Qcode
QCODE is a premium scripted podcast studio and network that produces high-production-value fiction audio series featuring A-list talent, distributes across Apple, Spotify, and Amazon, runs a QCODE+ subscription service, and adapts IP into TV and film. It serves entertainment consumers and external brand/studio production clients as a Daylight Media Group subsidiary.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2019
- HeadquartersLos Angeles, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
What Qcode does
QCODE, founded in 2019 by former Creative Artists Agency agent Rob Herting, is a premium podcast production studio and scripted content label headquartered in Santa Monica, California, and operating as a subsidiary of Daylight Media Group. The company creates and distributes high-production-value scripted fiction podcasts across horror, sci-fi, thriller, mystery, comedy, and family genres, leveraging A-list film and television talent including Rami Malek, Cynthia Erivo, Markiplier, Kerry Washington, Chris Pine, and Rosamund Pike. Its core technology stack centers on cinematic audio production — including a 9.1.6 Dolby Atmos-tuned mix stage — supporting immersive sound design and post-production capabilities.
The company's product portfolio comprises four revenue streams: (1) original scripted podcast series (over 30 titles since launch, accumulating 40+ industry awards including Ambies and Webbys); (2) QCODE+, a premium subscription service offering ad-free listening, early access episodes, and bonus content distributed across Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon/Audible, and direct website with private RSS support; (3) Creative Services, a B2B production division launched in 2023 providing premium podcast, film, and TV production capabilities to external brands, studios, and distributors; and (4) TV/film adaptations of podcast IP, with completed deals including The Edge of Sleep and Last Known Position on Amazon Prime Video, Carrier as a feature film, and an upcoming Unwanted feature film with Kenan Thompson and Lamorne Morris. The company's GTM motion combines marketplace distribution (major podcast platforms), talent-led product creation, and network partnerships (And That's Why We Drink, Sightings with Reverb).
QCODE reports over 100 million monthly downloads and plays across platforms and operates with a Hollywood-meets-Silicon Valley positioning. In February 2026, Bell Media (Canada) invested in parent Daylight Media Group through its corporate venture arm Bell Ventures, marking the company's first major strategic capital infusion since its $6.4 million Series A in 2020 from Sonos and C Ventures. Leadership includes founder Rob Herting and Chief Strategy Officer Steve Wilson. The company operates globally in distribution while maintaining US-based production operations.
Qcode firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Qcode
- Legal name
- QCODE MEDIA, INC.
- Website
- https://qcodemedia.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2019
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- QCODE is a premium scripted podcast studio and network that produces high-production-value fiction audio series featuring A-list talent, distributes across Apple, Spotify, and Amazon, runs a QCODE+ subscription service, and adapts IP into TV and film. It serves entertainment consumers and external brand/studio production clients as a Daylight Media Group subsidiary.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Qcode industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Podcast Production and Distribution
- NAICS
- Sound Recording Studios (512240), Sound Recording Industries (5122), Other Sound Recording Industries (512290)
- SIC
- Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Production (7812)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Podcast Networks & Studio Platforms (MPAIADAC)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Creator Tools & Monetization Platforms (Podcasts/Audio) (MPAIADAG), Podcast Hosting & Enterprise Solutions (Private/Branded Podcasts) (MPACADAF)
Keywords
Where Qcode is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Los Angeles
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Qcode business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations
Revenue model
- QCODE+ Subscription: Premium subscription service providing ad-free listening, early access to new episodes, and exclusive bonus content. Available via monthly or annual billing through Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and direct website subscriptions.
- Advertising: Ad-supported free versions of podcasts remain available. Shows include presenting brand sponsors in intro/outro positions while mid-roll ads are removed for subscribers.
- Creative Services: Premium audio and video podcast production services for brands, studios, and distributors. Includes creative development, production, post-production, and distribution planning for external clients.
- TV/Film Adaptations: Development of television and film adaptations of successful podcast properties, including The Edge of Sleep (Amazon), Last Known Position (Prime Video), and Unwanted (feature film).
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | QCODE+ Monthly Subscription |
| Subscription | Annual | QCODE+ Annual Subscription |
| Freemium | Pay-as-you-go | Free Ad-Supported Tier |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels4 records
Qcode product offering
Product offeringCore offering
QCODE is a premium podcast studio and network that develops, produces, and distributes original scripted fiction podcasts featuring A-list celebrity talent across horror, sci-fi, thriller, mystery, comedy, and family genres. The company operates the QCODE+ subscription service for ad-free listening and early access, a Creative Services division offering Dolby Atmos-enabled audio and video production to external clients, and adapts successful podcast IPs into television and film properties distributed on platforms such as Amazon Prime Video.
