Audio file guidelines for podcast uploads

When you upload a podcast episode to beehiiv, the audio file you choose directly affects how your show sounds to listeners, how quickly episodes load, and how reliably your content plays back across Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and other platforms. This guide covers the supported formats, recommended settings, and common issues to avoid.

beehiiv accepts the following audio file formats for podcast episode uploads:

• MP3 (Recommended)
• WAV (Accepted; larger file sizes than MP3)

The maximum file size for a single podcast episode upload is 500 MB.

Most podcast episodes fall well under this limit when exported at the recommended settings below. A 60-minute episode exported as a 128 kbps mono MP3 is typically around 55 MB.

For the best results across all podcast platforms, export your final episode using the following settings before uploading to beehiiv.

• Setting: Recommended value
• Format: MP3
• Bitrate: 128 kbps (mono) / 192 kbps (stereo with music)
• Bitrate type: CBR (Constant Bitrate)
• Sample rate: 44.1 kHz
• Channels: Mono (voice/interview)
• Loudness: -16 LUFS integrated
• True peak: -1 dBTP
• Max file size: 500 MB

• MP3: MP3 is the industry-standard format for podcast distribution. It is accepted by every major podcast directory and app, produces predictable file sizes, and is compatible with virtually every audio editing tool.

• 128 kbps (mono), 192 kbps (stereo with music): Bitrate controls the amount of audio data per second and directly affects file size and quality.

• Recommended bitrate based on show type: 
• Voice-only or interview (mono): 128 kbps
• Show with music beds or sound design: 192 kbps

• Use Constant Bitrate (CBR) rather than Variable Bitrate (VBR). CBR ensures reliable playback seeking and accurate episode duration estimates in podcast apps. Some older podcast players have known issues with VBR files.

• 44.1 kHz: Set your sample rate to 44.1 kHz. This is the standard expected by podcast directories and audio editing software alike. Uploading at 48 kHz (common for video production) will work but is not necessary for audio-only podcast distribution.

• Mono:For voice-only or interview-format shows, export in mono rather than stereo. Mono cuts file size roughly in half with no audible quality penalty for speech content. Use stereo only if your show has distinct left/right audio elements, such as spatial music or sound design.

Loudness is measured in LUFS (Loudness Units relative to Full Scale). Major podcast platforms automatically normalize audio to their own targets on playback, but mastering to a recommended level before upload produces the most consistent listener experience across devices and environments.

Recommended target for upload: 

• -16 LUFS integrated loudness with a true peak ceiling of -1 dBTP. 
• This setting aligns closely with Apple Podcasts' recommendation and falls within Spotify's acceptable range.

Large file sizes are the most common cause of upload failures. Check that your file is under 500 MB. If you are uploading a WAV file, consider converting to MP3 at 128 kbps, which produces a significantly smaller file at comparable quality for voice content.

If listeners report that your episodes sound quieter than other shows, your integrated loudness is likely below -16 LUFS. Run your audio through a loudness normalization tool (such as Auphonic or your DAW's built-in meter) and re-export before uploading.

This is often caused by a VBR-encoded MP3. Re-export using CBR encoding and re-upload the episode.

Clipping happens when audio peaks exceed 0 dBFS. Set a limiter with a ceiling of -1 dBTP before exporting to prevent this.