1
Mpv
github.com/mpv-player/mpvAlso covers media
Play media from the command line with mpv, which supports a wide range of formats, codecs, and subtitles.
Alternatives
The Best mpv Alternatives in 2026
18 alternatives2 free · 5 open source
Looking for something like mpv? Here are 18 alternatives, ranked by how closely they match it on purpose, features and platforms. Of these, 2 are free or have a free plan and 5 are open source.
Play media from the command line with mpv, a free, open-source player supporting many formats, codecs, and subtitle types.
Top picks at a glance
First suggestionMpvPlay media from the command line with mpv, which supports a…Free or freemium optionmpv.netmpv.net is a Windows graphical front end for the mpv media…Open source optionstreamlinkStreamlink pipes streams from supported services into a…Another optionSMPlayerPlay audio and video formats with SMPlayer, a media player…
Quick comparison
| # | Alternative | Pricing | Open source | Platforms |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mpv | — | Not stated | — |
| 2 | SMPlayer | — | Not stated | Linux, Web, Windows |
| 3 | StreamLink | — | Not stated | Web |
| 4 | Codec Guide | — | Not stated | Web, Windows |
| 5 | ALF FreeWare VideoCODECs | — | Not stated | Web |
| 6 | streamlink | — | Yes | Linux, macOS, Windows |
| 7 | mpv.net | Free | Yes | Windows |
| 8 | PotPlayer | — | Not stated | Web, Windows |
| 9 | deadbeef | — | Not stated | Linux, macOS, Web |
| 10 | asbplayer | — | Not stated | Web |
All mpv alternatives
2
SMPlayer
smplayer.infoAlso covers media · same kind of website
Play audio and video formats with SMPlayer, a media player for Windows and Linux that includes built-in codecs.
3
StreamLink
streamlink.github.ioAlso covers api and media · same kind of website
Extract streams from services and send them to a video player of choice with Streamlink, a command-line utility.
4
Codec Guide
codecguide.comAlso covers media · same kind of website
The free K-Lite Codec Pack supports playback of music and video files, including MKV, MP4, AVI, and FLV formats.
5
ALF FreeWare VideoCODECs
codec.kyiv.uaAlso covers media · same kind of website
ALF FreeWare VideoCODECs lists codec collections and formats, including AVI, MPEG, MP4, and audio codec options.
6
Also covers media · open source
Streamlink pipes streams from supported services into a media player through its command-line utility and Python library.
7
Open source · free
mpv.net is a Windows graphical front end for the mpv media player. It keeps mpv configuration, scripting and command-line options available behind a desktop interface.
8
PotPlayer
potplayer.tvAlso covers media · same kind of website
Download PotPlayer, a multimedia player for Windows, with site downloads listed for Windows 7 through 11 and several processor types.
9
deadbeef
deadbeef.sourceforge.ioAlso covers media · same kind of website
DeaDBeeF plays and converts audio formats across Linux, macOS, Windows, and other Unix-like systems.
10
asbplayer
killergerbah.github.io/asbplayerAlso covers media · same kind of website
Collect sentences from subtitle-based media with asbplayer, a browser-based media player.
11
Also covers media · open source
ImPlay offers cross-platform desktop media playback built on mpv and ImGui, with scripting and command-line options.
12
Also covers media · same kind of website · free
SMTube browses, searches, and plays YouTube videos through a media player such as SMPlayer.
13
Music Player Daemon
musicpd.orgAlso covers media · same kind of website
Music Player Daemon plays music as a server-side application and can be controlled through its network protocol.
14
Harmonoid
harmonoid.comAlso covers media · same kind of website
Harmonoid plays and manages a personal music library through a dedicated music player.
15
polsy.org.uk
polsy.org.ukAlso covers media · same kind of website
Polsy.org.uk collects Let’s Play archiving information and links to alternative players for several video streaming sites.
16
Plugins
un4seen.com/xmplay.htmlAlso covers media
Browse skins and input, output, and other plugins for XMPlay, a Windows audio player that supports formats including OGG and MP3.
17
Also covers media · open source
Syncplay synchronizes playback position and play state across media players such as mpv, VLC, MPC-HC, and MPC-BE over the internet.
18
Also covers media · open source
Play multiple videos side by side with gridplayer, a desktop video player project.
No alternatives match this filter.
Alternatives to similar tools
SMPlayer13 alternativesPlugins6 alternativesMpv11 alternativesCodec Guide6 alternativesmpv.net17 alternativesMusic Player Daemon14 alternatives
TopicMedia Players & Servers · 194 sites Best-of listBest Free Media Players: 8 Choices for Files, Subtitles and TV Listingmpv details
What is the best alternative to mpv?
Based on features, tags and platforms, the closest alternatives to mpv are Mpv, SMPlayer, and StreamLink.
Is there a free alternative to mpv?
Yes. mpv.net and SMTube are free or offer a free plan.
Are there open-source alternatives to mpv?
Yes: streamlink, mpv.net, ImPlay, and Syncplay.
Alternatives are suggested from the purpose and features described in our listings. Different pages for the same product appear once. Read each description to check whether it fits your task. How we choose alternatives · Suggest an alternative