Product overview
QCODE is a premium podcast studio and network that develops and distributes scripted fiction podcasts. The company operates a portfolio of original podcast series across horror, sci-fi, thriller, mystery, comedy, and family genres, featuring A-list talent including Rami Malek, Cynthia Erivo, Markiplier, Kerry Washington, and others. QCODE's product portfolio includes: (1) Original Series - over 30 scripted fiction podcasts across multiple genres; (2) QCODE+ - a premium subscription service offering ad-free listening, early access, and bonus content; (3) Creative Services - a full-service production division offering podcast, film, and TV production capabilities including Dolby Atmos mixing; and (4) Network Partnerships - ad sales and distribution agreements with podcasts like And That's Why We Drink. The company also adapts its podcasts into TV and film properties, with adaptations for Amazon Prime Video, feature films, and Audible originals.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- QCODE+: Premium subscription service offering ad-free listening, early access to new episodes, and bonus content for QCODE podcast shows.
Products and services
- QCODE+ Premium subscription service providing ad-free listening, early access to new episodes, and exclusive bonus content across the QCODE podcast library. Available through Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and direct website subscriptions with private RSS feed for cross-app access.
- Creative Services Full-service production division offering podcast, film, and TV production services including 9.1.6 Dolby Atmos mixing, scriptwriting, casting, and distribution planning for external brands, studios, and distributors.
- Blackout Apocalyptic thriller podcast starring Rami Malek as a small-town radio DJ fighting to protect his family after a nationwide power grid collapse. Two seasons.
- The Edge of Sleep Post-apocalyptic thriller podcast starring Markiplier as a night watchman who discovers everyone who slept has died. Adapted into a TV series on Amazon Prime Video.
- Carrier Immersive thriller podcast starring Cynthia Erivo, later adapted into a feature film.
- Borrasca Psychological thriller podcast starring Cole Sprouse about a man investigating disappearances in the town of Drisking, Missouri. Two seasons.
- Edith Historical fiction comedy podcast starring Rosamund Pike as Edith Wilson, exploring the untold story of America's secret First Lady President.
- Soft Voice Psychological thriller podcast starring Naomi Scott, Olivia Cooke, and Bel Powley about a woman whose inner voice suddenly vanishes. Won Best Scriptwriting, Fiction at the Ambies.
- Dirty Diana Erotic drama podcast starring Demi Moore about a woman who secretly runs an erotic website. Later adapted into a TV drama series.
- Ad Lucem Sci-fi thriller podcast starring Chris Pine, Olivia Wilde, and Troian Bellisario about a tech company's augmented reality assistant in 2032.
- The Left Right Game Sci-fi thriller podcast starring Tessa Thompson, later adapted into a TV series by Amazon Studios.
- The Prophecy Supernatural thriller podcast starring Kerry Washington, Daniel Dae Kim, David Oyelowo, and Laurence Fishburne about unexplained global disasters. Produced with Audible.
- Last Known Position Mystery thriller podcast starring Gina Rodriguez about submersible pilots investigating a vanished flight. Adapted into Prime Video series.
- Dungeon Masters Scripted thriller podcast starring Jon Hamm and Wil Wheaton, based on the real-life missing person case involving Dungeons & Dragons in 1979.
- Unwanted Action comedy podcast starring Lamorne Morris about two degenerates attempting to claim a reward. Being adapted into a feature film starring Kenan Thompson and Lamorne Morris.
- From Now Sci-fi thriller podcast starring Brian Cox and Richard Madden. Amazon acquired TV adaptation rights.
- Crime Waves True crime podcast series produced with Faceplant and No Smiling, telling strange true crime stories.
- Sightings Weekly paranormal podcast produced with Reverb, exploring supernatural phenomena from Roswell to Amityville and beyond.
- Electric Easy Musical neo-noir sci-fi podcast starring Chloe Bailey and Mason Gooding, set in futuristic Los Angeles where humans co-exist with robots.
- Gaslight Thriller podcast starring Chloë Grace Moretz about a friend who vanished years ago and returns with mysterious circumstances.
- Hank the Cowdog Family comedy podcast starring Matthew McConaughey as the voice of Hank the Cowdog, based on the book series by John R. Erickson.
- Cupid Mythology comedy podcast starring Diego Boneta, Naomi Ackie, and Rupert Friend about Cupid's quest to recover a stolen love potion.
- The Peepkins Family podcast starring Anna Faris, Maulik Pancholy, and Diedrich Bader about a subspecies of yellowfowl living in a small town.
- Ronstadt Supernatural noir comedy podcast starring Rhett & Link about a 9-1-1 operator encountering magic and monsters.
- Madam Ram Drama podcast starring Toni Collette as NFL owner Georgia Frontiere, produced with LuckyChap and Vocab Films.
- A Better Paradise Sci-fi audio fiction series created by Dan Houser (GTA/Red Dead Redemption) through Absurd Ventures, starring Andrew Lincoln and Shamier Anderson.
- Evergreen (Hidden Signal) Hidden Signal anthology series (also known as Evergreen) starring Lana Condor and Alan Cumming, exploring science-fiction and mystery stories.
- Narcissa Sci-fi thriller podcast starring Dianna Agron and Maria Sten about a mind reader living in hiding in Los Angeles.
Quantifiable outcome
- Multiple podcasts reached #1 in fiction category and top 10 overall on Apple Podcast Charts
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Qcode
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Qcode technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration15 records
Feature2 records
Qcode partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
15 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- And That's Why We DrinkminorPartnership focusing on ad sales and distribution for the award-winning true crime/paranormal podcast. The show joins the QCODE network gaining access to QCODE's expertise in ad sales, distribution, and marketing.
