SMPlayer vs MediaPortal

SMPlayer8.8Visit MediaPortal8.5Visit

Higher score SMPlayer #4 in Media Player Software 8.8/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 4 of 4 features Visit SMPlayer

vs

MediaPortal #7 in Media Player Software 8.5/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 3 of 4 features Visit MediaPortal

• SMPlayer fits best

  Free open-source desktop playback

• MediaPortal fits best

  Windows home-theater and live-TV setups

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Side by side

Feature	SMPlayer 8.8/10 Visit ↗	MediaPortal 8.5/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score	8.8	8.5
Ranking	#4 in Media Player Software	#7 in Media Player Software
Best for	Free open-source desktop playback	Windows home-theater and live-TV setups
Pricing model	Free	Free
Starting price	Free plan	Free plan
Free plan	✓	✓
Free trial	—	—
Deployment	Desktop	Desktop
Platforms	Windows, macOS, Linux	Web, Windows, iOS, Android
Support	Community, Docs	Email, Community, Docs
Built for	Solo, Small business	Solo, Small business
Features SMPlayer 4/4 · MediaPortal 3/4
Network playback	✓	✓
Subtitle support	✓	✓
Hardware acceleration	✓	✓
4K playback	✓ (best)	Not checked yet
Specs
Supported platforms	Windows, Linux, macOS	web, windows, ios, android
Format support	AVI, ASF/WMV/WMA, QT/MOV/MP4, RealAudio/RealVideo, Ogg/OGM, Matroska, MPEG-1/2, H.264, MPEG-4, MP3, AAC, AC3, DTS, and more	MPEG-2, MPEG-1, MOV, H.264, VC-1, DivX, Xvid, AC3, DTS, MP3, AAC, Matroska, DVD, Blu-ray
License model	Free	Free
Our review
Pros	Built-in codecs support a broad range of audio and video formats Streams network media and supports YouTube and Chromecast playback Remembers playback settings and offers subtitle and speed controls	Plays DVDs, Blu-ray discs, subtitles and many common media formats Combines live TV, DVR scheduling, radio, music and network playback Supports plugins, skins, metadata and remote access through web, Android and iOS
Cons	Focused on desktop platforms rather than mobile playback Hardware-acceleration information reflects older support terminology Advanced features may require navigating a broad settings set	The main desktop player is documented for Windows Hardware acceleration requires configuration through LAV Video Remote web, Android and iOS access is separate from the desktop player
Our verdict	SMPlayer is a free, open-source desktop media player and graphical interface for MPlayer and mpv. It supports Windows, Linux, and macOS, making it a fit for users who want one playback tool across common desktop operating systems. Built-in… Read the review →	MediaPortal is free, open-source media center software for Windows PCs and home-theater setups. It combines video playback with DVD and Blu-ray menus, subtitle support, movie metadata, music, FM and web radio, live TV viewing, scheduling… Read the review →

Strengths and trade-offs

• SMPlayer — where it wins

  • Built-in codecs support a broad range of audio and video formats
  • Streams network media and supports YouTube and Chromecast playback
  • Remembers playback settings and offers subtitle and speed controls

  Where it doesn't

  • Focused on desktop platforms rather than mobile playback
  • Hardware-acceleration information reflects older support terminology
  • Advanced features may require navigating a broad settings set

• MediaPortal — where it wins

  • Plays DVDs, Blu-ray discs, subtitles and many common media formats
  • Combines live TV, DVR scheduling, radio, music and network playback
  • Supports plugins, skins, metadata and remote access through web, Android and iOS

  Where it doesn't

  • The main desktop player is documented for Windows
  • Hardware acceleration requires configuration through LAV Video
  • Remote web, Android and iOS access is separate from the desktop player

• SMPlayer8.8/10 · Free plan

  A capable free desktop player for broad-format playback, streaming, subtitles, and YouTube.

  Visit SMPlayerFull verdict →
• MediaPortal8.5/10 · Free plan

  A Windows-focused media center for playback, live TV, network shares and home theater.

  Visit MediaPortalFull verdict →