The Cheapest Way to Play Music in Your Business in Australia

Every option ranked by total real cost — including the licence fees most people forget about.

✓ Answer: A directly licenced service like Melodial — $9.99/month.

Most business owners compare streaming services by subscription price and stop there. But the subscription is only half the cost — you also need a public performance licence from OneMusic (APRA AMCOS + PPCA), which can cost $300–$5,000+ per year.

The cheapest option is a service that includes both the music and the licence in one subscription. Melodial does this from $9.99/month — no additional licence fees required.

100% legal for Australian businesses. Melodial is fully licensed for commercial use in Australia. No OneMusic, no APRA AMCOS, no PPCA fees required. Every subscriber receives an official Certificate of Compliance — instant proof your music is legally licensed.

Every option compared — real total cost

Most comparisons only show the subscription price. This table shows the true annual cost including the OneMusic licence you'd need on top.

Option Subscription Licence Required? Total Real Annual Cost
Melodial $9.99/month($99.99/year) ✓ Included $99.99everything included
Soundtrack Your Brand $34.99+/mo ✗ Separate OneMusic licence needed $720–$5,420+subscription + OneMusic
Spotify + OneMusic licence $13.99/mo ✗ Full licence needed + violates TOS $468–$5,168+Spotify + OneMusic fees
Radio + OneMusic licence Free ✗ Full licence needed $300–$5,000+OneMusic fees only
Silence Free ✓ Not needed $0but hurts sales & atmosphere

OneMusic licence costs vary by business type and venue size. Range shown covers small retail to medium fitness studio. Collecting society fees do not include a music source.

What OneMusic actually costs Australian businesses

OneMusic fees are based on your business type, size, and how you use music. Here's what you'd pay — and remember, this is just the licence. Music is extra.

Business Type OneMusic (licence only) + Music Source Total Annual Cost
Small retail shop
(under 100m²)		 $300–$600 $120–$360 $420–$960+
Café or restaurant
(25 seats, Gold tier)		 $1,307$108.91/month inc. GST Included in Gold $1,307
Hair or beauty salon
(under 100m²)		 $250–$500 $120–$360 $370–$860+
Gym or fitness studio
(recorded music + classes)		 $1,600–$5,000+ $120–$360 $1,720–$5,360+

Melodial is $119/year for all of it. Music + licence + Certificate of Compliance.

Why Melodial is the cheapest option

Traditional business music services licence mainstream music from major labels and pass those royalty costs on to you. Then you still need a separate licence from OneMusic (APRA AMCOS + PPCA).

Melodial takes a completely different approach. We own or directly licence every track in our catalogue. None of our music is registered with OneMusic (APRA AMCOS + PPCA) or any other collecting society worldwide.

No royalties to collect means no licence fees to pay. Your subscription is your licence.

Certificate of Compliance included. Every subscriber gets an official certificate proving your music is fully licenced for commercial use. If OneMusic (APRA AMCOS + PPCA) contacts your business, show them the certificate.

What you get for $9.99/month

Feature Melodial Spotify + OneMusic Soundtrack
Music included ✓ ✓ ✓
Commercial licence included ✓ ✗ Separate ✗ Separate
Certificate of Compliance ✓ ✗ ✗
No explicit lyrics ✓ Guaranteed ✗ Manual filtering ✓ Filter available
Voice announcements ✓ AI-powered ✗ ✗
Mobile app (iOS & Android) ✓ ✓ ✓
Cancel anytime ✓ ✓ ✓
Total cost (small business) $99.99/yr $468–$5,168+/yr $660–$5,360+/yr

Get started in 3 minutes

1
Subscribe to Melodial — $9.99/month or $99.99/year. No contracts, cancel anytime.
2
Play Melodial exclusively — switch off Spotify, radio, or CDs. Use our streams, playlists, or mobile app.
3
Download your Certificate of Compliance — you're fully licenced. No OneMusic fees needed.

Frequently asked questions

Is Melodial really the cheapest option?
Yes — when you factor in the total cost including OneMusic fees. Other services may advertise lower subscription prices, but they require a separate licence costing $300–$5,000+/year on top. Melodial includes both the music and the licence from $9.99/month.
Can I just play the radio for free?
The radio itself is free, but playing it in a commercial premises requires a licence from OneMusic (APRA AMCOS + PPCA). That costs $300–$5,000+/year depending on your business type. Plus you have no control over what plays — ads, news, inappropriate content. Melodial costs less than most OneMusic licences alone.
Can I just use Spotify? I already pay for Premium.
Spotify's terms of service prohibit commercial use. Even with Premium, you still need a OneMusic licence — and that's $300–$5,000+/year on top. Melodial replaces both for $9.99/month. Learn more →
Do you have mainstream artists?
No — and that's exactly why it's the cheapest option. Mainstream music triggers OneMusic fees. Melodial's catalogue is thousands of professionally produced tracks designed for commercial environments. Your customers want the right atmosphere, not a specific artist.
What's the catch?
You can only play Melodial music. If you also play mainstream radio, Spotify, or CDs, you'll still need a licence from OneMusic (APRA AMCOS + PPCA) for that music. But if you play Melodial exclusively, you don't need any other licence. That's the deal — and it saves you hundreds or thousands of dollars per year.
What about free royalty-free music from YouTube?
Some YouTube channels offer "royalty-free" music, but the licence terms vary wildly. Many only cover YouTube videos, not physical playback in a business. Verifying the licence status of every track is practically impossible. Melodial guarantees every track is cleared for commercial use.

The cheapest legal music for your business

From $9.99/month — music and licence included. Start your free trial today. No card required.

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