- India isn't on Spotify's Partner Program market lists
- What the Partner Program asks for, so you know what you're missing
- Paid subscriptions don't cover India either
- What Spotify does offer podcasters in India
- Routes for Indian podcasters while the Partner Program is closed
- Getting paid in rupees
- Frequently asked questions
India isn't on Spotify's Partner Program market lists, so Indian podcasters can't join it today, and paid Subscriptions via Spotify don't list India either. Direct brand deals, Open Access and YouTube are the routes that can pay in rupees.
If you host a podcast from Mumbai, Delhi or Bengaluru and you've read that Spotify now pays podcasters, I need to slow you down. Spotify does pay some podcasters through its Partner Program, but I checked its official market lists for India and found something you should know before you plan around it.
India isn't on Spotify's Partner Program market lists
Spotify's Partner Program page names the markets where the programme is currently available: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Monaco, the Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom, plus Canada, the United States, Australia and New Zealand. India isn't on that list.
Spotify also names a further set of markets that it says will be added next. It includes places such as Italy, Spain, Poland, Mexico, Brazil and Colombia. India isn't there either. Spotify adds that the markets may change from time to time, so the answer for India could change, but nothing published today puts it on the road map.
One requirement closes the door even for an Indian creator who found a loophole elsewhere: the programme asks for a legal address in an eligible market. That's a rule about where you legally are, and I'm not going to suggest ways around it.
What the Partner Program asks for, so you know what you're missing
For creators in eligible markets, Spotify asks for at least 3 published episodes, at least 2,000 consumption hours on Spotify in the last 30 days and an audience count of at least 1,000 in the same period. It pays a 50% share of recognised ad revenue. To keep your place, you need to have published an episode and earned at least 10 US dollars in any 6 month period.
Payouts go through Spotify Payouts, and you can't earn until you've set up your details. Two-step verification becomes compulsory if you earn 1,000 US dollars or more in a month. Those are the rules a creator would meet, once India is open, and they show it's a programme for shows with real listening hours, not a switch you flick on.
Paid subscriptions don't cover India either
Subscriptions via Spotify let a podcaster put episodes behind a monthly fee. Spotify's list of regions where listeners can subscribe to a paid show has only two Asian entries: Hong Kong and Singapore. India isn't one of them.
There is a route in the same family that doesn't come with a country list. Spotify's Open Access subscriptions work through a partner platform such as Patreon or Supporting Cast, and subscribers can listen to the paid show on Spotify. Spotify's page states no country limit for Open Access. Your payout in rupees then comes from the partner platform, not from Spotify, so read that platform's terms and payout rules before you start.
What Spotify does offer podcasters in India
In 2023 the Indian trade site afaqs reported that Spotify relaunched podcast creator programmes in India. One was a Managed Partner Program for existing podcasters, offering education, partner management support and editorial promotion. The other was PodStart, for creators new to podcasting on Spotify, starting with creators from social media. The report stated no money or payment terms, so these are growth programmes, not paid ones.
The same report gave some numbers worth knowing: one in four Spotify music listeners in India also listens to podcasts, and an earlier edition of the Managed Partner Program included over 40 creators across genres and languages, including Hindi, Tamil and English. Treat that as a 2023 snapshot, and check Spotify for Creators for what's running now.
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Routes for Indian podcasters while the Partner Program is closed
| Route | Available in India? | Source checked |
|---|---|---|
| Spotify Partner Program | No, India isn't on the market lists | Spotify Partner Program page |
| Subscriptions via Spotify | No, India isn't on the paid-show regions list | Spotify paid shows page |
| Open Access subscriptions (Patreon and similar) | No country limit stated | Spotify monetization options page |
| Managed Partner Program and PodStart | Yes, reported for India, no payment terms | afaqs report |
| YouTube video podcast with Partner Program | Yes, India is on YouTube's list | YouTube Help country list |
| Direct brand deals | Yes, no platform rule involved | Your own agreements |
The YouTube route deserves a second look. India is on YouTube's Partner Program list, and channel memberships and Super Chat are available to eligible creators there. Uploading your episodes as video is a way to earn from the same recordings. Spotify's own sponsorship tool for video episodes needs Partner Program enrolment, so it isn't part of the Indian route today. Direct deals, with an Indian brand paying in rupees, don't depend on any programme list.
For ideas that don't hinge on one platform, my guide to uncommon ways to earn money from podcasting is a good next read, and the podcast hosting tools guide helps you pick where to host.
Getting paid in rupees
The Indian rupee is issued by the Reserve Bank of India and divided into 100 paisa. For any deal paid by an overseas platform, ask your bank about conversion rates and incoming-payment fees. YouTube's own help gives an India example of a tax treaty bringing US withholding down to 15 percent instead of 30 percent, which is a reminder that tax treatment depends on your situation. A local accountant is the right person to ask.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Spotify Partner Program available in India?
No. India isn't on Spotify's list of markets where the Partner Program is available, nor on the list of markets Spotify says will be added next.
Can Indian podcasters earn from Spotify subscriptions?
Spotify's list of regions for paid show subscriptions includes only Hong Kong and Singapore in Asia, so Subscriptions via Spotify aren't listed for India. Open Access subscriptions through a partner platform state no country limit.
What does the Spotify Partner Program require?
At least 3 published episodes, 2,000 consumption hours and 1,000 audience count in the last 30 days, plus a legal address in an eligible market.
Does Spotify have programmes for Indian podcasters?
afaqs reported in 2023 that Spotify relaunched a Managed Partner Program and PodStart in India. They offer education and promotion, and the report gave no payment terms.
How else can I earn from a podcast in India?
Brand deals paid directly, subscription platforms that work with Spotify Open Access, and publishing episodes as video on YouTube, where India is on the Partner Program list.
