Best Media Player Software in 2026
Updated
In short: mpv is ranked #1 of 76 as of 4 October 2026, ahead of Infuse and 5KPlayer. The best-ranked option with a free plan is Infuse. The lowest first paid tier on this page is Infuse at $1.42/mo.
Choosing media player software depends on the files you have and the playback setup you use. Compared on format support, 4K playback and hardware acceleration, these players also differ in subtitle support and network playback. Check supported platforms and license model, then consider free plans and paid-from pricing as cost details. mpv, Infuse and 5KPlayer are among the options, alongside VLC media player and KMPlayer. Think about where your media comes from, which formats and subtitles you need, and whether network playback matters for the devices on which you watch.
76 media player software ranked on what their makers publish — plans and prices, free tiers, platforms and the facts on their own pages.
Recognised 40% · Phone app 26% · Documented 20% · Free plan 14% of the score
- 1 mpv Android only RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 9.8Free Supported platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux, AndroidNetwork playback: YesSubtitle support: Yes
- 2 Infuse iPhone only RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 9.6$1.42/mo Supported platforms: iOS, macOS, Apple TV, visionOSNetwork playback: YesSubtitle support: Yes
- 3 5KPlayer iPhone only RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 9.4Free Supported platforms: Windows, macOSNetwork playback: YesSubtitle support: Yes
- 4 VLC media player iPhone + Android RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 9.1 Supported platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, AndroidNetwork playback: YesSubtitle support: Yes
- 5 KMPlayer iPhone + Android RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 9.1 Supported platforms: Windows, macOS, iOS, AndroidNetwork playback: YesSubtitle support: Yes
- 6 BS.Player Android only RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 9.1€19.90/mo Supported platforms: Windows, AndroidNetwork playback: YesSubtitle support: Yes
- 7 RealPlayer iPhone + Android RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 9.0Free Supported platforms: Windows, macOS, iOS, AndroidNetwork playback: YesSubtitle support: Yes
- 8 MediaPortal iPhone + Android RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 8.7 Supported platforms: web, windows, ios, androidNetwork playback: YesSubtitle support: Yes
- 9 GOM Player iPhone + Android RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 8.6$22/mo Supported platforms: Windows, macOS, iOS, AndroidNetwork playback: YesSubtitle support: Yes
- 10 PlayerXtreme iPhone + Android RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 8.5 Supported platforms: iOS, Android, Apple TV, Android TV, Apple WatchNetwork playback: YesSubtitle support: Yes
- 11 foobar2000 iPhone + Android RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 8.4 Supported platforms: Windows, macOS, Android, iOS; Linux via WineNetwork playback: Yes
- 12 doubleTwist Android only RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 8.4Free Supported platforms: android, windows, macosNetwork playback: Yes
- 13 AIMP Android only RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 8.2 Supported platforms: Windows, Linux, AndroidNetwork playback: YesSubtitle support: No
- 14 Emby iPhone + Android RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 8.2 Supported platforms: web, windows, macos, linux, ios, android, self_hostedNetwork playback: YesSubtitle support: Yes
- 15 Music Player Daemon Android only RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 8.1 Supported platforms: Linux, Windows, macOS, AndroidNetwork playback: Yes
- 16 Volumio iPhone + Android RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 8.1 Supported platforms: Linux, Raspberry Pi, PC, web browser, iOS, AndroidNetwork playback: Yes
- 17 SMPlayer No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 8.0Free Supported platforms: Windows, Linux, macOSNetwork playback: YesSubtitle support: Yes
- 18 VOX Music Player iPhone only RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 8.0 Supported platforms: Windows, macOS, iOSNetwork playback: Yes
- 19 NewPipe Android only RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 8.0 Supported platforms: AndroidSubtitle support: Yes
- 20 nPlayer iPhone + Android RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 7.9 Supported platforms: iOS, Android, macOSNetwork playback: YesSubtitle support: Yes
- 21 jetAudio Android only RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 7.9 Supported platforms: Windows, AndroidNetwork playback: YesSubtitle support: Yes
- 22 AnyTV iPhone + Android RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 7.9Free Supported platforms: macos, ios, androidNetwork playback: YesSubtitle support: Yes
- 23 MPlayer No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 7.8Free
- 24 DivX Player No phone app RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 7.8Free Supported platforms: windows, macosNetwork playback: YesSubtitle support: Yes
- 25 PLAYit iPhone + Android RecognisedPhone appDocumentedFree plan 7.7 Supported platforms: Android, iOS, WindowsNetwork playback: YesSubtitle support: Yes
Is your app 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 Samsung Mobile US Press?
mpv is ranked #1 of 76 with a score of 9.8. Infuse is second and 5KPlayer third.
How many of these have a free plan?
10 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 mobile-first: a phone app alongside the web or desktop product, a free tier and the depth of its documentation. Paid placements never change a rank.