Caster.fm bundles a free ad-supported tier, a website CMS, and branded mobile apps. CloudRadio is a single $39/mo plan with unlimited listeners, 750 GB of storage, and HLS streaming. Here is an honest, current comparison.
The closest apples-to-apples comparison is CloudRadio One ($39/mo) vs Caster.fm Cloud Plus ($34/mo). $5 of price, very different feature shapes.
| CloudRadio One · $39/mo | Caster.fm Cloud Plus · $34/mo | |
|---|---|---|
| Concurrent listeners | Unlimited | 1,000 slots |
| Data transfer | Unlimited | Moderated |
| Stream quality | 256 kbps AAC (HLS) + Icecast MP3 | 128 kbps |
| HLS adaptive streaming | 64 / 128 / 256 kbps AAC ladder | ✗ (Pro Large+ only) |
| AutoDJ (unattended playout) | Layered priority stack: live, schedule, rotation, fallback | ✗ (Pro plan only) |
| Media storage | 750 GB (~150,000 tracks) | ✗ |
| Show schedule / recordings | Integrated with AutoDJ | Program schedule + 2h recordings |
| Mobile app / Alexa skill | Embeddable HTML5 player widget | Free mobile app, free Alexa skill |
| Stream monitoring | Free 60s checks + alerts (any stream) | Real-time analytics |
Bottom line: CloudRadio is stronger on stream quality, HLS, storage, and listener scaling. Caster.fm is stronger if you want a bundled radio website CMS, free mobile app, and Alexa skill at a similar price.
Caster.fm splits into a free ad-supported tier, a paid Cloud Plus tier, and three Pro tiers that scale storage, mount points, and HLS variants.
| Plan | Price | Listeners | Bitrate | Storage | HLS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free Cloud | Free (ads) | 400 slots | 96 kbps | Limited | ✗ |
| Cloud Plus | $34/mo | 1,000 slots | 128 kbps | ✓ | ✗ |
| Pro Medium | $80/mo | Unlimited | 320 kbps | 2 GB AutoDJ | ✗ |
| Pro Large | $120/mo | Unlimited | 320 kbps | 5 GB AutoDJ | 2 variants |
| Pro Extra | $280/mo | Unlimited | 320 kbps | 10 GB AutoDJ | 4 variants |
Pricing as of early 2026. The Free Cloud tier inserts ads in the stream. Check caster.fm/compare for the latest.
HLS matters because it lets each listener get the best quality their connection can handle, with automatic switching when the connection wobbles. It is the format that powers Apple Music, YouTube, and modern in-car streaming.
Caster.fm gates HLS behind the Pro Large tier ($120/mo), which ships two HLS variants. Pro Extra at $280/mo ships four. CloudRadio includes a 64/128/256 kbps AAC HLS ladder on the $39/mo plan, plus a legacy Icecast MP3 endpoint for older players and directories.
Caster.fm Cloud Plus caps you at 1,000 simultaneous slots and describes the data transfer as "moderated", meaning bandwidth is not unlimited at this tier. To break past 1,000 listeners you need to jump to the Pro tier starting at $80/mo.
CloudRadio does not cap concurrent listeners or meter bandwidth at $39/mo. A station that breaks out from 100 to 5,000 listeners overnight does not need to upgrade or worry about throttling.
Caster.fm's strongest argument is the bundle. Cloud Plus and Pro tiers ship a radio website CMS, a free mobile app, and a free Alexa skill, plus integrations into Discord, Telegram, and webhooks. For community broadcasters who want everything under one roof, that bundle saves hours of integration work.
CloudRadio focuses on the broadcast core: stream delivery, automation, and reliability. We provide a free embeddable HTML5 player you can drop on any website, but we do not generate full radio websites or Alexa skills. If you already have a website, social channels, and a community, that focus keeps the platform simple and the price flat.
AutoDJ, the ability to upload tracks and have the server stream them automatically 24/7, is listed on Caster.fm's compare page as a Pro feature. Cloud Plus at $34/mo does not include it. You would need to run your own broadcast software (BUTT, SAM, mAirList) connected to the Icecast server to keep the station live.
CloudRadio bundles AutoDJ with 750 GB of storage on the $39/mo plan. You can upload tracks, build rotations, schedule shows, and set a fallback layer, all from the browser with no separate software.
No. CloudRadio does not run an ad-supported free tier. The lowest paid plan is $39/mo for the full One product, or $5/mo for classic Shoutcast or Icecast hosting if you already run your own AutoDJ software (RadioDJ, SAM, mAirList). We deliberately keep the stream ad-free, since most serious broadcasters do not want a third-party inserting ads in their audio.
Yes. Download your audio library and re-upload it to CloudRadio. The trickier part is the stream URL: any link to your Caster.fm stream needs to be updated in players, embeds, mobile apps, and directory entries (TuneIn, Radio.net, MyTuner). Run both in parallel for a transition window so listeners do not lose service.
Yes, those are bundled with Caster.fm and do not transfer. CloudRadio gives you a free embeddable HTML5 player and a stream URL that any third-party app builder, smart-speaker skill, or directory can ingest. If a branded mobile app is non-negotiable, stay on Caster.fm or use a third-party app builder on top of your CloudRadio stream URL.
Yes. The 64/128/256 kbps AAC HLS ladder is included on the $39/mo plan, alongside a legacy Icecast MP3 endpoint. There is no Pro tier upgrade required to get HLS.
$39/month, flat. Unlimited listeners, 750 GB storage, HLS streaming, and free stream monitoring on any HTTPS stream.