Melon vs YouTube Music comparison

By starting price alone, Melon is ₩3,300 cheaper. But price is not everything, so check the highlighted rows in the table below.

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

CurrencyUSDKRWEUR

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

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

YouTube Music official site

At a glance

Highlighted rows are where they differ.

ItemMelonVisit siteYouTube MusicVisit site
Starting price≈€5.84+ (₩8,690)External source≈€8.05+ (₩11,990)Official price
Free tierPaid onlyPaid only
Lossless audioSupportedNot supported
Best qualityFLAC 16bit/44.1kHz streaming (Hi-Fi pass), AAC 320kbpsUp to 256kbps (AAC/Opus), no lossless
Offline playbackSome plans onlySupported
Family planNoneNone
Family plan detailsNo family plan (not confirmed officially)Family plan not available in Korea (official customer center). No student plan either
Korean musicVery strong. The TOP100 and HOT100 charts are used as a benchmark by K-pop fandoms and the industry. Linked with KakaoStrong (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 tracksMore 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)
TypeMusic streamingMusic streaming
CompanyKakao Entertainment, South KoreaGoogle(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 = ₩1,325.57 (2026-10-21). Original price shown in brackets. Taxes as listed by each provider.

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