An internet radio falls squarely in that happy zone, bringing together old-school radio capacity with the modern technology of internet streaming.
If you like to listen to radio stations from around the world, stream music, and maybe have a clock radio beside your bed, then a wifi internet radio receiver should be on your shopping list.
The best internet radio will let you stream podcasts, play your favorite subscription music service, and find the best radio stations from across the planet.
Some of them will connect to another device like your smartphone, thumb drive, or external stereo system, and others features an alarm, sleep timer and more.
To help you pick the best internet radio, let’s look at our top choices, and then examine the different features of smart radios, so you can get an internet radio receiver that works for you.
See Our Best Internet Radio Players
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Best For Higher Budgets
1Grace Digital Mondo Elite Smart Internet Radio
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| 2
Best Overall
2Ocean Digital WiFi/FM Internet Radio WR230S
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Best For Low Budgets
4Ocean Digital WR-336N Portable Internet Radio
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1. Grace Digital Mondo Elite Smart Internet Radio
- Listen several ways, including built-in apps, Bluetooth, Chromecast, UPnP media servers or USB thumb drive
- 12 or 24 hour clock and alarm with choice of 5 escalating volume alarms and a snooze button
- Classic walnut design
- 10 station presets
Listen to radio stations from around the world with this network ready device.
It comes with enough built-in apps to let you listen to music or news the way you want, including Pandora, Amazon Music Prime, iHeartRadio and SiriusXM, along with several others.
Besides the radio station database and the apps, you can also connect to a smartphone, tablet or computer with Bluetooth or Wi-Fi.
Play songs from your device or with TuneIn, Google Play or Spotify. You can also use the USB thumb drive to access all your own tunes.
And, it can all be controlled with the included remote control, or with Google voice assistant.
The clock is 12 or 24 hour format and comes with an alarm and a snooze button.
Choose from escalating volume alarms or use the sleep timer when you go to bed.
Personalize even more with different backlight settings and the choice of blue or red clock colors.
As a bonus, charge your phone with the built-in Qi-Wireless quick charger located on the top of the radio, or by plugging into the USB port on the back.
Specifications
Pros
- Comes with many built-in apps including Pandora, Amazon Music Prime, iHeartRadio, BBC, NPR and more
- Includes a remote control
- Stream from your phone via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi
- Connect to Bluetooth earbuds/headphones
Cons
- Has to be plugged in for power
- Have to buy a USB-to-Ethernet dongle for wired ethernet connection
2. Ocean Digital WiFi/FM Internet Radio WR230S
- Includes a remote control
- Ethernet port if you want a wired internet connection
- Headphone jack on the back
- Line-out jack to connect to a stereo
This dual speaker radio gives you the ability to listen to FM radio or internet radio stations.
Features 20,000+ internet radio stations and the ability to set 99 presets.
You can also have FM and internet radio stations on the same list. There’s a telescoping antenna to boost FM reception.
Time and date are set automatically.
Bluetooth audio streaming capacity, allowing you to stream Bluetooth audio to the radio, but it’s not suitable for wireless headphones or speakers.
It comes network ready, and the ability to connect via an ethernet cable.
The color screen is dimmable and there’s the option to change the clock display. Includes a remote control.
Specifications
Pros
- Dual alarm clock
- Stereo FM Radio and internet radio capability
- Bluetooth compatible
- Up to 99 preset stations and can have FM and internet radio on one list
Cons
- Doesn’t connect to wireless headphone or speaker
- No USB port for playing off a thumb drive
3. Sangean WFR-28 Internet Radio
- FM radio and internet radio
- Plug it in or run on battery; comes with built-in battery charger
- Headphone jack
- 10 station presets – 5 internet stations and 5 FM stations
This Internet radio will give you access to over 15,000 stations and podcasts from around the world, as well as FM RDS capacity.
It also has USB MP3 playback capacity and is WMA compatible.
There’s a high resolution display or you can control the radio with the free Undok remote control app.
Undok is compatible with iOS and Android devices, and also with Spotify, allowing you to play music directly from the Spotify app.
The Undok app also allows you to choose internet radio stations or control music streamed from your computer.
Comes with seven equalizer settings, allowing you to choose from flat, jazz, rock, movie, pop or news, and one customized EQ that allows you to adjust the bass and treble level.
