Four solutions, one mission: always carry your AM/FM radio with you.

Swipe to find out which method best suits your listening style.

FM Radio – Stations from your country

FM Radio – Stations from your country is a free app that turns your phone into a traditional FM receiver, using your headphone cable as an antenna. It offers automatic scanning of AM and FM frequencies, organization by country and genre, and saving of up to 20 favorite stations. Its minimalist interface features a large analog dial and preset panel.

Pros

• Works without mobile data: ideal for areas without coverage.
• Low battery consumption and light processing.
• Fast band scanning and instant station switching.

Cons

• Only on devices with an internal FM chip; many current mobile phones do not include one.
• Sound quality varies depending on the improvised antenna.
• Occasional advertising in the free version.

Audials Radio

Audials Radio is a global streaming platform that brings together more than 100,000 radio stations from around the world, including AM, FM, and online radio stations. You can search by country, city, music genre, or program, and offers MP3 recording with a recording scheduler to save podcasts or live shows. It features a built-in equalizer, sleep timer, and car mode.

Pros

• Instant access to international broadcasters without hardware limitations.
• Scheduled and seamless recording of data.
• Intuitive interface with new channel discovery tailored to your tastes.

Cons

• Requires Internet connection and consumes data.
• Audio quality depends on the station and bandwidth.
• Free version limited to 2 hours of recording per day.

SDR Touch

SDR Touch Take advantage of a USB-OTG (RTL-SDR) dongle to turn your Android into a software-defined radio receiver. It scans the full spectrum of AM/FM, SSB, and amateur radio bands, with a real-time spectrum display. It includes frequency tuning, bandwidth filters, and WAV recording.

Pros

• Maximum versatility: receive stations outside the standard dial.
• Full control of tuning and filtering parameters.
• Ideal for enthusiasts and radio amateurs.

Cons

• Requires additional hardware (RTL-SDR dongle and OTG cable).
• Steeper learning curve: complex technical menus and settings.
• High battery consumption due to intensive processing.

USB-OTG Receivers

The USB-OTG receivers (RTL-SDR dongles) are small devices that, when connected to a mobile phone or tablet, act as an antenna and tuner. With apps like RF Analyzer either Wavesink, you can listen to AM/FM, VHF/UHF bands, and RDS sensors. Some include telescopic antennas and mounting brackets.

Pros

• More stable signal and without depending on the mobile's internal chip.
• Ability to scan special frequencies (emergencies, aviation, maritime).
• Very economical: dongles from €10.

Cons

• You need an OTG adapter and extra physical space.
• Initial setup and configuration can be cumbersome.
• Compatibility varies depending on the dongle model and Android version.

You can download the apps from their stores

Solution	Offline	Global stations	Recording	Cost
FM Radio – Stations	Yeah	No	No	Free
Audials Radio	No	Yeah	Yeah	Freemium
SDR Touch (with dongle)	Yeah	Yes (all)	Yes (WAV)	20–30 € total
USB-OTG Receivers	Yeah	Yes (all)	It depends on the app.	10–20 € dongle

Swipe to the Part 3 to learn how to configure your chosen method, optimize sound quality, save battery life, and share your favorite station with friends.