Podcast ads in Australia typically cost $9 to $30 per thousand listens for a produced ad and $65 to $80 for a host read, on the 2026 figures we see. A first test can start from about $1,000 in media, with production and any agency fee on top.
Treat those as a working guide: every show prices differently. Our podcast advertising page covers how we plan campaigns. This post is about the money.
What does CPM mean?
Podcast media is mostly sold on CPM: cost per thousand. It is the price of your ad being heard 1,000 times.
Divide your budget by the CPM, then multiply by 1,000. That is roughly how many times your ad will play.
A play is not a person. Someone who hears your ad in three episodes counts three times. For most brands, that repetition is part of the point.
What does $1,000, $5,000 or $10,000 buy?
An illustration only, using the ends of what we typically see in 2026. Media only, rounded plays.
$1,000 buys about 111,000 plays at $9 CPM, 33,000 at $30, 15,000 at $65 and 12,500 at $80.
$5,000 buys about 556,000, 167,000, 77,000 and 62,500.
$10,000 buys about 1.1 million, 333,000, 154,000 and 125,000.
The same $10,000 buys nearly nine times as many plays at the cheapest produced rate as at the dearest host read. So the real question is what each play is worth to you.
Why do host reads cost so much more?
We would always say a host read is the best ad in podcasting. It is also the most expensive.
A host read is the host talking about your brand in their own voice, to people who chose to spend 20 minutes or a few hours with them. Listeners trust hosts they love in a way they rarely trust influencers. In our experience, recall and conversion beat display ads by a long way. You pay for that trust.
A produced ad costs a fraction of that and lets you test and scale. Make it with headphones in mind. A radio ad cut down to fit a podcast sounds exactly like that.
What pushes the price up?
Host reads. The biggest single jump, from the top of the produced range to $65 or more.
Context. Shows that closely match your audience, by topic or listener, cost more than a general run.
Tight targeting. The narrower the audience you ask for, the higher the CPM.
The biggest shows. Hamish and Andy or Shameless are out of reach for most budgets. You can still look and learn: listen to how those hosts talk about their sponsors, and brief your own hosts the same way.
The good news: mid-size niche shows have tighter communities that convert, and cost far less per thousand. To see who leads each category, Triton Digital publishes the Australian Podcast Ranker every month, ranked by monthly listeners.
How are podcast ads bought in Australia?
Through the podcast networks. We are members of the IMAA (Independent Media Agencies of Australia), which gets our clients strong rates with our podcast vendors.
Spotify, bought direct. Spotify sits outside those rates, so we buy in its own platform. Its audio ads can come with a clickable banner.
Acast, bought direct. Again, in its own platform.
A host read can be recorded into the episode, so you stay in it for as long as the deal runs. Or an ad can be inserted into whichever episodes are downloaded that week, back catalogue included. Ask which one you are being quoted for.
What sits outside the media cost?
Production. A produced ad needs a script, a voice and a studio. Ask for a quote before you set your budget.
The agency fee. Ours is separate from the media. Retainers start at $5,500 + GST a month. If you want one campaign planned and bought, The Lab starts from $5,000 + GST.
Where would we start?
With a test of about $1,000 in media on shows that fit your audience, once Meta and Google are working and your tracking is set: a landing page, a promo code for host reads, and whatever the publisher needs.
Podcasts are rarely the right first channel. The exception is a founder who is a guest on the show. Out of context, podcast ads are a waste of money.
Done well, podcasting is still some of the most underpriced attention you can buy.
FAQ
What is a typical podcast CPM in Australia?
On what we typically see in 2026, $9 to $30 for produced ads and $65 to $80 for host reads. Where you land depends on the show, the context and how tightly you target.
How much do I need to start podcast advertising?
A sensible first test can start from about $1,000 in media. Add production if you need a produced ad, plus any agency fee.
Are host-read ads worth the extra cost?
If the fit is right, usually yes, because trust in the host lifts recall and response. If you are still testing what to say, produced ads let you learn for a fraction of the price.
Next step
If you want a costed plan for your first test, see how we run podcast advertising or get in touch.
Book a free Growth Plan. Thirty minutes with the person who would do the work. No deck, no pitch.