Beltr vs KaraFun
KaraFun streams a catalog you rent for $9.99 a month. Beltr turns the songs you already own into karaoke on your own computer — for a one-time $19.99. Here's the honest side-by-side.
Beltr is a one-time $19.99 desktop app that turns songs you already own into karaoke using on-device AI. KaraFun is a $9.99/month subscription to a fixed streaming catalog. Choose Beltr if you want to own your setup, sing your own music, and stop paying monthly. Choose KaraFun if you'd rather stream from a large ready-made catalog and don't need your own files.
Side by side
The facts that actually matter when you're deciding. Comparison based on KaraFun's public pricing and product pages, July 2026.
| Beltr | KaraFun | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $19.99 one-time | $9.99 / month |
| Cost after one year | $19.99 (still) | ~$120 at $9.99/mo, then it renews |
| Sing songs you already own | Yes — any MP3, FLAC, WAV | No — catalog only |
| Song library | Your entire music collection | KaraFun's licensed catalog |
| Songs can disappear | No — they're your files | Yes — if licensing changes |
| Works offline | Yes — fully on your computer | Streaming (Premium offline sync) |
| AI vocal removal on your songs | Yes — on-device (Demucs) | Pre-made catalog tracks only |
| Your audio leaves your computer | No — nothing is uploaded | Streamed from KaraFun's servers |
| Ready-made pro catalog | Uses your own library instead | Yes — large licensed catalog |
| Free tier | 5 full songs | 30-second previews |
| Platforms | Mac, Windows, Linux | Web, Mac, Windows, iOS, Android, TV |
The math
Beltr is $19.99, one time. KaraFun Premium is $9.99 a month at the monthly rate — about $120 a year, and it renews for as long as you keep it.
Why people switch
The four complaints that come up again and again — and how owning your setup fixes each one.
Streaming catalogs only have what's licensed — and songs get pulled when rights change. Beltr works on the music you already own, so if it's in your library, you can sing it tonight.
Monthly plans keep billing whether you host karaoke twice a year or never. Beltr is one payment. Sing at New Year's, forget about it until next year — no charge waiting for you.
Streaming karaoke leans on your connection, and offline use means pre-syncing catalog tracks first. Beltr separates vocals and plays entirely on your computer — nothing to stream, nothing to sync.
Beltr runs its AI on-device — your audio never leaves your machine. No uploads, no accounts required to make a track, no per-song cloud limits.
More than a catalog
Because it runs on your computer, Beltr turns your living room into the stage.
Big, readable, word-synced lyrics on the main screen so the whole room sings along.
Guests scan a QR code to queue songs and run the room from their phones — no app install, no logins.
Score singers in real time for a game-night feel, or keep it casual — your call.
Beltr films the performance and drops a vertical clip on your phone — made on your machine, shared only when you tap.
Being fair
We'll be straight with you: KaraFun is a great product for a different need. If you want a huge catalog of professionally produced karaoke tracks — with backing vocals, on-screen lyrics, and key/tempo controls — ready to stream with zero setup, and you're happy to pay monthly and don't care about using your own music files, KaraFun's catalog is excellent and hard to beat.
Beltr is for the other kind of person: someone who wants to sing their own songs, own their setup with one payment, and keep everything on their own computer. If that's you, read on.
Download
Pick your OS. Own your karaoke for a one-time $19.99 when you're ready.
Windows without the Store? Download the .exe installer · triggers SmartScreen
Pricing
Start with the 5-song free trial. Unlock everything with a one-time $19.99 purchase — no subscription to cancel later.
One-time purchase
One-time · no subscription · lifetime updates
FAQ
Over time, yes. Beltr is a one-time $19.99 purchase; KaraFun Premium is $9.99 per month — about $120 a year at the monthly rate. Beltr costs about the same as two months of KaraFun, then it's yours forever with no further charges.
No. KaraFun plays songs only from its licensed streaming catalog; you can't karaoke a music file you already own. Beltr turns your own songs (MP3, FLAC, WAV) into karaoke on your own computer.
Yes. Once installed, Beltr separates vocals and plays karaoke locally on your computer with no internet required. KaraFun is a cloud streaming service; its Premium plan can pre-sync some tracks for offline use, but it stays limited to KaraFun's catalog.
Streaming catalogs can lose songs when licensing agreements change. With Beltr, your karaoke tracks are made from your own files, so nothing can be removed from your library.
No. Beltr is a one-time $19.99 purchase with a free 5-song trial. No subscription, ever. Lifetime updates are included and one license covers 2 devices.
If you want a large, ready-made catalog of professionally produced karaoke tracks with zero setup, and you don't need to use your own music files, KaraFun's subscription catalog is a strong option.
macOS (Apple Silicon), Windows 10/11, and Linux (AppImage or .deb).
Yes. Beltr shows synced lyrics on your TV and lets guests queue songs and control the session from their phones by scanning a QR code — no app install required.
Ready when you are
Turn the songs you already own into a full karaoke night — TV lyrics, phone remotes, on-device AI. One payment, yours forever.
Try 5 Songs FreeMac, Windows, Linux · One-time $19.99 · 5 songs free, no card