Study Finds Podcasting Faces Retention Hurdle.

A third of everyone who has ever created a podcast has stopped doing so, according to a new Sounds Profitable study that warns the industry’s creator base is expanding — but not sustaining itself. The Creators 2025 report says although entry barriers are lowering, sustainability barriers remain high. Of the 17 of podcast consumers who have tried creating a podcast, one in three (32%) have abandoned their efforts.

The study also provides new clarity about who is most likely to leave podcasting behind. Some groups show significantly higher abandonment rates than others, underscoring that the creator economy’s retention challenges are not evenly distributed.

LGBTQ+ creators and adults aged 55 and older experience the steepest drop-off, with churn rates at 40%. Hispanic creators, who also show the highest overall engagement with an 18% participation rate, see a 35% churn rate, indicating that strong entry does not necessarily translate into long-term sustainability. Men, at 33%, and White creators, also at 33%, show above-average levels of quitting. In contrast, Asian creators have the lowest rate of abandonment at 23%, followed by Black creators at 27%. Women creators show a 31% churn rate, slightly better than men. The report calls this retention challenge one of the most pressing issues facing the podcast ecosystem.

“We celebrate new creators every year, but rarely stop to question why so many stop. Now we know that 6% of the podcast universe knows how to create podcasts but have stopped, which is a retention issue to address,” says Sounds Profitable partner Tom Webster.

Even as creators exit, the format itself is shifting fast. The survey finds 71% of active creators now produce video, either exclusively or in combination with audio, while 29% remain audio-only. The shift reflects a broader realignment toward platforms like YouTube, which have become central to podcast discovery and consumption.

“The data shows creators are choosing different paths — some video, some audio, many doing both,” says Webster. “What matters most isn’t which format they choose, but whether they’re creating in formats they actually consume themselves. That alignment is what separates creators who stick with it from those who burn out.”

The study reveals a potential friction point. One of the study’s most revealing findings is a disconnect between what creators make and what they prefer to consume. Lapsed creators match video-creator demographics across nine of 12 segments, suggesting many produced video podcasts. But their consumption looks markedly audio-first. They over-index on AM/FM radio, audiobooks, and audio streaming, and 51% use YouTube as an audio-only platform. Only 0.8% expect podcasts to be video-only. The report suggests this misalignment between “what creators make” and “what they personally consume” may be a key driver of burnout.

“What matters most isn’t which format they choose, but whether they’re creating in formats they actually consume themselves. That alignment is what separates creators who stick with it from those who burn out,” Webster says.

High production burdens, format misalignment, and demographic-specific challenges also contribute to the churn.

The Creators 2025 is based upon an online study of 5,035 Americans age 18 and older, conducted by Signal Hill Insights. The study also highlights a structural gender divide. Men create podcasts at nearly double the rate of women — 15% vs. 8% — yet women show slightly stronger retention at 69% vs. 67% for men.“Women aren’t quitting podcasting more than men — they’re just not starting. That’s an entry problem, not a commitment problem,” Webster says. “When one group creates at half the rate but retains at higher rates, that suggests structural barriers to entry. Understanding and addressing those barriers represents a significant growth opportunity for the industry.”

Download the full report HERE.