Top Alternatives to Windows Media Player

VLC Media Player is a free and open-source cross-platform multimedia player that plays most multimedia files as well as DVDs, Audio CDs, VCDs, and various streaming protocols. Known for its robust format support and stability, VLC is a favorite for playing virtually any media file without the need for external codecs.

foobar2000 is a highly customizable and lightweight audio player for Windows. It's designed for advanced users and audiophiles, offering extensive control over playback, library management, and audio processing. With support for numerous audio formats and a modular design, foobar2000 provides a powerful and flexible audio experience.

MPC-HC (Media Player Classic - Home Cinema) is a free and open-source media player for Windows. Renowned for its lightweight nature, extensive format support, and customizable interface, it's a popular choice for users seeking a powerful yet simple video and audio playback solution.

Winamp is a versatile media player known for its extensive format support, customizable interface, and robust library management. It provides a classic yet powerful platform for enjoying music, videos, and online content, with features like internet radio streaming, podcasting, and various synchronization options.

Media Player Classic (MPC) is a free, open-source, and incredibly lightweight media player for Windows. Renowned for its minimalist interface and robust playback capabilities, MPC supports a vast array of audio and video formats directly without needing external codecs.

Clementine is a versatile, multiplatform music player offering a comprehensive suite of features for managing and playing your music library. Inspired by Amarok, it provides robust support for collections, internet radio, podcasts, and integrated services, ensuring a rich audio experience.

AIMP is a popular, free audio player for Windows and Android, renowned for its high-quality audio playback, extensive format support, and lightweight design. It offers powerful features like a comprehensive audio library, versatile equalizer, and built-in tools for audio conversion and tag editing, making it a robust choice for music enthusiasts.

KMPlayer, also known as K-Multimedia Player, is a versatile media player for Windows, Android, and iOS. It supports a vast array of audio and video formats, offering a comprehensive playback experience with advanced features and customization options.

MediaMonkey is a comprehensive music manager and audio player designed for serious music collectors. It organizes extensive music libraries, plays various audio formats, syncs with devices, converts audio and video, manages tags, and includes tools for ripping and burning CDs and DVDs. It is ideal for users with large and diverse media collections.

Rhythmbox is a powerful and versatile open-source music player designed for GNOME desktops. It offers a comprehensive suite of features for managing and enjoying your digital audio library, including playback, organization, podcast support, internet radio streaming, and seamless integration with online music services.

Amarok is a powerful and versatile cross-platform free and open-source music player. It excels in managing large music collections with features like dynamic playlists, advanced tagging, and integration with online music services. Designed for users who seek comprehensive control over their audio experience, Amarok offers a customizable interface and a wide array of plugins.

PotPlayer is a powerful and highly customizable multimedia player for Windows, supporting a vast range of formats and providing advanced features for both casual users and enthusiasts. It offers hardware acceleration, subtitle support, and a lightweight design.

MPlayer is a highly versatile, free, and open-source multimedia player renowned for its extensive codec support and powerful command-line interface. It can handle a wide array of media formats with minimal system resources.

SMPlayer is a free and powerful media player that offers built-in codecs for a wide range of formats. It features intuitive controls, extensive customization options, and the ability to remember settings for each file, making it a versatile choice for playing videos and audio.

Banshee was a versatile media player and management application that supported various audio and video formats, podcasts, and seamless library organization. It included features like smart playlists, integrated media conversion, and device synchronization.

GOM Media Player is a free and versatile media player developed by GOMlab. It is known for its integrated codec system, allowing it to play a wide range of video and audio formats without requiring external installations. It also boasts a skinnable interface, subtitle support, and additional features like a built-in media converter.

Audacious is a highly customizable, lightweight audio player designed for discerning listeners who prioritize sound quality and system resource efficiency. Supporting a vast array of audio formats and extensible via a robust plugin system, it offers a classic, skinnable interface for a personalized listening experience.

DeaDBeeF is a lightweight and highly customizable audio player for Linux and other Unix-like systems. It supports a wide range of audio formats and offers advanced features like audio conversion, plugin extensibility, and comprehensive playlist management, making it a powerful choice for audiophiles and everyday users alike.

mpv is a free and open-source command-line media player derived from MPlayer and mplayer2. It boasts a minimalist user interface and powerful scripting capabilities, offering excellent video and audio playback with low resource consumption.

QuickTime Player is Apple's versatile multimedia framework and player, offering seamless playback of various audio, video, and image formats. Beyond simple playback, it includes basic editing, screen recording, and conversion capabilities, making it a useful tool for Mac users.

MX Player is a robust and versatile media player renowned for its extensive format support and advanced features. It offers hardware acceleration, subtitle capabilities, and a user-friendly interface, making it a popular choice for enjoying video and audio content on various platforms.

UMPlayer is a free and open-source cross-platform media player that boasts a built-in search for YouTube and Shoutcast radio, offering a wide range of supported formats and features like automatic subtitle downloads and customizable playback options.

Videos, formerly known as Totem, is the official video player for the GNOME desktop environment. It provides a straightforward and efficient way to play various video and audio files directly on your Linux system. Designed for integration within the GNOME ecosystem, it offers a familiar and seamless user experience.

Quod Libet is a highly extensible GTK+-based audio player for Linux, focusing on powerful music library management and flexible tagging. Written in Python and using the Mutagen library, it offers extensive customization and handles diverse audio formats seamlessly.

