How to get your podcast on Amazon Music and iHeartRadio

How to Get Your Podcast on Amazon Music and iHeartRadio (August 2026) Guide

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Learning how to get your podcast on Amazon Music and iHeartRadio opens your show to over 220 million combined listeners across two of the fastest-growing audio platforms. I have walked dozens of creators through this exact submission process, and the same three things always matter: a clean RSS feed, properly formatted cover art, and a working knowledge of each platform’s portal.

Most guides online only cover one platform at a time, forcing you to bounce between articles. This guide is different. I will walk you through both submissions in one place, flag the geographic restrictions that catch people off guard, and show you the exact steps Amazon and iHeartRadio use to approve new shows in 2026.

Table of Contents

Why Submit Your Podcast to Amazon Music and iHeartRadio

Both platforms offer audience reach that can transform a small podcast into a global show. The value of each goes beyond raw listener counts, though those numbers are impressive on their own.

Amazon Music’s Reach and Alexa Integration

Amazon Music hosts more than 70 million users across its streaming and podcast services. The real advantage is Alexa integration: when you list on Amazon Music, your episodes automatically become available on Echo devices, Fire TVs, and any Alexa-enabled speaker. Listeners can say “Alexa, play the latest episode of [your show]” without touching a screen.

iHeartRadio’s Listener Base and Auto-Publish

iHeartRadio reports over 150 million registered users, with strong adoption on mobile, web, and wearable devices including Apple Watch and Wear OS. Once iHeartRadio approves your feed, every new episode you publish auto-distributes to the platform without any extra work on your end.

What You Need Before Submitting to Either Platform

Before you touch either submission portal, your podcast needs to meet a shared set of technical and content requirements. Getting these right the first time prevents the approval delays forum users complain about most.

A Valid RSS Feed From a Podcast Host

Both Amazon Music and iHeartRadio require a valid RSS feed generated by a podcast hosting provider such as Buzzsprout, Transistor, Captivate, RSS.com, or Podbean. Self-hosting your MP3 files on a generic web server almost always causes incompatibility errors, because podcast directories expect specific feed tags and enclosures that standard web hosting does not produce.

If you host your own files, you will need to migrate to a dedicated podcast host first. The migration is usually free and takes less than an hour.

Cover Art That Meets Both Platforms’ Specs

Your cover art must be a square JPEG or PNG, between 1400×1400 and 3000×3000 pixels, in RGB color mode, and under 512 MB. The image should be visually clear at small sizes, since both platforms display it as a thumbnail in lists and search results. Avoid text smaller than 144 pixels in the original file, because it will become unreadable on mobile screens.

Complete Podcast Metadata

Fill out every metadata field your host offers: title, description, author name, category, subcategory, language, and explicit flag. Incomplete metadata is one of the top reasons articles about how to get your podcast on Amazon Music and iHeartRadio emphasize approval delays. Both directories cross-check your feed against platform rules, and empty fields can trigger automatic rejection.

At Least One Published Episode

Both platforms require at least one published episode before they will index your show. Publish your first episode, confirm it appears in Apple Podcasts and Spotify, and only then move to Amazon Music and iHeartRadio. This confirms your RSS feed is functional and saves you from backtracking.

How to Get Your Podcast on Amazon Music

Submitting to Amazon Music takes about 10 minutes once your feed is ready. The process happens entirely at podcasters.amazon.com, Amazon’s official portal for podcasters.

Step 1: Create a Free Amazon Podcasters Account

Go to podcasters.amazon.com and sign in with your existing Amazon account, or create a new one. If you sell on Amazon, you can use the same account. There is no separate fee for podcasters, and Amazon does not charge you to list your show.

Step 2: Add Your RSS Feed URL

Click “Add a Podcast” and paste your RSS feed URL exactly as your hosting provider gave it. The URL should begin with https:// and end in .xml or .rss. Amazon will instantly validate the feed and show you a preview of your title, artwork, and episode list. If the preview looks wrong, fix the source feed before continuing.

Step 3: Verify Ownership and Confirm Details

Amazon sends a verification email to the address listed in your RSS feed. Click the link, or copy the ownership code into the portal. You will also confirm your category, language, and distribution territories. Double-check these fields, because changing them later requires re-approval.

Step 4: Wait for Amazon’s Review and Indexing

Amazon typically reviews podcast submissions within 24 to 72 hours. If everything checks out, your show appears on Amazon Music and Audible, and Alexa devices start indexing your episodes for voice search. If Amazon rejects your submission, the portal shows a specific error code. The most common culprits are malformed RSS tags, broken cover art URLs, and missing category fields.

How to Get Your Podcast on iHeartRadio

iHeartRadio’s submission process is shorter, but it carries a geographic restriction that catches creators off guard. Read this section carefully before submitting.

Step 1: Confirm Your Show Is in a Supported Region

iHeartRadio only accepts podcasts from creators based in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Australia, New Zealand, and Puerto Rico. If your podcast is produced outside these regions, the submission will be rejected regardless of feed quality. This restriction exists because of iHeartRadio’s licensing agreements with music labels and performance rights organizations.

Step 2: Submit Through the iHeart Podcasters Portal

Visit podcasters.iheart.com and create a free account. Click “Submit Your Podcast,” paste your RSS feed URL, and complete the short form with your show’s title, description, and category. iHeartRadio validates your feed on the spot and shows a preview of your cover art and latest episode.

