The 8 Best iPhone FM Transmitters for Your Car in 2021

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The Rundown

Best Overall:

Nulaxy Wireless In-Car Bluetooth FM Transmitter Radio at Amazon

Works with virtually any Bluetooth-enabled device, from your tablet to your smartphone.

Best Sound Quality:

Aphaca BT69 Wireless Bluetooth FM Transmitter at Amazon

With CVC technology for duplex sound and noise cancellation technology.

Best for Dual Charging:

LIHAN LHFM1039 Wireless Bluetooth FM Transmitter at Amazon

Offering both 12v and 24v charging for both you and a passenger.

Most Adjustable:

Sumind BT70B at Amazon

A sturdy, 270-degree gooseneck will hold tight in the orientation you set.

Best Budget:

JETech Wireless FM Transmitter Radio Car Kit at Amazon

Works with all devices that have a 3.5mm headphone jack.

Best Lighting:

Criacr Criacr V5.0 Bluetooth FM Transmitter at Amazon

This minimalist FM transmitter from Criacr provides a quick and simple way to link your phone to your car's audio system.

in this article

Our Picks
FAQs
What to Look for in an iPhone FM Transmitter

Our collection of the best iPhone FM Transmitters can help fill the awkward silence in any car, old or new. Streaming music from your phone via Bluetooth is a fairly common feature in modern cars, but it wasn't always that way. Thankfully, any car, used or new comes equipped with an AM/FM radio enabling it to pick up signals broadcast on specific frequencies. This is effectively what makes any FM radio transmitter tick, letting you select an unused frequency on the FM band to use for audio transmission via a Bluetooth or wired connection. Set your FM radio to your selected frequency and you're ready to rock.

Beyond just providing you with a seamless way to stream music in your car, many of our top picks like the Nulaxy or Aphaca Transmitters at Amazon provide you with additional USB charging ports to keep your various devices topped off. If you're looking for more ways to round out your car's audio, our guide to automotive audio basics can point you in the right direction before investing in one of the best iPhone FM transmitters.

Buy On Amazon

What we Like

Very affordable

What we don't like

Signal clarity could be better

The Nuxlay works with virtually any Bluetooth-enabled device, from your tablet to your smartphone. The device goes the extra mile with its included 5V-2.1A charging port, auxiliary port and even built-in microphone so you can take incoming calls with a breeze.

Users love the overall power and setup of the Nuxaly, with the most complaints coming from the rare occurrence of a pairing issue.

_{Built-in Display: Yes | USB Ports: 1 | USB Audio Playback: MP3 | Operating Voltage: 12V-24V}

Nulaxy KM18 Bluetooth Car FM Transmitter Review

"The Nulaxy Bluetooth Car FM Transmitter is one of the most popular FM transmitters on the market." — Benjamin Zeman, Product Tester

Aphaca Wireless Car Bluetooth FM Transmitter

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What we like

Ultra compact design
Dual USB-charge ports
Simple interface

What we don't like

No AUX port
Position of USB ports make plugging in difficult

This car FM transmitter delivers crystal clear sound to deliver high quality audio when connected to your iPhone via Bluetooth. CVC technology delivers a duplex sound with noise cancellation technology to produce the most faithful reproduction of sound possible when accounting for radio interference.

In addition to stellar sound quality, this Bluetooth transmitter wirelessly transmits calls from mobile to the stereo system and can switch to hands-free mode from music whenever someone calls you. With Bluetooth 4.2 it picks up new devices easier than ever before. It also has a sleek elegant design with blue LED lettering. Finally, you can play music from 206 stereo channels or even from a MicroSD card.

_{Built-in Display: No | USB Ports: 2 | USB Audio Playback: MP3, WMA, WAV | Operating Voltage: 12V-24V}

Aphaca BT69 Wireless Car Bluetooth FM Transmitter Review

"The Aphaca Wireless Car Bluetooth FM Transmitter is a very simple, compact, and well designed Bluetooth FM transmitter" — Benjamin Zeman, Product Tester

LIHAN LHFM1039 Wireless Bluetooth FM Transmitter

Buy On Amazon

What we like

Compact size
Dual USB charging ports
Hands-free calling

What we don't like

Slow charging
Difficult viewing angle

Want a functional Bluetooth FM Transmitter that comes with two USB charging inputs? LIHAN makes a no-nonsense device that gets straight to the point.

The Hands Free Bluetooth Transmitter by LIHAN features a 3.1A and 1A input offering both 12v and 24v charging for both you and a passenger. This means that your mobile devices can be charged in a jiffy all while listening to your favorite music. Its wireless Bluetooth 4.0 connectivity also offers low power consumption with a 5 percent loss of battery to your device each hour. Like many transmitters on the list, it includes a microphone for hands-free calling.

This product has been praised for its ease of use and adaptability. More critical reviews noted that the connectivity could sometimes be an issue.

