If you've been avoiding Maintenance Phase because you dread sitting through commercial breaks, here's some rare good news: real data from PodSkip users shows the show runs just 0.3% of its runtime as ads — the lowest ad load we've recorded for any show this size. On a typical 67-minute episode, that's roughly 12 seconds of commercial content. The question of how many ads does Maintenance Phase have almost answers itself: almost none.
The Ad Reality of Maintenance Phase
PodSkip analyzed Maintenance Phase episodes and found:
- Average ads per episode: essentially 0 detected segments
- Average ad time per episode: 0.2 minutes (~12 seconds)
- Ad time as a share of episode: 0.3%
- Average episode length: 67 minutes
That's not a rounding error. Hosts Aubrey Gordon and Michael Hobbes built the show around listener-supported crowdfunding via Patreon rather than ad networks — and that decision shows up directly in the audio. The rare sponsorship that does appear is a brief host mention, not a 60-second mid-roll.
Outside Online called Maintenance Phase the best health podcast they'd heard, and the near-zero ad load is part of why long episodes hold up. When the hosts spend 67 minutes working through the science behind BMI, diet culture, or wellness industry myths, they're not burning 10 of those minutes on supplement ads.
How Maintenance Phase Compares to Other Podcasts
| Show | Avg Ads/Episode | Avg Ad Minutes | % of Episode |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maintenance Phase | ~0 | 0.2 min | 0.3% |
| NPR News Now | 1.3 | 0.3 min | 6.8% |
| The MeidasTouch Podcast | 2.2 | 2.0 min | 8.0% |
| The Dan Le Batard Show | 3.6 | 3.3 min | 8.7% |
| The Bobby Bones Show | 12.8 | 9.9 min | 17.0% |
The gap is dramatic. Most podcasts sit between 7% and 17% ad load. Maintenance Phase is 0.3%.
Why Dynamic Ad Insertion Makes This Worse on Other Shows
Most podcasts now run on dynamic ad insertion (DAI) — a system where ads are stitched into the audio at download time rather than recorded permanently into the episode. The same episode can serve different ads to different listeners, and a show's ad load can increase over time as it attracts new sponsors.
DAI is why platform-level controls fail most listeners. Spotify can mute its own ad network, but it cannot remove host-read or baked-in ads — and it can't touch spots injected by third-party networks. The same gap exists on Amazon Music. That problem is invisible on Maintenance Phase today, but it's exactly what makes a dedicated ad-skipper worth having for your broader podcast queue.
The podcast advertising industry hit $3 billion in annual revenue in 2025 according to IAB projections, meaning the ad pressure on most shows is increasing, not decreasing. As IAB data confirmed, digital audio grew 10% in 2025, with podcasts driving the majority of that growth. Maintenance Phase's independent model is the exception.
How PodSkip Detects and Skips Maintenance Phase Ads Automatically
PodSkip uses on-device AI that listens ahead of your playback position and identifies sponsored segments automatically — no manual skipping required. It catches host-read ads, baked-in reads, and dynamically inserted spots. If Maintenance Phase runs a brief sponsorship mention, PodSkip catches it and skips past.
The critical difference from Spotify or Apple Podcasts: those platforms can only skip ads they serve themselves. PodSkip operates at the audio level, detecting ads based on what's actually in the audio rather than relying on metadata tags. That's how it catches host-read ads that no other app can touch.
PodSkip is completely free. You can add Maintenance Phase directly here.
What the Listening Experience Actually Feels Like
For most listeners, Maintenance Phase is already a near-ad-free experience by design. Episodes average 67 minutes, and virtually all of that runtime is research-driven conversation — not commercial content. The crowdfunding model means Gordon and Hobbes answer to their audience, not to sponsors.
Compare that to the average podcast that devotes 8–17% of its runtime to ads. For a 67-minute show, 8% would be more than 5 minutes of commercial breaks per episode. Maintenance Phase listeners don't lose that time.
Does How Many Ads Does Maintenance Phase Have Matter for Other Shows?
Yes — and here's why the answer matters beyond this one podcast. Even if Maintenance Phase runs minimal ads today, the same tool that handles it also covers every other show in your feed. See how to skip podcast ads automatically for the full setup, or read how AI detects podcast ads if you want to understand what's happening under the hood.
PodSkip is free and works whether a show has 0.3% ads or 17%. It's free insurance for the rest of your podcast library.
FAQ
How many ads does Maintenance Phase have per episode?
Based on PodSkip data, Maintenance Phase has essentially zero detected ad segments per episode. Ad content averages just 0.2 minutes — about 12 seconds — which is 0.3% of a typical 67-minute episode.
Why does Maintenance Phase have so few ads?
The show is independently funded through listener crowdfunding on Patreon rather than relying on ad network sponsorships. This gives hosts Aubrey Gordon and Michael Hobbes full editorial independence and results in near-zero ad load.
Can Spotify or Apple skip Maintenance Phase ads?
Platform controls only remove ads those platforms serve directly. PodSkip works at the audio level and can skip any sponsored segment, including host-read mentions, regardless of app or how the ad was inserted.
Is PodSkip free?
Yes. PodSkip is completely free. Add any podcast and the on-device AI handles ad detection and skipping without any manual input.
Does PodSkip work on higher-ad-load health podcasts?
Yes — PodSkip works across any podcast. If you also listen to shows with heavier ad loads, the same app handles all of them automatically.
Maintenance Phase is already one of the cleanest listening experiences in podcasting. But whether a show runs 0.3% ads or 17%, PodSkip handles it for free — start listening to Maintenance Phase on PodSkip today.
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