# Best Media Players for Android in 2026

Source: https://listme.name/best/media-players/android

Media players differ on whether they play files on one device or serve a whole library to others, and on whether the code is open. This ranking weighs format support and everyday playback first, then library and streaming features, then platform reach and price.

## 1. VLC media player (score 91.5)

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
- Free and open source | Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android | open source (GPL-2.0)
- Website: https://www.videolan.org/vlc/
- Page: https://listme.name/software/vlc

## 2. Plex (score 89.0)

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
- Free plan, paid upgrades | Web, Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Self-hosted
- Website: https://www.plex.tv/
- Page: https://listme.name/software/plex

## 3. Jellyfin (score 87.5)

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
- Free and open source | Web, Android, Self-hosted | open source (GPL-2.0)
- Website: https://jellyfin.org/
- Page: https://listme.name/software/jellyfin

## 4. Kodi (score 84.0)

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
- Free and open source | Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android | open source (GPL-2.0-or-later)
- Website: https://kodi.tv/
- Page: https://listme.name/software/kodi

## 5. Emby (score 83.0)

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
- Free plan, paid upgrades | Android, iOS, Windows
- Website: https://emby.media/
- Page: https://listme.name/software/emby