How to Listen to the Radio Online in Australia
Listening to the radio online means you can hear your favourite station anywhere in the house, with a clear signal and no aerial to fuss with. You can catch a programme you missed, and tune in to a station from another part of the country just as easily as your local one.
It’s free, and it works on a phone, a tablet, a computer or a smart speaker. Here are the main Australian apps and how to get started. If you are choosing a new television too, our guide to the best smart TVs for seniors is a good place to start.
Quick answer
Download a free radio app on your phone or tablet. The ABC listen app carries the ABC stations with no ads. iHeartRadio has KIIS, GOLD, CADA, The Edge and more. The LiSTNR app has Triple M, the Hit Network and a big range of music stations. Open the app, tap a station, and it plays. You can also listen on most stations’ own websites without any app at all.
The main Australian radio apps
ABC listen
The ABC listen app is free and has no ads. It carries ABC Radio National, ABC NewsRadio, ABC Classic and your local ABC station, live, plus a large collection of programmes and podcasts you can listen to whenever you like. If you enjoy news, interviews and quality talk radio, this is the one to start with.
iHeartRadio
iHeartRadio is free and carries a wide range of Australian stations, including KIIS, GOLD, CADA and The Edge. If your favourite station is one of these, this app is likely the easiest way to listen. It also has music and podcasts, plus stations from around the world.
LiSTNR
The LiSTNR app is free and carries the other big family of stations, including Triple M and the Hit Network, along with dozens of music stations and podcasts. Between iHeartRadio and LiSTNR, you’ll find nearly every commercial station in the country.
How to start listening
1. Download the app
On your phone or tablet, open the App Store on Apple devices or the Play Store on Android. Search for the app you want, ABC listen, iHeartRadio or LiSTNR, and install it. They’re all free. If you’re new to installing apps, our guide to the best apps for seniors shows how.
2. Find your station
Open the app and look through the list of stations, or use the search. Tap the one you want. It begins playing within a few seconds, the same broadcast going out on the airwaves right now.
3. Save your favourites
Most apps let you mark a station as a favourite, often with a heart or star. Do this for the ones you listen to most, and they’ll sit at the top next time, so you don’t have to hunt for them.
You can also listen through a smart speaker by asking it to play a station, or simply by visiting a station’s website on any computer and pressing the listen-live button. No app is needed for that. Listening online uses your home internet, so it’s best done on Wi-Fi rather than mobile data when you’re at home.
Before you finish
Download the free Family Tech Safety Checklist to help check phone safety, passwords, scam messages, emergency contacts and medical alarm details.
FAQ: listening to radio online in Australia
Is listening to radio online free?
Yes. The ABC listen, iHeartRadio and LiSTNR apps are all free, and station websites let you listen live at no cost.
Which app has my station?
ABC stations are in ABC listen. KIIS, GOLD, CADA and The Edge are on iHeartRadio. Triple M and the Hit Network are on LiSTNR.
Can I listen to a station from another city?
Yes. Online, you can tune in to stations from anywhere in the country, not just your local area.
Does it use a lot of data?
Less than video, but it adds up over hours. At home it’s best to listen on Wi-Fi, which is usually unlimited, rather than mobile data.
Can I listen without a phone?
Yes. You can use a computer through a station’s website, or ask a smart speaker to play a station for you.
