Podcasts have become a legitimate source of expert commentary, research discussion, and firsthand accounts, which increasingly means they show up in academic papers. APA 7 has a clear format for citing them, and here’s how it works.

The basic APA 7 podcast citation format

APA 7 treats individual podcast episodes as audio sources. The reference list format is:

Host, A. A. (Host). (Year, Month Day). Title of episode (No. episode number) [Audio podcast episode]. In Title of podcast. Publisher. URL

Not every podcast will include an episode number or a named publisher, and that’s fine. Include what’s available and omit what isn’t. This also applies to the URL – if you listened to the podcast in an app, APA 7 says the URL can be omitted.

Example

Thorne, A. (Host). (2024, May 19). Bigfoot in the Pacific Northwest: Analyzing vocalization patterns (No. 29) [Audio podcast episode]. In SquatchTalk. Crypto-Media Network. https://example.com

A few things to note about this format:

• The host’s name appears first, followed by (Host) to identify the role.
• The publication date includes the year, month, and day.
• The episode title is in sentence case and plain text.
• [Audio podcast episode] appears in brackets immediately after the episode title.
• The podcast series title is in sentence case and is italicized.
• No period follows the URL

In-text citations for podcasts

For podcasts, the host is typically treated as the author in APA in-text citations.

Parenthetical citation example

(Thorne, 2024)

Narrative citation example

Thorne (2024) explained that wood knocks are an essential component of Sasquatch communication.

Citing a direct quote from a podcast

Since podcasts don’t have page numbers, APA 7 recommends using a timestamp when quoting directly from an episode.

Parenthetical citation with timestamp example

(Thorne, 2024, 15:42)

Narrative citation with timestamp example

Thorne (2024, 15:42) stated that “the dermal ridges found in the mud prints cannot be easily faked.”

The timestamp helps readers locate the exact portion of the episode you’re referencing. It isn’t required for paraphrases, but it’s a useful courtesy when pointing to a specific, complex passage in a long episode.

What if someone other than the host is speaking?

This comes up often with interview-style podcasts. In most cases, the host remains the author in the reference list because they are responsible for the episode. You can mention the guest by name within your discussion.

Example

In an interview on SquatchTalk, Dr. Jane Henderson discussed the importance of analyzing hair samples found in the wilderness (Thorne, 2024).

The citation points to the host because the episode is the source, not the guest’s own published work.

Citing an entire podcast series

When you want to reference a podcast series as a whole rather than a specific episode, the format changes slightly.

Host, A. A. (Host). (Year–Year). Title of podcast [Audio podcast]. Publisher. URL

Example

Thorne, A. (Host). (2018–present). SquatchTalk [Audio podcast]. Crypto-Media Network. https://example.com

Notice the bracketed descriptor changes from [Audio podcast episode] to [Audio podcast] when citing the series rather than a single episode.

Common podcast citation mistakes

• Forgetting (Host) after the name – always identify the host’s role in the reference.
• Using title case for the episode title – episode titles use sentence case: only the first word, the first word after a colon, and proper nouns are capitalized.
• Italicizing the episode title instead of the series title – the series title is italicized; the episode title is in plain text.
• Adding a period after the URL – leave the URL clean so it remains a functional link.
• Omitting a timestamp for direct quotes – when you’re quoting a specific line, include a timestamp so readers can find it.

Let PERRLA build the reference and citations for you

PERRLA supports podcast references in its reference engine. Just select the podcast episode type, fill in the details, and PERRLA formats the entry correctly every time. Try PERRLA free for 7 days – no credit card required.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a timestamp when paraphrasing a podcast?

No. Timestamps are recommended for direct quotations. You can include one when paraphrasing if it helps readers locate a specific portion of a long episode, but it isn’t required.

What if the podcast has no named host?

If no host is identified, use the podcast’s production company or network as the author. If neither is available, move the podcast title to the author position, similar to how APA handles other authorless sources.

Can I cite Spotify as the publisher?

Generally, list the actual production company or network as the publisher if one is identified. If the podcast is produced exclusively by a streaming platform and no other publisher is listed, the platform can serve as the publisher.

How do I cite a video podcast on YouTube?

For a podcast episode hosted on YouTube, follow the same general format, but change [Audio podcast episode] to [Video podcast episode], list YouTube as the source rather than a podcast network, and use the YouTube URL. The in-text citation format remains the same.

Do I need to include an episode number?

Include an episode number if one is available and consistently used by the podcast. If episodes aren’t numbered, omit that element. APA 7 only asks you to include information that is available.

What is the difference between [Audio podcast] and [Audio podcast episode]?

[Audio podcast episode] is used when citing a single specific episode. [Audio podcast] is used when citing the series as a whole. Use whichever matches what you are actually referencing.

‍