MPC-HC AlternativesOnly apps categorised as Media Players

The best Media Player alternative to MPC-HC is VLC Media Player, which is both free and Open Source. If that doesn't suit you, our users have ranked more than 100 alternatives to MPC-HC and loads of them are Media Players so hopefully you can find a suitable replacement. Other interesting Media Player alternatives to MPC-HC are MPC-BE, MPV, SMPlayer and PotPlayer.

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MPC-HC alternatives are mainly Media Players, but if you're looking for Audio Players or Internet Radio Services you can filter on that. These are just examples - use the filter bar below to find more specific alternatives to MPC-HC.
MPC-HC iconMPC-HC
  1292
  • ...

Open-source media player offering video and audio format support, no ads, and community-driven development. Features include dark theme, codec support, and YouTube compatibility.

More about MPC-HC
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MPC-HC alternatives page was last updated May 1, 2025
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  1. VLC Media Player icon

    VLC Media Player

     7600 likes
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    Enjoy seamless media experiences with this cross-platform, ad-free player supporting multimedia files, DVDs, streaming, Chromecast, 4K, and no tracking. Customize with themes, play offline, and get privacy-focused service without registration. Fully extensible by plugins.

    285 VLC Media Player alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application types

    Country of Origin

    • FR flagFrance
    • European Union flagEU

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • BSD
    • iPad
    • AppImageHub
    • Apple Watch
    • Snapcraft
    • Google Chrome
    • Apple TV
    • Flathub
    • PortableApps.com
    • F-Droid
    • Kindle Fire
    • Haiku
    • Android TV
    • Homebrew
    • Chocolatey
    VLC Media Player screenshot 1

    Properties

    1.  Customizable
    2.  Support for Themes
    3.  Optimal performance

    Features

    1.  Ad-free
    2.  Video Converter
    3.  Video playback
    4.  Built-in Media converter
    5.  Support for subtitles
    6.  Integrated Codecs
    7.  Audio Recording
    8.  Cross-Platform
    9.  Internet Radio
    10.  Compatibility Layer
    11.  Media Streaming
    12.  Replay Gain

    VLC Media Player VS MPC-HC

     
    Comments about VLC Media Player as an Alternative to MPC-HC
    Top Positive Comment
    Guest
    Mar 14, 2020
    3

    It's one alternative, not the best, MPC-HC is very very fast and simple , it's a shame that doesn't exist a very MPC-HC equivalent app in Linux comunity.

    Top Negative Comment
    Guest
    Mar 13, 2017
    18

    It's all about the functionality while playing, the capability in adjusting the control keys and the skip times configuration.

    Yeah, it can be personalized and the wide of the compatible video and audio formats is almost equal, yet VLC is still no capable of being personalized in the important thing to me.

    Most Recent Comment
    Stefano
    Negative •Jan 6, 2023
    0

    For me I could not play 4k videos on VLC, no matter of the settings, I was using the latest version but nothing. With MPC-HC I could play 4k out of the box.

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    3 of 8 comments
    MPC-HC Icon
    VLC Media Player icon

    • Most users think VLC Media Player is a great MPC-HC alternative.

    • VLC Media Player is the most popular Windows, Android, Mac & iPhone alternative to MPC-HC.

    • VLC Media Player is the most popular Open Source & free alternative to MPC-HC.

    • VLC Media Player is Free and Open SourceMPC-HC is also Free and Open Source
    • VLC Media Player is CustomizableMPC-HC is not according to our users
  2. MPC-BE icon

    MPC-BE

     176 likes
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    Media Player Classic - Black Edition (MPC-BE) is a fork of MPC and MPC-HC. It moved away from MPC's aim to mimic the look and feel of Windows Media Player with updated player controls and provides additional features on top of MPC-HC such as a video preview tooltip when...

    111 MPC-BE alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application types

    Country of Origin

    • RU flagRussia

    Platforms

    • Windows
    MPC-BE screenshot 1

    Properties

    1.  Lightweight
    2.  Customizable
    3.  Support for Themes

    Features

    1.  Dark Mode
    2.  Thumbnails
    3.  Ad-free
    4.  Works Offline
    5.  Portable
    6.  Integrated Youtube support
    7.  No registration required
    8.  Support for 4K
    9.  Lossless Audio
    10.  Extensible by Plugins/Extensions

    MPC-BE VS MPC-HC

     
    Comments about MPC-BE as an Alternative to MPC-HC
    Most Recent Comment
    Guest
    Positive •Oct 29, 2017
    5

    It supports all formats and color quality is also the best. It is the world's best media player.

