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Music · head to head

iHeartRadio vs Shazam

iHeartRadio logo

iHeartRadio

Music

All your favorite music, podcasts, and radio

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Shazam logo

Shazam

Music

Apple-owned song identification app, free with no ads or in-app purchases

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: iHeartRadio ad-free listening requires an iHeartRadio Plus or All Access subscription; Shazam the app has no revenue of its own and exists structurally to drive Apple Music engagement, so its continued investment and feature direction depend entirely on how useful Apple finds it as a funnel rather than on its own standalone business case.
  • They diverge on capability: iHeartRadio covers Live radio, Shazam covers Audio fingerprint matching.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which iHeartRadio and Shazam actually diverge.

Attributes where iHeartRadio and Shazam differ
AttributeiHeartRadioShazam
Pricing modelfreemiumFree, no ads and no in-app purchases; funded as an Apple Music discovery funnel
PlatformsWeb, Ios, Android, Smart-speakersiOS, Android, Web
Founded2008Unknown

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Music).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in iHeartRadio

  • Live radio
  • Custom stations
  • Podcasts
  • Events
  • Smart speakers
  • Car systems
  • Account security
  • Web support

Only in Shazam

  • Audio fingerprint matching
  • Offline tagging queue
  • Apple Music integration
  • Shazam charts
  • Lyrics display
  • Shazam widget and Control Centre integration

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

iHeartRadio

  • Streaming live AM and FM radio stations over the internetnot Shazam
  • Listening to podcasts and live sports commentarynot Shazam
  • Building music playlists on a paid tiernot Shazam

Shazam

  • Someone hearing an unfamiliar song in a shop, cafe or on the radio and wanting to identify it instantlynot iHeartRadio
  • A user wanting identified songs automatically saved into an Apple Music library or playlistnot iHeartRadio
  • Someone using the offline tagging queue while without signal, resolving matches laternot iHeartRadio
  • A listener browsing Shazam trending charts to discover what is being identified most in their citynot iHeartRadio

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

iHeartRadio

  • Ad-free listening requires an iHeartRadio Plus or All Access subscription
  • Unlimited skips and unlimited playlist creation require a paid subscription
  • Subscriptions renew automatically unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24 hours before the period ends
  • Any unused part of a free trial is forfeited when a subscription is purchased
  • The iOS app requires iOS 15.0 or later

Shazam

  • The app has no revenue of its own and exists structurally to drive Apple Music engagement, so its continued investment and feature direction depend entirely on how useful Apple finds it as a funnel rather than on its own standalone business case.
  • Identification requires either a live audio sample or a stored recording, and it performs poorly on very quiet, heavily remixed, or non-commercially released audio where no fingerprint match exists in the database.
  • Saved tags and playlists are tied to an Apple ID even on Android, meaning non-Apple users still create Apple ecosystem account data by using the app.
  • It offers no music playback of its own beyond short previews or an Apple Music handoff, so a non-Apple Music subscriber cannot play a full identified track inside the app itself.
  • As an owned subsidiary of Apple rather than an independent company, there is no separate roadmap transparency or company reporting, so its longevity and feature set are subject to Apple's wider strategic priorities rather than its own user base.

Pricing, plan by plan

iHeartRadio

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Live radio
    • Podcasts
    • Ads
  • Plus$5.99/month
    • Unlimited skips
    • Offline playlists

Shazam

Free
  • ShazamFree
    • Unlimited song identification
    • No ads shown within the identification experience
    • No premium tier exists

Which should you pick?

Choose iHeartRadio if

  • You need live radio.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android, Smart-speakers.
  • You also want custom stations.
iHeartRadio review

Choose Shazam if

  • You need audio fingerprint matching.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on iOS, Android, Web.
  • You also want offline tagging queue.
Shazam review

Questions people ask

Is iHeartRadio or Shazam better?
Neither clearly leads. iHeartRadio starts at Free and Shazam at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, iHeartRadio or Shazam?
iHeartRadio starts at Free and Shazam at Free.
Does iHeartRadio or Shazam run on more platforms?
iHeartRadio runs on Web, Ios, Android, Smart-speakers. Shazam runs on iOS, Android, Web.
Can I use iHeartRadio for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is iHeartRadio best used for?
iHeartRadio is most often used for streaming live am and fm radio stations over the internet, listening to podcasts and live sports commentary, building music playlists on a paid tier. Of those, streaming live am and fm radio stations over the internet and listening to podcasts and live sports commentary are not what Shazam is typically brought in for.
What can iHeartRadio do that Shazam cannot?
iHeartRadio covers Live radio, Custom stations, Podcasts, Events. Shazam covers Audio fingerprint matching, Offline tagging queue, Apple Music integration, Shazam charts.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

iHeartRadio: How much does iHeartRadio cost?

iHeartRadio does not publish pricing on their website. The service offers free podcast streaming with optional premium content for certain shows. A reference to 'Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content' is mentioned, but no pricing is provided. Customers must visit linked premium content pages for pricing information.

Source
Shazam: Is Shazam free?

Yes, fully free with no ads, subscription or in-app purchases.

Shazam: Do I need Apple Music to use Shazam?

No, identification works without an Apple Music subscription, though full track playback of an identified song requires either Apple Music or another music service.

Shazam: Who owns Shazam?

Apple, which acquired it in 2018.

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