> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.podigee.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.podigee.com/documentation/grow-and-monetize/analytics/understand-downloads-listeners-and-subscribers.md).

# Understand downloads, listeners, and subscribers

Learn what Downloads & Streams, Unique Listeners, Subscribers, and Top 5 Episodes count.

The podcast overview in Analytics shows three numbers and one table. Each one counts a different thing. Read this page before you compare numbers across periods, episodes, or podcasts.

## How it works

The overview box **Your Podcast Overview - Last 30 days** shows the last 30 days. On a plan with less than 30 days of analytics history, the box shows the days that your plan includes. The explanation **This number shows your downloads and streams from the last 30 days.** appears when you select **How these numbers work**.

| Number                    | What it counts                                                              |
| ------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **# Downloads & Streams** | The complete downloads and streams of all published episodes in the period. |
| **# Unique Listeners**    | Each listener once per download source in the period.                       |
| **# Subscribers**         | Listeners who follow the podcast through its feed.                          |
| **Top 5 Episodes**        | The five episodes with the highest download sum in the period.              |

The in-app explanation for subscribers reads **Subscribers are listeners who follow your podcast through its feed.** A listener can play an episode on a web page or in an app that does not use the feed. This listener counts as a listener, not as a subscriber.

Only a complete download counts.

## Example

A podcast publishes one episode per week. In the last 30 days, Podigee delivered 1,200 complete downloads. 400 different listeners requested them, and 250 of these listeners came through the feed. The overview shows 1,200 under **# Downloads & Streams**, 400 under **# Unique Listeners**, and 250 under **# Subscribers**. The four newest episodes and one older evergreen episode fill **Top 5 Episodes**.

## Important decisions

* Analytics counts downloads and streams together. It does not separate a stream from a file download.
* Listener and subscriber numbers appear on every current plan. Some older plans do not include them.
* **Top 5 Episodes** appears on Grow and above, or an older plan that includes it.
* The episode list and the downloads chart use the same complete-download definition, so their sums match for the same date range.
* Numbers for a date before your analytics history starts are not available. See [Understand analytics history by plan](/documentation/grow-and-monetize/analytics/understand-analytics-history-by-plan.md).

## Related tasks

* [Explore your podcast analytics](/documentation/grow-and-monetize/analytics/explore-your-podcast-analytics.md)
* [View downloads over time](/documentation/grow-and-monetize/analytics/view-downloads-over-time.md)
* [Understand listener insights](/documentation/grow-and-monetize/analytics/understand-listener-insights.md)
* [Analytics semantics for AI agents](/documentation/start-here/ai-agents/mcp-reference/analytics-semantics.md)


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