Documentary Podcasts

Explore 37,901 Documentary podcasts, representing 1.2% of the global podcast market.

Last updated: May 30, 2026

37.9K Documentary Podcasts

Representing 1.2% of all podcasts

36.4% Active Rate

13.8K shows actively publishing

English Leads (48.5%)

Largest language in Documentary

Total Podcasts 37,901
Active Rate 36.4% 13,798 shows
Avg Episodes 32.7 per podcast
Market Share 1.2% of all podcasts

Overview

Documentary represents a popular category in the podcast ecosystem with 1.2% market share and a large library of 37,901 podcasts. The 36.4% active rate is exceptionally high, indicating a very healthy, engaged creator community.

Content is available in 20+ languages. English, Spanish, and Portuguese account for 69.7% of all Documentary podcasts.

Growth Trends

Growth peaked in 2020 (8,220 new shows). Recent average: ~3,951 new podcasts per year.

Publishing Patterns

Weekly is the most common schedule (26% of shows). Most episodes run 0-15 min.

Update Frequency

Episode Duration

Episodes per Podcast

Top Documentary Podcasts

1 Up and Vanished
Up and Vanished

Tenderfoot TV

4.5 (62,227) 194 eps
2 Sword and Scale
Sword and Scale

Sword and Scale

4.0 (61,051) 104 eps
3 Radiolab
Radiolab

WNYC Studios

4.6 (42,510) 653 eps
4 Cold
Cold

KSL Podcasts

4.8 (40,338) 85 eps
5 Freakonomics Radio
Freakonomics Radio

Freakonomics Radio + Stitcher

4.5 (30,786) 909 eps
6 In The Dark
In The Dark

The New Yorker

4.6 (27,863) 25 eps
7 Reply All
4.7 (27,354) 214 eps
8 Something Was Wrong
Something Was Wrong

Broken Cycle Media

4.1 (25,382) 361 eps
9 Slow Burn
Slow Burn

Slate Podcasts

4.6 (23,793) 211 eps
10 Culpable
Culpable

Tenderfoot TV & Audacy

4.7 (22,135) 74 eps

Tips for Documentary Creators

The Episode 10 Filter

62% quit before episode 10. Reach 15 episodes and you're in the top 38%.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many Documentary podcasts are there in 2026?

As of May 2026, there are 37,901 Documentary podcasts indexed in our database, with 13,798 (36.4%) actively publishing new episodes.

How often do Documentary podcasts publish new episodes?

The most common publishing schedule for Documentary podcasts is Weekly, with 9,721 shows following this pattern.

What are the best Documentary podcasts?

Check out our curated list of top-rated Documentary podcasts above, ranked by listener ratings and popularity on Apple Podcasts.

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