Full Manual

Welcome to the CastHost Dashboard, the single control panel for your internet radio station. From here you can configure your station and stream, upload and schedule your music, monitor who's listening and where they're tuning in from, build a hosted website with an online store, and turn your audience into revenue, all without touching code or juggling separate tools. This manual walks through every section of the dashboard in order, from first-time setup through to advanced features like social media management and connecting an AI assistant. Sign in at dashboard.casthost.net to follow along.

Table of Contents

Getting Started with the Setup Wizard

The Setup Wizard is a guided checklist that takes a brand-new CastHost account from empty to on-air. It walks you through choosing how you broadcast, adding your music, and starting your stream, in order, so you don't have to hunt through the dashboard to find the next step.

Sign in at dashboard.casthost.net. New accounts open with a short welcome step that lets you choose Basic Mode or Advanced Mode. Basic Mode keeps things focused and is the right choice for getting on air quickly; you can switch to Advanced later from the menu in the top-right corner.

Where to find it

There are two ways into the wizard:

  • From the dashboard. While your account is still being set up, the dashboard shows a Getting Started card. It has a progress bar with an "X/Y complete" count, a Continue button that jumps to your next unfinished step, and an Open Setup Wizard button.
  • From the sidebar. Go to Sidebar → Setup Wizard.

The Setup Wizard appears in the sidebar only while your setup is unfinished. Once you've completed every step, both the sidebar entry and the dashboard Getting Started card drop away, since you no longer need them.

What the wizard walks you through

  1. Choose how you'll broadcast. Pick Use AutoDJ or Use Encoder: - Use AutoDJ: CastHost plays your uploaded music automatically, around the clock, with no broadcasting software needed. - Use Encoder: you broadcast live from your own computer using software such as BUTT, Mixxx, or SAM Broadcaster (or straight from your browser with the Web Encoder).
  2. Add your music or playlists. If you chose AutoDJ, upload your tracks and build a playlist so the station has something to play.
  3. Go live. Start the streaming server and confirm the stream is online.

The live status panel

The wizard shows a live status panel so you can see where you stand at a glance:

  • whether your stream is online,
  • whether the streaming server is running,
  • your public listen URL, and
  • how many trial days are left (if you're on a free trial).

If you're on a free trial, the wizard includes an upgrade step with links to paid plans when you're ready to move over. Upgrades take effect right away.

After setup

When every step is complete, the Getting Started card and the Setup Wizard sidebar entry disappear. From there you manage everything from the regular dashboard. Your stream details and listen links live on the Dashboard under Station Details, your music lives under DJ → Auto DJ, and your station name and genre live under Settings → Profile.

If you ever need a hand getting on air, reach out through the Support Center and we'll walk you through it.

1. Dashboard

The Dashboard is the first page you land on after signing in to your CastHost control panel. It gives you an at-a-glance view of your station: whether you're on air, what's playing right now, the connection details your broadcasting software needs, and the songs you've played most recently. Open it any time from Dashboard in the left-hand menu.

1.1 Server controls and the top bar

Above the menu you'll find a few things you can use from any page:

  • Server status shows an Online or Offline indicator, with Start, Stop, and Restart buttons so you can bring your stream up or down without leaving the panel.
  • A live listener count ("X / max") and a storage meter (used vs. included). Click the storage chip to see a breakdown across your radio media, store files, social media, and website builder.
  • A language switcher (EN / ES / FR) and a menu to toggle between Basic and Advanced mode, open this Manual, reach the Support Center, or log out.

If you have more than one station, use the account switcher in the top bar to move between them.

1.2 Getting Started card

If you haven't finished setting up your station, the Dashboard shows a Getting Started card with a progress bar, how many steps are left, and buttons to continue the next step or open the Setup Wizard. The card disappears once setup is complete.

1.3 Station Information

At the top of the Dashboard, the Station Information card shows your broadcast status in real time:

  • Now Playing: the track currently on air.
  • From playlist: the playlist that track is coming from.

If nothing is on air, you'll see "Nothing Playing" or "Station Offline" with a Start Server button to bring your stream up.

1.4 Station Details

The Station Details card holds the connection details you need to tune in or to broadcast. The card header shows an AutoDJ: On/Off badge so you know at a glance whether AutoDJ is running. Each value has a copy button so you can grab it cleanly.

Encoder Setup, the details to plug into your broadcasting software:

  • Address: stream.casthost.net
  • DJ Encoder Port: the port your software connects to
  • Server Type: the protocol shown for your station (use whatever value is listed when you set up your encoder)
  • Mount Name: /
  • Source Username: source
  • Source Password: your source password

Enter these into your broadcasting software to connect and go live. You only need to broadcast from your own software when you want to take over the stream yourself; the rest of the time AutoDJ handles playback. For step-by-step encoder setup, see DJ → Encoders, which includes ready-made guides for BUTT, Mixxx, and SAM Broadcaster.

