The Best Open Source VLC Media Player AlternativesTop Audio & Media Players like VLC Media Player

The best open source alternative to VLC Media Player is MPC-HC. If that doesn't suit you, our users have ranked more than 100 alternatives to VLC Media Player and loads of them is open source so hopefully you can find a suitable replacement. Other interesting open source alternatives to VLC Media Player are MPV, SMPlayer, IINA and Kodi.

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VLC Media Player alternatives are mainly Audio Players, but if you're looking for Media Players or Internet Radio Services you can filter on that. Other popular filters include Android + Open Source. These are just examples - use the filter bar below to find more specific alternatives to VLC Media Player.
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Cross-platform, free media player supports multimedia files, DVDs, streaming, offers hardware acceleration, 4K, lossless audio, and more.

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VLC Media Player alternatives page was last updated Feb 13, 2025
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  1. MPC-HC icon
     1292 likes
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    MPC-HC's biggest advantage is arguably just how lightweight it is. Not only is it small in terms of hard drive space, but its CPU and overall system resource use is incredibly small compared to other video players, VLC included.

    129 MPC-HC alternatives

    License model

    • FreeOpen Source

    Application types

    Country of Origin

    • PL flagPoland
    • European Union flagEU

    Platforms

    • Windows
    • PortableApps.com

    Properties

    1.  Lightweight
    2.  Support for Themes
    3.  Privacy focused

    Features

    1.  Ad-free
    2.  Dark Mode
    3.  Works Offline
    4.  Stream audio
    5.  No registration required
    6.  Support for 4K
    7.  Portable
    8.  Extensible by Plugins/Extensions
    9.  Webcam recording

    MPC-HC VS VLC Media Player

     
    Comments about MPC-HC as an Alternative to VLC Media Player
    Comment summary: MPC-HC is highly praised as a lightweight and superior alternative to VLC Media Player. Users commend its efficient performance, especially in handling subtitles and various formats like .mkv and HEVC, without the need for external codecs. Its interface is noted for being clean and user-friendly, although less customizable than VLC's. MPC-HC is appreciated for better streaming, compatibility with modern codecs, and seamless playback on less stable networks, making it the go-to choice over VLC for many users.
    Top Positive Comment
    Paul Karpo
    Mar 20, 2019
    11

    Very light-weight. With super easy interface and without any bugs.

    Most Recent Comment
    veddev
    Positive Dec 2, 2024
    0

    Its light-weight, included with the K-Lite codec pack... so awesome media player!

    TPN
    Positive Jan 7, 2024
    1

    Anyone can point me to the .exe download? How yall running this thing? I dont see a program to run.

    Show more comments
    3 of 21 comments
    VLC Media Player Icon
    MPC-HC icon
    • Almost everyone thinks MPC-HC is a great VLC Media Player alternative.

    • MPC-HC is the most popular Windows alternative to VLC Media Player.

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

    • MPC-HC is Free and Open SourceVLC Media Player is also Free and Open Source
    • MPC-HC is Lightweight and Privacy focusedVLC Media Player is not according to our users
  2. MPV icon
     515 likes
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    MPV is an MPlayer-based video player that is available on all major desktop operating systems. Linux users in particular cite MPV as one of the best alternatives to VLC. Its interface is extremely minimal, though with that comes extraordinary stability.

    102 MPV alternatives

    License model

    • FreeOpen Source

    Application types

    Country of Origin

    • US flagUnited States

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Android
    • BSD
    • Xfce
    • F-Droid
    • Chocolatey

    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 VLC Media Player

     
    Comments about MPV as an Alternative to VLC Media Player
    Comment summary: MPV is frequently praised as a lightweight, customizable, and reliable alternative to VLC Media Player. Users note that it handles AV1 encoded videos and other formats more smoothly, overcomes playback stuttering issues, and offers better battery usage. Its minimalistic design with practical shortcuts is favored, though some users miss a conventional UI. Despite VLC's established reputation, MPV is recognized for its strong performance on multiple platforms.
    Top Positive Comment
    kfua
    Jul 8, 2024
    1

    I tried to play a movie encoded to 1080p av1 but vlc was struggling on my device. I used this website to find an alternative MPV plays av1 encoded movies smoothly.

    Most Recent Comment
    Guest
    Positive Dec 8, 2024
    0

    In Linux, VLC sometime struggles playing MP4 videos & navigating within those MP4 videos. Celluloid (MPV frontend) works better in these regards.

