Compare radio apps
AppBuild.diy compared with 4 providers and the option to vibe code your own app: prices, fees, contracts and whether you get your own branded app.
Best for: radio stations businesses that want their own branded app on the App Store, Google Play and the web, starting free with 0% AppBuild commission on paid plans.
Your business. Your own app.
A look inside AppBuild: branded app starter, live radio example, podcast player example, push notification example.
See radio stations apps
Providers in this comparison
RadioKing (mobile app)Radio hosting with branded app add-on
Radio.coRadio hosting with mobile app option
Live365Radio hosting with licensing
ShoutcastRadio streaming server / hosting
- Vibe coding
Build from scratch with Lovable, Claude, Base44 or similar tools
Price and features at a glance
| Provider | Type | Starting price (as published) | Your own branded app | Order / booking fees | Contract / trial |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 AppBuild.diy | Branded app builder for local businesses | Free (up to 10 users); $49/month or $299/year; $99/month or $499/year | Yes — App Store, Google Play and web | 0% AppBuild commission on paid plans; Stripe card fees apply | No contract; free plan |
| Vibe coding | Build from scratch with Lovable, Claude, Base44 or similar tools | Variable: AI subscriptions / credits, plus hosting, database and any paid services as usage grows. Free allowances may apply; not a fixed all-in price. | Bespoke branding and features; store packaging and submission require additional setup | Depends on your chosen payment provider and services; processing fees still apply | Depends on the tools and services you choose; free tiers may have limits |
| RadioKing (mobile app) | Radio hosting with branded app add-on | App: Basic (Android only) $29/mo or $290/yr; Smart (iOS + Android) $69/mo or $690/yr; Premium $99/mo or $990/yr. Radio hosting separate: Discover £14/€14/$19 per month up to Business £99/€99/$119 per month | Yes (paid separately from hosting). Apple Developer $99/yr and Google Play $25 one-time required; publishing by RadioKing $50 per app on Basic/Smart, included on Premium | Not stated | Free trial; "No commitment" |
| Radio.co | Radio hosting with mobile app option | Lite $35/mo; Standard $59/mo; Plus $139/mo; Premium $199/mo (USD) | Yes on Plus and Premium, or $35/mo add-on. Apple Developer $99/yr and Google Play $25 one-time required | Not stated | 14-day trial, no contracts |
| Live365 | Radio hosting with licensing | Broadcast 1 $65/mo; Broadcast 2 $109/mo; Broadcast 3 $219/mo; Broadcast 4 $549/mo; Broadcast 5 $1,099/mo | Add-on on Broadcast 1 and 2 (price not shown); included from Broadcast 3 | Overages $0.07 per listening hour | 7-day trial; no setup fees |
| Shoutcast | Radio streaming server / hosting | Shoutcast Easy from €50/yr per station; Shoutcast Basic (self-hosted) free; Shoutcast Pro via sales | No (not mentioned) | Not stated | Trial not stated |
How AppBuild differs
- vs RadioKing: RadioKing's iOS + Android app is $69/mo on top of a separate hosting plan, and a $50 publishing fee applies on Basic/Smart; AppBuild's app (PWA + iOS + Android) is on plans from free, Unlimited $99/mo or $499/yr, and works with any stream.
- vs Radio.co: Radio.co includes apps from the $139/mo plan or as a $35/mo add-on to hosting; AppBuild is app-only and plays a stream from any host.
- vs Live365: Live365 includes apps from $219/mo; AppBuild's branded app starts free, with Pro at $49/mo.
- vs Shoutcast: Shoutcast is streaming infrastructure with no app listed; AppBuild adds the listener app (background audio, Now Playing, push, requests) on top of a Shoutcast stream.
Where AppBuild is strong
- Your own branded app on the App Store, Google Play and the web, starting free with every feature for up to 10 users.
- Pulls in your existing YouTube, Twitch, podcast or radio stream rather than replacing it.
- No revenue share taken by AppBuild.
Where others may suit you better
- Not a video hosting or course platform.
- Smaller community and discussion features than dedicated creator platforms.
Key features by provider
| Provider | Market | Key features | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| RadioKing (mobile app) | UK + US + EU | Smart: 50,000 push notifications; Premium: CarPlay, Android Auto, smart TV, Apple Watch, AdMob | radioking.com, radioking.com |
| Radio.co | UK + US | Streaming, storage, listener limits, 320kbps on Premium | radio.co |
| Live365 | US (licensing US, Canada, Mexico) | Streaming, music licensing, TuneIn, Alexa skill (Broadcast 2+) | live365.com |
| Shoutcast | UK + US + EU | Cloud hosting, ad injection, audience monitoring, royalties reporting | shoutcast.com |
| Vibe coding | Depends on your chosen tools | Full design freedom. Ordering, bookings, loyalty, permissions and integrations must be built, tested and maintained. Native push, certificates and store submissions need additional technical work or a service such as AppBuild. | lovable.dev, claude.com, base44.com |
Gaps in published data: Live365 app add-on price for Broadcast 1/2 not shown. Radio.co annual discount not specified. Shoutcast Pro not published (demo/quote). Shoutcast trial not stated.
Build from scratch with AI, or start with AppBuild?
Lovable, Claude, Base44 and similar tools are a genuine alternative in any industry. A bespoke build gives you more control over the design and business logic. AppBuild offers a shorter route to launch for supported business needs, with ready-made capabilities you can add without building each one yourself.
| Consideration | AppBuild.diy | Vibe coding |
|---|---|---|
| Time to market | Start with ready-made pages and features; configure your content and services. Store review still takes time. | A prototype can be quick; production testing, payments, permissions and store preparation add work. |
| Costs | Published plan price, plus applicable payment processing, store-account and third-party service costs. | Variable: AI subscriptions / credits, plus hosting, database and any paid services as usage grows. Free allowances may apply; not a fixed all-in price. |
| Flexibility & ease of use | Add supported capabilities such as loyalty, bookings and ordering through the builder; less freedom than a fully custom product. | Bespoke layouts and logic; each new capability needs implementation, testing and ongoing maintenance. |
| Push & app stores | AppBuild provides push and app infrastructure, subject to setup requirements and store approval. | Native push certificates, signing and store submissions are technical work, not automatically solved by generating a website. |
| Ongoing responsibility | Shared business-app framework and managed infrastructure; you manage your business content and settings. | You are responsible for security, data access, updates and the services behind your app. |
These approaches can work together: build your bespoke experience with AI, then use AppBuild to wrap your app and add supported native capabilities such as push notifications. Wrapping does not automatically add AppBuild’s business features to your custom app.
Tool pricing and allowances vary: Lovable pricing · Claude pricing · Base44 pricing. Check the services your project actually needs.
AppBuild pricing
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0/month | Up to 10 app users. Your own app on iPhone, Android and the web. |
| Business | $49/month or $299/year | Up to 1,000 app users. 0% AppBuild commission on orders. |
| Business Pro | $99/month or $499/year | Unlimited app users. 0% AppBuild commission on orders. |
Card processing fees are charged by Stripe on top of any plan and are not set by AppBuild. Full details on the pricing page.
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Start freeLast checked 7 October 2026. Competitor prices come from their own public pages, linked below each table. Where a price isn't published we say so. Spotted something out of date? Tell us via support.