Public Stream Links, the listen URLs you can share with your audience, with live total and unique listener counts. You can also download a PLS Playlist or M3U Playlist file that opens your stream in most media players.

Advanced / Optional, a collapsible section (Advanced mode) with admin and relay connection details: Admin Panel login (port, admin username, admin password) and relay settings (relay username, relay password).

1.5 Recent Tracks

The Recent Tracks card lists the songs you've played most recently, with album art, title, and artist where the metadata is available. Use it to confirm what went out on air and that your playlists are rotating as expected.

1.6 Welcome modal

The first time you sign in to a new account, a short welcome window asks you to choose Basic or Advanced mode. Basic mode keeps the panel simple; Advanced mode unlocks extra settings such as relays and mount points. You can switch modes any time from the top-bar menu.

2. Statistics

The Statistics section shows how your station is doing, both right now and over time. You'll find it in the left sidebar under Statistics, with three pages: Live, Listeners, and Tracks. Use it to see who's tuned in, how long they stay, where they're from, and which tracks are working.

2.1 Live

Sidebar → Statistics → Live

The Live page shows who is connected to your stream at this moment.

  • Listeners Tuned Now: a table of everyone currently listening, with:
  • S. No: a row number for each listener
  • Location: the listener's country or region
  • IP Address: the listener's IP address
  • User Agent: the browser, app, or device they're using to connect
  • Listen Time: how long they've been connected
  • Current Top Countries: where your current listeners are tuning in from, and how many from each.
  • Current Top User Agents: the most common apps and devices in use right now, and how many listeners on each.

The page doesn't auto-update. Click Refresh to pull the latest numbers.

No listeners showing? Check that your encoder is connected and your stream is online (you can confirm on the dashboard Home page). If you're broadcasting and still see nothing, give it a moment and refresh again.

2.2 Listeners

Sidebar → Statistics → Listeners

The Listeners page covers your audience history over a date range you choose.

Pick a range using the 7 Days, 14 Days, or 30 Days buttons, or click Custom to set your own From Date and To Date, then run the report.

At the top you'll see summary cards:

  • Total Sessions: how many listening sessions happened in the range.
  • Unique Listeners: how many distinct listeners connected.
  • Total Listening Hours (TLH): total time everyone spent listening, in hours.
  • Average Session Time: how long the typical session lasted.

Below the summary:

  • Sessions By Average Length: a doughnut chart plus a table breaking sessions into duration buckets (0 to 30 seconds, up to 2 hours and over). This shows how long people tend to stay.
  • Countries By Sessions and Countries By Minutes: where your listeners are, ranked by number of sessions and by minutes listened.
  • Clients By Sessions and User Agents By Sessions: the apps and devices your audience uses, ranked by sessions.

Use this page to see when engagement peaks, how long people stay, and which regions and apps matter most to your station.

2.3 Tracks

Sidebar → Statistics → Tracks

The Tracks page shows how individual songs perform over a date range. Choose a range with the 7 Days, 14 Days, or 30 Days buttons, or Custom with your own dates.

  • Top Tracks by Playbacks: your most-played tracks, ranked by how many times each one aired.
  • Top Tracks by Airtime: tracks ranked by total time on air.
  • Best Performing Tracks: the tracks that drew the most over the selected range.

Use these lists to refine your playlists: lean into what's working and balance airtime across your catalogue.

3. DJ & Auto DJ

The DJ section is where you build your station's automated programming and manage who can broadcast. Open it from the sidebar under DJ, which has these pages:

  • Auto DJ: playlists, media files, scheduling, jingles, and AutoDJ settings
  • Users: DJ and streamer accounts
  • Encoders: connection details and guides for broadcasting with desktop software
  • Web Encoder: broadcast live from your browser, no software needed

The Auto DJ page (titled "AutoDJ") is organized into tabs: Playlists, Scheduling Tool, Jingles, and Settings. Use it to run your station around the clock, then hand off to a live DJ whenever you want.

3.1 Playlists

The Playlists tab is where you upload music and organize it into playlists that the Auto DJ rotates through.

Upload and manage your media:

  • Upload Files: add audio files from your computer.
  • FTP Detail: shows your SFTP credentials for bulk uploads. Use these with any SFTP client when you have a lot of files to move at once.
  • All Files: open the media library to search, review, and delete uploaded tracks. You can also edit a track's metadata and trim it using the waveform editor.

Create a playlist:

  1. Click Add Playlist.
  2. Set the Title, choose the Type (general rotation or scheduled), set the Playback Order (sequential or shuffle), and a Weight to control how often it plays relative to your other playlists.
  3. Save.

Manage an existing playlist from the playlist table:

  • Manage: add or remove tracks and adjust the playlist's settings.
  • Tracks Order: drag and drop to reorder how tracks play, then save.
  • Enable / Disable: turn a playlist on or off without deleting it.
  • Delete: remove a playlist permanently.

A higher Weight makes a playlist play more often, which is handy for keeping your strongest tracks in heavier rotation.

