Podcast fans are embracing video, but not abandoning audio

Forget whether the future of podcasting is audio or video, the reality is far less binary, fresh research from Acast has found.

The podcast company’s annual Podcast Pulse 2026 report shows that fans increasingly move between the two rather than sticking to a single format, often choosing how to consume a show based on what they are doing at a given point in the day.

Audio is more popular when people are commuting, short clips win during lunchtime when people want to discover more shows, while video is more likely to be watched when people are winding down in the evening.

Some 88% of podcast fans globally now consume both audio and video, up ten percentage points from last year, the report found. Meanwhile, 78% consume podcasts in more than one format and 63% have started an episode in one format before finishing it in another.

Just 2% of fans exclusively watch podcasts, compared with 10% who only listen, Acast found.

The findings shed fresh light on the debate around video podcasts, as major platforms have increasingly invested in the format.

Earlier this year, Apple rolled out video podcasts, bringing it closer to rivals including Spotify and YouTube.

At the time, Diary of a CEO co-founder Jack Sylvester told The Daily Influence the move should serve as a “wake-up call” for creators still operating audio-only.

He argued that filming a podcast makes it easier for shows to reach new audiences through social media and can open up more opportunities to build businesses around them.

Acast chief executive Greg Glenday said the findings show formats are not a zero sum game.

“The podcast industry is obsessed with formats and platforms. Audio here, video there, social somewhere else: all being compared and contrasted, rallied for or rallied against.

“Audiences don't think that way. They're invested in the creators they love, and they support them wherever they go. Nine in ten follow their favorite podcasters somewhere beyond the podcast itself. What they pick is simply whatever fits the moment or mood they're in.”

Acast has itself expanded its own video offering, last month opening video publishing on Apple Podcasts to all eligible creators – allowing people to watch or listen to the same show.

Podcasters outrank journalists on trust

The report also found podcasters are becoming a more trusted source of product and brand recommendations.

Some 42% of podcast fans said they trust recommendations from podcasters, up nine percentage points from 2025. That puts them ahead of journalists at 31%, YouTubers at 29%, and celebrities and social media influencers, both at 25%.

Acast said podcasters were the only creator group measured to see trust increase over the past year, while YouTubers, celebrities and social media influencers either stayed flat or declined.

The finding builds on research Acast presented earlier this year, when Glenday argued that the relationship podcast hosts build with regular listeners makes them a higher-trust alternative to traditional influencer marketing.

Podcast Pulse 2026 was conducted by research firm Differentology in August, surveying 4,300 people aged 16 to 64 across 13 markets.