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Head-to-head · Audio Player Software

foobar2000 vs Audacious

  • Updated Oct 2026
  • Both researched from official sources
  • 1 check side by side
Higher score foobar2000 #1 in Audio Player Software 9.3/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 0 of 4 features Visit foobar2000
Audacious #7 in Audio Player Software 7.7/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 0 of 4 features Visit Audacious

foobar2000 leads on 0 checks, Audacious on 0, and 1 is even. Who comes out ahead on the 1 yes/no, price and count check where we have data for both products. The editor score weighs everything else too.

Our verdict

  • Highest scorefoobar2000 · 9.3/10
  • Free planboth

foobar2000 scores higher on our rubric for audio player software: 9.3 against 7.7 out of 10; our editors rank them #1 and #7.

foobar2000 is the better fit for listeners wanting a capable, free everyday player. Audacious is the better fit for open-source players wanting flexible desktop playback.

  • foobar2000 fits best

    Listeners wanting a capable, free everyday player

  • Audacious fits best

    Open-source players wanting flexible desktop playback

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Side by side

Feature foobar2000 9.3/10 Visit ↗ Audacious 7.7/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score 9.3 7.7
Ranking #1 in Audio Player Software #7 in Audio Player Software
Best for Listeners wanting a capable, free everyday player Open-source players wanting flexible desktop playback
Pricing model Free Free
Starting price Free plan Free plan
Free plan ✓ ✓
Free trial — —
Deployment Desktop, Mobile Desktop
Platforms Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Linux Windows, macOS, Linux
Support Community, Docs Community, Docs
Integrations 8 integrations 2 integrations
Built for Solo, Small business Solo, Small business
Features foobar2000 0/4 · Audacious 0/4
Library management Not checked yet Not checked yet
Playlist support Not checked yet Not checked yet
Tag editing Not checked yet Not checked yet
Gapless playback Not checked yet Not checked yet
Specs
Supported platforms Not checked yet Not checked yet
Audio formats Not checked yet Not checked yet
Our review
Pros
  • Plays many audio formats, with more available through components or FFmpeg
  • Combines gapless playback, ReplayGain, tagging, and audio conversion
  • Supports internet radio and several network playback and share protocols
  • Plays local music, audio CDs, and internet streams
  • Offers library search, playlists, ReplayGain, and gapless playback
  • Qt, GTK, and Winamp Classic interfaces with plugin-based support
Cons
  • Interface layout customization is limited to Windows and macOS
  • Linux support is through Wine rather than a listed native platform
  • Its focus is audio playback, not general-purpose video playback
  • Focused on audio rather than video playback
  • Desktop-only deployment
  • Support is through community resources and documentation
Our verdict

For listeners who want a free player centered on music libraries, foobar2000 brings playback, organization, and audio processing together. It supports Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS, with the Windows version also able to run on Linux…

Read the review →

Audacious is a free, open-source desktop audio player for people who want control over music playback without a paid plan. It runs on Linux, BSD derivatives, macOS, and Windows, and handles local music, audio CDs, and internet streams. Its…

Read the review →
  1. foobar2000Audio Player Software 9.3Free plan
  2. AudaciousAudio Player Software 7.7Free plan

Strengths and trade-offs

  • foobar2000 — where it wins

    • Plays many audio formats, with more available through components or FFmpeg
    • Combines gapless playback, ReplayGain, tagging, and audio conversion
    • Supports internet radio and several network playback and share protocols

    Where it doesn't

    • Interface layout customization is limited to Windows and macOS
    • Linux support is through Wine rather than a listed native platform
    • Its focus is audio playback, not general-purpose video playback

  • Audacious — where it wins

    • Plays local music, audio CDs, and internet streams
    • Offers library search, playlists, ReplayGain, and gapless playback
    • Qt, GTK, and Winamp Classic interfaces with plugin-based support

    Where it doesn't

    • Focused on audio rather than video playback
    • Desktop-only deployment
    • Support is through community resources and documentation

More comparisons

All audio player software comparisons → · Full ranking →

Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026

Last updated · How we research and update