Audio podcast vs. video podcast: which is right for beginners? Compare costs, equipment, and the latest 2026 data from Indonesia before you pick a format.
The question of audio podcast vs. video podcast comes up almost every time someone decides to start their own show. The answer is more complicated than it was a few years ago, because listener habits have shifted toward video.
Edison Research found that video podcast consumption passed audio-only for the first time in the third quarter of 2025. Among weekly active consumers, 82 percent watched video, while 78 percent only listened to audio. In 2023, the numbers were the other way around: 89 percent for audio and 73 percent for video.
Even so, video has not replaced audio. Triton Digital found that only 7 percent of consumers watch video exclusively, while 80 percent both watch and listen. Cumulus Media reported that 53 percent of weekly active consumers watch, 23 percent listen with the video minimized, and 24 percent choose audio only.
Podcast Listening Habits in Indonesia
A Snapcart survey in March 2026 covered 1,638 respondents in Indonesia. Of those, 76 percent used YouTube or YouTube Music to enjoy podcasts. Spotify came second at 16 percent, followed by Apple Podcasts at 3 percent.
A Populix survey conducted September 1–3, 2026, covered 1,075 internet users across 34 provinces. Video podcasts had been consumed by 72 percent of respondents in the past 30 days, compared with 45 percent for audio podcasts. These figures show that Indonesian audiences are more familiar with the video format.
On frequency, 43 percent of Snapcart respondents listened to podcasts less than once a week, while 17 percent listened every day. Comedy was the favorite genre at 33 percent, followed by education at 30 percent. And 67 percent of respondents enjoyed podcasts while relaxing at home. Beginners should settle on a clear topic before thinking about format.
Audio vs. Video Podcasts for Beginners
The easiest way to compare audio and video podcasts is by startup cost and working time. A basic audio setup costs about USD 100. A beginner only needs one microphone and a quiet room, and editing is faster, too.
Video requires a camera, lighting, and a tidy background. Editing takes longer because of the footage and clip cuts. That workload often overwhelms beginners early on.
| Aspect | Audio Podcast | Video Podcast |
|---|---|---|
| Startup cost | Low | Higher |
| Editing time | Short | Longer |
| Main platforms | Spotify and Apple Podcasts | YouTube |
| How listeners find you | Podcast app search | Recommendations and clips |
| How it’s enjoyed | Can be enjoyed while doing other things | Requires watching the screen |
Still, video has a reach that is hard to ignore. YouTube says podcast content on its platform has more than 1 billion monthly active viewers. In October 2025, viewers also spent more than 700 million hours per month watching podcasts on living room devices.
Meltwater analyzed online conversations from March through August 2026. Conversations about video podcasts grew 39 percent, while audio grew 21 percent. On average, a single video podcast post drew 341 interactions, compared with 273 for audio. Even so, audio still has far more conversation volume: 10.8 million posts versus 908,456 for video.
Consistency still matters more than format. Podcast Index counts 4.74 million podcast feeds, but only about 9.8 percent have released an episode in the past 90 days. Many beginners quit before reaching their 10th episode.