Best Media Player Software in 2026
Updated
In short: mpv is ranked #1 of 66 as of 1 October 2026, ahead of VLC media player and KMPlayer. The best-ranked option with a free plan is SMPlayer. The lowest first paid tier on this page is Infuse at $1.42/mo.
Choosing media player software starts with the files and playback setup you need to support. Compare format support and 4K playback, then consider hardware acceleration and subtitle support for your viewing needs. Network playback may matter if you play media from elsewhere on your network; supported platforms and license model show availability and how each option is offered. The comparison also includes free plans and paid-from pricing. mpv, VLC media player and KMPlayer lead the entries, followed by Infuse and Emby. Use the listed criteria to find a player that fits your devices and playback habits.
66 media player software ranked on what their makers publish — plans and prices, free tiers, platforms and the facts on their own pages.
| # | Platform | Score | Why | From | Free plan | Paid from | Supported platforms | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  mpv | 8.9 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | Free | Yes | — | Windows, macOS, Linux, Android | View |
| 2 |  VLC media player | 7.5 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | Yes | — | Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android | View |
| 3 | KMPlayer | 7.5 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | Yes | — | Windows, macOS, iOS, Android | View |
| 4 | Infuse | 7.5 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | $1.42/mo | Yes | Free | iOS, macOS, Apple TV, visionOS | View |
| 5 |  Emby | 7.2 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | Yes | — | web, windows, macos, linux, ios, android, self_hosted | View |
| 6 |  5KPlayer | 7.2 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | Yes | — | Windows, macOS | View |
| 7 | SMPlayer | 7.1 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | Free | Yes | — | Windows, Linux, macOS | View |
| 8 |  PlayerXtreme | 7.1 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | Yes | — | iOS, Android, Apple TV, Android TV, Apple Watch | View |
| 9 |  Elmedia Player | 7.1 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | $19.99/mo | Yes | $19.99one-time | macOS | View |
| 10 |  MPlayer | 7.0 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | Free | Yes | — | — | View |
| 11 |  GOM Player | 7.0 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | $22/mo | Yes | $22one-time | Windows, macOS, iOS, Android | View |
| 12 | DivX Player | 7.0 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | Free | Yes | — | windows, macos | View |
| 13 | AnyTV | 6.9 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | Free | Yes | — | macos, ios, android | View |
| 14 | MediaPortal | 6.8 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | Yes | — | web, windows, ios, android | View |
| 15 |  OSMC | 6.8 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | Yes | — | Raspberry Pi, Vero, Apple TV | View |
| 16 |  QuickTime Player | 6.8 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | Yes | — | macOS | View |
| 17 |  MPC-BE | 6.7 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | Yes | — | Windows | View |
| 18 |  mpv.net | 6.6 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | Yes | — | windows | View |
| 19 | GeeXboX | 6.6 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | Yes | — | linux, windows, macos | View |
| 20 |  RealPlayer | 6.6 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | Free | Yes | — | Windows, macOS, iOS, Android | View |
| 21 |  BS.Player | 6.6 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | €19.90/mo | Yes | — | Windows, Android | View |
| 22 |  nPlayer | 6.5 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | No | — | iOS, Android, macOS | View |
| 23 |  RealPlayer | 6.5 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | Yes | $24.99one-time | Windows, iOS, Android | View |
| 24 |  IINA | 6.5 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | Yes | — | macOS, Chrome extension | View |
| 25 |  Haruna | 6.5 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | Yes | — | Linux, Windows | View |
Is your platform on this list?
Numbered spots on this list can be sponsored. They are labelled, and the editorial order and scores never change for payment.
Questions about this list
Which media player software is ranked first on Inferse?
mpv is ranked #1 of 66 with a score of 8.9. VLC media player is second and KMPlayer third.
How many of these have a free plan?
8 of the 25 on this page publish a free plan on their own pricing pages.
Which is the cheapest paid option?
On this page, Infuse has the lowest first paid tier we found: $1.42/mo.
How is this list ranked?
Ranked on what each maker publishes, open and connectable first: a public API, open-source code, the depth of its documentation and a free tier to try it on. Model lists are sorted by the figure in their title, exactly as each provider publishes it. Paid placements never change a rank.