Why do i have ads on my podcasts even with premium?

[ToastMaster791]

This has only been a recent issue for me (the last 2 months maybe), but it's been a constant thing with every podcast I listen to.

Each time I go to listen to a podcast, it opens up immediately with a 1-2 minute ad, then periodically sometimes in the middle of sentences another 1-2 minute ad starts playing.

If I pay every month for "no ads" how come I'm getting them now? I've been re-listening to a podcast I love which had no ads whatsoever even before I had premium, and now all of the sudden ads are everywhere in these episodes.

So what's happening? Why do I pay monthly for something that doesn't even give me what I pay for? I'm thinking of switching apps because this is just frustrating.

[ToastMaster791]

Hey, I want to clarify here.  Podcasts usually include some advertising. This has been the case since the early days of podcasts, and continues to be true today, including on Spotify. Even as a Premium user, you may receive advertising or sponsored messages when playing a podcast. If you are a Premium user, you will still enjoy an ad-free music listening experience but this doesn't apply to podcasts. We don't offer premium podcast subscriptions. 

[Briggany89]

I also have this problem, it started just after Christmas. I listened to podcasts that occasionally had ads in half way through, mopst of the podcasts never had ads.

Then Christmas cam around and I now get an add at the beginning of the podcast and then every 5 minutes I get 3 ads in a row containing ads for Americans (I live in the UK). I get you can skip them but I just listened to a 23 minute pod cast and had to listen to 6 sets of 3 ads each!

It really disrupts the flow of the pod casts and whats worse is that I listen to a podcast every night to fall asleep. So just as I am drifting off an really obnoxiously loud add break will come on and just wake me up.

What am I paying for premium for? @Anky17

[Booo1]

I have premium Spotify and YouTube accounts. Whether I play a podcast via Youtube, Incognito or via the paid account, there are no ads. When I use another podcast service, no ad. When I use my Spotify account, voila, ads, ads, ads! The same company advertised, is also geographically linked to my country, South Africa. Conclusion: Spotify is playing the ad. Supporting evidence: Only Spotify is inserting ads. State of mind: I don't tolerate misinformation. Action to take: I have had enough. Two months grace to my Spotify Duo partner and then:
Good bye
Spotify

[silvialanfranchi]

@Anyk17 you're wrong. I'm a podcaster, I host my show on Spotify and at the beginning of my episodes Spotify puts very annoying gambling advertising. It's a topic that me or my listeners love, and the advertising is in English while my podcast is in Italian. I don't earn a cent by this advertising, and it's ruining the experience my listener have on my show. I'm very disappointed. 

[cupcakeshotgun]

Yup this is the same problem I have and they're pretending it's not happening. These aren't in stream ads by podcasters. These are ads that que before, after, and sometimes during podcasts. Advertising screen pops up and everything. It's awful that they're trying to gaslight us.

It's gotten so bad that the other day, I listened to maybe 15 seconds of a podcast before going back to music. After my song was done, a podcast ad played!!!

I don't even listen to podcasts anymore because of this nonsense.

What's even the point of premium?? Why are we paying SO much money just to get ads on podcast content??

[cupcakeshotgun]

You're so right! I used to do guided meditations on spotify, but how am I gonna relax when there are ads screaming in my ears constantly?

[cupcakeshotgun]

You're straight up wrong, and the fact that this got marked as the correct answer is corrupt AF.

[1155485398]

They replaced the 'generate similar' button with new 'services' that mean they control what you get served. Apparently even paid services get ads now. It's obvious some new people with different incentives have started to turn the knobs. And as always in the tech world, they will keep doing that until there is resistance, which there never is because people can't be bothered and accept services becoming sh#ttier as a fact of life. sigh.

[PurpleRabbit23]

I too am getting annoyed at all the ads. I don't have a lot of money to throw around just to listen to ads. SPOTIFY, YOU NEED TO DO BETTER. WE PAY TO LISTEN TO PODCASTS, NOT ADVERTISING. I AM ABOUT TO CANCEL MY SUBSCRIPTION. 