SPlayer is a lightweight media player known for its focus on high-quality video playback and integrated features. Despite being discontinued, it offers a portable solution for playing various video and audio formats, including HD and 4K content, with support for automatic subtitle downloads and image enhancements.

Strawberry is a free and open-source audio player and music collection organizer designed for audiophiles and music enthusiasts. It focuses on delivering high-fidelity audio playback and robust library management.

XMPlay is a highly versatile and lightweight audio player for Windows, renowned for its extensive format support, portability, and customizable interface. It offers powerful features like advanced playlist management, plugin compatibility, and high-fidelity sound reproduction.

MPlayerX is a versatile media player designed for macOS, offering native-like experience with extensive codec support powered by FFmpeg and MPlayer. It provides advanced features like multi-touch gestures, multi-monitor support, and comprehensive subtitle handling.

BSPlayer is a versatile and lightweight media player that excels in handling various video and audio formats. It boasts excellent subtitle support, includes integrated codecs, and offers automatic subtitle downloads, making it a convenient choice for enjoying diverse media content with minimal setup.

MPC-BE (Media Player Classic - Black Edition) is a free, open-source, and highly customizable audio and video player for Windows. It offers a robust feature set for playback of various media formats, with a focus on performance, stability, and user control.

Splash is a powerful and modern media player designed for high-quality video playback, supporting a wide range of formats and leveraging hardware acceleration for smooth performance. It also includes a built-in video converter.

Movist is a lightweight yet powerful media player for macOS, praised for its clean interface and robust playback capabilities. It supports a wide range of formats and offers advanced customization options for an enhanced viewing experience.

DivX is a comprehensive set of software tools centered around high-quality video playback, conversion, and casting. It's known for enabling efficient video compression while preserving visual fidelity, offering features like 4K support, subtitle management, and seamless streaming to devices.

jetAudio is a comprehensive multimedia software suite for Windows and Android, excelling as a media player with extensive format support, advanced audio processing tools, and integrated utilities for audio conversion, CD ripping, and burning, offering a versatile solution for managing and enjoying various media types.

RealPlayer is a veteran cross-platform media player designed for managing, playing, downloading, and converting various audio and video formats. It offers features for cloud storage, media organization, photo management, and casting to devices like Chromecast and Roku, aiming to be a comprehensive media hub for users.

CyberLink PowerDVD is a comprehensive universal media player for discs, videos, photos, and music. It boasts support for a wide array of formats, high-quality playback including 4K and 3D, and integrated online features for enhanced media enjoyment.

MOC (Music On Console) is a lightweight and feature-rich command-line audio player for Linux/UNIX systems. Designed for efficiency and performance, it offers high-fidelity sound playback without resource overhead.

MPlayer OSX Extended is a lightweight and versatile video player for macOS, built upon the robust MPlayer engine. It offers excellent format compatibility, subtitle support, and a clean interface for a focused playback experience.

Foobnix is a versatile and performant music player designed for Linux systems. It offers comprehensive support for a wide range of audio formats, including lossless options, and integrates seamlessly with popular online services like internet radio and Last.fm. Its lightweight design ensures smooth operation even on systems with limited resources.

C* Music Player (cmus) is a fast and powerful terminal-based music player for Unix-like systems. It's known for its lightweight footprint, extensive library management features, and highly configurable interface, making it a favorite among command-line enthusiasts.

Elmedia Player is a versatile and free media player for macOS, designed to handle a wide range of video and audio formats effortlessly. It boasts integrated online video downloading capabilities and seamless streaming features, making it more than just a player.

Zoom Player is a highly customizable and powerful media player and media center for Windows PCs. It offers extensive format support, advanced playback controls, and a flexible interface, making it suitable for both casual users and multimedia enthusiasts.

SmoothVideo Project (SVP) is a software utility that enhances video playback by increasing the frame rate of any video to 60 frames per second or higher. It achieves this in real-time using advanced frame interpolation algorithms, making video motion appear smoother and more fluid directly within your preferred media player.

Videku is a versatile web-based media player designed for seamless video playback and subtitle integration. Featuring robust support for various video formats, including HD and 4K, and built-in Chromecast capabilities, it offers a convenient way to enjoy your media library. Its cloud-based nature and remote control options provide flexibility.

5KPlayer is a versatile multimedia player that combines the functionalities of a HD video player, music player, AirPlay and DLNA streamer, and online video downloader, compatible with Windows and macOS.

Kantaris Media Player is an all-in-one multimedia solution designed to deliver a seamless playback experience. It supports a wide range of audio and video formats, offers advanced features like subtitle support, Last.fm integration, and extensibility through plugins, aiming to be your go-to player for all media needs. Its focus on being lightweight and ad-free enhances its appeal.

Universal Viewer is a portable file viewer capable of displaying a wide array of file formats, including documents, images, media, and raw files, without requiring the associated native applications.

Enqueue is a streamlined and elegant music player designed specifically for macOS. It offers a clean interface, efficient music library management, and support for various audio formats, including MP3, FLAC, and AAC. With features like Last.fm scrobbling, tag editing, and smart playlists, Enqueue provides a focused music listening experience without unnecessary clutter.

GOM Audio is a versatile audio player for Windows, offering high-quality playback of various audio formats, internet radio streaming, and extensive customization options through skins and effects. It also includes essential tools like an ID3 tag editor and playlist management, making it suitable for both casual listeners and audiophiles.

Rocket Player is a comprehensive media player for Android, supporting music, videos, and podcasts. It offers advanced features like iTunes library sync, a powerful equalizer, tag editing, and Chromecast support, providing a versatile and customizable playback experience.