Few podcasters have turned a college dorm-room project into a $60 million media empire the way Alex Cooper has. But her journey from a $70,000 Barstool contract to becoming the highest-earning female podcaster on Spotify is less about luck and more about a series of calculated moves.

4 related posts

2021 Spotify Deal: $60 million · Forbes 2025 Earnings: $32 million · Call Her Daddy Downloads: Over 1 billion (as of 2024)

Quick snapshot

1Confirmed facts
2What’s unclear
3Timeline signal
4What’s next
  • Unwell media company targeting Gen Z with scripted and unscripted content (Parade)
  • Potential expansion beyond podcasting into live events and TV (Parade)
Key facts about Alex Cooper
Attribute Value
Full Name Alexandra Cooper
Born August 21, 1994 (Wikipedia (community encyclopedia))
Podcast Call Her Daddy
Estimated Net Worth $60 million (Celebrity Net Worth)
Spouse Matt Kaplan
Spotify Deal (2021) $60 million (SatPost by Trung Phan)
Forbes 2025 Earnings $32 million (Wikipedia)

How much money does Alex Cooper make?

Alex Cooper’s Spotify deal

  • In 2021 she signed a three‑year exclusive licensing agreement with Spotify reportedly worth $60 million (SatPost by Trung Phan (media analyst)).
  • Under that contract, Cooper earned a minimum of $20 million per year to host Call Her Daddy (Celebrity Net Worth (financial data aggregator)).
  • After the Spotify deal expired, she signed a new three‑year, $125 million contract with SiriusXM in August 2024, implying an average annual value of about $40 million (Celebrity Net Worth).

The pattern: Cooper’s platform deals have nearly doubled in value every three years, from $70,000 to $60 million to $125 million.

Podcast ad revenue

Call Her Daddy has been Spotify’s second‑most‑popular podcast globally in 2024, behind only Joe Rogan (Wikipedia). The show’s massive audience — over 1 billion downloads as of 2024 — drives substantial advertising income. According to Parade (celebrity news outlet), the podcast consistently ranks in the top two on Spotify, making it a prime property for sponsors.

Other income streams

  • Cooper launched a media company called Trending with her husband Matt Kaplan, targeting Gen Z audiences with scripted and unscripted programming, podcasts, and live events (Parade).
  • She also earns from brand partnerships, merchandise, and potential TV/film ventures.
Why this matters

Cooper’s move from a $70,000 Barstool guarantee to a $125 million SiriusXM deal in six years shows how a single personality can capture disproportionate value in the podcast boom — as long as they retain ownership of their audience.

The implication: Cooper’s income is no longer tied only to podcast ads; she is building a diversified media business that could outlive any single platform deal.

How much is Alex Cooper’s husband worth?

Matt Kaplan net worth

  • Matt Kaplan is a film producer and former head of AwesomenessTV. Multiple sources estimate his net worth between $2 million and $5 million, though no verified public figure exists (Parade).
  • He co‑runs Trending with Cooper, but his personal wealth is dwarfed by hers.

Comparison to Alex Cooper’s wealth

Cooper’s estimated net worth of $60 million makes her the primary financial driver in the household. Kaplan’s net worth, while respectable, is at most 8% of hers. The couple married in 2024.

The pattern: Cooper’s wealth is self‑made from podcasting; Kaplan’s comes from traditional media production, a far less lucrative path in the creator economy.

Is Alex Cooper the highest paid podcaster?

Comparison with Joe Rogan

Joe Rogan’s Spotify deal is estimated at $200 million (Celebrity Net Worth), making him the highest‑paid podcaster overall. Cooper, by contrast, is the second‑highest‑paid podcaster and the highest‑paid woman in the space (Parade).

Comparison with Emma Chamberlain

Emma Chamberlain, another top female creator, earned an estimated $20 million in 2025 (Forbes Top Creators list), significantly less than Cooper’s $32 million. Cooper’s Forbes ranking as the highest‑earning female creator underscores her lead (Wikipedia).

Forbes Top Creators list

In June 2025, Forbes ranked Cooper as the 7th highest‑earning creator overall, with 2024 earnings of $32 million — the highest among female creators (Wikipedia).

One table can clarify the gap between deal values and actual earnings.

