Comparison · facts verified July 28, 2026
Looking for a Digital Radio Tracker alternative?
SpinCounts is a radio airplay tracker built the opposite way: instead of selling reports on private data, it publishes the airplay data itself — every artist, song and station page is public, with exact play timestamps, across 3,800+ monitored stations. You can check any song right now, free, without creating an account.
Why artists go looking for a DRT alternative
DigitalRadioTracker has been monitoring radio since 2011 and is a recognized name in independent radio — especially for its weekly charts and certified plaques. But its model has real friction points, and they're usually why you've landed on this page (all verified on DRT's own public site, July 28, 2026):
- Report prices aren't public. You have to register an account before you can see what a DRT Report costs — and reports are one-off purchases, week by week.
- Exact play times sit in a higher-tier report. The standard weekly report shows totals; timestamps for each play are part of the separate "Comprehensive" report.
- There's no public page to share. DRT's database is a search form behind its site — there's no permanent artist or song page you can link from your socials, press kit, or pitch emails.
- Charts don't connect to anything. DRT's weekly charts are public, but chart rows are plain text — no artist pages, no song pages, no way to click through to the data behind a position.
None of that makes DRT a bad service. It means the data lives behind the product. SpinCounts makes the data the product — public, timestamped, and verifiable by anyone you send a link to.
SpinCounts vs DigitalRadioTracker, side by side
| SpinCounts | DigitalRadioTracker | |
|---|---|---|
| Free lookup without an account | ✅ Every artist, song and station page is public | Search form after free registration; no public result pages |
| Exact play timestamps | ✅ Free on every public track page | Included in the paid "Comprehensive" report |
| Public artist & song pages you can share | ✅ Permanent pages with spins, stations, charts and maps | — |
| Airplay heat maps | ✅ Live geographic map on track and artist pages | — |
| Charts | ✅ Daily, on-site, every row links to the artist and song | Weekly Top 150 + genre charts (text-only rows) |
| Reports | PDF station-level reports; 1 free per month with a free account, 5–30/mo on plans (unlimited on Agency) | One-off purchased reports (weekly / comprehensive / 8-week historical) |
| Pricing shown publicly | ✅ From $0 — all plans listed | Register to see report prices |
| Whole-catalog tracking | ✅ Every song tracked automatically, no per-report purchases | Per-report, per-week purchases |
| Coverage claim | 3,800+ active stations — U.S.-focused: FM streams (incl. iHeartRadio), SiriusXM, internet radio | 5,000+ stations worldwide (own claim), FM + college + internet radio |
| Data API | ✅ REST API with free chart access — docs | — |
| Established | 2026 | 2011 |
Comparison based on both companies' public websites as of July 28, 2026. Station counts are each service's own claim; coverage networks differ, so neither is a superset of the other. Products change — always confirm current details.
Where DRT is genuinely strong
An honest comparison cuts both ways. DRT has 15 years of history and real brand recognition with indie and urban radio promoters; its certified plaques are a popular way to celebrate chart runs; and its worldwide internet-radio panel is large. If a familiar weekly PDF and a plaque on the wall are what you're after, DRT delivers that. SpinCounts' equivalent social proof is free: a public artist page anyone can verify, plus a shareable Airplay Card image for your socials, generated from your real spin data when you claim your artist page.
Try the alternative in 60 seconds
- 1Search your song or artist name
No signup. If our network has aired it, the spins — with stations and timestamps — are already on your public page. Start from the artist directory or any chart.
- 2Claim your artist page — free
Own the page, add your links and bio, and get your shareable Airplay Card.
- 3Go deeper when it's worth it
A free account includes one airplay report a month. Memberships add unlimited reports; an Airplay Campaign actively pitches your track to stations.
DRT-alternative FAQs
Is SpinCounts a free alternative to Digital Radio Tracker?
For looking up airplay, yes: every SpinCounts artist, song and station page is public and free — spins, stations and exact timestamps included, no account needed. A free account adds one airplay report per month; paid memberships add unlimited reports and pro tools.
Does SpinCounts have airplay charts like the DRT charts?
Yes — public radio airplay charts updated daily from verified spins, including genre charts and a DJ chart. Unlike text-only chart listings, every SpinCounts chart row links to the song and artist page behind it, so anyone can inspect the spins that earned the position.
Can I get a report like the DRT Report?
Yes. SpinCounts generates professional PDF airplay reports with total spins, trends, the station-by-station breakdown, and the airplay heat map. One report per month is included free with an account; plans include 5–30 reports monthly (unlimited on Agency) — no per-report purchases.
Does SpinCounts monitor the same stations as DRT?
The networks differ. SpinCounts monitors 3,800+ active stations with a U.S. focus — FM broadcasters streaming online (including iHeartRadio stations), SiriusXM channels, and internet radio networks. DRT claims 5,000+ stations worldwide. Neither service is a superset of the other, so the honest test is simple: search your song on SpinCounts and see what our network has logged.
What about DRT plaques?
DRT sells certified plaques celebrating chart runs. SpinCounts' version of social proof is free and verifiable: your public artist page (anyone can check the numbers behind it) plus a shareable Airplay Card image generated from your real spin data — made for Instagram and TikTok.
Do I have to submit my music to be tracked?
No. SpinCounts logs every play its network detects automatically — if radio is playing you, your spins are already being recorded. Submitting a track is only for Airplay Campaigns, the optional paid promotion that pitches your song to stations.
See your airplay before you spend a dollar
That's the whole difference. Search your song, check the timestamps, then decide.
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