Podcast Downloads to Listeners Calculator
Enter downloads and episodes to estimate listeners and ad revenue.
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Podcast Downloads to Listeners Calculator by TheCalcTools
How the Podcast Downloads to Listeners Calculator works
Remove bots, prefetch requests and duplicate downloads to get real downloads.
A listener downloads only part of your new episodes in the period, so unique listeners = real downloads ÷ (episodes × share).
Ad income uses CPM per 1,000 downloads and the number of ad slots.
The formula
Worked example
Using the default values shown in the calculator:
| Downloads in the period | 12000 |
|---|---|
| Episodes released in the period | 4 |
| Bots, prefetch and duplicate downloads | 10 % |
| Share of new episodes a typical listener downloads | 60 % |
| Ad CPM (per 1,000 downloads) | $18 |
| Ad slots per episode | 3 |
- 12,000 downloads minus 10% = 10,800 real downloads, 2,700 per episode across 4 episodes.
- At 60% of episodes downloaded that is about 4,500 unique listeners. Ads: $146 per episode at $18 CPM with 3 slots.
Result:
| Real downloads | 10,800 |
|---|---|
| Real downloads per episode | 2,700 |
| Estimated unique listeners | 4,500 |
| Ad income per episode | $146 |
| Ad income in the period | $583 |
| Rough size | Established |
Frequently asked questions
How many downloads is good for a podcast?
Most episodes get under 100 downloads in 30 days. Over 1,000 puts a show well ahead of most.
Are downloads the same as listeners?
No. One listener can download several episodes, and some downloads are never played.
Sources and further reading
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This calculator gives estimates for information only. Check important results independently before you rely on them. See our disclaimer.