Melon vs YouTube Music comparison

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At a glance

Item	MelonVisit site	YouTube MusicVisit site
Starting price	≈$6.54+ (₩8,690)External source	≈$9.03+ (₩11,990)Official price
Free tier	Paid only	Paid only
Lossless audio	Supported	Not supported
Best quality	FLAC 16bit/44.1kHz streaming (Hi-Fi pass), AAC 320kbps	Up to 256kbps (AAC/Opus), no lossless
Offline playback	Some plans only	Supported
Family plan	None	None
Family plan details	No family plan (not confirmed officially)	Family plan not available in Korea (official customer center). No student plan either
Korean music	Very strong. The TOP100 and HOT100 charts are used as a benchmark by K-pop fandoms and the industry. Linked with Kakao	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 40 million tracks (Kakao official announcement, as of 2018. No latest figure)	About 100 million tracks (2022 outside report, no latest official figure)
Good for	Fans who follow K-pop charts and new releases People who get Kakao or SKT bundle benefits	People who watch a lot of YouTube (YouTube Premium at ₩14,900 covers video and music at once)
Type	Music streaming	Music streaming
Company	Kakao Entertainment, South Korea	Google(YouTube), United States
Plans	Mobile Streaming Club ₩7,590 Streaming Club ₩8,690 Streaming Plus (offline) ₩11,990 Hi-Fi Streaming Club (FLAC) ₩13,200 MP3 10 Plus ₩15,950 (incl. VAT, outside sources)	YouTube Music Premium ₩11,990 YouTube Premium (includes ad-free video) ₩14,900 (web and Android billing. iOS app billing is ₩14,900 and ₩19,500 respectively) Premium Lite ₩8,500 does not include music
Pros	No. 1 influence on K-pop charts FLAC high-quality pass available Many bundle products such as SKT T Universe and Wavve	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
Cons	The FLAC pass (₩13,200) and the offline pass (₩11,990) are separate, so no single pass does both No family plan No free tier with ads (in preparation)	No family or student plan in Korea Up to 256kbps, no lossless Much more expensive if you pay through the iOS app

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.

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