Podcast Media Kit and Rate Card, What Advertisers Should Ask For

ML Media List Editorial Team Nov 11, 2026 15 min read

A podcast rate card is generally the maximum price you'd pay, according to Libsyn¹. That one short document, plus the media kit around it, sets the price of most direct podcast buys. If the kit is vague, you're guessing with real money.

This guide is written for the buyer, not the podcaster. It shows what a good podcast media kit and rate card include, how to read the prices and download claims, which fields matter most, and the exact questions to send a host when the kit is missing or thin.

Facts and prices checked November 11, 2026. See something wrong? Tell us.

Key takeaways

A podcast media kit is the sponsor-facing document with the show overview, audience demographics, reach data, sponsorship packages and rate card, past partners and contact details.
A rate card is a price list for ad slots, and Libsyn notes it is generally the maximum price a buyer pays.
Most podcast ads are priced on downloads within 7 to 30 days of an episode's release, so ask for 30-day downloads per episode, not lifetime totals.
ADOPTER Media puts host-read mid-roll CPMs at $15 to $30, pre-roll at $15 to $25 and post-roll at $5 to $10.
The Podcast Consultant advises shows under about 2,000 downloads per episode to charge flat rates rather than CPM.

What a podcast media kit is

A podcast media kit is the document a show sends to sponsors so they can judge the show and price an ad. The Podcast Consultant lists six parts. A show overview, audience demographics, reach data, sponsorship packages with a rate card, past guests or partners, and contact details².

A rate card is the price part. Sounds Profitable defines it as a document that lists a podcast's details, rates, audience data and terms³. Libsyn adds a useful warning for buyers. A rate card is generally the maximum price you'd pay¹. In other words, it's where the talk starts, not where it ends.

Why buyers should care

Larger shows sell through networks that package this data for you. Smaller shows often don't. The Podcast Host notes agencies and hosting platforms often want about 5,000 US downloads per new episode in the first month before they'll sell a show⁴. Below that, the show's own kit is often the only data you get.

So when you buy direct from a smaller show, read its kit well or ask for the numbers yourself.

The media kit fields that matter to buyers

Comparison of vague media kit claims and the specific numbers a buyer should ask for

Not every field carries the same weight. Here is what to look for, why it matters, and what to ask when a field is missing.

Field	Why it matters	Ask if missing	Source
Downloads per episode, first 30 days	Most podcast ads are priced on downloads in a 7 to 30 day window	30-day average for the last 10 episodes, with a dashboard screenshot	⁵
Audience demographics	Tells you whether listeners match your buyer	Age, gender, country, job titles, and where the data comes from	²⁶
Reach and growth	Shows whether the audience is growing or shrinking	Month-over-month growth and total episodes	²
Packages and rate card	The starting price for each slot	Price per slot, per episode and per package	²¹
Past advertisers	Repeat sponsors signal a show that converts	Which sponsors renewed in the last year	⁶
Audio samples	The read is what you're buying	Two or three recent sponsor reads	⁶⁴
Inventory and slot availability	No point negotiating for dates that are gone	Open episodes, dates and slots	⁶⁴
Listener reviews	A rough read on loyalty and tone	Links to reviews or listener feedback	⁴

The Podcast Consultant also suggests demographics like job titles, seniority, industry and country, plus the split between Apple and Spotify, pulled from Spotify for Podcasters, Apple Podcasts Connect and the hosting platform². If a kit names those sources, that's a good sign.

Rate card formats, CPM, flat fee and packages

Shows price ads in a few common ways. Know which one you're looking at before you compare quotes.

