Best Music Streaming Services Comparison in Hong Kong: Which One’s the Cheapest?

Best Music Streaming Services Comparison in Hong Kong: Which One’s the Cheapest?

 Thanks to music streaming apps like Spotify, KKBOX, Apple Music, MOOV, JOOX, YouTube Music Premium, and Tidal, music comes in handy to enjoy anytime, anywhere. Whether you’re into pop, classical, blues, or country music, all genres are now available at your fingertips. 

Some music apps are free to use, but there may be certain features that require payment. We are going to find the best deal for you. To complete our mission, we have compared the available streaming services in Hong Kong. In this blog post, we have included those apps and compared their monthly plans, family plans, as well as the best credit card and telecom deals. Let’s see which one comes out on top!

Table of Contents: Music Streaming Platforms and Music Apps Comparison

Music Streaming Platforms and Music Apps Price Comparison

Music Streaming Platforms and Music Apps Price Comparison
Music Streaming App Feature Free Trial Period Personal Monthly Fee* (HK$) Student Monthly Fee (HK$) Family Monthly Fee (shared by, HK$) Credit Card Discounts Telecom Discounts
Spotify Featuring international music 1 month $68 $38 $88 (2 users) $108 (6 users) None None
KKBOX Featuring Chinese and Taiwanese music and singers live chat 14 days $65 $32.5^ $79 (3 users) Yes Yes
Apple Music DJ radio station 1 month $68 $38 $108 (6 users) None None
MOOV Therapeutic music library; exclusive MV of MOOV concert 14 days $68 N/A $85 (3 users) Yes, as low as HK$49/month. None
JOOX Featuring local songs None $48 $23.5@ $66 (3 users) None Yes
YouTube Music Premium Featuring ad-free and offline listening 1 month $63 $33 $98 (5 users) None None
Tidal Featuring high-quality selection

supports the MQA format

30 days $63 (HiFi) $24 (HiFi) $98 (HiFi) (6 users) None None

The information is last updated on 3 December 2024.

*Does not include any credit card or telecom offers

^Payment of HK$65 for the first month; after verifying identity, no payment will be charged in the second month; then HK$32.5 per month

#Highlighted in bold is the best deal option

@Telecom discounts

KKBOX offers Free Lossless Audio Code (FLAC): Premium sound quality to enjoy music

KKBOX provides 2 options of services for their customers: Standard Sound Quality and the Premium Sound Quality. You may choose it according to your budget. Individual Standard Plan costs HK$65/month, while the FLAC plan costs HK$116.

Plan Type Standard Plan Free Lossless Audio Code (FLAC) Plan
Individual HK$65/month HK$116
Student HK$32.5
Family HK$79 HK$239

Apple Music: 6 months of Apple Music free with eligible devices

Apple has got a new plan as well. When you purchase the brand new Apple products, you might be eligible to use Apple Music without subscription for 6 months.  

DBS x Moov credit card special offer (expired)

From now on until 31 August 2024, DBS credit card holders can enjoy Special Monthly Fee HK$39 for a 12-month MOOV 16 bit Music Services Plan. For more details, you might refer to the official website

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From now to 31 December 2024, Register and apply online for an eligible HSBC Credit Card and complete the Registration Form to earn one of the extra welcome offers. (Choose either 1, fulfilled by HSBC)
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Joox x HKBN special deal

What’s more? JOOX has a special deal right now. Existing customers of the HKBN can subscribe for the 2-year plan to enjoy a 9-month fee waiver.

Youtube Music

What makes Youtube Music stands out is their Premium plan for ad-free video streaming experience. You can enjoy the service with Youtube Music just by paying 1 price of HK$63/month.

Tidal: The Cheapest Music Platform Family Monthly Plan

If you’re just getting the monthly plan with no credit card or telecom special offers, then Tidal are is the cheapest option for music streaming. 

Sharing is caring, right? Getting a family plan and sharing the service with family and friends can be a good deal for everyone. All 7 music streaming apps offer family-sharing discounts. But which one offers the most affordable plan?

Music Streaming Service Monthly Fee Number of People Average Monthly Cost
Tidal (HiFi) HK$98 6 HK$16.3
Apple Music HK$98 6 HK$16.3
Spotify HK$108 6 HK$18
YouTube Music Premium HK$98 5 HK$19.6
KKBOX and MOOV HK$79 3 HK$26.3

MoneySmart Tip: While Apple Music does not specify and can be shared with friends, JOOX, KKBOX, MOOV, Spotify, and YouTube Music Premium all demand that users of sub-accounts reside at the same location as the primary account.

