Koel vs Pear Desktop
Which should you use? A side-by-side look at what each one does, who it suits, what it costs, how hard it is to set up, and where each falls short.
Open source · MIT
Self-hosted web music streaming server for your own music library, built on Laravel and Vue.
Open source · MIT
Unofficial desktop app for YouTube Music, with a plugin system, for Windows, macOS and Linux.
The short answer
Choose Koel if you need…
- People who want to listen to their own music library from a browser
- Users who want playlists, scrobbling, and radio in one self-hosted place
- Developers who want to read or extend a Laravel and Vue codebase
- Users comfortable running their own server
Choose Pear Desktop if you need…
- People who want YouTube Music in a standalone desktop window
- Users who want to customize the look of YouTube Music with CSS themes
- Developers who want to write their own plugins for the player
- Windows, macOS, or Linux users who want one installer-based option
Side-by-side
| Koel | Pear Desktop | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | App | App |
| Price | Free and open source | Free and open source |
| Licence | MIT | MIT |
| GitHub stars | 17.3k | 34k |
| Setup difficulty | Intermediate | Beginner |
| How you get it | See the README | Install with a package manager |
| Main language | PHP | TypeScript |
| Last code update | 4 days ago | 4 days ago |
What each one is
Koel
Koel is a free, open-source music streaming app that scans your personal music collection and serves it through a web-based player you can use in any browser. Beyond playback, the README lists playlists, smart playlists, scrobbling, podcasts, radio, Last.fm, Spotify and MusicBrainz integrations, and an AI assistant that takes natural-language commands. It is built with Laravel and Vue.
Pear Desktop
Pear Desktop is a free, open-source desktop application that wraps YouTube Music in its own window so you can use it like a regular program rather than a browser tab. It is built with Electron and TypeScript. It also supports plugins and custom CSS themes that change how the app looks and behaves. The project states it is unofficial and not affiliated with Google or YouTube.
Best for
Koel
- People who want to listen to their own music library from a browser
- Users who want playlists, scrobbling, and radio in one self-hosted place
- Developers who want to read or extend a Laravel and Vue codebase
- Users comfortable running their own server
Pear Desktop
- People who want YouTube Music in a standalone desktop window
- Users who want to customize the look of YouTube Music with CSS themes
- Developers who want to write their own plugins for the player
- Windows, macOS, or Linux users who want one installer-based option
Strengths
Koel
- Free and open source under the MIT license
- Works in any modern browser, per the README
- Covers playlists, scrobbling, podcasts and radio in one app
Pear Desktop
- Open source under the MIT license, with a public codebase on GitHub
- Offers install paths through several package managers, including Homebrew, Scoop, Winget, and AUR
- Supports a plugin system and CSS themes for customization
Not ideal for
Koel
- People who want a hosted service with no setup, since the README points to self-installation via its documentation
- Users who need multi-user libraries, SSO or cloud storage drivers without the premium Koel Plus edition, which the README describes as a separate paid product
- Users looking for a native mobile app, since the README points to a separate Koel Player project for that
Pear Desktop
- Users who need an official YouTube Music client, since the project is unofficial and unaffiliated with Google or YouTube
- People without a YouTube Music account who expect a standalone music library, since the README does not describe offline music of its own
- Users on very old or unsupported operating systems, since the README does not list supported versions
Trade-offs
Koel
- Requires running your own server, so some setup is needed; the README defers installation details to external documentation
- Some features such as multi-user libraries and SSO are described as part of the separate paid Koel Plus edition
- The README is truncated here, so specific system requirements are not confirmed from this source
Pear Desktop
- Unofficial and not endorsed by Google or YouTube, and the README says it is provided as-is with no liability
- Some install steps, such as the macOS quarantine fix and Windows SmartScreen warnings, may confuse non-technical users
- Plugin development requires TypeScript and familiarity with Electron concepts
Getting started
Koel
Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/koel/koel.gitPear Desktop
Install on macOS with Homebrew
brew install pear-devs/pear/pear-desktopInstall on Windows with Winget
winget install pear-devs.pear-desktopFrequently asked questions
What is the difference between Koel and Pear Desktop?
Koel: Self-hosted web music streaming server for your own music library, built on Laravel and Vue. Pear Desktop: Unofficial desktop app for YouTube Music, with a plugin system, for Windows, macOS and Linux. Koel suits people who want to listen to their own music library from a browser, while Pear Desktop suits people who want youtube music in a standalone desktop window.
Are Koel and Pear Desktop free?
Koel: Free and open source. Pear Desktop: Free and open source.
Which is easier to set up, Koel or Pear Desktop?
Pear Desktop is easier to get started with (rated beginner); Koel is rated intermediate and usually needs more setup.
Is Koel or Pear Desktop more popular?
Pear Desktop has more GitHub stars (34k) than Koel (17.3k). Popularity isn't the same as fit — check which one matches your use case above.
What are other alternatives to Koel and Pear Desktop?
Other options people compare them with include YesPlayMusic, Alger Music Player, Ultimate Vocal Remover, Krayin CRM, Listen 1.
Keep comparing
Built from our catalogue entries for both products: open-source details come from each project's README (AI-assisted, refreshed weekly) and GitHub data; AI-tool details are editorial. Spotted something wrong? Let us know from either product's page.