Podcast data and growth firm Bumper has announced the Bumper Score, an audience verification tool designed to give podcast advertisers a standardized metric for evaluating a show’s ability to deliver ads to a verified audience.

The Bumper Score rates shows on a scale of 0 to 200, with 100 representing the industry average. Scores above 100 indicate stronger verified reach. The metric draws on first-party data from podcast hosting providers, verified listener data from major podcast apps, and episode-level retention figures.

Podcasters retain full ownership of their data and control whether to share their score with advertisers or agencies.

The launch comes as the podcasting industry contends with a persistent gap between listenership and ad investment. According to 2025 research from Oxford Road, improved data and verification methods could unlock an additional $1 billion in podcast ad spend.

According to the announcement, Bumper clients have allocated more than $500,000 toward ad buys informed by the Bumper Score while the product remains in beta. Current beta advertisers include Understood.org and the Stupski Foundation.

The company plans to launch the Bumper Score as a free service in May 2026 through the Bumper Dashboard. Existing clients will receive priority access, and a waitlist is now open to all podcasters.

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