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Head-to-head · Local Music Player Software

VLC media player vs Clementine

  • Updated Oct 2026
  • Both researched from official sources
  • 2 checks side by side
Higher score VLC media player #1 in Local Music Player Software 9.4/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 1 of 3 features Visit VideoLAN
Clementine #4 in Local Music Player Software 9.0/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 1 of 3 features Visit Clementine

VLC media player leads on 0 checks, Clementine on 0, and 2 are even. Who comes out ahead on the 2 yes/no, price and count checks where we have data for both products. The editor score weighs everything else too.

Our verdict

  • Highest scoreVLC media player · 9.4/10
  • Free planboth

VLC media player scores higher on our rubric for local music player software: 9.4 against 9.0 out of 10; our editors rank them #1 and #4.

VLC media player is the better fit for people who want a versatile free player everywhere. Clementine is the better fit for library listeners who want playlists and cloud playback.

  • VLC media player fits best

    People who want a versatile free player everywhere

  • Clementine fits best

    Library listeners who want playlists and cloud playback

Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. Vendors can pay for top positions in our rankings and for a place on other products' pages, and we may earn a commission when you click some links. How we rank.

Side by side

Feature VLC media player 9.4/10 Visit ↗ Clementine 9.0/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score 9.4 9.0
Ranking #1 in Local Music Player Software #4 in Local Music Player Software
Best for People who want a versatile free player everywhere Library listeners who want playlists and cloud playback
Pricing model Free Free
Starting price Free plan Free plan
Free plan ✓ ✓
Free trial — —
Deployment Desktop, Mobile Desktop, Mobile
Platforms Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android Windows, macOS, Linux, Android
Support Community, Docs Docs, Community
Integrations 10 integrations 12 integrations
Built for Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise
Features VLC media player 1/3 · Clementine 1/3
Gapless playback Not checked yet Not checked yet
Open source ✓ ✓
Equalizer Not checked yet Not checked yet
Specs
Platforms Not checked yet Windows, macOS, Linux, Android remote
Audio formats Not checked yet Not checked yet
Library tools Not checked yet Not checked yet
Our review
Pros
  • Plays common and specialized audio, video, and container formats.
  • Supports network streams, shared drives, and NAS browsing.
  • Runs on Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, and Android.
  • Manages local libraries with dynamic playlists, CUE sheets and tag editing
  • Plays internet radio, podcasts and music from listed cloud services
  • Transcodes to MP3, Ogg Vorbis, Ogg Speex, FLAC or AAC
Cons
  • Its broad media toolkit may be more than a basic audio player needs.
  • Some playback features depend on platform support.
  • Community and documentation are the listed support channels.
  • The desktop player is listed for Windows, macOS and Linux; Android is remote control
  • Remote-control options are Android, MPRIS or command line, not a broad device list
  • Support channels are documentation and community
Our verdict

VLC media player is a free, open-source multimedia player from VideoLAN for people who want to play local audio and video alongside discs, devices, and network streams. It runs on Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, and Android, making it a…

Read the review →

Clementine is a free, open-source music player and library organizer for people who keep music locally but also want playlists, radio and cloud playback. Its desktop versions are listed for Windows, macOS and Linux, with Android offered as…

Read the review →
  1. VLC media playerLocal Music Player Software 9.4Free plan
  2. ClementineLocal Music Player Software 9.0Free plan

Strengths and trade-offs

  • VLC media player — where it wins

    • Plays common and specialized audio, video, and container formats.
    • Supports network streams, shared drives, and NAS browsing.
    • Runs on Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, and Android.

    Where it doesn't

    • Its broad media toolkit may be more than a basic audio player needs.
    • Some playback features depend on platform support.
    • Community and documentation are the listed support channels.

  • Clementine — where it wins

    • Manages local libraries with dynamic playlists, CUE sheets and tag editing
    • Plays internet radio, podcasts and music from listed cloud services
    • Transcodes to MP3, Ogg Vorbis, Ogg Speex, FLAC or AAC

    Where it doesn't

    • The desktop player is listed for Windows, macOS and Linux; Android is remote control
    • Remote-control options are Android, MPRIS or command line, not a broad device list
    • Support channels are documentation and community

More comparisons

All local music player software comparisons → · Full ranking →

Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026

Last updated · How we research and update