AzuraCast vs. CentovaCast vs. Everestpanel vs. MediaCP: Which Radio Panel is Right for You?
The Most Important Decision for Your Station
- Start with the user’s problem. “Choosing your radio control panel is the first—and most important—decision you’ll make. The right panel makes broadcasting a joy; the wrong one is a daily frustration.”
- The Big Four: “The debate always comes down to the ‘Big Four’: the industry-standard CentovaCast, the modern open-source AzuraCast, the pro-featured Everestpanel, and the hybrid powerhouse MediaCP.”
- The Thesis (Our Value Proposition): “Here’s the secret: there is no single ‘best’ panel, only the ‘best panel for you.’ In this guide, we’ll give you an honest, expert breakdown of all four. We’ve hosted thousands of stations on all of them since 2007, so we know their strengths. Read the guide, then pick your favorite—we support them all.”
Quick Comparison
| Feature | CentovaCast | AzuraCast | Everestpanel | MediaCP |
| Best For | The Industry Standard | The Modern All-in-One | The Pro Automator | The Hybrid Powerhouse |
| User Interface | Classic & Functional | Modern & Responsive | Clean & Feature-Rich | Pro & Feature-Dense |
| Core Tech | SHOUTcast / Icecast | All-in-One (or SHOUTcast / Icecast) | SHOUTcast / Icecast | SHOUTcast / Icecast |
| Key Feature | Rock-Solid AutoDJ | Beautiful UI, Free (Open-Source) | Advanced Ad Scheduling | Audio & Video Hybrid |
| Our Plan | Starts at $2.95/mo | Starts at $2.95/mo | Starts at $2.95/mo | Starts at $2.95/mo |
The Deep Dive: Pros & Cons of The “Big Four”
A. CentovaCast: The Industry “Workhorse”
- What it is: The most-trusted panel in radio for over a decade. It’s powerful, stable, and built to be a reliable workhorse. (Just like us, you’ve been in business since 2007—this aligns your brand with “trust”).
- Pros: Rock-solid AutoDJ, extremely reliable, detailed listener statistics, familiar to most professional DJs.
- Cons: The user interface isn’t as modern as the others; can be complex for a total beginner.
- Bottom Line: Choose CentovaCast if you are a traditional broadcaster who values stability, power, and detailed analytics over a shiny UI.
B. AzuraCast: The Modern Open-Source Star
- What it is: The all-in-one challenger that has taken the industry by storm. It’s open-source, beautifully designed, and includes its own streaming server (you don’t even need to pick SHOUTcast or Icecast).
- Pros: Stunning, responsive, web-based UI. “All-in-one” simplicity. Great community support. Advanced features like webhooks and APIs.
- Cons: Being open-source, it updates frequently, which can be different from a commercial product.
- Bottom Line: Choose AzuraCast if you love a modern dashboard, want an all-in-one solution, or are building a community station.
C. Everestpanel: The Professional Automator
- What it is: A powerful, modern panel built for broadcasters who want to automate and run their station like a professional business.
- Pros: Extremely feature-rich. Often includes advanced playlist scheduling, ad management, and tools for resellers.
- Cons: Can be overkill for a simple hobbyist. The focus is on professional features.
- Bottom Line: Choose Everestpanel if you’re serious about monetization, scheduling, and running your station on a strict, automated schedule.
D. MediaCP: The “Hybrid” Powerhouse (Your Upsell)
- What it is: A high-performance “pro” panel that is a direct, modern competitor to CentovaCast.
- Pros: Clean UI, very powerful, and has a killer feature: it supports both Audio and Video streaming.
- The “Future-Proof” Advantage: This is our key sales pitch. “Start with radio, but keep your options open. MediaCP allows you to expand into video streaming or WebTV with the same provider and a familiar interface—something no other panel on this list can do.”
- Bottom Line: Choose MediaCP if you are a pro broadcaster, or if you want to future-proof your station to one day expand into video.
