mpv vs MPlayer

mpv9.0Visit MMPlayer8.7Visit

Higher score mpv #3 in Video Player Software 9.0/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 1 of 3 features Visit mpv

vs

M MPlayer #6 in Video Player Software 8.7/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 2 of 3 features Visit MPlayer

• mpv fits best

  Power users who want scripting and control

• MPlayer fits best

  Technical users needing broad legacy support

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Side by side

Feature	mpv 9.0/10 Visit ↗	MMPlayer 8.7/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score	9.0	8.7
Ranking	#3 in Video Player Software	#6 in Video Player Software
Best for	Power users who want scripting and control	Technical users needing broad legacy support
Pricing model	Free	Free
Starting price	Free plan	Free plan
Free plan	✓	✓
Free trial	—	—
Deployment	Desktop, Mobile	Self-hosted, Desktop
Platforms	Windows, macOS, Linux, Android	Linux, Windows, macOS
Support	Community, Docs	Community, Docs
Built for	Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise	Solo, Small business
Features mpv 1/3 · MPlayer 2/3
Hardware acceleration	✓	✓
Playback speed control	Not checked yet	✓ (best)
Portable version	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Specs
Supported platforms	Not checked yet	Linux, Windows, Mac OS X, BSD, Solaris, HP-UX, AIX, QNX
Codec support	Not checked yet	MPEG-1/2, MPEG-4 ASP, H.264, WMV1/2/3, RealVideo, Sorenson, Cinepak, DV, 3ivx, Indeo, H.263, MJPEG, HuffYUV, MP3, AC3/A52, E-AC3, DTS, AAC, WMA, RealAudio, Ogg Vorbis, PCM
Subtitle formats	Not checked yet	MicroDVD, SubRip, OGM, SubViewer, Sami, VPlayer, RT, SSA, AQTitle, JACOsub, PJS, MPsub, SPU, VOBsub, Closed Captions
Maximum resolution	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Our review
Pros	Broad format, codec, subtitle, and network playback support Lua scripting, user scripts, and a C API for embedding OpenGL, Vulkan, D3D11 output and hardware video decoding	Plays a wide range of video and audio formats Supports many subtitle formats, streams, and optical media Offers adjustable speed, frame-by-frame playback, and hardware acceleration
Cons	Command-line focus may not suit users seeking a traditional media library The on-screen controller is intentionally minimal Many Windows, macOS, and Linux binaries come from third parties	Optional GUI is not enabled by default Command-line binaries may not suit GUI-first users Hardware acceleration depends on supported output drivers
Our verdict	mpv is a free, open-source video player built around command-line media playback. It suits power users, developers, and technically minded viewers who want control over playback, subtitles, rendering, and automation across Windows, macOS,… Read the review →	MPlayer is a free, open-source media player for technical users who need broad compatibility across Linux, Windows, Mac OS X, and other Unix-like systems. It handles local files, optical media, television input, and network streams, while… Read the review →

Strengths and trade-offs

• mpv — where it wins

  • Broad format, codec, subtitle, and network playback support
  • Lua scripting, user scripts, and a C API for embedding
  • OpenGL, Vulkan, D3D11 output and hardware video decoding

  Where it doesn't

  • Command-line focus may not suit users seeking a traditional media library
  • The on-screen controller is intentionally minimal
  • Many Windows, macOS, and Linux binaries come from third parties

• MPlayer — where it wins

  • Plays a wide range of video and audio formats
  • Supports many subtitle formats, streams, and optical media
  • Offers adjustable speed, frame-by-frame playback, and hardware acceleration

  Where it doesn't

  • Optional GUI is not enabled by default
  • Command-line binaries may not suit GUI-first users
  • Hardware acceleration depends on supported output drivers

• mpv9.0/10 · Free plan

  A highly configurable free player for users who value scripting and control.

  Visit mpvFull verdict →
• MMPlayer8.7/10 · Free plan

  A free, open-source player for technical users who need wide format and stream support.

  Visit MPlayerFull verdict →