How to Listen to Online Radio on Any Device (2026 Guide)

This is a device-by-device guide to listening to online radio for free in 2026: iPhone, Android, Alexa, Google Nest, Sonos, HomePod, Chromecast, in the car, and on desktop. Every method here works with no sign up and no subscription.

In brief: the fastest path on almost every device in 2026 is to open a browser and go to a curated radio site. No app store, no account, no wallet. The rest of this guide covers when the browser is not the right answer, and what to use instead.

Quick start:

• Open any modern browser on any device
• Go to a free internet radio site like WRC or a public broadcaster
• Pick a station, hit play
• Add the page to your home screen for one-tap access next time

On iPhone

Open Safari (or any browser), go to WRC or the station's own site, and press play. The stream plays in the background, controls appear on the lock screen and in Control Centre, and headphone play/pause works.

For one-tap access, use "Add to Home Screen" from the share menu. The saved page acts like an app icon and opens straight into the station.

If you want a native app, TuneIn works well on iOS. Apple Music includes some live stations but the selection is narrow. For most listeners, Safari plus a home-screen shortcut is the right answer.

On Android

Same principle. Chrome, Firefox and Samsung Internet all support background audio for standard radio streams. Play a station in the browser, lock the phone, and audio continues with lock-screen controls.

For homescreen access, use Chrome's "Add to Home screen." For a dedicated app, TuneIn and RadioDroid are the two most reliable options. RadioDroid pulls from the community-maintained Radio Browser directory, which is the same open catalog many other apps use.

On Alexa (Echo devices)

"Alexa, play [station name] on TuneIn" is the reliable phrasing for most stations that broadcast internationally. TuneIn is the default radio skill on Alexa devices and requires no setup beyond a free TuneIn account.

For stations that TuneIn does not carry, install the myTuner Radio skill or ask Alexa to "play radio [station name]," which falls back to the default provider. Sonos One devices with Alexa built in use the same routing.

On Google Nest / Google Home

"Hey Google, play [station name]" works out of the box for larger public broadcasters. For internet-only stations, "Hey Google, play [station name] on TuneIn" is more reliable.

If a station has an official Google Home action, that works too. For obscure stations, casting from your phone (see below) is the fallback.

On Sonos

Sonos supports internet radio natively. Open the Sonos app, go to Browse, then TuneIn or SiriusXM (depending on region), search the station, and press play. Sonos will keep the stream going even if your phone goes to sleep.

For stations not listed in the built-in directory, add a custom stream URL via Settings > System > Add Music Service > Custom Radio Stream. Paste in the station's direct stream URL. Most curated station pages, including WRC's, expose or link to the underlying stream address.

On Apple HomePod

"Hey Siri, play [station name]" works for most major broadcasters through the built-in radio catalog. For stations not covered, AirPlay from your iPhone. Play the stream in Safari, tap the AirPlay icon in Control Centre, and choose the HomePod.

Chromecast and Google Cast

Any Chrome tab can be cast to a Chromecast-enabled speaker or TV. Play a station in Chrome, click the three-dot menu, choose Cast, and pick your device. The audio continues even if you close the tab.

In the car

Two reliable options.

Bluetooth from a phone. Works with every car built in the last decade. Start the stream in your phone's browser or a radio app, connect to the car via Bluetooth, and use the car's controls to pause and skip.

Android Auto or Apple CarPlay. Radio apps like TuneIn and iHeart appear as native audio sources on the head unit, with proper steering-wheel controls. Same account, same favourites, no phone-fiddling at speed.

Newer cars with built-in internet radio (BMW, Volvo, some Ford) can play stations directly without a phone. Selection is more limited than app-based options.

On desktop

The browser is unbeatable here. Every station streams cleanly through a normal tab, most support high-bitrate streams, and controlling playback with the media keys on any modern keyboard just works.

For a dedicated app on macOS or Windows, Broadcasts (macOS) is the cleanest paid option, and VLC Media Player can play any direct stream URL for free.

On older hi-fi and network audio

Network audio players from Sonos, Bluesound, Naim, Cambridge Audio and Denon all support internet radio out of the box, usually through a built-in TuneIn or vTuner integration. For stations not in the directory, most players accept custom stream URLs pasted through their setup app.

For a stereo without a network player, an inexpensive Bluetooth receiver plugged into an AUX input turns it into a wireless radio in a couple of minutes.

What to avoid

A few patterns worth knowing about.

Anything that asks for a credit card just to listen. Real free radio does not need a card on file.

Sites that force account creation before the first play. Some legitimate platforms do this for personalisation, but if listening at all requires registration, look elsewhere.

Browser extensions that promise to "unlock" premium radio for free. These tend to be malware. The good stations are already free.

Geo-restrictions. Many public broadcasters block streams outside their country, especially for music and sports rights. A reputable VPN solves this but is technically a violation of the platform's terms.

Where to start

If you want a shortlist that works everywhere on the setup above, our complete guide to online radio stations covers the full ecosystem, and the 20 best online radio stations in the world is the current ranked list.