    0x6A7232
    Positive Feb 21, 2024
    0

    VLC was having stuttering problems for whatever reason. Installed MPV and bam! Also love the UI, really well integrated for playing movies which is great.

    Show more comments
    3 of 25 comments
    VLC Media Player Icon
    MPV icon
    • Almost everyone thinks MPV is a great VLC Media Player alternative.

    • MPV is the most popular Android, Mac & Linux alternative to VLC Media Player.

    • MPV is Free and Open SourceVLC Media Player is also Free and Open Source
    • MPV is Lightweight and MinimalisticVLC Media Player is not according to our users
  3. SMPlayer icon
     449 likes
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    Like MPV, SMPlayer is based off of MPlayer, but unlike MPV, it's more focused on accessibility with its user interface. Out of the box, users cite SMPlayer as having the versatility and stability of MPV with the ease of use of players like VLC. It also supports add-ons such as a YouTube search.

    121 SMPlayer alternatives

    License model

    • FreeOpen Source

    Application types

    Country of Origin

    • ES flagSpain
    • European Union flagEU

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • BSD
    • mpv
    • PortableApps.com
    • Haiku
    • MPlayer
    • Snapcraft

    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 VLC Media Player

     
    Comments about SMPlayer as an Alternative to VLC Media Player
    Comment summary: Comments highlight SMPlayer's advantages over VLC Media Player, emphasizing ease of use, customization, and versatility. Users appreciate its ability to sync settings across devices, intuitive GUI, and handling of subtitles and incomplete files better than VLC. While generally viewed as superior, a concern over stability on Windows is noted. SMPlayer is praised for being resource-efficient, supporting diverse video files, and providing enhanced playback quality.
    Top Positive Comment
    Armin
    Jul 17, 2021
    2

    It has beautiful skins and is suitable for weak systems.

    Most Recent Comment
    Mayank-Arora
    Positive Mar 6, 2023
    0

    I have stopped using VLC, since I came across SMPlayer. It works seamlessly on all my devices. I once made keyboard shortcuts, and saved it on cloud. Now, it is very easy to copy that file and have same settings and same shortcuts across all devices. For me, this is better than VLC media player and it is so easy to set aspect ratio, increase and decrease volume, manage video speeds and sync audio/subtitles.

    Guest
    Positive Apr 18, 2022
    3

    It is the best mpv frontend in my opinion. having such powerful media player engine such as mpv + a user friendly ui. built-in subtitle search engine makes you like a lot easier too.

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    3 of 18 comments
    VLC Media Player Icon
    SMPlayer icon
    • Almost everyone thinks SMPlayer is a great VLC Media Player alternative.

    • SMPlayer is Free and Open SourceVLC Media Player is also Free and Open Source
    • SMPlayer is Customizable and LightweightVLC Media Player is not according to our users
  4. IINA icon
     125 likes
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    Though it's exclusive to macOS, IINA's users swear by it for being lightweight, efficient, and performative. Minor annoyances such as performance-based audio-video-subtitle desyncs that can be found on VLC are not a problem when using IINA. Additionally, its interface is neat clean, with clearly labelled settings. This ease of use combined with its excellent performance makes it an easy recommendation for macOS users looking for a media player.

    36 IINA alternatives

    License model

    • FreeOpen Source

    Application types

    Country of Origin

    • International

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • mpv

    Properties

    1.  Lightweight
    2.  Clean design

    Features

    1.  Picture in Picture
    2.  Automatic subtitles download
    3.  Support for subtitles
    4.  No registration required
    5.  Ad-free
    6.  Dark Mode
    7.  Works Offline
    8.  Support for 4K
    9.  Lossless Audio
    10.  No Tracking
    11.  Play web video
    12.  Built-in themes

    IINA VS VLC Media Player

     
    Comments about IINA as an Alternative to VLC Media Player
    Top Positive Comment
    Paul
    Oct 31, 2017
    5

    Great alternative to VLC if you're on macOS. It's lightweight, the UI is very clean, and has even more functionalities than VLC.

    Top Negative Comment
    Lai Curaga
    Aug 4, 2024
    0

    still no RTSP support (for local webcam/small cctv)

    Most Recent Comment
    nicolaspatate
    Positive Jun 7, 2020
    2

    IINA is the best modern player out there

    Show more comments
    3 of 8 comments
    VLC Media Player Icon
    IINA icon
    • Almost everyone thinks IINA is a great VLC Media Player alternative.