Format	How it's priced	Example	Watch for	Source
CPM	Price per 1,000 downloads or impressions	30,000 listeners, two 30-second spots at $25 CPM is $1,500	Which download window is counted	⁶³
Flat fee per episode	A fixed price per read	A $500 flat mid-roll for 800 senior listeners	Shows under 2,000 downloads often price this way	²
Package	A bundle of episodes or slots at one price	Single episode, 5 to 10 episode series, season partner	What social posts and show notes are included	²
Minimum spend	Flat floor per buy	Some shows list minimums like $5,000	Whether the minimum covers more than one episode	⁷
CPA or referral	Paid per sale or sign-up	A custom referral package with a smaller show	Less common, and needs clean tracking	⁶³

What a package usually includes

The Podcast Consultant's sample tiers are a good model. A single episode might include one mid-roll, a show notes mention and a social post. A series sponsor runs 5 to 10 episodes with pre-roll and mid-roll, a show notes link and co-branded social. A founding or exclusive partner runs a season or a year and adds category exclusivity and co-branded content². It also suggests three episodes as a reasonable minimum commitment².

If a package lists social posts, ask which platform, what format and roughly how many people will see them. The same guide warns that vague extras cause disputes later².

Terms to look for in the fine print

Rate cards often list terms under the prices. Read them before you reply. Look for category exclusivity, which Sounds Profitable defines as keeping brands in the same IAB content category off the show, sometimes for a set period after your campaign³. Some shows include it with a season package, and some charge for it. Look for how the read is made. Libsyn describes talking points as a few bullet points about your product that the host turns into the read¹. And look for what happens if an ad doesn't run or runs late. If the kit says nothing, put it in writing before you pay. Our podcast sponsorship agreement and insertion order template lists every term worth covering.

How to read the prices on a rate card

Range chart of podcast CPMs, host-read mid-roll $15 to $30, pre-roll $15 to $25, programmatic $5 to $20, post-roll $5 to $10

CPM means cost per thousand. Sounds Profitable defines it as the price paid for every 1,000 impressions an ad receives³. To turn a CPM into a price, divide downloads by 1,000 and multiply by the CPM.

Benchmarks to check a quote against

ADOPTER Media puts host-read mid-roll at $15 to $30 CPM, host-read pre-roll at $15 to $25, post-roll at $5 to $10 and programmatic at $5 to $20⁸.
Libsyn's ad unit page says most podcasts see $18 to $20 CPM for 30-second spots and $25 CPM for 60-second spots⁹.
Influencer Marketing Hub puts host-read mid-rolls at $20 to $40 CPM⁵.
CastFox says a pre-roll usually sells for about two thirds of the mid-roll rate, and a post-roll for about half¹⁰.

Worked example

A show's kit says 12,000 downloads per episode in 30 days and a $25 CPM for a 60-second mid-roll. One read costs 12,000 divided by 1,000, times $25, which is $300. Four episodes cost $1,200. CastFox notes that a 10% to 20% discount for a three-month flight is normal¹⁰, which would bring four episodes down to $960 to $1,080.

A flat fee works the other way. If a show with 3,000 downloads per episode asks $150 a read, divide $150 by 3 to get an effective $50 CPM. That's high on paper. It can still be worth it if the audience is exactly your buyer. The Podcast Consultant makes this case for shows with small, senior audiences². For the full price picture, see our podcast advertising rates and CPM benchmarks.

How to read download claims in a media kit

The download number drives the whole price, so check what it actually counts.

Per-episode, 30-day downloads are the number you want. Influencer Marketing Hub notes most podcast ads are priced on downloads within 7 to 30 days of release⁵.
Monthly downloads add up every episode heard that month, including old ones. A weekly show's monthly total is roughly four or more episodes stacked together.
Lifetime downloads are every download ever. They don't price a single read.
Monthly listeners estimate people, not files. Ask how it's calculated.

A standard download is counted once per episode, per unique IP address and device user agent, in a 24-hour window, once at least 60 seconds of audio is delivered³. The IAB Tech Lab measurement guidelines define this process, and v2.3 came out in September 2026¹¹. Ask whether the show's hosting company follows them. If it does, the number is counted the standard way. If nobody knows, ask for a dashboard screenshot.

Our guide on how to vet a podcast before you buy an ad covers the rest of the checks, like recency, ad load and renewals.

What to ask when a show has no media kit

Plenty of good shows don't have a kit at all. That's normal for independent podcasts. Ask for the same short list every time, so you can compare shows side by side.

