Head-to-head comparison
Edison Research Infinite Dial vs Podtrac
Two of the analytics tools podcasters reach for. Here's how they differ on pricing, features, audience, and the trade-offs that actually matter day-to-day.
Annual benchmark study on US podcast and audio consumption.
Best for:
Industry-standard audience measurement and monthly rankings since 2005.
Best for: Established publishers
At a glance
The honest trade-offs
Edison Research Infinite Dial
Pros
- Free benchmark used industry-wide for pitches
- Now includes video podcast consumption metrics
- Trend lines stretching back to the early 2000s
Watch-outs
- Annual release, not a real-time tool
- US-only at the headline level
- Custom research projects are expensive
Podtrac
Pros
- Sponsor-recognized industry rankings since 2005
- Free measurement plus demographic surveys
- IAB-compliant rankings included automatically
Watch-outs
- Dashboard UX feels visibly outdated
- Light on listener behavior and attribution
- Sponsor-facing tool, not a growth platform
Which one should you pick?
Pick Edison Research Infinite Dial if
You’re building around . The Infinite Dial is Edison Research's annual benchmark study on US audio behaviour. Free to access, cited in every other podcast pitch deck.
Pick Podtrac if
You’re building around established publishers. Podtrac is the boring, reliable, IAB-certified number that media kits cite when shows brag about rankings. It's been around since 2005 for a reason — sponsors trust it — but the dashboard feels stuck in the same decade and won't tell you anything actionable about why your audience does what it does.
Also worth comparing
Frequently asked
What does Edison Research Infinite Dial do better than Podtrac?
Edison Research Infinite Dial's standout is "Free benchmark used industry-wide for pitches". Podtrac doesn't make that promise — it leans into "Sponsor-recognized industry rankings since 2005" instead. If the first sentence describes your workflow, pick Edison Research Infinite Dial; if the second does, pick Podtrac.
What are the trade-offs?
Edison Research Infinite Dial: annual release, not a real-time tool. Podtrac: dashboard ux feels visibly outdated. Whether either matters depends entirely on what you actually need — neither is a deal-breaker by itself.
Can I use Edison Research Infinite Dial and Podtrac together?
Both are analytics tools so most teams pick one. Some workflows do combine them — for example, using Edison Research Infinite Dial for one show or episode type and Podtrac for another. Worth trying both free tiers before committing.