3.2 Scheduling Tool

The Scheduling Tool is a calendar for running specific playlists at set times, so your station can shift programming automatically through the day or week.

  • Add a schedule: click an open slot on the calendar, choose the Playlist and the Title, set the time, and save.
  • Edit or remove: click an existing event to update its details or remove it. Schedules created automatically from a playlist's own settings are read-only.
  • Navigate: use the calendar controls to move between today, the month view, and the list view.

Use it for things like daytime and overnight rotations, or a seasonal playlist that runs only during a holiday.

3.3 Jingles

Jingles are short audio breaks, such as station IDs, promos, or quick ads, that the Auto DJ drops in between songs.

  1. Click Jingles Management to add a jingle. Give it a Name and set when it plays (for example, after a number of tracks or after a set interval).
  2. Use All Jingle Files to upload jingle audio and manage the files in your jingle library.
  3. To change or remove a jingle, find it in the list and edit or delete it.

A common setup is a station ID after every few tracks to reinforce your branding between songs.

3.4 Settings

The Settings tab controls how the Auto DJ encodes and blends your stream, for example the streaming format and bitrate, and crossfade behaviour between tracks. Adjust these to match the sound and quality you want, then save.

3.5 DJ / Streamer accounts (Users)

Open DJ → Users to create accounts for the people who broadcast on your station. Each account has its own login, so a guest or co-host can connect a live broadcast without using your main credentials.

Add an account:

  1. Click Add User.
  2. Enter the DJ's Real Name, a Username, and a Password.
  3. Set a Disk Quota if you want to limit how much media that account can upload.
  4. Assign permissions (for example, managing playlists or starting and stopping the stream), and set any login-time restrictions.
  5. Save.

Edit an account to change its details or permissions, and Delete accounts you no longer need. Use separate accounts to delegate work to a team and to keep guest-DJ access scoped and easy to remove.

3.6 Going live as a DJ

When you want to broadcast live over top of the Auto DJ, you have two options:

  • Encoders: open DJ → Encoders for your connection details (Server Host stream.casthost.net, port, mount, and source login) plus step-by-step guides for popular broadcasting apps including BUTT, Mixxx, and SAM Broadcaster.
  • Web Encoder: open DJ → Web Encoder to broadcast straight from your browser with just a microphone, no extra software required.

The Auto DJ picks back up automatically when your live broadcast ends.

3.7 Connecting your broadcast software (Encoders)

To broadcast live, whether that's your own voice, a live show, or a DJ set, you point a piece of broadcasting software (an "encoder") at your CastHost stream and have it send audio to our servers. This section covers where to find your connection details and how to plug them into the three encoders we have built-in guides for: BUTT, Mixxx, and SAM Broadcaster.

You don't need an encoder to run an automated station. AutoDJ plays your uploaded music on its own. Use an encoder when you want to go live on top of (or instead of) AutoDJ.

Find your connection details

Open Encoders from the left-hand menu (under the DJ / streaming section). The Connection Details card at the top of the page holds everything your software needs. Each value has a copy button so you can grab it cleanly:

  • Server Host: stream.casthost.net
  • DJ Encoder Port: the port your software connects to
  • Mount / Stream ID: /
  • Source Username: source
  • Source Password: your source password
  • Server Type: the protocol value shown on your Encoders page (use whatever value is listed when your software asks which type of server you're connecting to)

These same details also appear on your Dashboard, under Station Details. If you ever need to change the source password, you can do that under Settings → Change Password.

Quick Start

The Encoders page includes a short Quick Start: a four-step manual walkthrough, plus a Custom installer [BETA] option that can pre-fill the settings for you. The manual steps are the same idea for any encoder. Enter the Server Host, port, mount, username, and source password from the Connection Details card, pick your bitrate and format, then connect.

Built-in encoder guides

Under Popular Encoder Options you'll find BUTT, Mixxx, and SAM Broadcaster. Each one has a download link and a guide button that opens a card with the settings already filled in for your station, so you can copy them straight across instead of typing them by hand.

BUTT (Broadcast Using This Tool)

BUTT is a free encoder for Windows, macOS, and Linux. It's the simplest option if you just want to talk over a microphone or play from your computer.

  1. Download BUTT from the link on the Encoders page and install it.
  2. Open BUTT and click Settings.
  3. On the server settings, add a new server and enter the Server Host, DJ Encoder Port, and Mount / Stream ID (/) from your Connection Details card. For the server type, choose the Server Type value shown on your Encoders page.
  4. Enter the Source Username (source) and Source Password.
  5. Set your audio settings (bitrate and format) to match your stream.
  6. Pick your microphone or audio device, then click Play to go live. Watch the level meter to confirm audio is going out.

Mixxx

Mixxx is free DJ software for Windows, macOS, and Linux with live broadcasting built in.

