Alternatives
Best mpv alternatives in 2026
mpv is free open-source video player for the command line and desktop. These 9 alternatives come from the same rankings, ordered by editorial score. Connected products carry a small, disclosed lift.
Ranked alternatives
- 1
VLC media player
Also runs on iOS, Android. 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
- 2
Plex
Also runs on Web, iOS, Android. 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
- 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
- 4
Infuse
Also runs on 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
- 5
Kodi
Also runs on iOS, Android. 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
- 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
- 7
IINA
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
- 8
SMPlayer
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
- 9
MPC-BE
A free, GPL-3.0 media player for Windows that plays local audio and video files. It runs only on Windows, and VLC in this list covers more systems, so MPC-BE suits Windows users who only need a desktop player.
Best for Windows users who want a free local-file player
WindowsFree and open sourceOpen source
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About mpv alternatives
- What is the best alternative to mpv?
- 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 mpv?
- Yes. Free options include VLC media player, Plex, Jellyfin.
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