Spotify is rolling out Memberships in 34 markets, letting podcasters charge their biggest fans for extra content, the company officially announced. Creators will be able to keep 90% of the revenue.
Each creator decides what a membership includes: exclusive audio or video, bonus episodes, fewer ads, early access, a show’s archive, or all of it. Those perks can be packaged across several tiers and prices.
Fans can find the offer on a show’s Spotify page, and both Free and Premium users can join. In a statement to TechCrunch, Spotify says that memberships are bought on the web, not through in-app purchases. Once you’ve joined, member content plays right in Spotify.
Shows hosted on Spotify for Creators or Megaphone qualify with three published episodes, 100 listeners or viewers, and 100 consumption hours on Spotify in the previous 30 days. Members that join get a badge when they comment on episodes, and creators can greet new ones with welcome clips. Creators also get targeted promotions, free trials, analytics on what drives sign-ups and an export of member data, including contact details from fans who choose to share them.
Among the first shows offering memberships are The Adam Friedland Show, Making Sense with Sam Harris, The Shawn Ryan Show, The Sculpt Society and Two Hot Takes. YMH Studios is adding them to 12 shows across its network.
Memberships start in the US, the UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Singapore, Switzerland, Norway and 25 countries in the European Union (EU). Sadly, no Philippines yet. Eligible creators can set one up now through Spotify for Creators or Megaphone.
