TL;DR
Live365 is a genuine all-in-one: it hosts your stream, carries the blanket licenses, and files your royalty reports. That convenience is real — and it's priced as a single bundled subscription.
Going direct means unbundling those pieces: your own streaming host, your own SoundExchange and PRO licenses, and your own Reports of Use. It's more work, but you pay per component and keep full control.
SonoVault is not a like-for-like Live365 replacement. It replaces one piece — the reporting headache. It turns a play log of artist + title into the ISRC and record-label data a SoundExchange Report of Use needs, and can build that play log from your stream automatically.
Published July 6, 2026 · SonoVault is independent and not affiliated with Live365 or SoundExchange
Should you stay bundled or go direct?
There's no universally right answer — it's a trade of money and control against time and simplicity.
- You want a single invoice and zero reporting work
- You'd rather not manage your own SoundExchange and PRO licenses
- Your time is worth more than the premium you're paying
- You're just getting started and want the simplest possible path
- The bundled fee has grown into a meaningful monthly cost
- You're comfortable holding your own licenses and filing your own reports
- You want to own your play data and your relationships with the societies
- You just need the ISRC + label gap in your reports filled, cheaply
Bundled webcaster vs. direct + SonoVault
This compares two approaches, not two products — SonoVault is one component of the direct stack, alongside your own host and licenses.
| Aspect | Live365 (all-in-one) | Direct + SonoVault |
|---|---|---|
| Stream hosting & delivery | ✓ Included — servers, player, directory | ~ Your own Icecast/Shoutcast host (e.g. RadioMast) |
| Blanket music licensing | ✓ Bundled — SoundExchange + PROs in one fee | ~ You hold your own licenses (SoundExchange statutory license + PRO agreements) |
| Royalty reporting & payments | ✓ Handled for you across all societies | ~ You file; SonoVault supplies the report data |
| ISRC + record label per play | ✓ Handled internally | ✓ SonoVault resolves ISRC, album & label |
| Building the play log | ✓ Automatic from their player | ✓ SonoVault stream monitoring captures it live |
| Cost model | ~ One bundled premium monthly fee | ✓ Pay per component — host + SonoVault + your time |
| Control over data & filings | ~ Managed by the platform | ✓ Full — your licenses, your reports, your accounts |
| Operational effort | ✓ Minimal — set and forget | ~ Higher — you own the process |
| Flexibility / lock-in | ~ Bundled; leaving means rebuilding the stack | ✓ Modular — swap any single piece |
Legend: ✓ strength · ~ trade-off or caveat
The metadata layer, not the whole stack
SonoVault does two jobs in a go-direct setup — both aimed squarely at the reporting headache.
Your automation software exports artist, title, and play counts — but not the ISRC and record label a Report of Use asks for. SonoVault resolves each line against a 90M-recording catalog and exports a SoundExchange-ready CSV. Point-and-paste, or via the API.
No clean export? Point SonoVault at your Icecast/Shoutcast stream URL and it identifies each track as it airs — with its ISRC — and builds the play log for you. The same feed the bundle captured internally, now yours.
Why unbundling can cost less
The maths depends on your station — but the shape of it is consistent.
A bundled webcaster charges one fee that covers hosting, blanket licensing, and the labour of reporting to every society. It's convenient, and for smaller stations it's often the sensible choice. But as your listener hours grow, that single fee can climb well past what the individual pieces cost on their own.
Going direct, you pay for each piece separately: a streaming host (often a modest monthly cost), your own license fees paid directly to SoundExchange and the PROs, and a metadata layer for reporting. SonoVault is that last piece — a transparent monthly plan, free for the first 1,000 lookups a month. For many operators the unbundled total lands below the bundle; for others the time saved is worth the premium. The honest answer is to price your own stack against your current invoice.
Run your own numbers. Add up your streaming host + your direct SoundExchange and PRO license fees + a SonoVault plan for your play volume, and compare that to your bundled bill. We deliberately don't quote a competitor's prices here — confirm current figures with each provider.
A practical starting point
The reporting side is the part SonoVault makes easy. These guides walk the rest.
Frequently asked questions
Fill the reporting gap for free
A free SonoVault account includes 1,000 lookups a month. Resolve your play log to ISRC, album, and label, and export a SoundExchange-ready CSV — no credit card, no code.
Disclosure & methodology. This page is published by SonoVault and describes the general trade-offs between an all-in-one webcaster and going direct with SoundExchange, current as of 2026-07-06. It does not quote Live365's prices or speak for Live365 or SoundExchange. “Live365” and “SoundExchange” are the marks of their respective owners; SonoVault is independent and not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by either. Licensing and filing obligations vary — always confirm current pricing and requirements with each provider directly. Spot an inaccuracy? Email support@sonovault.now and we'll correct it. See also data sources & attribution · about SonoVault.