Top podcasters by deal value and annual earnings (2024–2025)
Podcaster Platform Deal Estimated Annual Earnings Source
Joe Rogan $200M (Spotify) ~$50M (estimated) Celebrity Net Worth
Alex Cooper $125M (SiriusXM, 2024) $32M (Forbes 2025) Wikipedia
Emma Chamberlain No exclusive deal $20M (Forbes 2025 est.) Wikipedia

What this means: Deal size doesn’t always equal take‑home pay. Cooper’s $125 million SiriusXM contract may be spread over several years, but her $32 million annual Forbes figure includes all income streams. She out‑earns Chamberlain by 60% despite lacking Chamberlain’s YouTube ubiquity.

Why is Alex Cooper so rich?

Early career and podcast launch

Cooper co‑created Call Her Daddy in 2018 while at Barstool Sports. The show launched with only $70,000 in guaranteed money from Barstool (SatPost by Trung Phan). Its raw, unfiltered style quickly built a loyal audience.

Spotify exclusive deal

The $60 million Spotify deal in 2021 was a turning point. It gave Cooper financial independence and the budget to produce high‑quality content. Time called her “arguably the most successful woman in podcasting” (Wikipedia).

Media company Unwell

In 2024, Cooper and Kaplan launched Unwell (Trending), a media company aimed at Gen Z. The venture diversifies her income beyond podcasting into TV, live events, and branded content (Parade).

The catch

Cooper’s wealth is heavily concentrated in platform deals. If the SiriusXM contract doesn’t renew on similar terms, her annual earnings could drop by more than half. Building a lasting media company is her hedge against that risk.

The trade-off: rapid wealth from exclusive deals comes at the cost of platform dependency. Unwell is her attempt to own the relationship with her audience directly.

Does Alex Cooper pay her guests?

Podcast guest payment policies

According to Parade, Cooper does not pay guests for appearing on Call Her Daddy. Instead, guests receive promotion and exposure to the show’s massive audience.

Industry standard

This is common among top‑tier podcasts. High‑profile guests (celebrities, musicians, politicians) appear for free because the platform exposure is considered valuable. Smaller podcasts may offer honoraria, but Cooper’s show has enough reach to make paying unnecessary.

The pattern: In the creator economy, attention is the currency. Cooper trades in billions of downloads, not cash for guests.

What’s confirmed and what’s unclear

Confirmed facts

  • Alex Cooper signed a $60 million Spotify deal in 2021 (SatPost by Trung Phan)
  • She is the host of Call Her Daddy, the second most popular podcast on Spotify in 2024 (Wikipedia)
  • Forbes listed her 2025 earnings at $32 million, highest among female creators (Wikipedia)
  • She signed a $125 million SiriusXM deal in August 2024 (Celebrity Net Worth)
  • She launched a media company called Unwell with Matt Kaplan (Parade)

What’s unclear

  • Exact net worth figures vary: $60 million from Celebrity Net Worth vs. other sources that haven’t published a figure
  • Matt Kaplan’s precise net worth is not publicly confirmed; estimates range from $2 million to $5 million (Parade)
  • The exact terms of the SiriusXM deal (duration, guaranteed vs. incentive pay) are not fully public

Quotes from the industry

“Alex Cooper earned an estimated $32 million in 2025.”

— Forbes 2025 Top Creators list, as cited by Wikipedia

“Time called Cooper in 2021 ‘arguably the most successful woman in podcasting’ after she signed the Spotify deal.”

— Wikipedia

For anyone watching the creator economy, the choice is clear: Cooper bet on platform exclusivity at exactly the right moment, then pivoted to ownership while her leverage was highest. For aspiring podcasters, the lesson is to build an audience first, then negotiate — not the other way around.

For a deeper look at the numbers behind her success, Alex Coopers net worth is broken down in detail on StoryFlow.

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Frequently asked questions

Who is the richest podcaster?

Joe Rogan is the richest podcaster, with a $200 million Spotify deal (Celebrity Net Worth).

Who got paid $1 million per episode?

No podcaster has publicly confirmed a per‑episode fee of $1 million. Alex Cooper’s Spotify deal works out to roughly $400,000 per episode over three years, not $1 million.

Who is Alex Cooper’s husband’s ex?

Matt Kaplan was previously in a relationship with actress Bella Thorne, though details are private.

What is Call Her Daddy’s revenue?

Exact revenue is not public, but with over 1 billion downloads and a top‑two Spotify ranking, advertising income is estimated in the tens of millions annually (Parade).

How did Alex Cooper start her career?

She co‑created Call Her Daddy in 2018 at Barstool Sports with a $70,000 guarantee (SatPost by Trung Phan).

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