How to Submit Your Podcast to Apple and Spotify

Submitting your podcast to Apple Podcasts and Spotify comes down to one thing: an RSS feed. You create that feed through a hosting service, then paste the feed link into each platform once. After that, every new episode you upload appears automatically on both, so you never submit episode by episode.

That is the short version. The longer version, which is what this article covers, is about getting the feed right the first time, knowing what each platform actually checks, and avoiding the small mistakes that get a podcast stuck in review for days. Let's go through it properly.

What you actually need before you submit

You cannot submit a podcast to Apple or Spotify directly from a raw audio file. Both platforms read your show from an RSS feed, which is a single web link that lists your episodes, your artwork, and your show details. You get that link from a podcast host.

Here is the checklist of things you need ready before you start:

• At least one published episode, exported as MP3 (most people use 128 kbps mono or stereo for talk audio). Both platforms want one live episode before they will approve the show.
• Cover art that is square, at least 1400 x 1400 pixels, ideally 3000 x 3000, in JPG or PNG, RGB colour. Apple is strict here and will reject blurry or too-small art.
• A show title that reads cleanly and is not stuffed with keywords.
• A show description of two to four sentences that says what the podcast is and who it is for.
• A category (Apple has a fixed list, for example Business, Society and Culture, Technology).
• Language set correctly. If your show is Urdu or mixed Urdu and English, set it accordingly so it surfaces to the right listeners.
• An email address on the feed that Apple can use to verify you own the show.

If your audio or artwork is not ready, sort that out first. We cover the recording side in how to record your first podcast episode and the artwork side in cost of podcast cover art and branding.

Step one: pick a podcast host and create your feed

Your host stores your audio and generates the RSS feed. Free options exist, and paid ones usually give you better stats and faster support. For a Pakistani creator, the main thing is reliable uploads and a feed that never goes down, so listeners and platforms can always reach it. We compare the options in best podcast hosting for Pakistani creators.

Once you sign up, you do three things:

1. Fill in your show details (title, description, category, language, author name).
2. Upload your cover art.
3. Upload your first episode and publish it.

When that is done, the host gives you an RSS feed URL. It usually looks something like https://feeds.yourhost.com/yourshow. Copy it somewhere safe, because you will paste it into both Apple and Spotify.

How to submit to Apple Podcasts

Apple uses a tool called Apple Podcasts Connect, and you need an Apple ID to sign in. The process is simple once your feed exists.

1. Go to Apple Podcasts Connect and sign in with your Apple ID.
2. Click the plus button and choose "New Show", then "Add a show with an RSS feed".
3. Paste your RSS feed URL and click Add.
4. Apple pulls in your title, art, description and episodes automatically. Check that everything looks right.
5. Verify ownership. Apple sends a code to the email address listed in your feed, or asks you to confirm through the feed. This is why the email on your feed must be one you can actually open.
6. Submit for review.

Apple reviews manually, so approval can take anywhere from a few hours to a few days. Once approved, your show gets a public Apple Podcasts page and a permanent link you can share.

A few things that get Apple submissions rejected: cover art that is under 1400 pixels, an explicit-content tag that does not match the audio, a feed with zero published episodes, or a title that is clearly keyword spam. Fix those before you submit and you will usually clear review on the first try.

How to submit to Spotify

Spotify is faster and more automated than Apple. You use Spotify for Podcasters (sometimes called Spotify for Creators), which is free.

1. Go to Spotify for Podcasters and sign in or create an account.
2. Choose "Add your podcast" and paste your RSS feed URL.
3. Spotify reads the feed and shows you a preview. Confirm it is your show.
4. Verify ownership through a code Spotify emails to your feed address.
5. Add a few extra details Spotify asks for (hosting provider, category, country).
6. Submit.

Spotify often approves within a few hours, sometimes minutes. After that your show appears in Spotify search and gets its own shareable page.

One nice thing about Spotify: it can show video podcasts, not just audio. If you are recording on camera, that matters, and it is one reason video podcasting is worth planning for early. We explain the wider case in why 2026 is the year of the video podcast.

The two platforms side by side

Here is how Apple and Spotify compare on the things that matter when you submit.

The big takeaway from that table is the last row. You submit the feed one time per platform. Every episode after that flows in on its own, usually within an hour of you hitting publish on your host.

What happens after you are approved

Once both platforms list your show, you stop thinking about submission and start thinking about publishing and growth. Your routine becomes: record, upload to your host, and the episode appears on Apple and Spotify automatically.

Two habits make a real difference here. First, write proper episode titles and descriptions, because that text is what people and search engines read. We go deeper in podcast title and description tips for discovery. Second, turn each episode into clips for Instagram and YouTube, since that is where most new listeners in Pakistan find shows. The method is in turn one episode into ten clips.

If you want listeners to grow steadily rather than spike and die, treat promotion as part of the job, not an afterthought. There is a full plan in growing your podcast audience in Pakistan.

Common problems and how to fix them

A handful of issues come up again and again. Here are the quick fixes.

• "My episode published but isn't showing yet." Platforms re-check feeds on a schedule, not instantly. Give it up to an hour, sometimes a few hours for Apple. Most hosts also have a "refresh feed" or "ping" button that nudges it.
• "Apple rejected my artwork." It is almost always size or format. Make it 3000 x 3000 px, RGB, JPG or PNG, and re-upload to your host before resubmitting.
• "I never got the verification email." The code goes to the email on your RSS feed, not your hosting login. Open your host settings, confirm that feed email is one you control, then request the code again.
• "My show title or art is outdated on Apple but updated on Spotify." Apple caches more aggressively. The fix is to wait, or use the resubmit option in Apple Podcasts Connect.
• "I want to move hosts later." You can, using a feed redirect, but do it carefully so you do not lose your back catalogue or subscribers. Set the redirect at your old host, not just the new one.

If audio quality is the real problem behind a feed that listeners drop off from, that is a recording issue, not a submission one. Clean sound is the thing people notice first, and it is worth getting right at the source. See how to get studio quality podcast audio.

Frequently asked questions

Do I have to submit every episode separately? No. You submit your RSS feed once to each platform. After that, every new episode you publish through your host appears automatically, usually within an hour.

Is it free to put my podcast on Apple and Spotify? Yes, both Apple Podcasts Connect and Spotify for Podcasters are free. The cost is your podcast host, which can also be free or paid depending on the features you want.

How long does approval take? Spotify is usually minutes to a few hours. Apple is slower because it reviews manually, often a few hours but sometimes one to three days.

Can I submit a video podcast? Spotify supports video podcasts directly. Apple is more limited, so most creators publish audio there and host the full video on YouTube. If you are filming, plan your setup around that from the start.

Do I need a professional recording before I submit? You do not need it to submit, but quality is what keeps listeners. A clear, well-lit, properly mixed episode performs far better than a phone recording, which is why many Lahore creators record at a studio first. See our pricing packages for an idea of what that costs.

If you want your first episode recorded and mixed to a standard that earns listeners on both platforms, book a session with Timelapse Studio in Johar Town and we will handle the sound, video and clips so all you do is press publish.