Radio.co is the best online radio broadcasting software for most new stations that want hosted scheduling, live studio tools, and analytics in one place, with Live365 and RadioKing as the closest alternatives. Only Live365 among the eight tools in this guide bundles music licensing for listeners in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, so a United States station that plays commercial music and wants one bill should start there. The cheapest hosted start is Airtime Pro at $9.95 per month, but its Hobbyist plan allows only 10 listeners at once and a 64 kbps stream, so it suits a hobby station rather than a growing audience.
Pick by job first, then by price. A hosted platform runs the server, the playout, and the schedule for you, and you pay each month for listener capacity and storage. A desktop program runs on your own computer, and you still need a streaming server to reach listeners. A free encoder only sends live audio to a server, so it suits live shows and needs a host beside it.
On this page
Best online radio broadcasting software: comparison table
Swipe the table sideways on a phone to see every column.
| # | Name | Best for | Starting price | Free plan / trial | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Radio.co | New hosted stations that want one platform | $35 per month | Free trial (14 days) | Visit |
| 2 | Live365 | United States stations that need licensing included | $65 per month | Free trial (14 days) | Visit |
| 3 | RadioKing | Budget hosted stations with a polished player | $19 per month | Free trial (14 days) | Visit |
| 4 | Airtime Pro | Hobby stations on a small budget | $9.95 per month | Free trial (7 days) | Visit |
| 5 | RadioBoss | Windows stations that want a one-time licence | $199 one-time | Free trial | Visit |
| 6 | SAM Broadcaster Cloud | Cloud automation without a home computer | $30 per month | Free trial | Visit |
| 7 | Mixxx | Live DJ mixing on Windows, Mac, and Linux | $0 | Yes | Visit |
| 8 | BUTT | Simple live encoding to Icecast and SHOUTcast | $0 | Yes | Visit |
The 8 best best online radio broadcasting software tools, in detail
Radio.co
Best for: New hosted stations that want one platform
Radio.co is a cloud platform for creating, scheduling, and managing an internet radio station without installing server software. Lite costs $35 per month and includes 2 GB of storage, 500 listeners at once, about 18,000 listening hours per month, and a stream up to 192 kbps. Standard costs $59 per month with 20 GB, 20,000 listeners at once, and about 360,000 listening hours.
- Plus costs $139 per month with 75 GB and mobile apps, and Premium costs $199 per month with 300 GB and a stream up to 320 kbps.
- One limit: the entry plan is tight on storage, at 2 GB, which holds about 500 tracks, so a station with a large music library will need a higher plan.
- The EDGE audio processor costs $20 per month as an add-on on Lite, Standard, and Plus, and the website builder costs $12 per month on every plan.
Pros
- Hosted playout, scheduling, and analytics in one place
- Lite allows 500 listeners at once and about 18,000 listening hours per month
Cons
- Music licensing is not included in any plan
- browser live studio and voice tracking start on Standard at $59 per month
Live365
Best for: United States stations that need licensing included
Live365 is a long-running hosted broadcaster with music licensing included on every Broadcast plan, plus automated royalty reporting. Broadcast 1 costs $65 per month with Live365 network ads, or $89 per month with Ad Control and no mandatory network ads, and includes 1,500 listening hours per month and 50 GB of storage. Broadcast 2 costs $109 per month with ads, or $149 with Ad Control, for 3,500 hours and 75 GB.
- Broadcast 3 costs $219 with ads, or $299 with Ad Control, for 7,000 hours and 150 GB, with mobile apps included.
- One limit: the entry allowance is small, because 1,500 listening hours per month supports only about two average listeners around the clock, and extra
- Talk stations can use Non-Copyright plans from $21 per month.
- Choose Live365 if you play commercial music in the United States, Canada, or Mexico and want licensing handled in one bill.
Pros
- Music licensing for the United States, Canada, and Mexico is included
- Broadcast 1 includes 50 GB of storage and 1,500 listening hours per month
Cons
- Entry plan allows only 1,500 listening hours per month, with extra hours billed at $0.07 each
- mobile apps are an add-on below Broadcast 3
RadioKing
Best for: Budget hosted stations with a polished player
RadioKing is a hosted radio platform with cloud playout, scheduling, statistics, and an embeddable web player. Discover costs $19 per month with 1 GB of storage, 50 listeners at once, 150 listening hours per month, and a stream up to 128 kbps. Start costs $34 per month with 10 GB, 20,000 listening hours, and unlimited listeners at once within that allowance.
- Pro costs $64 per month with 25 GB and 150,000 hours, and Business costs $119 per month with 50 GB, 500,000 hours, and a stream up to 320 kbps.
