Pocket FM says 1 in 5 monetised creators earn over ₹1 lakh a month: Here’s how they make money

Pocket FM said more than 1% of its creators now earn over ₹1 lakh a month, as the platform’s total creator payouts have crossed ₹300 crore and it targets ₹1,000 crore by 2026. The company, which has raised about $197 million including a $103 million Series D round, said its growth has come alongside rising use of AI tools, expansion in Indian languages and higher global distribution. Media reports said its parent firm Pocket Entertainment recorded a 68% increase in revenue to ₹1,768 crore in FY25 from ₹1,052 crore a year earlier.

The company said more than 300,000 creators published stories on the platform over the past year, many using AI-assisted tools to produce episodic audio content.

How creators are making money on Pocket FM
Pocket FM said income opportunities are improving for writers on its platform. The top 10% of monetised creators collectively earned over ₹50 crore in 2025, while the top 1% reportedly made more than ₹50 lakh each annually.


The company said more than one in five monetised creators now earn above ₹1 lakh a month, driven by paid episode unlocks, subscriptions and advertising-supported listening under its freemium model.

Role of AI tools in creator income
Pocket FM said its AI tools help creators plan long story arcs, maintain continuity across episodes and reduce production time. Earlier, writers often needed teams for scripting, editing and recording, but the platform said its system now allows individuals to publish faster.

Pocket FM said its catalogue spans several Indian languages, with Hindi content contributing a large share of listening. The company reported more than 2.2 billion minutes of listening every month, mainly from episodic fiction series.

It said the company plans to adapt more than 50 Indian creator-led titles for audiences in the United States and Europe in 2026 as part of its global expansion.

Subscription model and pricing
Pocket FM operates on a freemium model where users can access some content for free, while premium episodes require payment or subscription access. Pricing varies by market, language and content tier and combines ad-supported listening with paid unlock options.

The company said around 90% of its creators are first-time storytellers, many using the platform as a full-time or part-time income source. Interest in creator partnerships and production roles has grown as the content ecosystem expands.