[SB_arrer]

I am also having this problem. Spotify support has confirmed that it is only MUSIC that is "ad-free" - but I haven't had any ads popping up in my podcasts until the last week or so. This is very frustrating and should be illegal - I'm paying for my service to be ad-free and you've decided to just NOT make it ad-free anymore, with no warning. There isn't any point for me to pay for a service if I can receive the same experience for free.

[pjrberg]

I've been listening to certain podcasts for months. Yes, the podcast includes ads. I have premium family and pay TWENTY bucks/month. Now all of a sudden I'm getting 3-4 "Spotify ads" (not third-party podcast ads) before my podcast will play. Total BS. If this continues, I'll cancel and just use my Pandora and apple podcasts app. 

[pjrberg]

Same. Been listening to the same podcasts for months. I'm used to their in-podcast ads. This is new -- these 3-4 minutes of spotify ads before the podcast even begins. Total BS. I'll just use Apple Podcasts from now on. Maybe the podcasters need to complain to spotify. 

[mgat]

Plan

Premium Duo

Country

USA

Device

Galaxy S23 Ultra

Operating System

Android

My Question or Issue

I noticed within the last week that ads have started playing BETWEEN podcasts. Whether I have them queued up or playing straight through. One podcast will end, there will be 5 or so 15-30 second ads that cannot be skipped (can be fast-forwarded) before the next podcast starts.

**PLEASE NOTE**

I am aware ads happen within podcasts as a way for podcasters to earn more money. That is not the issue, and has always been the case. This is happening OUTSIDE of the podcasts themselves, coming directly from Spotify.

I've seen this issue discussed elsewhere, but the answer seems to be either it's a bug that's been resolved (not for me, and I'm up to date from what I can tell) OR Spotify says "oh, well the music is ad free but the podcasts aren't." That's unacceptable. I pay to not hear ads. This is a sudden change in the plan that I didn't see any warning for. I love this app, but I'm willing to take my business elsewhere if the company just wants to shrug its shoulders and waste my time with ads so they can get a little more profit.

[FuVA]

Same problem, this started to happen a few weeks ago. Please fix that for Premium users.

[robrob23]

I found a way to fix the issue. Just listen to your podcast through YouTube Premium. Much better. 

[ericamss]

Pessoal, assino o spotfy para ouvir podcasts. Escuto musicas as vezes mas meu foco é podcasts. De um tempo para cá tem aparecido muitos anúncios no meio dos podcasts e to ficando bastante irritada com a frequência. Para que assino o premium? Ele só vale para quem escuta músicas? Eu que escuto podcast ponho dinheiro fora assinando pq não entrega o que preciso?! Se for assim vale mais a pena assinar youtube. Nem que cobrem mais, mas quero podcasts sem anúncios se não não faz sentido ser assinante. 

[Bobby_B]

Plan

Premium duo 

Country

Usa

Device

Galaxy s23

My Question or Issue

As the title suggests, i am getting ads before and after podcasts episodes. I only see spotify responses saying that podcasts can have embedded ads, which is not what is happening. I am having an advertisement pop up between episodes labeled "advertisement" with the title being "spotify - advertisement in progress". I oay for premium, why is this happening?

[erikerikerik]

thats what premium is supposed to be alteady. you should not be willing to pay for a new service that ”fixes the problem” theor greed created by screwing over paying subscribers.

[Sicarius001]

I know for a fact that the Podcast I am currently watching did not add ads, they directly say so every episode, yet I have one right now. Complete with its own UI elements in Spotify itself.  

[RubyRaves]

1. This is not a fair and honest practice. Nowhere in Spotify's advertising does it say you will experience ads if you pay extra for premium.  There is no caveat regarding what you listen to and how premium will not be honored if you listen to podcasts. Spotify makes the rules and maintains their platform, this could be controlled because it has been previously.  This is a deliberate insult to users, especially with the excuse given which blames the podcasters and IGNORES subscribers and producers request to stop this advertising practice. I have been premium since 2016, but there is no reason to pay extra when no extra value is given in return. Once I really loved this service but now it  angers me. 

[ildemv8]

I noticed when you download the podcast episode and listen to it on airplane mode, ads dont load. Not ideal but at least works in the meantime, especially when you are trying to relax listening to your podcast.

this is very frustrating as we are paying for premium, please fix this “issue” spotify