Spotify Premium podcast ads: why they play and how to skip

Why does Spotify Premium still have podcast ads?

Premium's ad-free music benefit does not remove every advertisement from podcasts. A show can include a host-read sponsorship or other advertising in its episodes. Spotify explains this distinction in its podcast help page.

Spotify also distinguishes audio from video podcasts: Premium video podcasts play without Spotify ads, but creator sponsorships can remain. Audio podcasts can include both types. The episode format matters when you compare what Premium covers.

That means paying for your listening app and paying for a particular show's ad-free edition are two different things. Before buying another subscription, check which shows and types of advertising it covers.

Three ways to hear fewer podcast ads

Use Spotify's playback controls

You can jump forward or move along the playback timeline. Spotify also describes a Skip ahead test for Premium listeners in selected markets. Availability varies, and tapping a button still requires your attention. Check what your app currently offers.

Look for the publisher's ad-free edition

Check the show's website for a membership or ad-free subscription. Find out which episodes it includes and where you can listen. If the publisher gives you a private RSS feed, a compatible podcast player can use it; a subscription to one show does not cover your whole library.

Use a player with automatic ad skipping

PurerPodcasts analyzes episodes and skips detected breaks when you listen in PurerPodcasts. You can choose Keep to hear a segment or correct a detected break. Preparation takes time, and detection can miss ads or mark the wrong part of a show.

The player is free. Automatic skipping requires a subscription for your selected feeds. Plus covers three shows for $3.99/month in the U.S.; see all plans and current trial terms. There is no need to move every show before trying it.

Can PurerPodcasts skip ads inside Spotify?

No. PurerPodcasts is a separate player, not a Spotify extension. Search for a favorite show in PurerPodcasts, check the publisher, and try an episode there. Public RSS podcasts can be available in multiple players; Spotify-only audio, video features and paid access do not automatically transfer.

If a show is exclusive to Spotify and offers no compatible RSS feed, keep using Spotify for that show. A browser or network ad blocker is not a reliable way to remove a sponsorship already included in an episode's audio.

1. Find a familiar show in the web player, iPhone app or Android app.
2. Follow it and enable automatic skipping if it is one of the feeds in your plan.
3. Wait for preparation to finish, then play the episode in PurerPodcasts.

See what moves when you switch players, or compare all three ways to skip podcast ads.

Also listen in Apple Podcasts or watch on YouTube Premium? Their subscriptions and sponsor-skipping options differ.

Spotify documentation checked November 11, 2026. Features and availability can change. We make PurerPodcasts and are not affiliated with Spotify.

Watch some of your podcasts on YouTube? See how to find their video RSS editions and watch in a podcast player.