By Chuck Finney, President
If you think Christian podcast listeners are flocking to Apple Podcasts and Spotify, the 2025 Finney Media Why Listen® Survey tells a different story.
Among listeners of Hybrid (Teaching & Music) stations who heard a Christian podcast online in the past week, their favorite destination is a station or ministry app (49%). YouTube follows closely at 43 percent, with station and ministry websites reaching 36 percent. Meanwhile, Apple Podcasts (14%) and Spotify (12%) are far behind.
For All-Teaching station listeners, YouTube takes the crown at 50 percent. Station and ministry apps (46%) and websites (46%) are close behind, creating a three-way race at the top. Spotify (12%) and Apple Podcasts (11%) remain secondary choices.
The big takeaway? Christian podcast listeners aren’t just looking for content—they’re connecting directly with trusted ministries and stations. Or they are connecting through YouTube. Whether through an app, a website, or YouTube, they’re choosing platforms that keep them close to the voices they know best.
And what about Google Play, iHeart, and TuneIn? They’re all under 10 percent, making them bit players in a podcast landscape dominated by ministry-owned platforms and YouTube.
Coming in July: The heart of the Finney Media Why Listen® Survey. We compare the Top Main Reasons Hybrid and Teaching listeners listen. It’s very much about Biblical reasons.
