Netflix is making a big bet on video podcasts
is a news writer who covers the streaming wars, consumer tech, crypto, social media, and much more. Previously, she was a writer and editor at MUO.
Netflix is no longer just a home for TV shows, movies, documentaries, and live WWE matches — soon, you’ll be able to stream video podcasts, too. The streaming giant announced on Tuesday that it’s partnering with Spotify’s podcast studio and The Ringer to offer 16 series on its platform, including The Bill Simmons Podcast, Conspiracy Theories, as well as The Ringer’s shows on the NFL, NBA, Fantasy Football, and F1.
The podcasts will appear on Netflix in the US starting in 2026 before expanding to other countries. As part of the deal, the shows won’t appear “in their entirety” on YouTube, according to a report from The New York Times. Not only is YouTube Netflix’s biggest rival, it also tops Spotify and Apple Music as the most popular podcast streaming platform, raking in more than 1 billion listeners each month. Video podcasts, which show hosts during their conversations, are becoming increasingly popular as creators try to expand their reach across social media.
Netflix won’t show commercial breaks for this first round of video podcasts, but Spotify’s ads within the podcasts will remain, the Times reports. The streaming service already produces several podcasts about its shows, like You Cannot Make This Up, Skip Intro, and We Have the Receipts, which also appear on YouTube. In April, Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos hinted at bringing podcasts to the platform during an earnings call, saying, “As the popularity of video podcasts grow, I suspect you’ll see some of them find their way to Netflix.”
It sounds like Spotify has more plans to expand the reach of its podcasts, too, as the company says it aims to “bring similar opportunities to a wider range of creators” in the future. You can view the full list of podcasts coming to Netflix on the company’s website.
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