Podcasts have changed so much since I first started listening to them in 2005. I still fondly remember downloading them on iTunes and connecting my iPod to the computer. According to Forbes, the podcasting industry generated less than $100 million a decade ago. Now, it’s a $9 billion business that includes licensing deals and brand sponsorships. A 2025 report found that 53% of Americans listened to a podcast every month. There’s so much money in podcasting now that Forbes released their first-ever list of highest-paid podcasters. The top earners include Joe Rogan, Alex Cooper, and the Kelce brothers. Here’s the Top 15:

Forbes compiled a list of the highest-paid podcasters in the space. Among them is Jay Shetty, who kickstarted his podcast “On Purpose” in 2019. He spoke to the outlet about how it has transformed throughout the years in a medium where visuals weren’t initially popular.

“Now we had the four largest streamers bidding for the show,” Shetty said in an interview with Forbes. “To see that kind of interest and enthusiasm was pretty amazing – for me and for the industry overall.”

Here are the top paid podcasters for 2026, according to Forbes.

Joe Rogan (“The Joe Rogan Experience”) – $82 million

John Coogan and Jordi Hays (“TBPN”) – $70 million

Steven Bartlett (“The Diary of a CEO) – $45 million

Ashley Flowers (“Crime Junkie”) – $42 million

Will Arnett, Jason Bateman, Sean Hayes (“SmartLess”) – $37 million

Mel Robbins (“The Mel Robbins Podcast”) – $35 million

Jason and Travis Kelce (“New Heights”) – $35 million

Alex Cooper (“Call Her Daddy”) – $32 million

Jon Favreau, Jon Lovett, Dan Pfeiffer and Tommy Vietor (“Pod Saves America”) – $28 million

Charlamagne Tha God (“The Breakfast Club”) – $27 million

Dax Shepard (“Armchair Expert”) – $25 million

Amy Poehler (“Good Hang”) – $24 million

Bill Simmons (“The Bill Simmons Podcast”) – $22 million

Jay Shetty (“On Purpose”) – $21 million

Joe Budden (“The Joe Budden Podcast”) – $20 million

[From USA Today]

Chelsea Handler had the same reaction as I did about Rogan being at the top spot: “82 million to be completely uninformed and say ‘whoopsie doodle,’ every time he’s wrong, which is FREQUENT?” I mean, what’s a little bit of buyer’s remorse for helping fast-track fascism when you have eight figures to cry into? That’s so depressing, as is the fact that this list is dominated by already-wealthy people who came in and took over a medium that started as something created by hobbyists.

None of the names on this list are surprising, including the Kelces and the SmartLess crew. I’m surprised to learn that Ashley Flowers makes so much for Crime Junkie. I knew that was the top true crime pod, but had no idea she was making that kind of dough. Good for her. She’s one of the few women to make the list. I’m actually shocked that Pod Save America came in higher than Tucker Carlson, who “only” made $20 million. Right-wing political media dominates on YouTube, so that gap feels significant.