    Boris Yakubchik
    Positive •Dec 15, 2018
    0

    Best video player I've found!

    Guest
    Positive •Jun 26, 2019
    -2

    Simple and efficient - comes with codecs and quality

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    3 of 4 comments
    MPC-HC Icon
    MPC-BE icon

    • Almost everyone thinks MPC-BE is a great MPC-HC alternative.

    • MPC-BE is Free and Open SourceMPC-HC is also Free and Open Source
    • MPC-BE is LightweightMPC-HC is not according to our users
  4. MPV icon

    MPV

     515 likes
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    MPV is an audio and movie player based on MPlayer and mplayer2. It supports a wide variety of video file formats, audio and video codecs, and subtitle types.

    103 MPV alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application types

    Country of Origin

    • US flagUnited States

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Android
    • BSD
    • Xfce
    MPV screenshot 1

    Properties

    1.  Lightweight
    2.  Minimalistic
    3.  Configurable

    Features

    1.  Integrated Codecs
    2.  Low resource footprint
    3.  Command line interface
    4.  Extensible by Plugins/Extensions
    5.  Video playback
    6.  Drag and Drop
    7.  Lua scripting
    8.  HDR source support
    9.  GNU/linux-libre
    10.  Ad-free
    11.  Hardware Accelerated
    12.  Portable

    MPV VS MPC-HC

     
    Comments about MPV as an Alternative to MPC-HC
    Most Recent Comment
    zlelmefs
    Negative •Jul 23, 2022
    3

    A minamalist GUI is not a positive trait, especially for a media player. The appropriate amount of command line usage for an everyday application in 2022 is zero.

    Guest
    Positive •Jul 5, 2018
    6
    • Plays all video files
    • Has a simple and uncluttered GUI
    • Easy on the CPU and battery
    • A bit harder to set up than other media players
    papatheodorou
    Positive •May 22, 2021
    -1

    Ultra lightweight, minimal interface, borderless / frameless if desired.

    Show more comments
    3 of 4 comments
    MPC-HC Icon
    MPV icon

    • Most users think MPV is a great MPC-HC alternative.

    • MPV is Free and Open SourceMPC-HC is also Free and Open Source
    • MPV is Lightweight and MinimalisticMPC-HC is not according to our users
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    PlayerFab

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  6. SMPlayer icon

    SMPlayer

     449 likes
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    SMPlayer intends to be a complete front-end for MPlayer, from basic features like playing videos, DVDs, and VCDs to more advanced features like support for MPlayer filters and more. SMPlayer remembers the settings of all files you play.

    122 SMPlayer alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application types

    Country of Origin

    • ES flagSpain
    • European Union flagEU

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • BSD
    • mpv
    • PortableApps.com
    • Haiku
    • MPlayer
    • Snapcraft
    Playing video - Default Skin

    Properties

    1.  Customizable
    2.  Lightweight
    3.  Support for Themes

    Features

    1.  Support for subtitles
    2.  Ad-free
    3.  Multiplatform
    4.  Skin customization
    5.  Youtube support
    6.  Integrated Codecs
    7.  Built-in subtitle search
    8.  Support for Keyboard Shortcuts
    9.  Works Offline
    10.  Portable
    11.  No registration required
    12.  Chromecast Support

    SMPlayer VS MPC-HC

     
    Comments about SMPlayer as an Alternative to MPC-HC
    Most Recent Comment
    aseixas
    Positive •Apr 16, 2017
    7

    Very similar to MPC-HC in terms of features, and very customisable as well, even though it's lightweight all the same. Includes one of my favourite features from MPC-HC which is the subtitle search and download feature for the video file you're watching.

    Guest
    Negative •Jun 2, 2016
    -1

    SMPlayer lacks the features and the feel of MPC-HC

    sidboy
    Positive •Feb 13, 2017
    -3

    It is more complete than MPC and has the same perfomance.

    MPC-HC Icon
    SMPlayer icon

    • Most users think SMPlayer is a great MPC-HC alternative.

    • SMPlayer is Free and Open SourceMPC-HC is also Free and Open Source
    • SMPlayer is Customizable and LightweightMPC-HC is not according to our users
  7. PotPlayer icon

    PotPlayer

     681 likes
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    Windows multimedia software player offering extensive customization, format versatility, and optimized low-end hardware playback. Developed by Kakao, it avoids adware and features powerful customization, praised for its small footprint and high-quality video output, competing with leading players.