Average downloads per episode in the first 30 days, for the last 10 episodes.
A screenshot from the hosting dashboard that shows it.
Audience by age, gender, country and, for B2B, job title, with the data source.
Past and current sponsors, and which renewed.
Two or three recent ad reads.
Open dates and slots for the next two to three months.
Price per slot, and any package or multi-episode rate.
Rules on competing brands and category exclusivity.

Magellan AI's buyer guide lists most of the same items, including past advertisers, audio samples, listener reviews and current inventory⁶. Asking for all of it at once saves a week of back and forth.

The slow part

The questions are easy. Getting them to 20 or 30 hosts is not. Many shows don't list a booking email on their podcast page, and directories rarely say who to contact. That's the step where most direct buys stall.

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The email that gets you the media kit

Keep it short. Say who you are, why this show fits, and what you want to see. Here is a version you can copy.

Subject line
Sponsoring [Show Name] in [Month]

Hi [First Name],

I run partnerships at [Brand]. Your recent episode on [topic] is a great fit for [product], which helps [audience] do [result].

We'd like to test a host-read mid-roll in [Month]. Could you send your media kit or rate card? If you don't have one, these would help most. Your average 30-day downloads per episode for the last 10 episodes, a rough audience split, open dates, and one or two past sponsor reads.

Thanks,
[Name], [Title], [Brand]
[Company, postal address]
Not a fit? Reply no and I won't email again.

Personalize the first line. A 2019 study of 12 million outreach emails found personalized message bodies got 32.7% more replies¹². That study covered general outreach, not podcast sponsorships, so treat it as a rough guide. The same study found one follow-up lifted replies by 65.8%¹², so plan to send one.

For more versions, including a test-campaign offer, a follow-up and a renewal note, use our podcast sponsorship email template. For general pitch writing tips, see how to write a pitch that gets a reply.

A sample podcast media kit, annotated

Six step process for reading a podcast media kit

Here is a made-up media kit for a fictional show, written to show how a buyer should read each line. The show and its numbers are invented for illustration only.

The Weekend Garden Show (fictional)
Weekly, 40 minutes, two hosts. 180 episodes.

Downloads. 8,500 per episode in 30 days, average of the last 10 episodes. Host is IAB Tech Lab compliant.

Audience. 68% women, most aged 35 to 54, 80% US.

Past sponsors. Three seed and tool brands, two renewed.

Rates. 60-second host-read mid-roll $25 CPM. Pre-roll $18 CPM. Four-episode package with show notes link and one newsletter mention.

How a buyer reads it

Downloads. Good. It's a 30-day per-episode average with a standard count. One mid-roll is 8.5 times $25, which is $212.50.
Audience. Useful, but ask where it comes from. Platform data beats a listener survey with 40 replies.
Past sponsors. Two renewals out of three is a strong sign. Ask which ones.
Rates. The pre-roll at $18 is about 72% of the mid-roll, close to the two-thirds rule CastFox describes¹⁰.
Package. Ask what the package costs in total and how many people get the newsletter.
Missing. No sample reads, no open dates, no exclusivity terms. Ask for all three.

Red flags in a podcast media kit

A media kit is a sales document. Most are honest. Some aren't. These are the signs to slow down.

Only lifetime or monthly totals. No per-episode, 30-day number means you can't price a read.
No data source. Numbers with no host dashboard or platform behind them are guesses.
An old date. The Podcast Consultant tells shows to update kits quarterly and add a version date². A kit from last year may not match today's audience.
Vague extras. "Social promotion" with no platform or reach listed. Ask for specifics².
Demographics that match everyone. If the audience is "all ages, all interests," it's not data.
CPMs far outside the range. Host-read mid-rolls usually run about $15 to $40 CPM across the guides above⁸⁵. Well above that needs a reason, like a rare B2B audience.
Heavy ad load. If episodes already carry long ad blocks, your read gets lost. Magellan AI measured average ad load at 8.75% of episode time in Q2 2026¹³.

None of these kills a deal alone. Two or three together mean you should buy one test episode, or move on. Once you've picked shows, our podcast advertising guide covers the rest of the buy, from talking points to tracking.

Request media kits from the right podcasts today

The fastest way to compare media kits is to ask 20 well-chosen shows the same question on the same day. Media List is built for that.

