Spotify
The largest audio streaming service, selling audio, video and podcast ads to free listeners.
Stockholm, Sweden · founded 2006 · ads.spotify.com
SPOT NYSE
What Spotify does
Spotify offers a free, ad-supported tier alongside paid Premium. Free listeners hear audio ads between songs and see display and video ads in the app; podcast ads are inserted dynamically (dynamic ad insertion) so each listener can hear different ads.
It sells through its own Ads Manager, the Spotify Audience Network (which includes third-party podcasts) and, since 2025, the Spotify Ad Exchange that lets DSPs buy programmatically.
How it makes money
Mostly Premium subscriptions; advertising on the free tier and podcasts is a smaller but strategic share.
Where it meets invalid traffic
Audio and podcast ads can be hit by fake streams and spoofed downloads; Spotify's logged-in environment helps, and programmatic audio buyers still use outside verification.
Products
- Spotify Ads Manager
- Spotify Audience Network
- Spotify Ad Exchange
- Megaphone