American podcaster, comedian and UFC commentator, Joe Rogan, has retained his position as the world’s highest-paid podcaster after earning an estimated $82 million between June 2025 and June 2026, according to Forbes.
The host of The Joe Rogan Experience continues to dominate the podcasting industry, attracting more than 80 million monthly downloads and views.
His earnings were boosted by a lucrative three-year Spotify deal signed in 2024, reportedly worth as much as $250 million.
In second place are John Coogan and Jordi Hays, hosts of the Technology Business Programming Network (TBPN), who earned an estimated $70 million.
Their rapid rise follows OpenAI’s reported acquisition of TBPN earlier this year in a deal valued at about $150 million in cash and stock.
British entrepreneur Steven Bartlett ranked third with $45 million through the continued success of The Diary of a CEO, while Ashley Flowers, creator of Crime Junkie, placed fourth with $42 million.
The trio of Will Arnett, Jason Bateman and Sean Hayes, hosts of SmartLess, completed the top five after generating $37 million during the review period.
Forbes’ rankings underscore the growing financial power of podcasting, with creators increasingly benefiting from multimillion-dollar licensing agreements, advertising revenue and platform partnerships as the industry continues to expand.
Forbes’ Highest-Paid Podcasters of 2026
1. Joe Rogan – The Joe Rogan Experience – $82 million
2. John Coogan & Jordi Hays – TBPN – $70 million
3. Steven Bartlett – The Diary of a CEO – $45 million
4. Ashley Flowers – Crime Junkie – $42 million
5. Will Arnett, Jason Bateman & Sean Hayes – SmartLess – $37 million
6. Mel Robbins – The Mel Robbins Podcast – $35 million (tie)
7. Jason Kelce & Travis Kelce – New Heights – $35 million (tie)
8. Alex Cooper – Call Her Daddy – $32 million
9. Jon Favreau, Jon Lovett, Dan Pfeiffer & Tommy Vietor – Pod Save America – $28 million
10. Charlamagne Tha God – The Breakfast Club – $27 million
11. Dax Shepard – Armchair Expert – $25 million
12. Amy Poehler – Good Hang – $24 million
13. Bill Simmons – The Bill Simmons Podcast – $22 million
14. Jay Shetty – On Purpose – $21 million
25. Joe Budden – The Joe Budden Podcast – $20 million (tie)
16. Tucker Carlson – The Tucker Carlson Show – $20 million (tie)
17. Scott Galloway – The Prof G Pod – $19 million
18. Andrew Huberman – Huberman Lab – $18 million (tie)
19. Dan Katz & Eric Sollenberger – Pardon My Take – $18 million (tie)
20. Hannah Berner & Paige DeSorbo – Giggly Squad – $18 million.
