Fountain

Fountain is a podcast app built around the Podcasting 2.0 value4value model — listeners stream Bitcoin satoshis directly to creators via the Lightning Network as they listen. Listeners also earn small amounts of Bitcoin for time spent in the app, which creates a closed-loop economy where attention is monetized in both directions.

Creators claim their show through Fountain (it indexes the standard podcast directory) and once verified, can collect streaming sats per minute plus one-time 'boosts' that listeners attach to specific moments, often with a message. The whole thing relies on Lightning's instant low-fee Bitcoin transactions, so the technical infrastructure is genuinely real even if the audience is small.

Fountain's appeal is mostly ideological — it's the most concrete implementation of Podcasting 2.0, positioned against algorithmic ad-supported platforms by tying value flow directly to listening behavior. The downside is obvious: the user base is a fraction of Apple Podcasts or Spotify, and most shows earn modest amounts unless they've cultivated a Bitcoin-aware audience.

Best for shows about crypto, Bitcoin, libertarian or freedom-oriented topics, tech — anywhere the audience overlap with Lightning users is high. For a mainstream pop culture or true crime show, the setup effort won't pay back. Worth understanding even if you don't use it; it's where the alternative model lives.