There are 10 station presets, five for internet stations and five for FM stations.
Plug it in or go mobile with the battery power and built-in battery charger.
As a bonus, it can serve as a charger for rechargeable batteries when plugged-in to an outlet under standby mode.
Plug your headphones into the back.
Specifications
Pros
- USB MP3 playback and WMA compatible
- Over 15,000 internet channels
- Free remote control app is compatible with iOS and Android devices
- Spotify integration
Cons
- No Bluetooth capacity
- If you don’t have a smartphone, you don’t have a remote
4. Ocean Digital WR-336N Portable Internet Radio
- Built-in rechargeable battery and comes with a USB charging cable
- Bluetooth compatible
- Dual alarm
- Sleep timer
This internet radio comes with a built-in rechargeable battery and remote control to run it.
A station search function helps you find the station you want by inputting a few characters of the station.
There are four preset buttons, and you can personalize your favorite list with up to 99 stations. Then assign your top four to the preset buttons, which are on the front panel for easy access.
There are over 20,000 internet radio stations that are categorized by region, genre and most popular. It’s Bluetooth compatible as well.
The LCD display has a brightness control, the option to have a large clock displayed while you’re listening to the radio, and it features a dual alarm.
Has a line out jack and a headphone jack.
Specifications
Pros
- 22,000+ radio stations
- 4 preset buttons
- Sleep timer
- Comes with a remote
Cons
- No FM radio capability
- Single speaker may not provide the sound you want
5. auna Connect 150 2.1 Internet Radio
- Internet radio and also has an analogue FM receiver
- Dual alarm system
- Sleep timer
- Snooze function
Enjoy the sound of this internet radio that’s delivered by two, 2.5-inch broadband speakers and a 3-inch woofer.
The Wi-Fi and LAN interface will connect you to over 10,000 internet radio stations worldwide, and you can control the radio using the internet access.
There’s also FM capability with an analogue FM receiver, and the RDS function shows you artist, title, album, genre, and news.
An AUX input adds the ability to play from external sources by connecting a mobile phone, MP3 player, or laptop, and the MP3-capable USB port means you can plug in a thumb drive to play portable music files.
The display is TFT (thin-film transistor) instead of LCD, and shows the time, artist, or radio station.
There’s also a programmable wake-up function, a dual alarm system, a snooze function, and a sleep timer.
Specifications
Pros
- Retro walnut casing paired with black modern front
- AUX input for phones, MP3 players and and laptops
- MP3-capable USB port for playing portable music files from a thumb drive
- Dual speakers and a woofer
Cons
- Speakers are on the side of the unit
- The display is TFT (thin-film transistor) display instead of LCD
6. SiriusXM GDI-SXTTR2 Internet Radio
- Internet radio that works with SiriusXM subscription
- 10 favorite channels
- Up to 5 custom alarms and snooze function
- Sleep timer
If you love your SiriusXM subscription, this is the radio for you. Use it to access Sirius live news, talk shows, sports, weather, and music channels, personalized channels and on demand shows.
You do need a SiriusXM Streaming Subscription or All Access Subscription Plan to use this radio.
Once you’ve got the subscription (sold separately by SiriusXM), you can personalize your favorite music channels with mix, and save up to 10 channel presets for easy access.
You can even pause, rewind and replay live radio. Some select channels have a “start now” function if you miss the start of a show.
Use it to wake up with an advanced digital alarm system that features up to 5 custom alarms (set weekly, weekend or weekday alarms, for instance), a snooze function and a sleep timer.
Expand beyond Sirius by connecting an external audio device in the auxiliary input jack.
Specifications
Pros
- Pause, rewind and replay live radio
- “Start now” function available on some channels in case you miss the start of a show
- Sirius has live news and talk shows, sports, weather and music channels
- Connect to other audio devices with the auxiliary input jack
Cons
- Need to buy a SiriusXM Streaming Subscription or All Access Subscription Plan for this radio
- Have to buy an Ethernet adapter if you want wired connection
WiFi radio Buying Guide
Portability
One of the benefits of an internet radio, as compared to a stereo, is the ability to easily move it around.
Portable internet radios make it simple to take your music, podcast or live newscast to the garage or the garden, and back to the living room or bedroom.
