Zeno.FM was the go-to free internet radio platform for years. It ended its free streaming plans in January 2025 and now sells paid plans starting at $35/mo. At that point, the comparison with CloudRadio gets serious. Here is an honest, current breakdown.
The closest apples-to-apples comparison is CloudRadio One ($39/mo) vs Zeno.FM Starter ($35/mo). $4 of difference is not the real story; what you get for the money is.
| CloudRadio One · $39/mo | Zeno.FM Starter · $35/mo | |
|---|---|---|
| Concurrent listeners | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Listening hours / month | Unlimited | 400,000 |
| Stream quality | 256 kbps AAC (HLS) | 128 kbps |
| Media storage | 750 GB (~150,000 tracks) | 500 AutoDJ tracks (50 GB from Prime) |
| Automation & scheduling | Full automation, scheduling, live takeover, and fallback | 500 AutoDJ tracks; the automation software comes with Prime ($60/mo) |
| HLS streaming | 64 / 128 / 256 kbps AAC ladder | From Prime ($60/mo) |
| Stream monitoring and alerts | Free, every minute from four regions | Stream alerts from Prime ($60/mo) |
| Advertisements | None | Monetization or Ad-Free Streaming |
Bottom line: At nearly the same price, CloudRadio One is stronger on stream quality, storage, and automation. Zeno Starter is lighter on features, but it adds built-in monetization and Zeno distribution.
Zeno.FM ended its free streaming plans in January 2025, so broadcasting now needs a paid plan. New users get a 7-day trial on the Starter tier. Every plan has unlimited listeners and bandwidth.
| Plan | Price | Stations | Concurrent | Hours/mo | Bitrate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starter | $35/mo | 1 | Unlimited | 400,000 | 128 kbps |
| Prime | $60/mo | 3 | Unlimited | 1,000,000 | 192 kbps |
| Premier | $280/mo | 5 | Unlimited | 2,500,000 | 320 kbps |
Monthly prices checked October 2026. Zeno shows local prices in some countries, runs sales on annual plans, and gives nonprofits 40% off. Prime adds automation software with 50 GB of storage, HLS, show recordings and geo-blocking; Premier has 100 GB. A branded mobile app is a $59/mo add-on with a $500 development fee. Check zeno.fm/pricing for the latest.
Zeno.FM turns on monetization when you subscribe: you earn from audio ads played during your live broadcasts. What you earn depends on your audience size and ad impressions, tracked in your dashboard. Monetization is not included during the free trial.
CloudRadio does not offer built-in advertising. You keep 100% of any revenue you generate independently (sponsorships, listener donations, your own ads). This is better for established stations with their own sponsorship deals, but means new stations have to find monetization themselves.
Zeno's strongest argument is discovery. Every plan includes Zeno.FM distribution: your station is listed on zeno.fm and in the Zeno app, which can bring listeners to a new station with no marketing effort.
CloudRadio doesn't run its own directory, but the Directories page helps you get listed. CloudRadio submits your station to Radio Browser and keeps your SHOUTcast and Icecast directory listings online with your current song. For TuneIn, radio.net, Streema, myTuner and others, it links to each submission form and tracks the review, and once TuneIn or radio.net approves you, it sends them your current song. For a station that already has marketing channels (a website, a community, social audiences), this control and independence matters more than automatic discovery.
Zeno.FM holds ASCAP, BMI, and SESAC licenses, but only for plays that happen on zeno.fm itself. Streams played from your own website, embedded player, or third-party aggregator are not covered by Zeno's blanket license. Those still require your own licensing.
CloudRadio does not bundle any royalty licensing. You handle music rights yourself, regardless of where the stream is played.
No. Zeno.FM ended its free streaming plans in January 2025, so broadcasting now runs on a paid plan. Listening on Zeno.FM stays free. New broadcasters get a 7-day trial on the $35/mo Starter plan.
Yes. Download your audio files from Zeno and re-upload them to CloudRadio. The harder part is the stream URL: every existing link to `stream.zeno.fm/...` will need to be updated. Plan a transition window where both run in parallel and update your player widgets, smart-speaker links, and TuneIn entry. During that window, the free CloudRadio player and stream monitoring also work with your Zeno.FM stream, including its now playing.
Not automatically. You submit your CloudRadio Icecast URL to TuneIn yourself: outside the US through TuneIn's free broadcaster portal, and in the US through TuneIn On Air, a paid program. The Directories page tracks your submission, and once TuneIn approves you, CloudRadio sends your current song to TuneIn as it changes.
$39/month, flat. Unlimited listeners, 750 GB storage, HLS streaming, and free stream monitoring for any Icecast, Shoutcast v2 or HLS stream.