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Server Room • Radio streaming guide

SHOUTcast vs Icecast — Which Should You Choose?

Both SHOUTcast and Icecast are industry-standard radio streaming protocols supported by Server Room. This guide breaks down the key differences so you can choose the right one for your station.

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SHOUTcast & Icecast Side-by-side comparison 24/7 live support

Side-by-side comparison

A quick overview of the key differences between SHOUTcast and Icecast.

1

Ownership and licensing

  • SHOUTcast — proprietary software, sold by AOL to Radionomy in 2014 and run today by Targetspot
  • Icecast — free, open-source software maintained by the community
2

Supported audio formats

  • SHOUTcast — MP3, AAC, AAC+, NSV
  • Icecast — MP3, AAC, AAC+, Ogg Vorbis, Ogg Theora — broader format support
3

Multi-feed and simultaneous streams

  • SHOUTcast — handles one feed at a time; live streaming or Auto DJ, not both simultaneously
  • Icecast — serves several mount points on the same port; our stations come with three (/stream, /live and /autodj) at your plan's bitrate, which is what carries the Auto DJ-to-live handover
4

Auto DJ and live stream transitions

  • SHOUTcast — requires manual source deactivation/activation when switching between live and Auto DJ
  • Icecast — automatically transfers listeners from Auto DJ to a live source and back when you disconnect, with no manual steps required
5

Public directory listings

  • SHOUTcast — a station can be listed on shoutcast.com, which is syndicated to many radio directories
  • Icecast — a station can be listed on dir.xiph.org; the Icecast stations we host are not, because every mount point is set to private
6

Ease of setup

  • SHOUTcast — straightforward setup, recommended for beginners
  • Icecast — more configuration options, suited for advanced users or stations with complex streaming needs

Which should I choose?

Common questions to help you decide between SHOUTcast and Icecast for your Server Room radio station.

I'm just starting out — which is easier to set up?

SHOUTcast has the simpler configuration, but every new Server Room station is built on Icecast with its mount points already set up, so you only enter the details into your encoder. Our stations are not listed on shoutcast.com or in any other directory automatically.

I want to run Auto DJ and also go live — which should I use?

Icecast is the better choice. It automatically transfers listeners from the Auto DJ to your live source when you connect, and back again when you disconnect — no manual switching required.

I want to stream in multiple bitrates simultaneously — which supports that?

Icecast can serve several bitrates from one port. On our plans, Free and Premium carry one stream; Platinum carries three, a main stream at up to 320 kbps plus two lower-bitrate copies of it for listeners on mobile data. For more bitrates than that, ask us about an Enterprise plan.

Does Server Room support both SHOUTcast and Icecast?

Yes. Server Room hosts both: new stations are built on Icecast, and we move a station to SHOUTcast on request. Every plan includes unmetered bandwidth and 24/7 expert support, with room for 1,000 listeners at once on Free, 2,500 on Premium and 5,000 on Platinum; the paid plans add 500,000 and 1.5 million listener hours a month.

Can I switch from SHOUTcast to Icecast later?

Yes. Contact our support team via live chat and we can help you migrate your station to an Icecast server at any time.

Ready to start streaming?

Our radio hosting plans take SHOUTcast and Icecast encoders alike, carry 1,000 to 5,000 listeners at once depending on the plan (plus 500,000 or 1.5 million listener hours a month on Premium and Platinum), and come with unmetered bandwidth and 24/7 expert support to keep your station on air.

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