- One limit: the Discover plan is very small, so most stations will outgrow it within weeks, and the real entry point for regular broadcasting is Start
- RadioKing does not include music licensing, so you must arrange licences for the countries where your listeners are based.
Pros
- Discover costs $19 per month
- Start allows unlimited listeners at once within its listening-hour allowance
Cons
- Discover allows only 150 listening hours per month and 50 listeners at once
- mobile apps are separate products from $29 per month per platform
Airtime Pro
Best for: Hobby stations on a small budget
Airtime Pro is a cloud radio automation platform from Sourcefabric. Hobbyist costs $9.95 per month with 1 stream, up to 64 kbps, 10 listeners, 2 GB of storage, and 1 TB of bandwidth. Starter costs $39.95 per month with 2 streams, up to 128 kbps, 400 listeners per stream, 5 GB, and 3 TB.
- Plus costs $64.95 per month with 2 streams, up to 196 kbps, 1,000 listeners per stream, and 30 GB.
- Premium costs $99.95 per month with 3 streams, unlimited listeners per stream, 150 GB, and 40 TB.
- One limit: the Hobbyist plan is a trial-scale tier in practice, because 10 listeners at once and 64 kbps audio will not suit a public station with reg
- The 7-day trial is shorter than the 14-day trials offered by Radio.co, Live365, and RadioKing.
Pros
- Lowest subscription entry price in this guide at $9.95 per month
- cloud automation and calendar scheduling run without a home computer
Cons
- Hobbyist allows only 10 listeners at once, 1 stream, 2 GB of storage, and a stream up to 64 kbps
- stream quality reaches only 196 kbps even on Premium
RadioBoss
Best for: Windows stations that want a one-time licence
RadioBoss from DJSoft is a Windows automation program that plays, schedules, and streams to SHOUTcast version 1 and version 2 and to Icecast servers. Standard costs $199 as a one-time licence, Advanced costs $249, and Ultimate costs $299. Each licence is perpetual, so the software keeps working after the first year, and each purchase includes one year of updates and support.
- Advanced adds dayparting and user access control, and Ultimate adds remote voice tracking.
- Renewal costs $85 per year for Standard, $95 for Advanced, and $105 for Ultimate.
- One limit: RadioBoss is desktop software only, so you must supply your own Windows computer and a streaming server, and the monthly cost of that serve
Pros
- One-time licence with no monthly fee for the software itself
- Standard includes scheduler, playlist generator, and streaming in MP3, AAC, Ogg, Opus, and FLAC
Cons
- Windows only, with no Mac or Linux version
- each licence includes only one year of updates and support, with renewal from $85 per year
SAM Broadcaster Cloud
Best for: Cloud automation without a home computer
SAM Broadcaster Cloud from Spacial lets you upload your content, set rotation rules, schedule tasks, and build play blocks, then shut down your computer while the station keeps running in the cloud. Pricing starts at $30 per month, with a free trial available. The cloud service covers about 98 percent of the features of the desktop SAM Broadcaster PRO version, according to Spacial, and the desktop PRO version is sold separately from $15 per month or as a one-time licence of $299.
- SAM Broadcaster Live DJ software can use the same cloud configuration for live shows.
- One limit: SAM Broadcaster Cloud is automation and playout, not a complete listener-facing host on its own, so check what stream hosting is included b
Pros
- Cloud playout keeps the station on air after you shut down your computer
- rotation rules, tasks, and play blocks run in the cloud
Cons
- Starting price is $30 per month with no free tier for ongoing use
- you still need a separate streaming server or host for listeners to connect to
Mixxx
Best for: Live DJ mixing on Windows, Mac, and Linux
Mixxx is free, open-source DJ software for Windows, macOS, and Linux, with virtual decks, a mixer, beatmatching, crates and playlists, and support for most DJ controllers. Version 2.5.6 was released in March 2026. Its Live Broadcasting setting streams direct to Icecast in MP3 or Ogg Vorbis and to SHOUTcast in MP3, so you can send a live DJ mix to your station without a separate encoder.
- Auto DJ mixes tracks from a queue or from crates, which covers a break in a live show.
- One limit: Mixxx is a DJ tool first and a radio automation tool second, because it cannot start a playlist at a set time or run rotation rules around
- Pair it with a hosted platform for unattended hours.
Pros
- Free and open source with no subscription version
- live broadcasting to Icecast and SHOUTcast is built in, with MP3 and Ogg Vorbis support
Cons
- No timed scheduling or rotation rules, so it cannot run a 24/7 station on its own
- no streaming server is included, so you still need a host
BUTT
Best for: Simple live encoding to Icecast and SHOUTcast
BUTT, short for Broadcast Using This Tool, is a free, open-source encoder by Daniel Nothen for Windows, macOS, and Linux. It takes audio from your microphone or line input, encodes it, and sends it to an Icecast or SHOUTcast server. It supports AAC, MP3, Ogg Vorbis, Ogg Opus, and Ogg FLAC for streaming, and the same formats plus WAV for recording.
