A guide by INOVANEX
Radio hosting: the guide to choosing well in 2026
Radio hosting, internet radio hosting, Shoutcast or Icecast hosting, live radio streaming service: different names for the same thing. This guide explains what to buy, what to pay each month and how to switch providers without dead air. Written by the INOVANEX team, which has run streaming for radio stations and TV channels since 2003: technical criteria, dated prices and a calculator.
Updated October 26, 2026 · Prices in US dollars, no VAT added
The minimum you need to know
- 1You buy concurrent listeners (or listener hours), not monthly listeners. The peak decides.
- 2128 kbps AAC is the sensible quality floor in 2026. 96 kbps MP3 is audible.
- 3One server is not a network. Ask how many nodes replicate the signal, and where.
- 4Compare month to month, with taxes, renewal price, and what's included: encoder, player, statistics, transfer, licensing.
- 5Your own app is part of the service now: Android Auto and CarPlay are where a lot of radio is heard.
Where to start
The complete guide
How radio hosting works, Icecast vs Shoutcast vs HLS, which bitrate to use, music licensing and the 12 questions to ask any provider.
Read →Compare providers
International radio hosting providers side by side, month to month, from their own pricing pages, with the date read.
Read →Shoutcast & Icecast hosting
What each server is, what to look for in a Shoutcast or Icecast host, and the details that break directories and players.
Read →Bandwidth calculator
Concurrent listeners × bitrate → peak bandwidth, monthly transfer and a suggested plan. With an estimator from daily audience.
Read →Radio station app
What a station app needs in 2026 (Android Auto, CarPlay, push, on-demand, Android TV), who publishes it and what it really costs.
Read →Switch without dead air
The 7 steps to change radio hosting without losing listeners: link inventory, dual encoder, AutoDJ, apps, directories and cut-over.
Read →Video streaming
What changes when the station adds video or runs a TV channel: resolutions, bitrates, RTMP/SRT ingest, DVR and multi-bitrate.
Read →FAQ
The questions station owners ask support every day, answered in a few lines.
Read →What radio hosting costs
This guide's reference prices are INOVANEX's, in US dollars with no VAT added (export of services), taken from its public catalog on October 26, 2026. For other providers, see the comparison, where every figure has its source and date.
Streaming One
500 concurrent listeners · 128 kbps AAC
US$ 12.59 /month
no VAT added (export of services)
See it on INOVANEX →Streaming Pro
1,000 concurrent listeners · 128 kbps AAC
US$ 16.59 /month
no VAT added (export of services)
See it on INOVANEX →Streaming Plus
2,500 concurrent listeners · 128 kbps AAC
US$ 23.97 /month
no VAT added (export of services)
See it on INOVANEX →Streaming Extrem
5,000 concurrent listeners · 128 kbps AAC
US$ 30.79 /month
no VAT added (export of services)
See it on INOVANEX →All plans include: 24/7 live streaming, web player with SSL, distribution network, statistics and no bandwidth charges. AutoDJ, catch-up and apps are add-ons. Prices as of October 26, 2026.
What stations that broadcast with INOVANEX say
“I have been doing radio in Argentina for 39 years, and this excellent service let me transform myself and helped my digital station succeed; it is rebroadcast by 20 other stations and on multiple platforms. We were also nominated for the Martín Fierro Digital Award 2023.”
“INOVANEX has been our radio streaming provider for more than 10 years, and we could not be more satisfied. Their dedication and commitment to service quality have been excellent.”
“Excellent streaming service, the most complete panel for radio, video and apps. Recommended.”
Public client reviews, translated from Spanish, published on Trustpilot (4.8 out of 5, 81 reviews) and Google Maps.
Quick questions
What is radio hosting?
It is the service that takes your station's audio (sent from the studio by a program called an encoder) and delivers it over the internet to many listeners at once, through a streaming server and, with serious providers, a network of servers around the world. Listeners hear it on your website, in an app, in a car or on a smart speaker.
How much does radio hosting cost?
It depends on the concurrent listeners you need. INOVANEX's 500-listener plan at 128 kbps AAC costs US$ 12.59 a month (US$ 0.42 a day), with no VAT added. What matters is comparing month to month, with taxes, and with what each plan includes: encoder, player, statistics, transfer and, in some countries, music licensing.
Which bitrate should an online radio station use?
128 kbps AAC is today's standard for music radio: it sounds good on phones and in cars and uses about 58 MB per listening hour. 96 kbps AAC is still fine for talk radio; 64 kbps MP3 is audibly compressed. Going above 128 kbps barely improves everyday listening and does increase the listener's data use.
Can I switch providers without going off air?
Yes. Keep both services active for a few days, send your encoder to both in parallel, and update the player, apps and directories before you cancel the old one. Here is the step by step.