Apple Music vs YouTube Music comparison
By starting price alone, Apple Music is ₩3,090 cheaper. But price is not everything, so check the highlighted rows in the table below.
Apple Music and YouTube Music compared side by side in Music streaming.
Apple Music
Apple's music service that includes lossless, Hi-Res and Dolby Atmos, all for ₩8,900/mo
What is good
- Cheapest individual price among major services (₩8,900)
- No extra charge for lossless, Hi-Res and Dolby Atmos
- Family plan for up to 6 people at ₩13,500
What could be better
- No free tier with ads (trial only)
- History of some Korean tracks being missing
YouTube Music
Music app included in YouTube Premium. Offers official tracks plus covers and live videos
What is good
- One YouTube Premium subscription covers ad-free video and music
- Tracks only on YouTube, such as covers and live versions
- Recommendations based on YouTube watch history
What could be better
- No family or student plan in Korea
- Up to 256kbps, no lossless
At a glance
Highlighted rows are where they differ.
| Item | Apple MusicVisit site | YouTube MusicVisit site |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | ≈$6.70+ (₩8,900)Official price | ≈$9.03+ (₩11,990)Official price |
| Free tier | Trial only | Paid only |
| Lossless audio | Supported | Not supported |
| Best quality | Lossless up to 24bit/192kHz (Hi-Res needs an external DAC), Dolby Atmos spatial audio | Up to 256kbps (AAC/Opus), no lossless |
| Offline playback | Supported | Supported |
| Family plan | Yes | None |
| Family plan details | Family ₩13,500, up to 6 people including yourself | Family plan not available in Korea (official customer center). No student plan either |
| Korean music | Weak (needs checking). At the 2016 launch, tracks from Melon, CJ ENM and KT Music were missing, and a 2021 report said there was no contract with Kakao M. Current status could not be confirmed | Strong (estimated). Besides official tracks, has many tracks not found in other apps, such as music videos, covers, live versions and fan videos. Contract status with Korean distributors could not be confirmed officially |
| Number of tracks | More than 100 million tracks (official) | About 100 million tracks (2022 outside report, no latest official figure) |
| Good for |
| People who watch a lot of YouTube (YouTube Premium at ₩14,900 covers video and music at once) |
| Type | Music streaming | Music streaming |
| Company | Apple, United States | Google(YouTube), United States |
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Prices and benefits may change. Check the official site before you pay.
Prices converted at 1 USD = ₩1,327.84 (2026-10-20). Original price shown in brackets. Taxes as listed by each provider.