Based on the latest rankings from Ausha Charts, our free Chartable alternative for tracking podcast rankings, these shows reflect what audiences around the world are listening to right now.
Here are the podcasts currently dominating the charts in 2026 ⬇️
| Rank | Podcast | Category |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Joe Rogan Experience | Comedy |
| 2 | This Past Weekend w/ Theo Von | Comedy |
| 3 | The Shawn Ryan Show | Society & Culture |
| 4 | Crime Junkie | True Crime |
| 5 | The Daily | News |
| 6 | The Tucker Carlson Show | News / Politics |
| 7 | Up First from NPR | News |
| 8 | The Diary of a CEO | Business |
| 9 | Good Hang with Amy Poehler | Comedy |
| 10 | Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard | Society & Culture |
What are Podcast Charts (and what they actually measure)
When I talk about podcast charts, I’m referring to rankings you see on platforms like Spotify and Apple Podcasts. In simple terms, charts are lists of the top 100 to 200 podcasts, ranked by popularity, published and updated several times a day by listening platforms.
Charts are not just a single global ranking. There are also charts by country, by category and subcategory, charts for episodes or shows, as well as editorial charts curated by Apple and Spotify’s teams.
👉 And most of these charts are actually category-based.
This means one important thing when you are a podcaster, your category is not juste a cute little label, it’s actually your market segment.
Why do these Podcasts rank at the Top?
First I want to correct the misconception that Charts only rely on downloads. That is not true. According to Apple Podcasts themselves, it is not a representation of podcasts ranked by all-time downloads or listening records.
Another thing that I often hear is that it is based on “ratings, reviews, or shares” this is false as well, Apple states clearly that it is not considered in the charts ranking.
Apple Podcasts for Creators
It’s not based on all-time listening records, nor does it consider ratings, reviews, or shares.”
So why do the podcasts in this ranking perform so well? From what I observe across the podcasts we analyze, charts are driven by a mix of signals, and they vary depending on the platform.
To keep it simple, I listed here the main metrics most charts take in account and the ones you should focus your effort on:
| Platform | What impacts podcast rankings |
|---|---|
| Spotify |
Unique daily streams Number of unique listeners on that day New follows |
| Apple Podcasts |
Listenings (not downloads) New follows Completion rate |
What Podcasters can learn from these Charts to grow their own podcast
If you’re a podcaster, you might be wondering: “Is there actually something I can learn from these charts?” Short answer: yes, and it’s more useful than you think.
I have my own podcast, and what I do is simple: I go into my category, look at the top 10 shows (5 will do if you don’t have time), and stay as curious as possible. I try to understand what they’re doing differently from me, not to compare, and definitely not to copy, but to use them as a source of growth for my own podcast.
To stay focused, I always come back to what platforms actually measure (see criteria above) . If I want to climb the charts, I know I need to attract as many listeners as possible and create content that keeps them engaged. So I pay attention to how Top podcasts structure their episodes, how often they publish, and how they position themselves.
So beyond the content, I also look at their marketing, because growth doesn’t just come from the podcast itself, it comes from everything around it.
That’s how I use top Charts to grow my podcast, and honestly, tools like Ausha Charts make it much easier. I can explore rankings by platform, category, and country, for free.
Q&A : Questions you might be asking about top podcasts
What are the most Popular Podcast categories?
According to Edison Research, the most popular podcast categories are Comedy, Society & Culture, and News, as they consistently attract large and engaged audiences.
How can I find Podcasts to listen to?
Go directly to charts on platforms like Spotify or Apple Podcasts to see what’s trending right now. You can also use free tools like Ausha Charts to explore rankings by platform, category or country.
I’m a podcaster, how can I see if my Podcast ranks in the Charts?
Use tools like Ausha Charts to track your rankings across platforms and categories.
It’s free and works even if you’re not hosted on Ausha, you just need to sign up.
How are Podcast Charts determined?
Rankings depend on listening activity, new follows, and engagement (like completion rate). They focus on recent performance, not total downloads, so growth matters more than size.
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