The Big Secret: The Panel is the “Dashboard,” Not the “Engine”
- This is where we build trust by teaching.
- Explain that Centova, Everest, and MediaCP are all “dashboards” that control the same powerful, industry-standard “engines”: SHOUTcast & Icecast.
- The listener never sees the panel. They only hear the stream.
- This means the real difference in quality doesn’t come from the panel—it comes from the host.
The Real Choice: Why Your Host is More Important
- A great panel on a slow, over-sold server (like on other hosts) is a recipe for disaster: buffering, downtime, and lost listeners.
- Why Host with AZ-StreamingServer?
- The Freedom to Choose: We don’t force you. We are experts in all four panels. You can pick any of them for the same low price.
- Expert Support Since 2007: We’re not generic web hosts; we are streaming specialists. When your AutoDJ is stuck, you need an expert who actually knows what CentovaCast is. That’s us.
- Rock-Solid Performance: Our servers are optimized for high-bandwidth, 24/7/365 radio streaming. No buffering, 99.9% uptime.
- No Risk: Hate Centova? We’ll help you migrate to AzuraCast. You’re never “locked in” to the wrong choice.
Simple Summary:
- For Classic Stability: Choose CentovaCast.
- For a Modern Feel: Choose AzuraCast.
- For Pro Automation: Choose Everestpanel.
- For Future-Proofing (Audio + Video): Choose MediaCP.
P.S. Still not sure? Our 24/7 expert support team is live. Chat with us now, and we’ll personally help you pick
FAQ
Q: Which is better for a beginner: AzuraCast or CentovaCast?
A: Both are great, but they excel in different ways. Beginners often love AzuraCast for its modern, all-in-one interface and features like a built-in WebDJ. CentovaCast is the industry standard, loved for its rock-solid reliability and powerful, in-depth AutoDJ scheduling. We offer both so you can pick the one that matches your style.
Q: What is the main difference between CentovaCast and MediaCP?
A: Think of them as two professional-grade panels. CentovaCast is the long-standing industry “workhorse,” famous for its stability and deep features. MediaCP is a powerful modern competitor with a very clean interface and one huge advantage: it can handle both Audio and Video streaming, making it a great “future-proof” option.
Q: Does my radio control panel affect my stream quality?
A: This is the most important question! The panel (like Centova or Azura) is just the “dashboard” you use to manage your station. The actual stream quality, (no-buffering, 99.9% uptime) is 100% dependent on the hosting server. A great panel on a slow server will always buffer. That’s why choosing a specialist streaming host since 2007 is the key to success.
Q: Is AzuraCast really free?
A: Yes, the AzuraCast software itself is free and open-source. However, it is a complex program that must be installed, secured, and maintained on a high-speed, 24/7 server, which is a very technical job. Our service provides AzuraCast pre-installed and fully managed on our optimized streaming servers, so you get all the benefits without any of the server headaches.
Q: What is an “AutoDJ,” and do all these panels include one?
A: An AutoDJ is a system that automatically plays music from your uploaded library when you are not broadcasting live. It’s what keeps your station “on-air” 24/7. Yes, all four panels—AzuraCast, CentovaCast, Everestpanel, and MediaCP—include powerful AutoDJ systems with playlist schedulers.
Q: Can I switch panels if I change my mind?
A: This is a common worry, and with us, the answer is yes. While it often requires setting up a new service, we are experts in all four platforms. Our support team can help you migrate your station if you find your needs change. The best way is to chat with our team first so we can help you pick the perfect one from the start.
Q: Do I still need SHOUTcast or Icecast with these panels?
A: Yes (with one exception). CentovaCast, Everestpanel, and MediaCP are powerful control panels that manage the SHOUTcast or Icecast streaming server. The exception is AzuraCast, which is an all-in-one solution that includes its own built-in streaming server (though it can also manage external ones).
