Why they exist, how they work, and how to skip them.
Vox9 costs real money to run -- servers, storage, AI narration credits, development time. We've been funding it ourselves since launch, and that's not sustainable long-term.
Ads let us keep the platform free for listeners while generating revenue that goes directly to two places: keeping the platform running and paying the authors who create the stories you love.
We're not selling your data. We're not working with ad trackers. We're just playing a short message before your story starts.
Right now, the ads are Vox9's own announcements -- promoting our merch store, upcoming features, and platform news. They're short (10-18 seconds), and you'll hear one before an episode starts (pre-roll) and occasionally during longer episodes (mid-roll).
In the near future, we'll introduce real advertisements from external partners. The format stays the same -- short, non-intrusive, and relevant.
Free listeners hear ads. That's it.
If you have any active subscription -- to any author ($2.50/month) or to the platform directly -- you will never hear an ad. Not a single one. Across the entire platform.
When real ad revenue starts flowing, 50% goes directly to the authors whose episodes the ads play on. The more people listen to your stories, the more you earn from ads -- on top of any subscription and tip income.
This means that by listening to an ad today, you're helping us build the system that will pay your favourite creators tomorrow. Every ad play counts.
We deliberately keep the ad load lighter than other platforms. Here's how a 1-hour episode compares:
We promise to keep ads:
Subscribe to any author or to the platform for $2.50/month. All ads disappear immediately, across every episode, every author, the entire platform.
Go Ad-Free for $2.50/moWill ads get longer or more frequent over time?
No. We've set a ceiling and we're sticking to it. If anything, we'll reduce frequency as revenue grows.
Can I skip ads?
Not currently. They're 10-18 seconds -- shorter than it takes to make a coffee. Or subscribe and they vanish entirely.
Do authors have a say?
Yes. Authors can opt their episodes out of ads entirely from their dashboard. We respect their choice.
I already subscribe to an author. Do I still hear ads?
No. Any active subscription -- to any author or to the platform -- removes all ads everywhere. You're covered.