5 Apps That Add Live FM Radio to Your Android Auto

While a built-in FM radio tuner is pretty much a must-have in modern cars, it leaves your radio access signal-dependent, you’re limited to channels within range, and audio quality can suffer in tunnels and remote areas. If you use Android Auto, it can also be a hassle to switch between the factory-installed infotainment system and the one projected from your phone, especially as physical radio controls disappear. This is where radio apps, like iHeart and VRadio, come into play, as they greatly increase your options for listening to live FM radio.

You can also control these apps from the Android Auto interface, making it easier to switch between stations. Besides classic FM channels, you will usually also find internet-only stations on these apps. While there’s no shortage of options on Google Play, including the free app for a local radio adventure, not all of them support Android Auto. Additionally, user experience may vary from app to app.

If you don’t want to have to try all the popular options to find one for your essential Android Auto app arsenal, here are some of the top-rated choices that work well in cars, although it’s important to note that you may not get all of your local FM stations on these apps. We chose these FM radio apps after considering user reviews shared on Reddit and the Google Play Store as well as our own experience with them.

Non Stop Radio is a popular radio app that works with Android Auto. Notably, it requires no registration and is free of advertisements. You will always be dealing with advertisements that are part of the regular programming of an FM radio channel or those inserted directly by the station. It offers access to over 60,000 radio stations and podcasts from around the world.

You can browse based on genre. There is a built-in search function to find stations in your car and the phone app can be used to search for favorite stations for quick access. It also offers support for playing locally stored content. The Android Auto version is pretty simple, but you get more controls in the phone version, including support for requesting an unavailable radio station, as well as a built-in Lucky button to jump to random stations.

The phone app also lets you save song titles when available. Reddit users praise the app, highlighting its fast connection and support for extended buffer functionality to handle possible connection interruptions. While the app is generally well-received, it is run by a single developer, which means there are sometimes rough edges and it takes time for new features to be added.

If you are looking for American radio stations, iHeart is a good option. It offers access to 850 live AM/FM radio stations in the United States and supports built-in Android Auto. The app lets you save up to 15 stations, playlists and more, for quick access in your car. It also has a scanning function to give you that nostalgic feeling of scanning radio stations on a real car stereo.

Besides US radio stations, iHeart provides access to thousands of other radio stations from around the world. You can browse categories, recommendations and local stations in Android Auto, and there’s a built-in search function for more targeted listening. Google Play Store users have given it an average rating of 4.6 out of 5, based on over 2 million reviews. Reviews call it an excellent radio app, offering a good mix of stations and music.

However, the free tier is filled with ads, which can be exhausting, and some say these ads ruin the app experience. That said, you have the option to choose between Plus or All Access subscriptions to remove ads and unlock features, like saving songs from the radio to your playlist. The Plus plan costs $6 per month, while All Access will cost you $12 per month. There’s also a Family Plan that offers All Access benefits for up to five family members at $15 per month.

TuneIn Radio is a popular app on Google Play, with over 100 million downloads and features in our free Android Auto app recommendations. It has one of the largest collections of radio stations on offer, with access to over 100,000 live channels around the world. It’s also the only non-Apple product to offer access to Apple Music live radio.

In our brief interaction with the app, it worked seamlessly on Android Auto, and unlike some other options with a fairly simple Android Auto interface, TuneIn Radio has a richer, but still relatively uncluttered, interface. You get station recommendations automatically populated in the foreground with any last station listened to. You can also search for stations, browse categories, and access recent or favorite stations from the app’s home screen.

Although the free version includes full access to radio and podcasts, you can pay for the premium version to remove ads and access live sports, audiobooks, and news. TuneIn Radio is generally highly rated, with a Google Play Store rating of 4.7 out of 5, based on millions of reviews. Users say it’s easy to use, has a good selection of radio stations, and provides excellent streaming quality. However, not everyone is happy with the number of ads they have to deal with while using the app.

Simple Radio is another popular radio app that you can use with Android Auto. It focuses on a clean listening experience and has a simple interface, both on the phone app and the Android Auto version. You can choose from more than 90,000 AM, FM and online radio stations, including popular names like NPR, BBC and WNYC, as well as local stations.

The Simple Radio Android Auto app has three main sections: recently listened to, favorite and recommended radio stations. Rather than giving you a random list of stations from around the world, the app’s recommendations include channels based on your region and location, making it easier to find something you’re more likely to enjoy. During our use of the app, we noticed that it didn’t offer search functionality in the Android Auto version, but you can use it on the phone app and bookmark any stations you’d like to listen to later in your car.

The app has an average rating of 4.7 out of 5, based on over 900,000 reviews on the Google Play Store. Users love its no-bloat approach, minimal design, and reliability. However, the frequency of advertisements remains the main complaint. Fortunately, there is a premium subscription available for $40 per year that removes ads and brings a sleep timer feature.

Many radio enthusiasts recommend VRadio for Android Auto. Like our other picks, it gives you a wide choice of radio stations and podcasts from around the world. While testing the app, we found that it had a clean Android Auto interface, with separate sections for stations and podcasts. Although it doesn’t have a search function in Android Auto, you can quickly access recent, favorite and featured stations. It also differentiates itself from other radio applications by offering recording support.

If you find something interesting while listening to the radio, just tap the record button on the playback screen to save it for later. Although VRadio contains ads, it’s not overwhelming and you can purchase the premium version to remove them for $13. In addition to removing ads, the premium version allows you to save recordings in MP3 format and unlock all Android TV features. Google Play Store users give VRadio an average rating of 4.9 stars from some 37,000 reviews. These users appreciate the variety of radio stations offered, the clear interface and the recording support. That said, some are unhappy with the cost of the subscription.

When choosing these radio apps, we focused on those available on the Google Play Store and confirmed that they support Android Auto, ensuring that they are easy to download and run in your car. We took into account the opinions of Reddit users, particularly from the Android Auto subreddit, to refine our selection. We also took into account ratings and reviews from the Google Play Store to get an idea of ​​the broader Android community’s thoughts on different radio apps. Additionally, our own experience with the apps was considered in the final list. All of these recommendations are free to download and use. However, some include ads, which can usually be removed with a premium membership.