Joe Rogan has once again secured the top spot on Forbes' list of the 20 highest-paid podcasters in 2026, earning an estimated $82 million from his Spotify show, "The Joe Rogan Experience." The popular podcast features conversations with a diverse range of guests, including scientists, comedians, and entrepreneurs, and has notably included interviews with political figures such as President Trump.
![Joe Rogan speaking into a microphone with a neon "The Joe Rogan Experience" sign in the background.]( "Joe Rogan speaking into a microphone with a neon "The Joe Rogan Experience" sign in the background.")
Rounding out the top three are John Coogan and Jordi Hays of the OpenAI-owned tech podcast network TBPN, who earned an estimated $70 million, and Steven Bartlett, host of "The Diary of a CEO," with $45 million.
Football stars Jason and Travis Kelce landed in seventh place with $35 million from their Amazon podcast "New Heights." The show gained significant traction in 2023, partly due to Travis Kelce's relationship with pop superstar Taylor Swift and their teams' Super Bowl LIX matchup.
Several other celebrities and media personalities have achieved substantial earnings in the podcasting space. Comedians Will Arnett, Jason Bateman, and Sean Hayes earned $37 million from their SiriusXM show "SmartLess," placing them fifth. Actor Dax Shepard's "Armchair Expert" brought in $25 million, while comedian Amy Poehler's Spotify podcast "Good Hang" earned her $24 million and the first-ever Golden Globe award for podcasting.
Internet personality Alex Cooper's "Call Her Daddy" on Spotify generated $32 million, and reality TV stars Hannah Berner and Paige DeSorbo earned $18 million from "Giggly Squad."
In the true crime genre, Ashley Flowers' "Crime Junkie" earned $42 million. Motivational speaker Mel Robbins' SiriusXM podcast "The Mel Robbins Podcast" made $35 million, and wellness influencer Jay Shetty's "On Purpose" garnered $21 million through deals with Spotify and Netflix.
Political and cultural commentary podcasts also proved lucrative. Jon Favreau, Jon Lovett, Dan Pfeiffer, and Tommy Vietor earned $28 million from their "Pod Save America" show. Former Fox News host Tucker Carlson's independent podcast "The Tucker Carlson Show," backed by Red Seat Ventures, earned him $20 million. NYU professor Scott Galloway's "The Prof G Pod" network, including "Pivot" with Kara Swisher, generated $19 million.
Forbes noted that podcasts are increasingly competing with traditional television for viewership and securing high-profile interviews, attracting new audiences to the medium. The financial success is attributed to the lucrative nature of podcasting, allowing creators to own their intellectual property and command significant licensing fees from major corporations.