Apple Music vs Melon comparison

By starting price alone, Melon is ₩210 cheaper. But price is not everything, so check the highlighted rows in the table below.

Apple Music and Melon compared side by side in Music streaming.

CurrencyUSDKRWEUR

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

Apple Music official site

Melon

Kakao Entertainment's leading Korean music app. Biggest influence on K-pop charts

What is good

  • No. 1 influence on K-pop charts
  • FLAC high-quality pass available
  • Many bundle products such as SKT T Universe and Wavve

What could be better

  • The FLAC pass (₩13,200) and the offline pass (₩11,990) are separate, so no single pass does both
  • No family plan

Melon official site

At a glance

Highlighted rows are where they differ.

ItemApple MusicVisit siteMelonVisit site
Starting price≈$6.70+ (₩8,900)Official price≈$6.54+ (₩8,690)External source
Free tierTrial onlyPaid only
Lossless audioSupportedSupported
Best qualityLossless up to 24bit/192kHz (Hi-Res needs an external DAC), Dolby Atmos spatial audioFLAC 16bit/44.1kHz streaming (Hi-Fi pass), AAC 320kbps
Offline playbackSupportedSome plans only
Family planYesNone
Family plan detailsFamily ₩13,500, up to 6 people including yourselfNo family plan (not confirmed officially)
Korean musicWeak (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 confirmedVery strong. The TOP100 and HOT100 charts are used as a benchmark by K-pop fandoms and the industry. Linked with Kakao
Number of tracksMore than 100 million tracks (official)More than 40 million tracks (Kakao official announcement, as of 2018. No latest figure)
Good for
  • iPhone and Mac users
  • People who care about sound quality
  • People who want to share with family
  • Fans who follow K-pop charts and new releases
  • People who get Kakao or SKT bundle benefits
TypeMusic streamingMusic streaming
CompanyApple, United StatesKakao Entertainment, South Korea
Plans
  • Individual ₩8,900
  • Family ₩13,500 (up to 6 people)
  • Apple One bundle from ₩14,900
  • Some free radio
  • 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)
Pros
  • 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
  • No. 1 influence on K-pop charts
  • FLAC high-quality pass available
  • Many bundle products such as SKT T Universe and Wavve
Cons
  • No free tier with ads (trial only)
  • History of some Korean tracks being missing
  • Korean student plan not confirmed, and it is most convenient on Apple devices
  • 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)

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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