  1. Open Preferences → Live Broadcasting.
  2. Add a new connection and set the server type to the Server Type value shown on your Encoders page.
  3. Enter the Server Host, DJ Encoder Port, Mount / Stream ID (/), Source Username (source), and Source Password from your Connection Details card.
  4. Choose your bitrate and format.
  5. Tick Enable Live Broadcasting to go live.

SAM Broadcaster

SAM Broadcaster is a paid Windows DJ and automation app.

  1. In the Encoders list, click + to add an encoder, then choose your format and bitrate.
  2. Open the encoder's settings and enter the Server Host, DJ Encoder Port, and Mount / Stream ID (/) from your Connection Details card. Set the server type to the Server Type value shown on your Encoders page.
  3. Enter the Source Username (source) and Source Password.
  4. Save the encoder, then click Start to begin streaming.

Tips

  • Your listeners stay on whatever's playing until your encoder connects, and your stream switches to your live audio the moment you go on air. When you stop, it returns to AutoDJ.
  • If your software can't connect, double-check the Server Host, port, source username (source), and source password against the Connection Details card, and confirm you've picked the Server Type value shown on the page.
  • Need a hand? Reach us through the Support Center in your control panel.

3.8 Broadcast from your browser (Web Encoder)

The Web Encoder lets you go live straight from your web browser, with nothing to install. All you need is a microphone and a Chromium-based or modern browser that can access it. It's the fastest way to do a live show, a guest interview, or a quick on-air break when you don't want to set up desktop broadcasting software.

Find it in the sidebar under DJ → Web Encoder.

What it does

The Web Encoder opens a live broadcasting console right inside the dashboard. From there you can talk over your microphone, load audio, and stream directly to your station. When your live broadcast ends, your Auto DJ picks the programming back up automatically, so your station never goes silent.

Because everything runs in the browser, you can broadcast from a laptop, a desktop, or a borrowed computer without installing anything. For longer shows or studio setups, desktop encoder software (see DJ → Encoders) gives you more control, but the Web Encoder is ideal for getting on air quickly.

Going live

  1. In the sidebar, open DJ → Web Encoder.
  2. The broadcasting console loads inside the page. When your browser asks for permission to use your microphone, allow it.
  3. Use the console controls to connect and start streaming, then talk or play audio as you would in any live show.
  4. When you're done, stop the broadcast in the console. Your Auto DJ resumes on its own.

Tips and controls

  • Allow microphone access. The Web Encoder needs your browser's permission to use the microphone. If you don't see a prompt, check your browser's site settings and make sure the microphone isn't blocked.
  • Reload refreshes the console if it stops responding.
  • Open in a new tab pops the console out into its own browser tab, which is handy if you want more room to work or want to keep the dashboard open alongside it.
  • Use a wired headset where you can to avoid echo and feedback from your speakers.

When to use the Web Encoder vs. desktop software

The Web Encoder is best for quick, microphone-led broadcasts with no setup. If you need to mix multiple tracks, run a professional studio rig, or stream for long stretches, set up a desktop encoder instead from DJ → Encoders, where you'll find your connection details and step-by-step guides for popular broadcasting apps. Both connect to the same station, so you can switch between them as your show needs change.

4. Widgets

Widgets let you drop pieces of your station onto your own website: a live player, your now-playing info, recent tracks, a request form, a chat box, and more. You build each one in the dashboard, then copy a small snippet of code into your site. The data updates on its own once it's embedded.

To open them, go to Sidebar → Widgets. Pick a widget from the Choose Widget dropdown, set the options on the left, watch the live preview, then copy the embed code at the bottom and paste it into your website.

There are eight widgets:

4.1 Stream Details & Player

The main widget. It's a full player with your now-playing details built in, so most stations only need this one. Choose a layout (a full Card or a slim Compact strip), an optional play button, a theme (dark or light), and an accent colour.

Then turn individual details on or off with toggles, including: album art, now playing, listener count, recent tracks, the current show or DJ, the current playlist, album, track progress, up next, the station's local time, unique and total listeners, server / AutoDJ status, and bitrate. You can also set how often it refreshes (between 10 and 600 seconds).

Copy the embed snippet and paste it where you want the player to appear.

4.2 Stream Detail Elements

The same live data as above, but as individual, place-anywhere fields. Use these when you want to scatter details around your own layout instead of using the built-in player. Each field is a small snippet you drop into your page: song, title, artist, album, listeners, current show, playlist, track progress, up next, station local time, bitrate, status, station name, and album art.

4.3 Recent Tracks

Shows a list of the songs your station has played recently. Choose a theme (default, light, or dark), then copy the embed code. It loads as a small panel on your page.

4.4 Schedule

Embeds your station's schedule so visitors can see what's coming up. Copy the embed code and paste it where you want the schedule to show.

4.5 Song Request Form

A form your listeners can fill out to request songs. You can turn it on or off and customize the title, description, success message, and button text. Choose which fields to show: Artist, Song Title, Dedicated To, Requester Name, and Requester Email. You can also set a custom email address to be notified when a request comes in. Copy the embed code into your site to take requests.