Find the shows. Search 1.2 million podcasts with contact emails by category, country and language.
See the contact. Each show lists who to email, so you skip the hunt through websites and social pages. Emails unlock from your plan's allowance, no bot checks.
Save a shortlist. Keep your picks in a saved list, one per campaign or niche.
Send the request. Email the media kit request above to your saved list. On Professional, send it from the built-in email campaigns with each host's name and show name filled in.

Media List doesn't publish rates or download numbers. It gets you to the host, and the host sends you the kit.

Basic at $99 a month covers search, saved lists and exports. Built-in email campaigns come with Professional at $399 a month. Try it for 3 days, $0 today, and cancel anytime. Compare plans on the pricing page.

Buy direct, skip the middleman

Start your podcast sponsorship list now

Search 1.2 million podcasts with contact emails, save a shortlist and ask for rates.

Filter by category, country and language
Unlock contact emails and save shortlists, from $99 a month
Send outreach from built-in campaigns on Professional ($399 a month)
3-day trial, $0 today, cancel anytime

Start your 3-day trial → Pay on this page. Cancel anytime.

Questions, answered

What is a podcast media kit?

It's the document a show sends to sponsors. It usually covers the show overview, audience demographics, downloads and reach, sponsorship packages and rate card, past partners and contact details. Buyers use it to judge fit and price an ad.

What should a podcast rate card include?

Prices for each slot, such as pre-roll, mid-roll and post-roll, by length, plus packages and any minimum spend. It should say whether prices are CPM or flat and which download window is counted. Libsyn notes a rate card is generally the maximum price, so expect room to talk.

What is a podcast advertising package?

A bundle of slots or episodes sold at one price. A common setup is a single episode, a 5 to 10 episode series, and a season or annual partner with category exclusivity. Ask what extras like show notes links and social posts include.

What if a podcast doesn't have a media kit?

Ask for 30-day downloads per episode for the last 10 episodes, a dashboard screenshot, audience data with its source, past sponsors, sample reads, open dates and prices. Most independent shows can answer all of that in one reply.

How do I check if podcast download numbers are real?

Ask for the 30-day per-episode average and a screenshot from the hosting dashboard. Ask whether the hosting company follows the IAB Tech Lab measurement guidelines. Treat lifetime and monthly totals as marketing numbers, not pricing data.

What is a good CPM on a podcast rate card?

ADOPTER Media puts host-read mid-rolls at $15 to $30 CPM and post-rolls at $5 to $10. Libsyn says most shows see $18 to $20 for 30-second spots and $25 for 60-second spots. Small, very targeted shows often charge flat fees that work out higher.

Sources

Libsyn Ads, Podcast Advertising Glossary, checked 2026-11-11
The Podcast Consultant, Podcast Media Kit, What to Include and How to Use It (updated Oct 30, 2026), checked 2026-11-11
Sounds Profitable, Podcast Industry Glossary, checked 2026-11-11
The Podcast Host, How to Find Sponsors (Feb 25, 2025), checked 2026-11-11
Influencer Marketing Hub, How to Buy Podcast Ads in 2026 (May 27, 2026), checked 2026-11-11
Magellan AI, Podcast advertising, how to find profitable podcast sponsorships, checked 2026-11-11
Influencer Marketing Hub, A Full Guide to Podcast Sponsorship and Ad Rates (Jul 7, 2026), checked 2026-11-11
ADOPTER Media, Podcast Advertising Rates (updated Oct 1, 2026), checked 2026-11-11
Libsyn Ads, Podcast Ad Units, checked 2026-11-11
CastFox, Podcast sponsorship rates by audience size 2026 (Oct 14, 2026), checked 2026-11-11
IAB Tech Lab, Podcast Measurement Technical Guidelines v2.3 (Sep 2026), checked 2026-11-11
Backlinko and Pitchbox, Email outreach study of 12 million emails (Apr 2019), checked 2026-11-11
Magellan AI, Podcast Advertising Benchmarks Q2 2026, checked 2026-11-11

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Podcast Media Kit and Rate Card, What Advertisers Should Ask For

Key takeaways