Sounds Profitable’s Podcast Landscape 2026 finds U.S. podcast reach holding steady while Netflix cracks the top three platforms in its first year carrying podcasts.

From a census-weighted survey of 5,473 U.S. adults, past-year podcast apps put YouTube first (63%), Spotify second (33%), and Netflix third (21%), ahead of Apple Podcasts (15%).

Only about 5% named Netflix most-used; purpose-built podcast apps keep shrinking as most-used choice (19%→15%), while video podcasts and co-viewing keep rising.

Illustrative podcast-platform rank bars, landscape-grid tiles, and third-place marker geometry — not service logos or likenesses.

https://ishookdaily.com/sounds-profitable-podcast-landscape-2026-netflix-third-october-2026