_{Built-in Display: No | USB Ports: 2 | USB Audio Playback: MP3, WMA | Operating Voltage: 12V-24V}

LIHAN LHFM1039 Wireless Bluetooth FM Transmitter Review

"The LIHAN Bluetooth FM Transmitter is a Bluetooth module for the 12V power outlet in your car that comes in a small package." — Benjamin Zeman, Product Tester

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What we like

Quick charge and standard USB-A ports
Large display and buttons
Clear audio

What we don't like

AUX input doesn't always work
Difficult viewing angle for display
Gooseneck cable is difficult to adjust

FM transmitters have come a really long way. With Bluetooth capabilities popping up on most cars, manufacturers of old-school-style FM transmitters have to do a lot to differentiate. One of the big issues is the placement of the transmitter itself; so many cars have the cigarette lighter buried under the console or point off at an angle. The Sumind Bluetooth FM Transmitter gives you the versatility to change the angle of the screen with a sturdy, 270-degree gooseneck that will hold tight in the orientation you set. But that’s not where the features end.

There are two USB output ports for charging phones, including a 2.0 smart port and a 3.0 Quick Charge port. There’s a super-bright 1.7-inch LCD screen that shows song and phone info but will also display the car battery level. There are three means of connecting audio here, too: your phone’s Bluetooth connection, a standard aux cable, and even the capability to read a microSD card. Unlike some of the lower end transmitters, it supports more lossless audio than MP3 including FLAC, and with support for A2DP and headset protocol, it’s the perfect phone accessory for cars that are lacking some modern AV.

_{Built-in Display: Yes | USB Ports: 2 | USB Audio Playback: MP3, WMA | Operating Voltage: 12V-24V}

Sumind BT70B Bluetooth FM Transmitter Review

"The BT70B has good noise- and interference-reduction technology and it’s evident in the high-quality audio." — Benjamin Zeman, Product Tester

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What we like

Sleek design
Low price
Simple interface

What we don't like

Lacks multiple USB ports
No way to play audio files through USB

When it comes to FM transmitters, there’s not a huge price difference between the top-of-the-line and the budget. In fact, it might only come down to a few dollars. But the JETech Wireless transmitter will save you a few bucks while still getting its job done. To use it, simply connect your device via its 3.5mm headphone jack, set it to a random FM channel and tune your radio to that channel. (Remember that it won’t work with newer iPhones that don't have headphone jacks.)

The transmitter has an easy-to-read display with intuitive buttons for adjusting frequency. It also comes with an extra USB port, so you can charge devices while driving. For best performance, we recommend using lower channels in the 80s and 90s.

_{Built-in Display: No | USB Ports: 1 | USB Audio Playback: N/A | Operating Voltage: 12V-24V}

Buy On Amazon

What we like

Durable and compact
Fast pairing
Multiple charging ports

What we don't like

Mic isn't great
Limited controls

This minimalist FM transmitter from Criacr provides a quick and simple way to link your phone to your car's audio system. Besides allowing you to pair with a variety of devices via Bluetooth, this transmitter also features the ability to play music from a 32GB flash drive or microSD card.

The Criacr FM transmitter also features a pair of USB charging ports to keep all your devices topped off, as well as a trio of multi-function buttons for hands-free calling and music controls. Perhaps the coolest feature, however, is the built-in LED lighting strip that can bet set to six available colors or cycle through them to provide some necessary flair to your car.

_{Built-in Display: No | USB Ports: 2 | USB Audio Playback: MP3, WMA | Operating Voltage: 12V-24V}

Final Verdict

Without a doubt, our top pick for the best FM transmitter you can buy is the Nulaxy Wireless In-Car Bluetooth FM Transmitter Radio (view at Amazon). A full-screen LED display, quickly turns your car into something reminiscent of The Jetsons. A quartet of multi-function buttons allow for quick and easy control, and the articulating armature ensures that the Nulaxy is always within arms reach. But for a more compact version, the LDesign Wireless Bluetooth FM Transmitter (view at Amazon) is a solid alternative.

FAQs

Does the iPhone 6 have an FM transmitter?
The iPhone 6 does not have an FM transmitter, most phones tend not to have this feature built-in and none of the iPhone models have ever had an FM receiver. That said, there are internet radio apps that you can use for the iPhone 6, but you won't be able to listen to actual live radio station broadcasts without using one of the transmitters on this roundup.

How to connect the FM transmitter to your iPhone?
An FM transmitter for the iPhone works by transmitting audio from FM frequencies to your phone. Most FM transmitters are Bluetooth-enabled. All you need to do is plug the transmitter into your car socket, pair your device, and you can start listening to radio wherever you are. With most phones starting to get rid of the 3.5mm headphone jack, you're not as likely to find wired FM transmitter solutions anymore.

Is there an FM transmitter app for iPhones?
There are FM transmitter apps for the iPhone like ClearFM. It lets you listen through the radio over your iPhone or iPod, giving you a list of music stations that are the clearest for your FM transmitter. That said, you will still need an FM transmitter since the app alone won't be enough.

What to Look for in an iPhone FM Transmitter

Display

The most basic transmitters don’t have displays, but units with screens are easier to set up and use. Some even have caller ID or can show other important information when connected to your iPhone.

Connectivity

FM transmitters use audio jacks, USB, and Bluetooth to connect to phones. If you have a newer iPhone that doesn’t have an audio jack, make sure to get a transmitter that has a USB port or Bluetooth that’s compatible with your phone.

Hands-free calling

If you go with a Bluetooth transmitter that has a hands-free mode, you’ll be able to make and receive calls without taking your hands off the wheel. Transmitters with this feature are also capable of muting or pausing your music during a call and starting it back up again when you’re done.

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