    • IINA is Free and Open SourceVLC Media Player is also Free and Open Source
    • IINA is LightweightVLC Media Player is not according to our users
  5. Kodi icon
     1510 likes
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    Though Kodi can function as an alternative to VLC, its strengths lie in its robust cataloging of media and robust sorting and organization options for TV shows, movies, and music. Its media server capabilities are front and center, its playback functionality is nothing to sneeze at, and it can be used for that exact purpose.

    74 Kodi alternatives

    License model

    • FreeOpen Source

    Application types

    Country of Origin

    • GB flagUnited Kingdom

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • BSD
    • iPad
    • Flathub
    • Flatpak
    • Raspberry Pi
    • Fire TV

    Properties

    1.  Support for Themes

    Features

    1.  Media Streaming
    2.  TV Shows meta data support
    3.  Video library
    4.  Media Center
    5.  Media library
    6.  Support for IPTV
    7.  Media Server
    8.  Automatic subtitles download
    9.  Built-in Media Downloader
    10.  Ad-free
    11.  Extensible by Plugins/Extensions
    12.  Portable

    Kodi VS VLC Media Player

     
    Comments about Kodi as an Alternative to VLC Media Player
    Top Positive Comment
    Guest
    Sep 8, 2015
    7

    Kody is more oriented to being a fullscreen video/music cataloguing application, but it has an internal video/audio/iptv playing system with very good decoding capabilities like VLC and can be windowed as well

    Top Negative Comment
    Lester Covax
    Feb 8, 2021
    5

    Kodi is a media server first and foremost. It's like comparing Google Docs to Microsoft Office.

    Most Recent Comment
    Guest
    Negative Jan 10, 2025
    1

    Too Bloated. Not really meant for playing local video files

    Show more comments
    3 of 6 comments
    VLC Media Player Icon
    Kodi icon
    • Most users think Kodi is a great VLC Media Player alternative.

    • Kodi is the most popular iPhone & iPad alternative to VLC Media Player.

    • Kodi is Free and Open SourceVLC Media Player is also Free and Open Source
  6. MPC-BE icon
     176 likes
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    MPC-BE is another fork of Media Player Classic (specifically of the Home Cinema fork) with a focus on bug fixes and for automatically mounting ISO images. It is actively updated and performs really well for video playback. Users do not recommend it for music playback, as it lacks support for playlist looping and includes odd behaviors for shuffling media playback.

    111 MPC-BE alternatives

    License model

    • FreeOpen Source

    Application types

    Country of Origin

    • RU flagRussia

    Platforms

    • Windows

    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 VLC Media Player

     
    Comments about MPC-BE as an Alternative to VLC Media Player
    Guest
    Positive Nov 10, 2021
    -1

    thumbnail view, available on MS store

    rapheal dowry
    Positive Jan 12, 2022
    -2

    I haven't tried it until now but will try it soon and will update the reviews too.

    thanks!

    VLC Media Player Icon
    MPC-BE icon
    • Almost everyone thinks MPC-BE is a great VLC Media Player alternative.

    • MPC-BE is Free and Open SourceVLC Media Player is also Free and Open Source
    • MPC-BE is LightweightVLC Media Player is not according to our users
  7. Copy a direct link to this comment to your clipboard

    Though it's been discontinued and almost entirely superseded by successors like Media Player Classic Home Cinema, some users still swear by it as a sort of "old reliable" video player that can play most files people throw at it with no issue. However, it's been 10 years since its last release, so it's highly recommended to look at MPC-HC and other forks actively in development.

    127 Media Player Classic alternatives

    License model

    • FreeOpen Source

    Application type

    Country of Origin

    • HU flagHungary
    • European Union flagEU

    Platforms

    • Windows
    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 VLC Media Player

     
    Comments about Media Player Classic as an Alternative to VLC Media Player
    Guest
    Negative Nov 7, 2016
    4

    It doesn't feature an online streamer...

    VLC Media Player Icon
    Media Player Classic icon
    • Most users think Media Player Classic is a great VLC Media Player alternative.

    • Media Player Classic is Free and Open SourceVLC Media Player is also Free and Open Source
7 of 133 VLC Media Player alternatives