. Unsubscribe any time. Privacy

Track your brand against a rival →

Which is more popular in search, Apple Podcasts or Spotify?

Compare the apps people listen to podcasts in. Branded searches tell you how often people look for a brand by name or related terms. Comparing these searches across competitors helps you see how popular each brand is over time.

Apple Podcasts and Spotify among podcast apps worldwide, by month

Share of Search by month for Spotify, Apple Podcasts. The figures are in the table below the chart.

View monthly share of search table
MonthSpotifyApple PodcastsOvercastPocket CastsCastbox
Oct 202599.6%0.29%0.07%0.04%0.03%
Nov 202599.6%0.29%0.07%0.04%0.03%
Dec 202599.6%0.29%0.07%0.04%0.03%
Jan 202699.5%0.36%0.09%0.05%0.02%
Feb 202699.5%0.36%0.07%0.05%0.03%
Mar 202699.6%0.29%0.07%0.04%0.02%
Apr 202699.6%0.29%0.07%0.04%0.02%
May 202699.6%0.29%0.07%0.03%0.02%
Jun 202699.6%0.29%0.07%0.03%0.02%
Jul 202699.5%0.3%0.09%0.04%0.03%
Aug 202699.5%0.36%0.09%0.04%0.03%
Sep 2026—————

How has the Apple Podcasts and Spotify comparison changed over the last 12 months?

  • Spotify was ahead of Apple Podcasts in every measured month of the 11 months ending August 2026.
  • Across the 11 months ending August 2026, Apple Podcasts’ estimated Share of Search among podcast apps worldwide moved from 0.29% to 0.36%, and its estimated monthly branded searches held steady at 201K.
  • Across the 11 months ending August 2026, Spotify’s estimated Share of Search among podcast apps worldwide moved from 99.6% to 99.5%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 68M to 55.6M.

How did search popularity change for podcast apps worldwide in August 2026?

  1. Estimated monthly branded searches for Spotify worldwide fell 18.2% over 11 measured months, from 68M to 55.6M in August 2026.

How each brand is measured

Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Apple Podcasts’ and Spotify’s names. When viewed over time, estimated search volumes for these branded terms can be used to understand whether interest in the brands is growing, holding steady, or fading.

Apple Podcasts

1 branded search term

  • apple podcasts

Spotify

1 branded search term

  • spotify

How the Brand Demand Index is measured

Creator with pink hair and a pink jacket

Put your own brand in this comparison

Brandwave tracks your branded demand next to the rival you actually watch, with your campaigns, spend and outcomes on the same timeline.

Start free