Some will work on battery power, making them even more portable.
There are those designed more like an old-school clock radio, and some are sleeker and even more portable.
As long as you have wi-fi, you can carry your radio with you.
Am-Fm
While streaming radio stations from around the world is great, sometimes you just want to hear the local news.
Or, you may want to use the radio when you’re away from the internet.
If that’s you, then some of our choices have FM capacity built in.
Think about whether you want to use the radio away from the internet, because to get a full AM FM internet radio, most will require you to stream the stations.
Additional Features
Besides being a wifi internet radio receiver, you have other features to consider when choosing the best internet radio for your needs.
Here are a few of the features in an internet radio tuner.
Remote Control
We’re all used to running our televisions with a remote, so why not have one to control your wifi internet radio receiver?
It may seem like a “nice-to-have” but it’s definitely handy to be able to control the radio from across the room or from your workbench in the garage.
Most of our choices have a remote control, or the ability to control the radio from your smartphone.
Bluetooth Connectivity
Speaking of a smartphone, another consideration is whether you want to connect your radio to your phone.
Maybe you have music on your phone that you’d like to play on the radio, or you’ve got tunes on your laptop or desktop computer.
If that’s the case, then the best wifi radio for you will also have Bluetooth connectivity.
Some of our choices have that functionality, and a few – but not all – even have the ability to connect to wireless earbuds or headphones.
Others connect with a headphone jack, if you don’t mind listening with a wired set.
USB Connectivity
This is another option for playing music.
Maybe you’ve got your 90s classics on a USB thumb drive and you want the ability to listen to them once in a while.
If that’s the case, be sure to choose among the streaming radios that also have a USB port.
Ethernet Connectivity
If your wi-fi isn’t particularly strong, you lose connection often, or you want to install the radio in a dead zone in the house, you may want to choose an internet radio receiver that has the ability to connect with an ethernet cable.
Some of our choices have ethernet ports so you can connect to a more stable internet source if you want.
Line Out Jack
If you want to connect your internet radio to an existing stereo, then look for one with a line-out or auxiliary jack so you can listen on a bigger system when desired.
Alarm Clock
Maybe you got used to having a clock radio back before smartphones became an all-in-one tool.
Or, you’re making a point of keeping your phone out of the bedroom.
Either way, smart radios that include an alarm clock are perfect for getting up every day.
You can wake up to your favorite radio station from around the world.
Some even have extra features like a snooze button, different alarm tones, and alarms with increasing volume.
Smart radios can be used in any room of the house, but with alarm functionality they are really perfect for the bedroom.
Sleep Timer
If you use your radio in your bedroom, another nice feature is a sleep timer.
Doze off to the sounds of your favorite music, or maybe listening to a podcast puts you to sleep.
Sound Quality
The best internet radios pack good sound into their portable size. Some have dual speakers, while some rely on a single front speaker.
While you won’t get the quality of a full-sized stereo system, or the volume to power a large party, you will get quality sound for playing in a kitchen, bedroom, living room or garage, and let you hear it in other rooms as well.
Finding Radio Stations
If you want ease of use, look for an internet radio tuner that has an easy search functionality, so you can search and find stations easily.
Our choices usually include how many stations are on the radio, with up to 22,000 stations included.
You may also want one with favorite or preset buttons, so you can save the best stations and get to them quickly.
If you plan to use a streaming service, it’s best to know which one you’ll be using before you choose your wifi internet radio receiver.
That’s because some of our choices come with the app preloaded.
And one of our choices is for use with a SiriusXM Radio subscription, so be sure to choose that one only if you plan to use Sirius.
Pricing Range
There isn’t much difference in price range among streaming radios, but you will pay more for more options.
Decide what features you really want, or if you want them all, before making your final selection.
Our Verdict
Whether you’re a techie who loves gadgets, or a retro lover who likes to reminisce – or both – an internet radio brings together the best of both worlds.
The best internet radio lets you listen to a local radio station, one from across the country or across the world, or stream music with a subscription service.
Some will be just like your old clock radio, with an alarm, a snooze button and a sleep timer.
Whatever features you want in an internet radio receiver, our guide to the best internet radio will ensure you get the best wifi radio for your kitchen, bedroom, office or workshop.