4.6 Chat Box

A live chat window for your listeners. Copy the embed code into your page and visitors can chat in real time. From the dashboard preview you can delete messages and moderate the chat; visitors on your site can only post.

4.7 Web Player

A lightweight HTML5 audio player. Pick which mount point (stream) it should play, copy the embed code, and paste it in. Works in modern browsers with no plugins.

4.8 Custom Web Player

A branded player you can style to match your site. Set the title and slogan, add a side image, and choose the background colour and play-button colour. Copy the embed code when you're happy with the preview.

4.9 How to add a widget to your site

  1. Go to Sidebar → Widgets.
  2. Choose a widget from the Choose Widget dropdown.
  3. Adjust the options on the left and check the live preview.
  4. Copy the embed code shown at the bottom.
  5. Paste it into your website's HTML where you want the widget to appear.

The widget pulls live data from your station automatically, so it stays current without any further work on your end. Just let us know if you need a hand getting one onto your site.

5. Settings

The Settings page is where you manage your station's basic info, your stream passwords, and your logs. Open it from Sidebar → Settings.

Settings has a few tabs across the top. Which ones you see depends on your access and on whether you're in Basic or Advanced mode (the Basic Mode / Advanced Mode toggle lives in the top-right menu):

  • Basic mode shows Profile, Change Password, and Logs, everything most stations need day to day.
  • Advanced mode adds Relaying and Mount Points for stations that need to fan their feed out to other servers or run multiple stream endpoints.

Click Save after editing a tab to apply your changes.

5.1 Profile

The Profile tab holds the public-facing details about your station. Fields you can set:

  • Stream Title: the name of your radio stream.
  • Genre: the genre listeners and directories see.
  • Description: a short blurb about your station.
  • Time Zone: set this to your region so schedules and timestamps line up.
  • Country: your station's country.
  • Website URL: a link to the website tied to your stream.

Some plans also let you ban your stream for selected countries if you need to restrict where it can be played.

Make your changes, then click Save.

5.2 Change Password

Use this tab to update the two passwords your station uses:

  • Source Password: connects your broadcasting software (your encoder) to the server.
  • Admin Password: grants administrative access to your stream.

Passwords must be at least 6 characters. Use the show/hide toggle to check what you've typed, then click Change Password to save. If you change the Source Password, update it in your encoder too so it can keep connecting.

5.3 Relaying (Advanced mode)

Relaying lets you broadcast your station's feed to another server, so a second host can carry your stream. Open Settings → Relaying in Advanced mode to add, edit, or remove relays.

When you add or edit a relay you can set:

  • Server Type: pick the type that matches the server you're relaying to (the same Server Type values you'll see on your Encoders page).
  • Display Name and Listening URL for the remote server.
  • The mount or stream ID and the remote admin password.
  • Show on Public Pages: whether the relay is listed publicly.
  • Broadcast AutoDJ to Remote: send your AutoDJ feed to the relay, with a chosen audio format (MP3, OGG Vorbis, OGG Opus, AAC+, or FLAC) and bitrate (32 to 320 kbps).

Click Save when you're done.

5.4 Mount Points (Advanced mode)

A mount point is an endpoint listeners connect to. Most stations run one, but you can add more, for example a second mount at a different bitrate. Open Settings → Mount Points in Advanced mode to add, edit, or remove them.

When you add or edit a mount point you can set:

  • Stream Path: the path listeners connect to.
  • Set as Default: make this the station's default mount.
  • Disconnect listeners after N seconds: drop listeners after a set idle time, if you want that.
  • Use AutoDJ: have the AutoDJ play out on this mount, with an audio format (MP3, OGG, Opus, AAC+, or FLAC) and bitrate (32 to 320 kbps).

Click Save to apply. Changes to mount points may require a quick server restart, which you can do from the Start / Stop / Restart Server controls at the top of the dashboard.

5.5 Logs

The Logs tab gives you access to your station's logs for monitoring and troubleshooting. You'll see a button for each available log:

  • Streaming Log: activity from the streaming engine that powers your station.
  • Access Log: listener connection activity.
  • Error Log: errors the server has recorded.

Click a log to view it, or use Download Logs to save a copy for offline review or to share with our support team. If something on your stream isn't behaving, the logs are usually the fastest way to spot why, and you can always send them to us through a support ticket and we'll take a look.

6. Website

CastHost gives every station a hosted website and an optional online store, all built and managed from your dashboard. You can set your branding, build pages, sell products, and track orders without touching code or hosting it elsewhere. Find everything under Website in the left sidebar: Site Setting, Page Builder, Products, and Orders.

