Icecast

Free plan APILinuxSelf-hostedWindows

What Icecast is

Icecast is free server software for streaming audio and video to listeners and viewers, including internet radio stations and jukeboxes. Source clients provide content from the same machine or another computer, while one server can host multiple mountpoints carrying separate channels. The project lists Ogg Vorbis, Ogg Theora, Opus, FLAC, WebM and MP3 formats; MP4, M4A, NSV and AAC may work but are not officially supported. Administration can display statistics, move listeners between mountpoints and disconnect sources or listeners, with HTTP authentication required. Listener and source authentication support files, passwords and URL checks. Icecast runs on Linux, Unix and Windows, with API and self-hosted use. Downloads include source packages and a Windows installer. Integrations include libshout and IceS. Listener analytics, recording archive and the icecast protocol are listed.

Who it suits

Icecast suits people running internet radio, jukeboxes or other self-hosted audio and video streams. It fits setups needing multiple channels, authentication and control across Linux, Unix or Windows.

What it does well

Free GNU GPL version 2 server software
Hosts multiple mountpoints and separate channels
Supports several audio and video formats
Provides listener and source authentication
Runs on Linux, Unix and Windows

What to know first

Listeners share the same stream on a mountpoint
Some formats are not officially supported
Windows service capability is no longer built in
Icecast 2.4.4 receives only security fixes until 2026-12-31

Plans

Plan	Billed and limits	Price
Icecast	Free server software for streaming multimedia · GNU GPL version 2	Free

As icecast.org lists them, read 7 Oct 2026. The maker's own page has the final word.

Verdict

Icecast provides free, self-hosted streaming with multiple channels, authentication and administration controls. Its shared mountpoint model and format qualifications should guide setup decisions.

Facts from Icecast's own pages

Administration: The admin interface can show statistics, move listeners between mountpoints, and disconnect sources or listeners; its functions require HTTP authentication. · icecast.org, 7 Oct 2026
Authentication: Listener authentication supports htpasswd files and URL based checks; source authentication supports passwords and URL based checks. · icecast.org, 7 Oct 2026
Downloads: The current release is 2.5.0; the official download page offers source for Linux/Unix and a Windows installer. · icecast.org, 7 Oct 2026
Formats: The project lists Ogg (Vorbis and Theora), Opus, FLAC, WebM, and MP3 as supported formats; its FAQ says MP4, M4A, NSV, and AAC might work but are not officially supported. · icecast.org, 7 Oct 2026
Free plan: Yes · icecast.org, 21 Sept 2026
Integrations: The project describes libshout as a library for communicating with Icecast servers and IceS as a program that sends audio to Icecast. · icecast.org, 7 Oct 2026
Limit: Icecast sends the same mountpoint stream to its listeners, so an individual listener cannot pause it or change tracks without affecting everyone on that mountpoint. · icecast.org, 7 Oct 2026
Linux and Unix packages: The download page recommends distribution packages where available and says official builds are packaged for various distributions; listed packages are built with OpenSSL enabled and signed by the openSUSE OBS multimedia project GPG key. · icecast.org, 7 Oct 2026
Multiple streams: A server can host multiple mountpoints, each carrying a separate stream or channel. · icecast.org, 7 Oct 2026
Purpose: Icecast is a streaming media server for sending audio and video streams to listeners and viewers, including internet radio stations and jukeboxes. · icecast.org, 7 Oct 2026
Release support: The project says support for Icecast 2.4.4 ends on 2026-12-31 and that only security fixes are being accepted for that version. · icecast.org, 7 Oct 2026
Source clients: Icecast serves content supplied by source clients, which may run on a separate machine or on the Icecast server itself. · icecast.org, 7 Oct 2026
Support: The documentation lists the Icecast mailing list, developer mailing list, and IRC chat as ways to contact the development team. · icecast.org, 7 Oct 2026
Windows service: The FAQ says Icecast no longer has built-in Windows service capabilities and points users to a third-party service manager. · icecast.org, 7 Oct 2026