Filtered ranking
Best Media Players for macOS in 2026
6 of the 10 media players ranked on listme.name match: they officially support macOS. The order uses the same scores as the full ranking.
The ranking
- 1
VLC media player
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
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
Infuse
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
- 4
Kodi
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
- 5
mpv
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
- 6
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
At a glance
| Product | Score | Price | Platforms | Serves a home library |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 VLC media player | 91.5 | Free and open source | WindowsmacOSLinuxiOSAndroid | No |
 Plex | 89.0 | Free plan, paid upgrades | WebWindowsmacOSiOSAndroidSelf-hosted | Yes |
 Infuse | 85.5 | Free plan, paid upgrades | macOSiOS, iPadOS | No |
 Kodi | 84.0 | Free and open source | WindowsmacOSLinuxiOSAndroid | No |
 mpv | 82.5 | Free and open source | WindowsmacOSLinux | No |
 IINA | 81.0 | Free and open source | macOS | No |