- Setup is simple: enter the server address, port, mountpoint, and password, then connect.
- One limit: BUTT does nothing when you are not live, because it has no music library, no playlist, and no schedule, so your station goes silent unless
- It also needs a separate streaming server.
Pros
- Free and open source for Windows, macOS, and Linux
- streams live audio from a microphone or line input to Icecast and SHOUTcast
Cons
- Live only, with no automation, scheduling, or music library
- it is not a server by itself, so you need a separate streaming server
How we chose
We included only tools with a real product page and a published price or a free download, and we checked prices and plan limits on official vendor pages and vendor help pages on 2026-11-12. We did not test any tool hands-on. We ranked by job first, then by entry price, listener allowance, storage, stream quality, and whether music licensing is included. Prices change often, so confirm the current plan on the vendor page before you buy.
Which tool fits your budget and audience
| Situation | Pick | Monthly software cost | Key limit to check |
|---|---|---|---|
| New hosted station, small audience | Radio.co Lite | $35 per month | 2 GB storage, about 18,000 listening hours |
| United States music station, licensing included | Live365 Broadcast 1 | $65 per month with ads | 1,500 listening hours, $0.07 per extra hour |
| Lowest hosted start | Airtime Pro Hobbyist | $9.95 per month | 10 listeners at once, 64 kbps |
| Lowest real hosted start for regular listeners | RadioKing Start | $34 per month | 20,000 listening hours, 128 kbps |
| One-time desktop licence | RadioBoss Standard | $199 one-time | Windows only, server cost is separate |
| Free live DJ mixing | Mixxx | $0 | No timed scheduling, no server included |
| Free live encoding | BUTT | $0 | Live only, no library or schedule |
Frequently asked questions
What is the best online radio broadcasting software for most people?
Radio.co is the best pick for most new stations, because Lite at $35 per month covers hosted playout, scheduling, analytics, 500 listeners at once, and about 18,000 listening hours per month. Live365 is better if you need music licensing included, and RadioKing Start at $34 per month is better for 20,000 listening hours per month.
How much does online radio broadcasting software cost?
Entry prices in this guide run from $0 for Mixxx and BUTT to $9.95 per month for Airtime Pro Hobbyist, $19 per month for RadioKing Discover, $30 per month for SAM Broadcaster Cloud, $35 per month for Radio.co Lite, and $65 per month for Live365 Broadcast 1 with ads. RadioBoss Standard costs $199 as a one-time licence.
Which is best for a free radio station?
Mixxx is best for free live DJ mixing, and BUTT is best for free live encoding, because both cost $0 and run on Windows, Mac, and Linux. Neither includes a streaming server or 24/7 scheduling, so pair one with a hosted platform or a self-hosted Icecast server for unattended hours.
Which is best for a United States station that plays commercial music?
Live365 is best for a United States station that plays commercial music, because it is the only tool in this guide that bundles music licensing for the United States, Canada, and Mexico, with automated royalty reporting. Broadcast 1 costs $65 per month with network ads, or $89 per month with Ad Control, for 1,500 listening hours per month and 50 GB of storage.
Do I need a separate streaming server with desktop software?
Yes, for most desktop tools in this guide. Mixxx and BUTT send audio to a server, and RadioBoss streams to SHOUTcast and Icecast servers, but none of the three hosts the listener stream itself. Hosted platforms such as Radio.co, Live365, RadioKing, and Airtime Pro include the server side.
Can I run a station 24/7 with free software alone?
No, not with Mixxx or BUTT alone. Mixxx has an Auto DJ queue but no timed scheduling or rotation rules, and BUTT is live only with no library or schedule. A 24/7 station needs a hosted platform with automation, such as Radio.co or Airtime Pro, or a cloud automation tool such as SAM Broadcaster Cloud.
Sources
- https://radio.co/
- https://radio.co/pricing
- https://live365.com/
- https://help.live365.com/en/support/solutions/articles/43000532826-how-much-does-this-cost-
- https://www.radioking.com/
- https://help.radioking.com/hc/en-us/articles/23366446903825-How-do-I-choose-my-radio-plan-and-at-what-price
- https://airtime.pro/
- https://www.djsoft.net/
- https://www.djsoft.net/enu/buy.htm
- https://spacial.com/
- https://mixxx.org/
- https://danielnoethen.de/butt
Prices and features were read on each company’s own website in November 2026. They change often, so confirm the current offer on the official site before you sign up or buy.