VosCast radio hosting starts at $8.95 USD per month. Your station's total cost also depends on the equipment and software you choose, whether you need a website, and any music permissions or licensing that apply to your broadcast. Hosting is one part of the budget, so separate it from those other expenses before deciding what you can spend.
A small station can begin with equipment it already owns. A station with several live presenters or a large uploaded library may need a different setup. The useful budget is the one built around your programme and expected audience.
What the hosting plans include
The published monthly plans below combine a maximum audio bitrate with listener and Auto DJ storage allowances. Prices are in US dollars.
| Maximum bitrate | Monthly hosting price | Simultaneous listeners | Auto DJ storage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 128 kbps | $8.95 USD | 200 | 15 GB |
| 192 kbps | $16.95 USD | 500 | 35 GB |
| 256 kbps | $24.95 USD | 1,500 | 100 GB |
| 320 kbps | $48.95 USD | Unlimited | Unlimited |
VosCast's plans also list unlimited bandwidth, advanced Auto DJ, detailed statistics, and SSL streaming when using Icecast. Check the plans page and the order details before purchasing; those are the places to confirm the offer for your account.
These allowances describe different things. A listener allowance concerns how many people can listen at the same time. Storage is the space for uploaded Auto DJ files. Bandwidth is the data transferred while the station streams. Unlimited bandwidth does not turn a plan with 200 listener slots into one with unlimited simultaneous listeners.
Choose the plan for your first real audience
Estimate the audience likely to tune in together, rather than the total number of people who might encounter your station in a month. A weekly programme advertised to a small existing group starts from a different position than an established station moving a large audience.
Next, consider the audio bitrate you intend to broadcast. The maximum shown in a plan is a ceiling, not a setting that improves every recording. Choose suitable audio settings and listen to the result with your own speech and music. Our bitrate comparison covers practical MP3 choices and listener data use; the KB bitrate guide provides samples you can compare.
Finally, check how much material you will upload for hosted playback. A live-only workflow and a station with a substantial Auto DJ library have different storage needs. Do not choose solely by the bitrate number and discover later that another allowance matters more.
Separate equipment you need from equipment you would like
For a basic live broadcast, review what you already have: a computer, an internet connection, headphones, and an audio source. If you will present, you also need a suitable way to capture your voice. Your first useful spending decision may be improving that audio input rather than buying an entire studio.
Make two lists. Put the items required for a clear first programme on one, and possible upgrades on the other. That helps avoid committing money to equipment before you know which part of the workflow needs improvement.
If you use hosted Auto DJ, your computer does not need to remain connected as the live source while the hosted service plays. You still need a way to prepare, upload, and manage the audio. Read how to run a station with Auto DJ before budgeting for a computer dedicated to continuous playback.
Allow for software and website choices
Your software budget depends on how you want to work. Existing KB guides cover BUTT for sending an audio input and Mixxx for a DJ workflow. Check the software developer's current terms and requirements when deciding what to install; you do not need to buy every tool mentioned in a radio tutorial.
A website can have its own domain, hosting, and design costs. Decide whether those are essential for the first broadcast or can follow later. If you already have a website, our HTML5 player guide shows how to add a simple radio player without purchasing a separate player script.
Keep country-dependent music costs separate
Do not assume a radio hosting subscription includes the permissions required to broadcast the material you select. Requirements depend on the country and the use of the music. Start with the reference organisations in our licensing and royalties guide and confirm what applies to your station.
Avoid treating somebody else's licensing budget as a quote for your own. Record the applicable costs separately from hosting so the station's monthly budget remains clear.
Write down the monthly and one-time totals
Use a short budget with hosting, software subscriptions, website costs, and any applicable music costs in the recurring column. Keep microphones, interfaces, headphones, and other purchases in a separate one-time column. Include only the items your proposed workflow requires.
That gives you a useful starting figure and shows where a later upgrade would change it. When the programme, audience estimate, and storage needs are clear, choose the VosCast hosting plan that fits them.