Three Raspberry Pi internet radio images are actively maintained in 2025: MoOde Audio, Volumio, and LibreELEC with Kodi. Pi MusicBox and RuneAudio are abandoned (last updated 2017-2018) and should not be used for new builds. OpenELEC was discontinued in 2016 and superseded by LibreELEC. This guide covers the three current options with honest maintenance status, feature comparison, and the key subscription caveat for Volumio that most comparison articles omit.
Last reviewed: MoOde Audio 9.1.1, Volumio 3.x, LibreELEC 12 | May 2025 | Raspberry Pi 4 Model B (4GB) | HiFiBerry DAC+ Standard
Key Takeaways
- Pi MusicBox (last updated 2018) and RuneAudio (last updated 2017) are abandoned projects. Using them on current Pi hardware means no security updates, no bug fixes, and increasing incompatibility with modern streaming services. Do not start a new build on either of these.
- Volumio’s free tier does not include Spotify Connect or Snapcast multi-room sync. Those features require the Volumio Virtuoso subscription at approximately $69 per year. MoOde Audio includes both Spotify Connect and Snapcast for free. This distinction matters if either feature is in your plans.
- MoOde Audio is available directly in Raspberry Pi Imager under Media Player OS, making it the simplest install path of any current option. No separate image download is required.
Raspberry Pi Internet Radio Images: 2025 Comparison
The comparison above shows only the three maintained Raspberry Pi internet radio images. Pi MusicBox, RuneAudio, and OpenELEC are excluded because recommending abandoned software for new builds would be actively harmful to readers. Both Pi MusicBox and RuneAudio appear in many older comparison articles simply because they were popular in 2016-2017 and those articles have never been updated.
MoOde Audio: Best Raspberry Pi Internet Radio Image for Most Users
MoOde Audio is the current recommendation for most Raspberry Pi internet radio builds. It is actively maintained, completely free, includes Spotify Connect and Snapcast multi-room without a subscription, and is available directly in Raspberry Pi Imager under Media Player OS. The web interface runs in any browser with no app installation required on the client device. It supports a large pre-loaded station library, custom stream URLs, USB and I2S DAC output, Bluetooth output, UPnP/DLNA renderer mode, and a parametric DSP equalizer.
MoOde’s I2S DAC support is particularly strong. Most HiFiBerry, Allo, and IQaudio DAC HATs are listed by name in MoOde’s audio configuration dropdown. Select the DAC, restart, and the correct device tree overlay loads automatically. The HiFiBerry DAC+ Standard is the most commonly paired DAC for this use case.
The documentation at moodeaudio.org is thorough and the GitHub issue tracker is actively maintained. For the complete MoOde setup guide including I2S DAC configuration, Snapcast multi-room, custom station setup, and Spotify Connect, see Raspberry Pi Internet Radio with MoOde: Setup and Configuration Guide.
Best for: Most users. The only scenario where MoOde is not the right choice is if a Kodi-based media center interface is specifically required, or if the Volumio mobile app’s polish is worth a subscription fee.
Volumio: Polished Interface with Subscription Features
Volumio is actively maintained and has a larger brand presence than MoOde, partly due to its polished mobile app (iOS and Android) and a longer history of press coverage. The free tier is functional for basic internet radio: it streams stations, plays local files, and supports AirPlay and UPnP. The web interface and mobile apps are well-designed and feel more consumer-oriented than MoOde’s.
The important caveat: Spotify Connect, Snapcast multi-room synchronisation, and several plugins require the Volumio Virtuoso subscription at approximately $69 per year. Older guides and comparison articles written before Volumio’s business model change in 2022 describe Spotify Connect as a free feature. It is not free on the current Volumio release. Check volumio.com for current pricing and which features are included in each tier before deciding.
Volumio installs by flashing the downloaded image via Raspberry Pi Imager’s “Use custom” option. It is not available in the Media Player OS section of Imager the way MoOde is.
Best for: Users who want a polished mobile app experience and are willing to pay for the Virtuoso subscription to unlock Spotify Connect and multi-room features. If those features are needed but a subscription is not in the budget, MoOde delivers both for free.
LibreELEC with Kodi: Multi-Purpose Media Center
LibreELEC is a minimal Linux distribution that boots directly into Kodi and nothing else. It is the correct choice when the goal is a multi-purpose media center handling video (local files and streaming via addons), internet radio, and TV via the Kodi PVR framework. LibreELEC is not a dedicated audio image and lacks MoOde’s and Volumio’s audio-specific features like DSP, parametric EQ, and I2S DAC configuration menus.
