iHeartRadio Review

iHeartRadio covers just about every major genre, from pop, country, and hip-hop to rock, EDM, jazz, classical, and Latin. The catalog blends live radio with personalized listening, giving you multiple ways to find music.

You can tune into thousands of AM/FM stations, including major names like KIIS-FM and Z100, or switch to artist stations that build a continuous mix based on your favorites.

Playlists are organized by mood, activity, and genre, as well as by decade stations, holiday channels, and comedy. New releases and trending tracks are easy to find, with a steady stream of chart hits and viral songs always in rotation.

Original programming is a big part of what sets iHeartRadio apart. The app features 24/7 streaming stations like “iHeart80s,” as well as genre-specific channels and personality-driven formats.

The iHeartPodcast Network produces exclusive podcast series across news, sports, and entertainment, including collaborations with major media brands. You’ll also find artist interviews and editorial content pulled from stations nationwide.

Exclusive events are part of the lineup too, with broadcasts tied to shows like the iHeartRadio Music Festival and Jingle Ball. Newer additions include stations created with Rick Dees, including his Weekly Top 40.

Standard iHeartRadio accounts do not support multiple user profiles. Everything, including playlists, listening history, and recommendations, is tied to one account.

The Family plan offers a shared subscription for up to five people at $14.99 per month. Each person gets their own separate account, so saved music, stations, and recommendations stay individual instead of overlapping.

It also includes full All Access features for every member, including on-demand listening, saving and replaying songs from the radio, and offline downloads on mobile devices.

Offline listening isn’t part of the free version of iHeartRadio. Downloads are only available with an All Access subscription.

This feature works on iOS and Android, letting you download songs, albums, and playlists for offline listening. The Plus plan adds skips and ad-free stations, but doesn’t include downloads.

All Access also unlocks full on-demand playback and the ability to save and replay songs from the radio. A Family plan extends these features, including downloads, to multiple users.

A library of more than 250,000 podcasts is available through iHeartRadio, all free to stream alongside live radio and music.

Content includes true crime, comedy, news, sports, tech, and more, mixing major hits with niche shows. Popular titles include “Stuff You Should Know,” “Crime Junkie,” and “The Breakfast Club.”

The iHeartPodcast Network also produces original series from well-known creators like Katie Couric, Will Ferrell, Charlamagne tha God, and Shonda Rhimes.

You can browse, search, and follow podcasts through a dedicated tab or your library, and switch easily between podcasts, radio stations, and music in one place.

iHeartRadio offers audiobooks through podcast-style channels rather than a separate audiobook store or library section.

These appear as regular podcasts inside the app and can be streamed for free. Some channels focus on full readings of books, including Free Audiobooks and Free Classic Audio Books, while others feature curated collections like Awesome Audiobooks and Audiobooks For Everyone across different genres.

There are also themed series such as “Read Me Romance,” along with “Earsay: The Audible and iHeart Audiobook Club,” a partnership with Audible that highlights and discusses popular audiobook titles.

All audiobook content plays directly through podcast episodes inside the app, just like any other show.

Parental controls are not built into the main iHeartRadio app, which lacks a full clean mode or an explicit content filter.

Instead, controls are available through a separate app called iHeartRadio Family. This version is designed for kids and lets parents filter content, block specific stations or podcasts, and manage what can be played.

It automatically limits explicit lyrics and focuses on age-appropriate music, stories, and podcasts. Settings are protected by an age gate, so children can’t change restrictions. The app also includes more than 80 curated stations, including kid-focused options like Disney and Kidz Bop.

iHeartRadio is officially available in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Australia, and New Zealand. In these regions, you can download the app and stream live radio, music, and podcasts without issue.

Outside those countries, access is geoblocked in most places, including much of Europe, due to licensing restrictions. Some users try VPNs to connect through a supported region, but that isn’t officially supported.

Even when available, content can vary by location, with access often focused on regional stations and locally targeted ads.