6.1 Site Setting

Website → Site Setting is where you set up your station's site and storefront. It's organized into a few tabs:

  • General: your site branding and basics: site logo, default cover image, business email for customer inquiries, and your Google Analytics ID if you want to track visitors. Fill these in and click Save.
  • Store: store-wide settings for selling products (currency, store page options, and how products are displayed).
  • Domain: choose how people reach your site. You can use a CastHost subdomain (the address we provide) or point your own custom domain at your CastHost site.
  • Affiliate Program: opt into and configure CastHost's affiliate program from here.

Make your changes in a tab and click Save to apply them.

6.2 Page Builder

Website → Page Builder lists the pages on your hosted site and lets you add or edit them with a visual editor, no coding required.

To add a page: 1. Click Add New Page. 2. Enter a page Title, add an optional cover image, and build the page content with the visual editor (text, images, and embedded widgets). 3. Save it as a Draft to keep working, or Publish it to make it live.

To edit an existing page: find it in the list, open it, make your changes, and save.

You can embed CastHost widgets, like your player or recent tracks, directly into a page. Build the widget on the Widgets page, copy the generated code, and paste it into your page content. See the Widgets topic for the full list.

6.3 Products

Website → Products is your store catalogue. The table shows each product's title, image, category, price, visibility, and status, with actions to edit or remove it.

Before products can go live, connect Stripe Connect so you can take payments. Stripe Connect onboarding requires a paid plan.

To add a product: 1. Click Add New Product. 2. Choose the product Type: - Physical: a tangible item you ship (merch, vinyl, etc.). - Digital: a downloadable file delivered after purchase. - Paywall: a subscription that unlocks access, with a billing cycle of Monthly or Annual. 3. Enter the Title and Price, upload product images, and add a short and a detailed description. 4. Set the category and any options (such as colour or size for physical goods) if you use them. 5. Click Save to add it to your store.

To change or remove a product later, find it in the Products table and use Edit or Delete.

6.4 Orders

Website → Orders lists everything customers have bought through your store. Open any order to see its full details: items, customer, and payment status. From there you can update the order's status as you fulfill it (for example, moving it from pending to completed).

6.5 Getting paid

Store payments run through Stripe Connect, and your payouts are handled under Monetization → Payout in the sidebar. See the Monetization topic for details on payouts and the affiliate program.

7. Online Store

Your CastHost dashboard includes a built-in online store, so you can sell to your listeners right from your station's hosted site: merch, downloads, or paid subscriptions. You manage everything under Website in the left sidebar: store settings live in Site Setting, your catalogue in Products, and sales in Orders. Payouts are handled under Monetization → Payout.

To take payments, you connect Stripe Connect. Stripe handles the checkout, card processing, and payouts to your bank; CastHost connects your store to it. Stripe Connect onboarding requires a paid plan.

7.1 Connect Stripe before you sell

Products can't go live until you've connected a payment processor. Open Website → Site Setting, go to the Store tab, and start Stripe Connect onboarding. You'll be taken to Stripe to enter your business and bank details, then returned to your dashboard once you're approved.

Until Stripe Connect is connected, your products stay unpublished and customers can't check out.

7.2 Store settings

Website → Site Setting → Store holds your store-wide options, things like your currency and how your store page is displayed. Set these once before you add products.

The Domain tab (same page) controls the address customers use to reach your store and site. You can use the CastHost subdomain we provide, or point your own custom domain at your CastHost site.

7.3 Add products

Website → Products is your catalogue. The table shows each product's title, image, category, price, a visibility toggle, and its status, with actions to edit or remove it.

To add one, click Add New Product and choose the Type:

  • Physical: a tangible item you ship, like merch or vinyl. You can set options such as colour and size.
  • Digital: a downloadable file (a track, an album, a PDF) delivered to the buyer after purchase.
  • Paywall: a subscription that unlocks access to gated content. Choose a Subscription Cycle of Monthly or Annual.

Then fill in the Title, Price, images, description, and category, and click Save to add it to your store. Use the visibility toggle in the Products table to show or hide a product without deleting it.

To change or remove a product later, find it in the Products table and use Edit or Delete.

7.4 Digital products and subscribers

Digital and Paywall products create accounts for the people who buy them. Buyers of a digital product can sign in to download their files, and Paywall subscribers sign in to reach the content their subscription unlocks. This all runs through your store, so there's nothing extra to set up beyond creating the product.

7.5 Orders

Website → Orders lists everything customers have bought. Open any order to see its full details (the items, the customer, and the payment status) and update the order's status as you fulfill it (for example, moving a physical order from pending to completed once you've shipped it).

7.6 Getting paid

Store payments run through Stripe Connect, and Stripe pays out to the bank account you set up during onboarding. You can review your store payouts under Monetization → Payout in the sidebar. See the Monetization topic for more on payouts and the affiliate program.

7.7 Quick checklist to start selling

  1. Connect Stripe Connect in Website → Site Setting → Store (paid plan required).
  2. Set your store options and currency in the same Store tab.
  3. Add products under Website → Products, choosing Physical, Digital, or Paywall.
  4. Make sure each product's visibility is on.
  5. Watch sales come in under Website → Orders, and track payouts under Monetization → Payout.

