phonostar
phonostar is a German internet radio portal offering free access to over 30,000 global stations across web, desktop, mobile, and smart TV platforms, with cloud-based recording tools targeting general consumers and niche genre listeners such as classical, Schlager, and urban music fans.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded-
- HeadquartersHamburg, Germany
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
phonostar firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- phonostar
- Legal name
- phonostar GmbH
- Website
- https://phonostar.de
- Company type
- Private
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- phonostar is a German internet radio portal offering free access to over 30,000 global stations across web, desktop, mobile, and smart TV platforms, with cloud-based recording tools targeting general consumers and niche genre listeners such as classical, Schlager, and urban music fans.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
phonostar industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Internet Radio Streaming
- NAICS
- Radio Broadcasting Stations (51611), Media Streaming Distribution Services, Social Networks, and Other Media Networks and Content Providers (5162)
- SIC
- Radio Broadcasting Stations (4832)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Internet Radio & Streaming Broadcast Stations (Simulcast/Online-only) (MPAIAEAE)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Podcast Hosting, Distribution & Listening Platforms (BPAMAJAD), Radio Network Distribution & Programming Services (Syndicators, Format Providers) (MPAIAEAH)
Keywords
Where phonostar is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Hamburg
- HQ country
- Germany
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
phonostar business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Freemium Core Service: Core internet radio listening and basic Radio-Cloud recording (2 hours free storage) is provided free of charge to all registered users. Revenue is implied to come from premium features or subscriptions that extend beyond the free tier, though explicit premium pricing was not disclosed in the source material.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Pay-as-you-go | Free basic account with 2 hours Radio-Cloud storage |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels5 records
phonostar product offering
Product offeringCore offering
phonostar is a German internet radio aggregation platform that provides free access to over 30,000 internet radio stations from around the world. Users can listen via web browser, desktop software (PC/Mac), mobile apps (iOS, Android, Windows Phone), and smart TV apps (Apple TV, Android TV). The platform's distinctive offering is Radio-Cloud, a cloud-based recording service that schedules and records radio broadcasts server-side for later streaming or download, without requiring the user's device to be active.
Product overview
phonostar is an internet radio portal offering a unified platform for finding, listening to, and recording internet radio stations from around the world. The product portfolio consists of the core phonostar-Player (desktop software for PC and Mac), the phonostar Radio-App (mobile application for iOS, Android, Windows Phone, Android TV, and Apple TV), the Online Radio-Player (browser-based streaming), and the Radio-Cloud (cloud-based recording service). Users can access over 30,000 internet radio stations across various genres including music, audiobooks, news, and sports, with the ability to record broadcasts and store them in the cloud. The platform is free to use with a free account providing two hours of Radio-Cloud storage.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- phonostar-Player: Free desktop application for PC and Mac that allows users to find, listen to, and record internet radio.
- Radio-Cloud
Products and services
- phonostar-Player Free downloadable desktop software for PC and Mac that allows users to find, listen to, and record internet radio stations independently of the web browser. Targeted at individual consumers wanting offline-accessible radio listening and recording on their computer.
- phonostar Radio-App Mobile application providing access to over 30,000 internet radio stations, the Radio-Cloud recording service, and podcasts. Available across iOS, Android, Windows Phone, Apple TV, and Android TV. Targeted at individual consumers wanting on-the-go and TV-based internet radio access.
- Online Radio-Player Browser-based player accessible via phonostar.de that allows users to listen to internet radio stations directly without installing additional software. Targeted at individual consumers wanting instant access without downloads.
- Radio-Cloud Cloud-based recording service that allows users to schedule and automatically record radio broadcasts on the server side, without requiring the user's device to be active. Free tier includes 2 hours of cloud storage; recordings can be streamed or downloaded later. Targeted at individual consumers who want time-shifted radio listening.