Internet radio in Kodi works through the IPTV Simple Client addon, which reads M3U playlist files of station stream URLs. Add-ons for Spotify and other streaming services exist but vary in maintenance quality. Kodi’s 10-foot TV interface is the key differentiator: it is designed to be operated with a remote control from a couch, which neither MoOde nor Volumio is. LibreELEC supports Pi 4 and Pi 5. Install via Raspberry Pi Imager under Media Player OS.
For TVHeadend-based live TV and DVR integration through Kodi, see Raspberry Pi IPTV Server: Complete TVHeadend Setup Guide.
Best for: Users who want a combined video and audio media center operated with a remote control. Not the best choice if internet radio or audio quality is the primary use case.
Hardware for Any Raspberry Pi Internet Radio Image
Pi 4 (2GB) runs any of the three options without performance issues. Pi 3B+ works for MoOde and Volumio. Pi Zero 2W works for a headless MoOde or Volumio build where power consumption matters. Pi 5 provides no meaningful advantage for audio streaming but works without issue on all three images.
The Pi’s built-in 3.5mm analog output is adequate for testing but audibly noisy from board switching interference. An I2S DAC HAT bypasses the Pi’s internal audio path and provides significantly cleaner output. The HiFiBerry DAC+ Standard is the most commonly used and is natively listed in both MoOde’s and Volumio’s audio configuration menus. A USB DAC (any class-compliant device) also works on all three images without driver installation. For a full DAC HAT comparison, see Raspberry Pi HATs: Types, Compatibility, and Setup Guide.
FAQ
Which Raspberry Pi internet radio image is best?
MoOde Audio for most users. It is free, actively maintained, includes Spotify Connect and Snapcast without a subscription, and installs directly from Raspberry Pi Imager. Volumio is a valid alternative if the mobile app experience and Virtuoso subscription features justify the cost. LibreELEC is the right choice for a Kodi-based media center. Pi MusicBox and RuneAudio are abandoned and should not be used for new builds.
Is Pi MusicBox still a viable Raspberry Pi internet radio image?
No. Pi MusicBox’s last commit on GitHub was in 2018. The project has no active maintainer, receives no security updates, and is increasingly incompatible with current streaming services and Pi hardware. It appeared in many early comparison guides when it was current and those articles have never been updated. For a current lightweight radio image, MoOde Audio provides similar ease of use with active development.
Does Volumio include Spotify Connect for free?
No, not on the current release. Volumio changed its business model in 2022. Spotify Connect now requires the Volumio Virtuoso subscription at approximately $69 per year. The free tier supports basic streaming, AirPlay, and UPnP but not Spotify Connect or Snapcast multi-room. MoOde Audio includes both features for free. If Spotify Connect is a requirement, MoOde is the better value unless the Volumio mobile app and other Virtuoso features justify the subscription.
Can I use a DAC HAT with Raspberry Pi internet radio images?
Yes, with MoOde and Volumio. Both include native support for the most common I2S DAC HATs (HiFiBerry, Allo, and IQaudio), configurable from within the web interface without manual driver installation. LibreELEC does not have the same audio configuration menus and DAC HAT setup requires manual configuration. For a USB DAC, all three images support any class-compliant USB audio device automatically.
Which Raspberry Pi internet radio image supports multi-room audio?
MoOde Audio includes Snapcast server and client built in for free. Multiple Pi units running MoOde synchronise playback within a few milliseconds across rooms. Volumio includes Snapcast via the Virtuoso subscription. LibreELEC supports Snapcast via a community addon but requires additional setup. For the complete Snapcast multi-room setup with MoOde, see Raspberry Pi Internet Radio with MoOde: Setup and Configuration Guide.
References:
- MoOde Audio: moodeaudio.org
- Volumio: volumio.com
- LibreELEC: libreelec.tv
- Pi MusicBox (archived): github.com/pimusicbox/pimusicbox
- Raspberry Pi Imager: raspberrypi.com/software
About the Author
Chuck Wilson has been programming and building with computers since the Tandy 1000 era. His professional background includes CAD drafting, manufacturing line programming, and custom computer design. He runs PidiyLab in retirement, documenting Raspberry Pi and homelab projects that he actually deploys and maintains on real hardware. Every article on this site reflects hands-on testing on specific hardware and OS versions, not theoretical walkthroughs.
Last reviewed: MoOde Audio 9.1.1, Volumio 3.x, LibreELEC 12. Raspberry Pi 4 Model B (4GB), HiFiBerry DAC+ Standard.