8. Monetization

CastHost gives you a few built-in ways to earn from your station. You'll find them under Monetization in the left sidebar: Affiliate Program and Payout. Mobile-app ad revenue (Google AdMob) is set up here too. Each one is covered below.

8.1 Affiliate Program

Monetization → Affiliate Program lets you earn commission for referring new customers to CastHost.

The page explains the program and how it pays:

  • You earn an average of 10% commission on referrals.
  • Payouts go out monthly via PayPal.
  • There's a $25 minimum payout, so you need to reach $25 in commission before a payout is sent.

To join, click Sign Up. That takes you to the affiliate portal at portal.casthost.net/affiliates.php, where you create your affiliate account, get your referral link, and track your referrals and earnings.

8.2 Google AdMob

If you've built a mobile app for your station, you can earn ad revenue inside it through Google AdMob. The Google AdMob tab is where you connect your AdMob account so ads can show in your app.

Enter your AdMob IDs for each platform you publish on:

  • Android: App ID, Banner ID, Interstitial ID
  • iOS: App ID, Banner ID, Interstitial ID

You get these IDs from your own Google AdMob account. Once you save them, they're used by your mobile app build, so the ads appear in the published app. AdMob applies only to the mobile app. See the Mobile App topic for building and publishing it.

8.3 Payout

Monetization → Payout is where you manage payouts from your online store. This is separate from affiliate payouts (those are handled by PayPal through the affiliate program above).

Store sales are processed through Stripe Connect, which you connect under Website → Products before any products can go live. Your store earnings and payout details show up on this page. For setting up and running the store itself (products, orders, and Stripe Connect), see the Website topic.

9. Social Media [BETA]

Social Media is a built-in tool for running your station's social accounts from the same place you manage your stream. You can connect Facebook, Instagram, Threads, Bluesky, and Mastodon, then write and schedule posts, reply to comments and mentions in one inbox, plan your content on a calendar, and track how your posts perform.

This feature is in beta, so you may see it labelled Beta in the menu and a few details may change over time. Open it from Social Media in the left-hand menu, which expands into Insights, Inbox, Content Planner, and Accounts. You compose posts from the Create Post screen.

Note: the Social Media menu only appears on plans where it's enabled. If you don't see it, it isn't available on your current plan.

9.1 Connect your accounts

Start in Social Media → Accounts. This is where you link each social platform to your station.

  • Connect any combination of Facebook (your pages), Instagram, Threads, Bluesky, and Mastodon.
  • Each platform shows a Connect button; follow the prompts to authorize CastHost to post on your behalf.
  • You can disconnect a platform at any time from the same page.

You need at least one connected account before you can post, reply, or pull insights.

9.2 Create and schedule posts

Open the Create Post screen from Social Media → Posts (Create Post) to write a post and send it to one or more connected platforms at once.

  • Write your message and pick which connected platforms it goes to.
  • Add media by uploading your own images or choosing from the built-in stock images.
  • Reuse hashtag groups and post templates to keep your messaging consistent.
  • Add UTM settings if you want to track link clicks in your analytics.
  • Save a draft to finish later, post right away, or schedule it for a future date and time.
  • A quick stats panel shows recent performance as you work.

9.3 Plan your content

Social Media → Content Planner shows a calendar of your scheduled posts, organized by platform, so you can see what's going out and when at a glance.

  • Review upcoming scheduled posts across all your connected platforms.
  • Use the calendar to spot gaps or busy days before they happen.
  • Refresh the view to pull in the latest scheduled items.

9.4 Manage your inbox

Social Media → Inbox brings comments and mentions from your connected platforms into one place, so you don't have to check each app separately.

  • Filter by platform using the chips at the top of the inbox.
  • Reply to comments and mentions directly from CastHost.
  • Delete items you no longer need.

9.5 Track performance with Insights

Social Media → Insights shows how your accounts and posts are doing, broken down by platform.

  • See metrics like views or impressions and an engagement breakdown for each platform.
  • A few metrics vary by platform: Bluesky and Mastodon don't report views or impressions, Instagram reports Saves, and Threads, Bluesky, and Mastodon report Replies and Reposts.
  • Check the best times to post, based on your past activity.
  • Refresh to pull the latest numbers, or export your insights.

9.6 Tips

  • Connect your accounts first; everything else depends on having at least one platform linked.
  • Because this is a beta feature, some platform metrics are limited (see Insights above). That's a limitation of what each social network reports, not your station.
  • If the Social Media menu isn't showing and you'd like it, contact us and we'll let you know whether it's available on your plan.

10. Mobile App

CastHost can build a branded iOS and Android app for your station. You configure it under Mobile in the left sidebar of your dashboard, and the app carries your own name, icons, and social links, not ours.

The Mobile App builder is a paid add-on. If it isn't active on your account, the Mobile page shows a Subscribe or Renew button that takes you to your services in the client portal (portal.casthost.net). Once the add-on is active, the full builder appears.