Quantifiable outcome
- Access to 30,000+ internet radio stations from 100+ countries
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use phonostar
Customer profileSegments5 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
phonostar technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
phonostar partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators3 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights4 records
phonostar competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Spotify: Spotify is a global audio streaming incumbent that increasingly overlaps with internet radio through curated radio stations, live radio integrations, and podcasts. While not a direct aggregator of broadcast streams, it competes for the same listener attention and ad/subscription spend as phonostar.
- Audacy: Audacy is a major US radio broadcaster with a digital platform offering live streams of owned stations plus podcasts. As a broadcaster-owned incumbent with proprietary content, it represents the vertical integration model that could constrain independent aggregators like phonostar over time.
- iHeartRadio: iHeartRadio is a major US-based digital audio platform combining live radio, podcasts, and custom artist stations. It is a broad incumbent with significantly greater scale, content ownership, and ad inventory, overlapping phonostar's live radio aggregation use case as part of a much wider portfolio.
Emerging players
- Pocket Casts: Pocket Casts is a dedicated podcast listening platform with strong discovery, sync, and playback features. It competes with phonostar's podcast aggregation capability with superior depth of podcast-specific features and a more focused product experience.
Direct peers
- TuneIn: TuneIn is the leading global internet radio aggregator offering 100,000+ live radio stations and podcasts across sports, news, music, and talk. It is the most direct competitor to phonostar's core listening and aggregation proposition, with broader international reach and stronger premium monetization.
- Radio.net: Radio.net is a German-headquartered internet radio and podcast aggregator with comparable catalog scale, multi-platform apps, and German-language editorial focus. It is the closest head-to-head competitor in phonostar's home DACH market, with overlapping premium and freemium models.
- radio.de: radio.de operates as a German-language internet radio directory and streaming platform with similar categorization by genre, country, and topic. It directly competes with phonostar for German-speaking listeners and shares the same freemium internet radio listening model.
- Live365: Live365 is an internet radio platform that combines a directory of stations with tools for broadcasters to launch their own streams. It overlaps phonostar's listener-side aggregation model while also addressing the broadcaster/creator side of the internet radio ecosystem.
- Streema: Streema is an internet radio directory and streaming platform with 50,000+ stations from around the world. It shares phonostar's core aggregation and listening value proposition with a similar multi-platform approach, though with less emphasis on cloud recording.
Regional players
- RadioPlayer: RadioPlayer is a European broadcaster-backed radio streaming aggregator focused on official station streams with strong regulatory and metadata integrations. It represents a competing model to phonostar's open-aggregation approach, with broadcaster relationships that could shift competitive dynamics.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights5 records
Customer concentration
phonostar social profiles
Digital presencephonostar financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
phonostar leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
phonostar funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
phonostar M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about phonostar
What does phonostar do?
phonostar is a German internet radio aggregation platform that provides free access to over 30,000 internet radio stations from around the world. Users can listen via web browser, desktop software (PC/Mac), mobile apps (iOS, Android, Windows Phone), and smart TV apps (Apple TV, Android TV). The platform's distinctive offering is Radio-Cloud, a cloud-based recording service that schedules and records radio broadcasts server-side for later streaming or download, without requiring the user's device to be active.
Is phonostar a public or private company?
phonostar is a private company. It is classified as unknown and is currently operating.
When was phonostar founded?
phonostar was founded in -1. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is phonostar based?
phonostar is headquartered in Hamburg, Germany, in the Europe region.
How does phonostar make money?
One revenue line is on record: freemium Core Service.
Who are phonostar's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Spotify, Audacy and iHeartRadio. Pocket Casts is listed as an emerging player. Direct peers are TuneIn, Radio.net, radio.de, Live365 and Streema. RadioPlayer is listed as a regional player.
Does phonostar have an API?
No public API is recorded for phonostar.
What industry is phonostar in?
phonostar's product category is Internet Radio Streaming. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAIAEAE, Internet Radio & Streaming Broadcast Stations (Simulcast/Online-only), with a secondary code of BPAMAJAD, Podcast Hosting, Distribution & Listening Platforms. Its NAICS code is 51611 and its SIC code is 4832.