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Alternatives

Best MPC-BE alternatives in 2026

MPC-BE is open-source media player for Windows that plays audio and video files. These 9 alternatives come from the same rankings, ordered by editorial score. Connected products carry a small, disclosed lift.

9 alternatives From best media players How we rank Share

Ranked alternatives

  1. VLC media player

    Also runs on macOS, Linux, iOS. Plays nearly any audio or video format on Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS and Android, and it is free and open source under GPL-2.0. It does not serve a library to other devices.

    Best for Playing almost any file on any computer

    WindowsmacOSLinuxiOSAndroidFree and open sourceOpen source

    91.5of 100
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  2. Plex

    Also runs on Web, macOS, iOS. Streams a personal library to phones and browsers with free movies and live channels available too. Plex Pass is paid for premium features, and the code is closed.

    Best for Streaming a home library to phones and browsers

    WebWindowsmacOSiOSAndroidSelf-hostedFree plan, paid upgrades

    89.0of 100
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  3. Jellyfin

    Also runs on Web, Android. Free software media server with no subscription, streaming to web and Android clients from your own hardware. Setup and maintenance fall on the user, which makes it harder to start than Plex.

    Best for A free, self-hosted library with no vendor account

    WebAndroidSelf-hostedFree and open sourceOpen source

    87.5of 100
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  4. Infuse

    Also runs on macOS, iOS. A video player for iPhone, iPad and Mac with subtitle downloads, cloud and network sources, and 4K Dolby Vision playback on Pro. It is Apple-only, and Pro costs $1.99 a month, $16.99 a year or $99.99 for a lifetime license.

    Best for Apple users who play a large personal video library

    macOSiOS, iPadOSFree plan, paid upgrades

    85.5of 100
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  5. Kodi

    Also runs on macOS, Linux, iOS. Free home theater software that plays local files and add-on content on Android, Windows, macOS and Linux. Add-on quality varies, and it is a player rather than a server.

    Best for A home theater setup on a TV or media box

    WindowsmacOSLinuxiOSAndroidFree and open sourceOpen source

    84.0of 100
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  6. Emby

    Also runs on Android, iOS. A personal media server that streams your own video, music, photos and live TV to phones, TVs and consoles. Premiere adds mobile downloads and hardware transcoding, and Jellyfin in this list is the open-source option.

    Best for Households with their own video and music library

    AndroidiOSWindowsFree plan, paid upgrades

    83.0of 100
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  7. mpv

    Also runs on macOS, Linux. Free and open source with precise keyboard control and scripting on Windows, macOS and Linux. It has no graphical menus by default, so it is harder to learn than VLC.

    Best for Keyboard-driven playback and scripting

    WindowsmacOSLinuxFree and open sourceOpen source

    82.5of 100
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  8. IINA

    Also runs on macOS. A free, open-source player built for macOS, with plugin support and a native look. It runs on Mac only, so it covers fewer systems than VLC.

    Best for A native macOS player with plugins

    macOSFree and open sourceOpen source

    81.0of 100
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  9. SMPlayer

    Also runs on Linux. A free GPL-2.0 player for Windows and Linux with built-in codecs and per-file memory, built on the MPlayer engine. It has fewer keyboard and scripting options than mpv, and the official site lists no macOS version.

    Best for Simple free playback on Windows or Linux

    WindowsLinuxFree and open sourceOpen source

    76.5of 100
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Narrow the alternatives

MPC-BE alternatives for Linux

MPC-BE alternatives for macOS

MPC-BE alternatives for Android

MPC-BE alternatives for iOS

About MPC-BE alternatives

What is the best alternative to MPC-BE?
On listme.name the highest-scored alternative is VLC media player, followed by Plex. The right choice depends on price, platform and whether you need open source.
Is there a free alternative to MPC-BE?
Yes. Free options include VLC media player, Plex, Jellyfin.

Before you switch

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