10.1 What you can set up

On the General tab you control:

  • App Title: the name shown on the app.
  • Social links: Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and other social URLs that appear inside the app.
  • App Icon: the icon shown on the phone's home screen (upload an image file).
  • Station Icon: the logo shown inside the app (upload an image file).

Some changes apply to your live app right away. The App Title and the two icons (App Icon and Station Icon) work differently: they're baked into the app itself, so changing any of them requires a new build. When you edit those fields, use Save and Build to generate the updated app. Other fields, like your social links, apply live without a rebuild.

10.2 Preview your app

Use the in-dashboard preview to see how your app looks before you publish changes. It's a quick way to check your icons, title, and layout without installing anything.

10.3 App Store screenshots

When you submit your app to the Apple App Store or Google Play, the stores ask for screenshots. CastHost generates these for you: use Generate Screenshots (or Download Screenshots) and you'll get a ZIP file of store-ready images to upload with your listing.

10.4 Push notifications

You can send a push notification straight to everyone who has your app installed. Open the Send Notifications option, enter a Title and a Body, and send. It's a direct line to your listeners for a new show, breaking news, or a reminder before you go live.

10.5 Ad revenue in your app (Google AdMob)

If you want to earn ad revenue inside your app, connect Google AdMob. AdMob is set up under Monetization → Affiliate Program → Google AdMob, where you enter your AdMob IDs for Android and iOS (App ID, Banner ID, and Interstitial ID). Once saved, those ads run in your built app. See the Monetization guide for the full AdMob walkthrough.

10.6 Good to know

  • The app builder is a paid add-on. If you don't see the builder, check that the add-on is active on your CastHost service.
  • Title and icon changes only take effect after a new build (Save and Build); social links and similar fields update live.
  • Need a hand getting your app submitted to the App Store or Google Play? Just let us know.

11. Connect an AI Assistant (MCP) [BETA]

You can connect an AI assistant such as Claude, ChatGPT, or Microsoft Copilot directly to your CastHost station so it can answer questions and help you manage your station in plain language. CastHost exposes a secure MCP (Model Context Protocol) endpoint that compatible AI clients connect to.

This feature is in beta. It works today, but expect changes as we refine it. You'll see a BETA badge on the MCP menu.

Open it from MCP in the left-hand menu. You'll find three pages: Setup Guide, Personal Access Tokens, and Activity.

11.1 What MCP does

MCP is an open standard that lets an AI assistant talk to your station over a single connection. Once connected, your assistant can read your station's details and carry out tasks for you through everyday chat, instead of you clicking through the panel by hand.

Your station's MCP endpoint is:

https://dashboard.casthost.net/mcp

You'll use this endpoint, along with a personal access token you create, to connect a supported AI client.

11.2 Setup Guide

Go to MCP → Setup Guide. This page explains what MCP is, shows your endpoint, and gives you a Quick Connect helper for the most common AI clients. Pick your client from the dropdown to see the exact steps:

  • Claude Desktop: one-click install using the downloadable connector file.
  • Claude Code (CLI): a single command to add CastHost as a connection.
  • Claude.ai (web): add CastHost under the Add Connector option.
  • ChatGPT (web): add CastHost under Connectors (available on the Pro tier and above).
  • Microsoft Copilot Studio: connects automatically using OAuth discovery.

If your client isn't listed, the Setup Guide also includes a manual configuration fallback you can paste into your client's settings.

To connect a client:

  1. Open MCP → Setup Guide.
  2. Choose your AI client from the Quick Connect dropdown.
  3. Create a personal access token if you don't already have one (see below) and have it ready.
  4. Follow the on-screen steps for your client, using the endpoint https://dashboard.casthost.net/mcp and your token when prompted.

11.3 Personal Access Tokens

Go to MCP → Personal Access Tokens. A personal access token is what authorizes your AI client to connect to your station, so treat it like a password.

  • Create a token: give it a clear label (for example, "Claude on my laptop"), choose the abilities (scopes) it's allowed to use, and set an expiry date. Copy the token as soon as it's shown; for security you won't be able to see it again.
  • Review active tokens: the page lists your current tokens with their labels and expiry.
  • Delete a token: remove any token you no longer use, or one that may have been exposed. Deleting it immediately cuts off any client using it.
  • Purge expired: clear out tokens that have already expired in one step.

Create a separate token for each device or assistant so you can revoke just that one if needed.

11.4 Activity

Go to MCP → Activity to see a log of the calls your connected assistants have made to your station. Use it to confirm a new connection is working and to keep an eye on what your assistants are doing.

11.5 Tips and limits

  • This is a beta feature; the available abilities and clients may change.
  • Anyone holding a valid token can act on your station, so share tokens carefully and delete any you're unsure about.
  • If a connection stops working, check that the token hasn't expired and create a fresh one from Personal Access Tokens.

If you run into trouble connecting your assistant, just let us know and we'll help you get set up.

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