Step 3: Wait for Approval and Auto-Publish

iHeartRadio’s approval timeline varies from a few days to several weeks, depending on submission volume. Once approved, your show becomes searchable on iHeartRadio apps and the web, and every new episode you publish pushes automatically to the platform with no further action required. You can track distribution status inside the iHeart portal.

Amazon Music vs iHeartRadio: Key Differences at a Glance

Here is a quick comparison of the two platforms side by side, which helps when you are deciding which to prioritize first.

  • Submission portal: Amazon Music uses podcasters.amazon.com; iHeartRadio uses podcasters.iheart.com.
  • Geographic availability: Amazon Music is global; iHeartRadio only accepts creators from the US, Canada, Mexico, Australia, New Zealand, and Puerto Rico.
  • Account type: Amazon requires an Amazon account; iHeartRadio uses a separate podcast portal account.
  • Approval timeline: Amazon is typically 24 to 72 hours; iHeartRadio can take days to several weeks.
  • Unique device integration: Amazon adds Alexa and Echo support; iHeartRadio adds Apple Watch and Wear OS support.
  • Cost to submit: Both platforms are free for podcasters.

Best Practices for Optimizing Your Podcast on Both Platforms

Listing your show is step one. Ranking well in search and recommendations is step two. These optimization tips come from creators who saw listener growth within the first month after submission.

Optimize for Alexa Voice Search on Amazon Music

Alexa users search by speaking full questions, not typing keywords. Write episode titles and descriptions that match natural speech patterns. Instead of “Episode 42: SEO Tips,” try “Episode 42: Five SEO Tips for Small Businesses.” This phrasing matches how listeners actually ask Alexa to play content.

Use Consistent Metadata Across Both Directories

Keep your title, description, author, and category identical on both platforms. Inconsistent metadata confuses listeners who find your show on one platform and search for it on another. It also weakens your search ranking on each individual platform.

Cross-Promote to Drive Traffic Between Platforms

Mention Alexa and iHeartRadio in your show notes and outro. Listeners who use one platform often have no idea their favorite show is available somewhere else. A simple “Find us on Amazon Music and iHeartRadio” line in every episode moves the needle.

Troubleshooting Common Submission Problems

Forum users repeatedly report the same handful of issues when figuring out how to get your podcast on Amazon Music and iHeartRadio. Here is how to solve each one.

Why Your Podcast Isn’t Showing Up on Amazon Music

If your show passed review but does not appear in search, the culprit is usually indexing lag. Amazon Music can take up to 72 hours to fully populate search results after approval. If it has been longer, run your RSS feed through a free validator like Cast Feed Validator or Podbase. Any warnings there will block Amazon’s indexing.

Fixing iHeartRadio Rejections

The two most common iHeartRadio rejection reasons are geographic restrictions and feed format errors. If you are outside the supported regions, there is no workaround since iHeartRadio enforces this at the account level. If your feed is the issue, check that your XML validates cleanly and that all enclosure URLs are direct, permanent links to MP3 files.

Avoiding the Self-Hosting Trap

Self-hosting your MP3 files on a personal website or generic web host is the single biggest reason creators get stuck. Amazon has publicly stated they have no plans to support self-hosted feeds, and iHeartRadio’s parser rejects them outright. Sign up for a real podcast host and the rest of the process becomes straightforward.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does it cost to put a podcast on iHeartRadio?

Submitting your podcast to iHeartRadio is free. There is no submission fee, no monthly cost, and no revenue share required. iHeartRadio monetizes through ads and premium subscriptions, not by charging podcasters.

How much does it cost to have a podcast on Amazon?

Listing your podcast on Amazon Music and Audible is free. Amazon does not charge a submission fee and does not require a paid Amazon account. You only need a standard Amazon login to access the podcasters.amazon.com portal.

How long does it take for Amazon Music to approve a podcast?

Amazon Music typically reviews and approves podcast submissions within 24 to 72 hours. Some reviews complete in a few hours, while others take longer if Amazon’s team needs to verify metadata or troubleshoot feed errors.

Can I submit my podcast to iHeartRadio from outside the US?

iHeartRadio accepts podcast submissions from the United States, Canada, Mexico, Australia, New Zealand, and Puerto Rico only. If your podcast is produced in any other country, iHeartRadio will reject the submission due to licensing restrictions.

Do I need separate RSS feeds for Amazon Music and iHeartRadio?

No. You submit the same RSS feed to both platforms. Your podcast host generates one feed that you paste into the podcasters.amazon.com portal and the podcasters.iheart.com portal. There is no need to maintain separate feeds for each directory.

Conclusion

Figuring out how to get your podcast on Amazon Music and iHeartRadio is a one-time effort that pays off for the lifetime of your show. Both platforms are free, support auto-publishing, and expose your episodes to millions of new listeners through Alexa, Echo devices, and iHeartRadio’s mobile and wearable apps.

Start by verifying your RSS feed and cover art, then submit to podcasters.amazon.com first. Once Amazon approves your show, move to podcasters.iheart.com and complete the second submission. Within a week, your podcast will be live on both platforms, and every new episode you publish will automatically reach a global audience.

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