Radiojar is the cloud broadcasting platform bought by iHeartMedia's RCS unit in 2019. 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.
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 | One stream at a constant 128 kbps (other quality on request) |
| HLS adaptive streaming | 64 / 128 / 256 kbps AAC ladder | Not advertised |
| Media storage | 750 GB (~150,000 tracks) | 50 GB |
| DJ / user accounts | Station manager, Music controller, DJ, and Guest DJ roles; a personal login for each booked DJ | 20 users (admins/DJs) |
| Live broadcasting | Any Icecast encoder (SAM, BUTT, mAirList, OBS, RadioDJ), on a computer or a phone | Browser-based virtual studio, or any Icecast encoder |
| Live to Facebook | ✗ | ✓ (from the virtual studio) |
| Rebroadcast another stream (relay) | ✓ | ✓ |
| Listener chat | ✗ | ✓ |
| Stream monitoring | Free checks every minute from 4 locations, with alerts (any public 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.
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 | ✓ |
Prices checked October 2026 on radiojar.com/plans, in USD as shown to North American visitors. Yearly billing gives 2 months free, and non-profits can ask for 20% off. Radiojar was bought by iHeartMedia's RCS unit in 2019. Check radiojar.com/plans for the latest.
Radiojar's signature feature is the in-browser virtual studio. DJs log in from any computer, plug in a microphone, and go live without installing software, and co-hosts can join the show. 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. Each booked DJ gets a personal login that works only during their own shows, from a computer or a phone encoder app. CloudRadio's strength is on the broadcast side, not the production side.
Radiojar's paid plans stream at a constant 128 kbps, and its plans page does not mention HLS. 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.
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.
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. Roles (Station manager, Music controller, DJ, and Guest DJ) are set on every station independently.
Yes. Radiojar was bought by iHeartMedia's RCS (Radio Computing Services) unit in 2019, and its self-serve plans are still open to new stations in 2026.
Yes. Upload your music to CloudRadio from your own copies: Radiojar says the files in its library are reachable only by its playout system, so keep your originals. 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.
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.
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.
$39/month, flat. Unlimited listeners, 750 GB storage, HLS streaming, and free stream monitoring on any HTTPS stream.