    123 PotPlayer alternatives

    License model

    • Free Personal • Proprietary

    Application types

    Country of Origin

    • KR flagSouth Korea

    Platforms

    • Windows
    PotPlayer screenshot 1

    Properties

    1.  Customizable
    2.  Lightweight
    3.  Minimalistic

    Features

    1.  Support for Keyboard Shortcuts
    2.  Support for subtitles
    3.  Graphical User Interface
    4.  Playback speed control
    5.  Skinnable
    6.  Ad-free
    7.  Integrated Codecs
    8.  Thumbnail preview
    9.  Dark Mode
    10.  Video playback
    11.  Capture image from video
    12.  No registration required

    PotPlayer VS MPC-HC

     
    Comments about PotPlayer as an Alternative to MPC-HC
    Guest
    Positive •Apr 15, 2018
    2

    It's the all around best media player in my opinion. It's lightweight,minimalistic and supports pretty much every media format under the sun. It has already replaced VLC and windows media player on my PC

    MPC-HC Icon
    PotPlayer icon

    • Most users think PotPlayer is a great MPC-HC alternative.

    • PotPlayer is Free Personal and ProprietaryMPC-HC is Free and Open Source
    • PotPlayer is Customizable, Lightweight and MinimalisticMPC-HC is not according to our users
  8. AIMP icon

    AIMP

     855 likes
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    Feature-rich audio player for Windows and Android supporting diverse codecs and interfaces. Includes conversion tools, skins, plugins, and custom equalizer for enhanced audio streaming and podcast playback.

    326 AIMP alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Proprietary

    Application types

    Country of Origin

    • RU flagRussia

    Platforms

    • Windows
    • Android
    • PortableApps.com
    AIMP screenshot 1

    Properties

    1.  Lightweight
    2.  Customizable
    3.  Support for Themes

    Features

    1.  Music Library
    2.  Playlists management
    3.  Skins
    4.  Mp3 Tag Editor
    5.  Audio Conversion
    6.  Remembers position in file
    7.  Crossfading
    8.  Internet Radio
    9.  Full keyboard shortcuts
    10.  Hi-Fi Sound
    11. Last.fm icon  Integrated Last.fm scrobbler
    12.  Dark Mode

    AIMP VS MPC-HC

     
  10. Clementine icon

    Clementine

     735 likes
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    Clementine is a cross-platform free and open source music player and library organizer. It is a port of Amarok 1.4 to the Qt 4 framework and the GStreamer multimedia framework, focusing on a fast and easy-to-use interface for searching and...

    244 Clementine alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application types

    Country of Origin

    • US flagUnited States

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • BSD
    Clementine with lyrics pane

    Properties

    1.  Lightweight
    2.  Privacy focused

    Features

    1.  Smart playlists
    2.  Podcast Player
    3.  Dynamic/Intelligent Playlists
    4. Last.fm icon  Integrated Last.fm scrobbler
    5.  Playlists management
    6.  Audio Visualization
    7.  No Tracking
    8.  Ad-free
    9.  Lossless Audio
    10.  File Tagging
    11.  No registration required
    12.  Moodbar

    Clementine VS MPC-HC

     
    Comments about Clementine as an Alternative to MPC-HC
    Most Recent Comment
    Guest
    Negative •Mar 4, 2019
    21

    Anyone looking for a replacement of MPC-HC is looking for a good video player not a music player.

    Guest
    Negative •Apr 12, 2020
    7

    Its music player not video player...

    Guest
    Negative •Jan 5, 2021
    1

    MPC-HC plays video, Clementine plays audio

    MPC-HC Icon
    Clementine icon

    • This alternative is disputed. Clementine is a legitimate MPC-HC alternative, but it might have issues that some users think are important.

    • Clementine is Free and Open SourceMPC-HC is also Free and Open Source
    • Clementine is Lightweight and Privacy focusedMPC-HC is not according to our users
  11. Media Player Classic icon

    Media Player Classic

     758 likes
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    Media Player Classic was designed to look just like Windows Media Player 6.4, but with many additional new features. It has a built in DVD player with real-time zoom, support for AVI subtitles, QuickTime and RealVideo support and built-in...

    127 Media Player Classic alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application type

    Country of Origin

    • HU flagHungary
    • European Union flagEU

    Platforms

    • Windows
    Media Player Classic screenshot 1
    Discontinued

    The project is no longer developed. The currently active fork is MPC-HC icon MPC-HC . Latest version, 6.4.9.1, released in April 2011, can be still downloaded from FreeCodec.com

    Media Player Classic Features

    1.  Support for subtitles

    Media Player Classic VS MPC-HC

     
8 of 97 MPC-HC alternatives