Best Music Streaming Deals for Students: MOOV, Tidal

If you’re a student, the MOOV and Tidal student plans offer the best deal at only HK$24 per month. YouTube Music Premium is also affordable at HK$28 per month, which is cheaper than a lunch! Additionally, KKBOX and Spotify have an average monthly cost of HK$29.

SmarTone Students Special Deal

For SmarTone students, JOOX and KKBOX offer discounts. If you have a 4.5G Full Speed student plan, you can get JOOX and KKBOX at discounted prices of HK$23.5 and HK$24.5 respectively, without any data restrictions.

Music Streaming Service Student Plan Monthly Cost
MOOV HK$24
Tidal HK$24
YouTube Music Premium HK$33
KKBOX HK$32.5
Spotify HK$38
JOOX (SmarTone) HK$23.5
KKBOX (SmarTone) HK$24.5

Music Apps Free Trial: Apple Music, Spotify, and

Before deciding which service to use, take advantage of a free trial. Some music streaming services offer free trials, so you to try the features for real before you buy!

Apple Music, Spotify, and Youtube Music have the longest trial period of 1 month. The shortest trial is 14 days, offered by KKBOX and MOOV. Unfortunately, JOOX VIP doesn’t have a free trial. Also, Spotify currently has a promotion where you can get 3 months of free service if you subscribe to the personal plan. (Note that this promotion only applies to the personal plan and the duration hasn’t been specified by the official.)

Streaming App Trial Period
Apple Music 1 month
Spotify 1 month
Youtube Music 1 month
KKBOX 14 days
MOOV 14 days
JOOX VIP No trial

MoneySmart Tips: Remember that after the trial, most services will automatically renew and charge you the regular monthly fee. If you don’t want to be charged, make sure to cancel before the trial ends.

Credit Card Special Deals

Standard Chartered Smart Card: a 5% Cash Rebate for Music Streaming Apps

With the Standard Chartered Smart Card, you can satisfy your daily shopping needs and enjoy a 5% discount on most of your daily spending. This includes online entertainment services like Netflix, Spotify, KKBox, as well as HKTV mall online shopping. You can also get discounts on Klook’s bookings and at fast food restaurants such as McDonald’s and KFC.

The SCB Smart Card is the perfect card for getting a 5% discount on all your daily spending. Apply now to take advantage of the exclusive limited offer from MoneySmart!

Standard Chartered logo
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Valid until 02 Jan 2025

DBS Live Fresh Credit Card

DBS logo
MoneySmart Exclusive
Min. Annual Salary
HK$150,000
Cash back on Online Overseas spend
1%
Cash Back for Designated Online Transaction
5%
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From now until 31 December 2024, customers who successfully apply for DBS Live Fresh Card via MoneySmart,  can enjoy an extra 2,000 SmartPoints and free to redeem HK$200 vouchers (over 20+ brand vouchers including Apple / HKTVmall/ Trip.com etc). Click here to explore limitless possibilities (T&C applied)!

Valid until 31 Dec 2024

Another card that offers a 5% discount is the DBS Live Fresh Credit Card. By applying for this credit card and selecting your preferred spending category on the DBS Card+ app, you can earn a 5% cashback on your purchases. So, you can choose “online entertainment” as the spending category when you pay for your music app bills and enjoy a 5% cashback!

Frequently Asked Questions: Music Streaming Apps

Are there any free trial periods for music streaming apps?

Yes, several music streaming apps offer free trial periods. Apple Music, Spotify, and Youtube Music provide a 1-month free trial, while KKBOX and MOOV offer a 14-day free trial. However, JOOX VIP does not have a free trial option.

Which music streaming app offers the most affordable family plan?

Tidal’s standard quality family plan is the most affordable option, costing HK$72 for 6 people to share. Apple Music and Spotify also offer family plans for HK$98 for 6 people, and YouTube Music Premium’s family plan is HK$88 for 5 people.

What are the cheapest monthly plans for music streaming apps?

JOOX, MOOV, and Tidal offer the cheapest monthly plans at HK$48 per month. Other music streaming apps like Spotify, KKBOX, Apple Music, and YouTube Music Premium range from HK$58 to HK$63 per month.

Are there any special deals for students?

Yes, MOOV and Tidal offer special student plans for HK$24 per month. YouTube Music Premium is also affordable at HK$28 per month. Additionally, KKBOX and Spotify provide student plans with an average monthly cost of HK$29.

Can I enjoy credit card discounts with music streaming apps?

Yes, KKBOX and MOOV offer credit card discounts with various banks, including Standard Chartered, HSBC, Hang Seng, Citibank, DBS, BEA, and more. These discounts can provide up to 2 months of free service or other promotional offers.

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