- ReverbminorCo-production partnership for the Sightings supernatural podcast series. Reverb is an innovative audio production company dedicated to crafting captivating storytelling experiences.
- Temple HillminorProduction partnership for the Dungeon Masters scripted thriller podcast starring Jon Hamm and Wil Wheaton.
- Endeavor ContentminorProduction partner for the Blackout podcast starring Rami Malek.
- Crooked MediaminorCo-production partner for the Edith podcast starring Rosamund Pike.
- Absurd VenturescorePartnership with Absurd Ventures (founded by storytellers behind Red Dead Redemption and Grand Theft Auto) for A Better Paradise audio fiction series. QCODE produces the audio adaptation of their game-world universe.
- LuckyChapminorProduction partnership for Madam Ram podcast starring Toni Collette.
- The Cantillon CompanyminorProduction partnership for Madam Ram podcast.
- Vocab FilmsminorProduction partnership for Madam Ram podcast.
- Simpson StreetminorProduction partnership with Kerry Washington's production company for The Prophecy podcast.
- FaceplantminorDevelopment and production partnership for Crime Waves podcast series.
- No SmilingminorProduction association for Crime Waves podcast delivering true crime stories.
- WOOD ELFminorProduction partnership for Ronstadt supernatural noir comedy podcast.
- MythicalminorProduction partnership with Rhett & Link's company for Ronstadt podcast.
- Let's Talk About Myths, Baby!minorPartnership for releasing 6 bonus episodes for Cupid podcast that break down mythological references, plus creator conversation with writer/director.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Qcode competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Wondery: Premium podcast studio and network producing high-production narrative and scripted content, now owned by Amazon. Directly comparable to QCODE's model of star-driven scripted fiction podcasts with downstream screen adaptation value.
- Gimlet Media: Premium scripted podcast studio acquired by Spotify, known for narrative-driven shows with cinematic production values. Closely parallels QCODE's scripted fiction positioning and chart-topping approach.
- Pushkin Industries: Premium podcast production company co-founded by Malcolm Gladwell and Jacob Weisberg, producing high-quality narrative, history, and fiction podcasts. Comparable in production quality bar and celebrity-talent-driven content strategy.
- Audio Up Media: Scripted podcast studio and network producing narrative audio fiction with celebrity talent and music-driven storytelling. Direct competitor in premium scripted fiction podcasting with similar adaptation ambitions.
- Realm (formerly Serial Box): Scripted audio fiction studio producing serialized audio dramas and original audio content. Direct comparable in the scripted fiction category with subscription-based access model.
- Crooked Media: Premium podcast network and media company producing high-quality narrative and political content, co-producer of QCODE's Edith podcast. Comparable in production quality and political/cultural content positioning.
Broad incumbents
- Audible Originals: Amazon's premium original audio content division producing high-production scripted audio dramas and podcasts with celebrity talent. Broader incumbent competing in the same premium scripted audio category but as part of Amazon's larger audiobook ecosystem.
- iHeartPodcasts: Largest US podcast publisher and radio broadcaster with extensive original and acquired podcast content. Broad incumbent competing across all podcast categories including fiction, with significant distribution leverage.
- SiriusXM / Stitcher: Major podcast platform and network owned by SiriusXM, producing and distributing original and partner podcasts. Broad incumbent with significant scale competing in scripted and narrative podcast categories.
Emerging players
- Headgum: Independent podcast network and production company producing comedy, fiction, and creator-driven shows. Emerging comparable in the premium independent podcast studio space, smaller scale than QCODE.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Qcode social profiles
Digital presenceQcode financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Qcode leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Qcode funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds3 records
Investors6 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Qcode M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Qcode
What does Qcode do?
QCODE is a premium podcast studio and network that develops, produces, and distributes original scripted fiction podcasts featuring A-list celebrity talent across horror, sci-fi, thriller, mystery, comedy, and family genres. The company operates the QCODE+ subscription service for ad-free listening and early access, a Creative Services division offering Dolby Atmos-enabled audio and video production to external clients, and adapts successful podcast IPs into television and film properties distributed on platforms such as Amazon Prime Video.
Is Qcode a public or private company?
Qcode is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Qcode founded?
Qcode was founded in 2019. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Qcode based?
Qcode is headquartered in Los Angeles, United States, in the North America region.
How does Qcode make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. QCODE+ Subscription is the primary driver. The others are advertising, creative Services and TV/Film Adaptations.
Who are Qcode's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Wondery, Gimlet Media, Pushkin Industries, Audio Up Media, Realm (formerly Serial Box) and Crooked Media. Broad incumbents are Audible Originals, iHeartPodcasts and SiriusXM / Stitcher. Headgum is listed as an emerging player.
Does Qcode have an API?
No public API is recorded for Qcode.
What industry is Qcode in?
Qcode's product category is Podcast Production and Distribution. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAIADAC, Podcast Networks & Studio Platforms, with a secondary code of MPAIADAG, Creator Tools & Monetization Platforms (Podcasts/Audio). Its NAICS code is 512240 and its SIC code is 7812.