Pear Desktop vs YesPlayMusic
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
Unofficial desktop app for YouTube Music, with a plugin system, for Windows, macOS and Linux.
Open source · MIT
A third-party desktop and web player for NetEase Cloud Music with a clean interface.
The short answer
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
Choose YesPlayMusic if you need…
- Existing NetEase Cloud Music users who want a different player interface
- Chinese-speaking users who use NetEase Cloud Music daily
- People who want lyrics, MV playback and daily recommendations in a separate app
- Developers who want to self-host a Vue-based music web player
Side-by-side
| Pear Desktop | YesPlayMusic | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | App | App |
| Price | Free and open source | Free and open source |
| Licence | MIT | MIT |
| GitHub stars | 34k | 33.5k |
| Setup difficulty | Beginner | Beginner |
| How you get it | Install with a package manager | Download the app |
| Main language | TypeScript | Vue |
| Last code update | 5 days ago | 27 days ago |
What each one is
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.
YesPlayMusic
YesPlayMusic is a music player that plays songs from the NetEase Cloud Music (网易云音乐) service, with a custom interface. It runs as a desktop app on Windows, macOS and Linux via Electron, and can also run in a browser or be self-hosted as a website. You log in with your own NetEase account to use it.
Best for
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
YesPlayMusic
- Existing NetEase Cloud Music users who want a different player interface
- Chinese-speaking users who use NetEase Cloud Music daily
- People who want lyrics, MV playback and daily recommendations in a separate app
- Developers who want to self-host a Vue-based music web player
Strengths
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
YesPlayMusic
- Free and open source under the MIT license, with a large community (about 33k stars)
- Supports Windows, macOS and Linux, plus browser and PWA use
- Includes lyrics, MV playback, Last.fm scrobbling and global shortcuts per the README
Not ideal for
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
YesPlayMusic
- People who do not use NetEase Cloud Music, since it only plays that service's catalog
- Users who need a social or sharing features, because the README states there are none
- Anyone needing a supported commercial product; the README limits use to personal study and research
Trade-offs
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
YesPlayMusic
- Depends on the NetEase Cloud Music API, so it can break if that service changes
- The README says the current version is in maintenance mode, with a 2.0 Alpha announced
- Some features such as the unblocking sources need extra setup, like installing yt-dlp for YouTube sources
Getting started
Pear Desktop
Install on macOS with Homebrew
brew install pear-devs/pear/pear-desktopInstall on Windows with Winget
winget install pear-devs.pear-desktopYesPlayMusic
macOS via Homebrew
brew install --cask yesplaymusicWindows via Scoop
scoop install extras/yesplaymusicFrequently asked questions
What is the difference between Pear Desktop and YesPlayMusic?
Pear Desktop: Unofficial desktop app for YouTube Music, with a plugin system, for Windows, macOS and Linux. YesPlayMusic: A third-party desktop and web player for NetEase Cloud Music with a clean interface. Pear Desktop suits people who want youtube music in a standalone desktop window, while YesPlayMusic suits existing netease cloud music users who want a different player interface.
Are Pear Desktop and YesPlayMusic free?
Pear Desktop: Free and open source. YesPlayMusic: Free and open source.
Is Pear Desktop or YesPlayMusic more popular?
Pear Desktop has more GitHub stars (34k) than YesPlayMusic (33.5k). Popularity isn't the same as fit — check which one matches your use case above.
What are other alternatives to Pear Desktop and YesPlayMusic?
Other options people compare them with include Listen 1, Alger Music Player, xbar, Koel, Rubick.
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.