I hear it all the time. Someone reaches out, they’re excited about starting a podcast, they’ve got a clear vision for what they want to create, and then right before they commit, they say it: “But there are already so many podcasts out there. Is there really room for another one?”
Here’s what I tell them every single time.
The Numbers Tell a Very Different Story
As of 2025 and 2026, there are roughly 4.5 to 4.6 million podcasts indexed across major directories worldwide. That sounds like a lot. But here’s the number that actually matters: only about 440,000 of those podcasts are considered active. And only 15% of podcasts listed on Apple Podcasts have released an episode in the last 90 days.
Let that sink in.
Eighty-five percent of the competition you are afraid of has already dropped off. The market isn’t too crowded. Most people who started a podcast gave up. And the ones who stick around, who show up week after week and keep publishing, those are the people who build audiences and authority over time.
Consistency is your biggest competitive advantage in podcasting, and it costs nothing except commitment.
What Quitting Actually Looks Like
I recently came across a podcast from a creator in Minnesota who had a genuinely engaged Instagram audience. She had built out a podcast with a real website, blog posts, thoughtful episodes, the whole setup. And then she stopped after about ten or eleven episodes.
It wasn’t a bad podcast. It just wasn’t maintained. And now that audience she built on Instagram has no podcast to point to, no long-form content to reference, no owned platform that reflects her depth.
That’s what dropping off looks like. And it’s incredibly common. If you can outlast the people who quit, you are already ahead.
Your Experience Has Never Been Shared Before
The second argument I hear is slightly different. It goes something like, “Okay, but my topic specifically has way too many shows.” Let’s say it’s a leadership podcast. Yes, there are many leadership podcasts. But there is not one with your leadership experience.
Why Perspective Is the Differentiator
Even if you and a colleague have worked side by side for your entire careers, you do not have the same story. You didn’t process the same challenges the same way. You didn’t come to the same conclusions. Your background, your context, your takeaways are yours alone.
People do not listen to podcasts just for information. They listen because they connect with the person sharing it. The podcast topic gets you in the search results. Your voice and your experience are what keep people coming back.
Your lived experience is not a footnote to your podcast. It is the podcast.
Your Podcast Is Your Marketing Platform
The third argument is the one that reframes everything. When people ask why they need their own podcast when there are already shows covering their niche, I ask them a simple question: are you going to use someone else’s show to market your brand?
Owned Media Is the Foundation
You can appear on other podcasts as a guest. I actually recommend it. But that audience belongs to the host, not to you. If you want to build a following that is connected to your brand, your offers, and your message, you need your own platform. Your podcast is owned media. It is an asset that compounds over time.
Guesting is a strategy. Your own show is the foundation.
If you have been sitting on the idea of starting a podcast in 2026 because you’re convinced the space is too crowded, I want you to reconsider. Most of the competition has already quit. No one else has your story. And the best marketing you can do for your business is content that lives on a platform you own.
The only thing standing between you and your podcast is the decision to start.
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