COMPARISON

CloudRadio vs Radiojar: which is right for your station?

Radiojar is the cloud broadcasting platform now owned by iHeartMedia and RCS. It is built around a browser-based virtual studio with multi-DJ access. CloudRadio starts at $39/mo per station with unlimited listeners, 750 GB of storage, and HLS streaming, and supports multiple stations under one account. Here is an honest, current breakdown.

Head to head: $39/mo vs $50/mo.

The closest apples-to-apples comparison is CloudRadio One ($39/mo) vs Radiojar Professional ($50/mo). The Radiojar Broadcaster tier ($20/mo) is cheaper but ships only 20 GB of storage and one user.

CloudRadio One · $39/mo Radiojar Professional · $50/mo
Concurrent listeners Unlimited Unlimited
Listening hours / month Unlimited Unlimited
Stream quality 256 kbps AAC (HLS) + Icecast MP3 Single stream URL, MP3
HLS adaptive streaming 64 / 128 / 256 kbps AAC ladder
Media storage 750 GB (~150,000 tracks) 50 GB
DJ / user accounts Multi-user with role-based access 20 users (admins/DJs)
Live broadcasting Any encoder (SAM, BUTT, mAirList, OBS, RadioDJ) Browser-based virtual studio
Stream monitoring Free 60s checks + alerts (any stream) Listener counter + analytics

Bottom line: CloudRadio is cheaper, ships HLS, and bundles 15x the storage. Radiojar wins if you need a browser-based virtual studio with multi-DJ access for distributed teams, plus iHeart/RCS backing.

All Radiojar plans at a glance.

Radiojar gives unlimited listeners across all paid tiers. The lever is storage, DJ slots, and access to the virtual studio.

Plan Price Storage Users AutoDJ
Simulcast $10/mo None 1
Broadcaster $20/mo 20 GB 1
Professional $50/mo 50 GB 20
Network $100/mo 100 GB 50
Enterprise Contact Custom Custom

Pricing as of early 2026. Radiojar was acquired by iHeartMedia in 2021 and now operates under the RCS umbrella. Check radiojar.com/plans for the latest.

Where each platform shines.

Choose CloudRadio if you want:

  • HLS adaptive streaming on every plan with 64 / 128 / 256 kbps AAC variants.
  • 750 GB of storage for a deep music library, jingles, voice tracks, and recorded shows.
  • Layered automation with a priority stack: live input beats schedule, schedule beats rotation, rotation beats fallback.
  • Free stream monitoring (60-second checks, dead-air detection, email alerts) on any Shoutcast, Icecast, or HLS stream.
  • Open encoder support for SAM Broadcaster, BUTT, mAirList, RadioDJ, OBS, and any standard ICY source.

Choose Radiojar if you want:

  • A browser-based virtual studio that lets DJs go live from anywhere without installing encoder software.
  • Multi-DJ team access with up to 20 users on Professional and 50 on Network.
  • iHeartMedia and RCS backing for stations that prefer a large parent company behind their broadcast platform.
  • A $10/mo Simulcast plan if all you need is a relay endpoint with unlimited listeners.

Key differences explained.

Virtual studio vs open encoder support

Radiojar's signature feature is the in-browser virtual studio. Multiple DJs can log in from any computer, mix tracks, talk over jingles, and go live without installing software. For distributed teams or community stations with rotating volunteer DJs, this is a real advantage.

CloudRadio takes the opposite approach: bring your own encoder. We accept any Shoutcast or Icecast source, which means SAM Broadcaster, mAirList, BUTT, RadioDJ, OBS, or anything else you already use. The tradeoff is honest: you get full control over the live stack, but you do not get a built-in browser studio. CloudRadio's strength is on the broadcast side, not the production side.

HLS adaptive streaming

Radiojar serves a single MP3 stream URL. That works fine on desktop browsers and most mobile players, but listeners on slow connections or in cars get the same bitrate as everyone else, with no graceful degradation.

CloudRadio includes a 64 / 128 / 256 kbps AAC HLS ladder on every plan, so each listener automatically gets the best quality their connection supports. A legacy Icecast MP3 endpoint is still available for compatibility with older players and directories.

Storage: 50 GB vs 750 GB

Radiojar Professional ships 50 GB of storage, and Network at $100/mo doubles that to 100 GB. For most music stations, 50 GB holds 12,000 tracks at average MP3 bitrates, which is fine for a themed format but tight for a deep library or a station with lots of recorded shows.

CloudRadio bundles 750 GB on the $39/mo plan, roughly 150,000 tracks plus headroom for jingles, voice tracks, ads, and full recorded shows. Storage is rarely the constraint.

Multi-station and multi-DJ access

Radiojar supports multiple stations under one account, useful for networks running several formats. The DJ user count grows with tier, up to 50 on Network.

CloudRadio supports multiple stations under one account too. Each station runs on its own plan and is billed separately, so you pay per station rather than splitting a shared listener or storage pool. Each station gets its own unlimited listeners and full 750 GB of storage. Role-based access (owner, admin, collaborator) is available on every station independently.

Common questions.

Is Radiojar still active?

Yes. Radiojar was acquired by iHeartMedia in 2021 and operates under the RCS (Radio Computing Services) umbrella. The platform continues to onboard new broadcasters in 2026.

Can I migrate from Radiojar to CloudRadio?

Yes. Download your media from Radiojar and re-upload it to CloudRadio. You will need to redirect listeners from your Radiojar stream URL to your new CloudRadio one. Run both in parallel for a transition window and update player widgets, smart-speaker links, and TuneIn or Radio.net entries.

Does CloudRadio have a browser-based virtual studio?

No, not in the same all-in-one form Radiojar offers. CloudRadio accepts any standard encoder, so DJs can go live with SAM Broadcaster, mAirList, BUTT, or any browser-based encoder of their choice that speaks ICY or Icecast. If a built-in virtual studio is critical for your team workflow, Radiojar is the better fit.

Do I get HLS on the entry plan?

Yes. CloudRadio includes the full 64 / 128 / 256 kbps AAC HLS ladder on the $39/mo plan, plus a legacy Icecast MP3 endpoint for older players.

Ready to try CloudRadio?

$39/month, flat. Unlimited listeners, 750 GB storage, HLS streaming, and free stream monitoring on any HTTPS stream.