How to start a podcast on Spotify (for free)

Spotify lists podcasts from RSS feeds. A podcast host stores your audio files and creates the feed. You submit that feed to Spotify once, and every new episode appears automatically.

There are two common routes: use Spotify for Creators, Spotify's own free hosting, or use another host and submit your feed to Spotify. The second gets you onto every other app at the same time.

• A show name and a one-paragraph description
• Square cover art, at least 1400 by 1400 pixels, ideally 3000 by 3000
• At least one finished, edited episode
• A category and whether the show contains explicit content
• An email address you check, which is used to verify ownership

See podcast cover art ideas and podcast name ideas if you are still deciding.

Spotify for Creators is free and puts your show on Spotify directly. It can also give you an RSS feed for other apps. It is a reasonable choice if Spotify is your main focus.

If you want your show everywhere and want recording, editing and publishing in one place, use a host that submits to Spotify for you. Hilite creates the RSS feed and publishes to Spotify, Apple Podcasts and other platforms from the same place you edit. See how to publish a podcast on Spotify and Apple Podcasts with Hilite.

If you use another host, sign in to Spotify for Creators, choose to add an existing podcast, paste your RSS feed, verify ownership by email, and add your category and details. New shows often appear within hours, though it can take longer.

Step-by-step instructions are in how to publish a podcast on Spotify.

Spotify adjusts playback volume so episodes play at a similar loudness. Episodes mixed too quiet or too loud can sound worse after that adjustment. See Spotify audio normalization for the target levels.

Ask listeners to follow the show and rate it on Spotify. Use clear episode titles and descriptions, since Spotify search reads them. Share episode links from Spotify on social media so listeners land where they can follow in one tap.