Suggestions appear as you type. Use the up and down arrows to choose one and Enter to open it.

This page's audience our own tag's counts — open to see them
–Visits
–Page views
–Clicks to vendors
–Time on page
–Reading now
Clicks to vendors, by tool
  • –
Top countries
  • –
Devices
  • –

– · visits, page views and clicks counted by our own tag, which counts more than our checked analytics; every figure rounded down · how we count

Head-to-head · Media Player Software

VLC media player vs KMPlayer

  • Updated Oct 2026
  • Both researched from official sources
  • 5 checks side by side
Higher score VLC media player #1 in Media Player Software 9.4/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 4 of 4 features Visit VideoLAN
KMPlayer #3 in Media Player Software 9.0/10 Free plan · 3-day trial Free planFree trial✓ 4 of 4 features Visit KMPlayer

VLC media player leads on 0 checks, KMPlayer on 0, and 5 are even. Who comes out ahead on the 5 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
  • Free trialonly KMPlayer

VLC media player scores higher on our rubric for media player software: 9.4 against 9.0 out of 10; our editors rank them #1 and #3.

On license model, KMPlayer gives you Subscription where VLC media player offers Free.

VLC media player is the better fit for anyone wanting a capable free all-platform player. KMPlayer is the better fit for users needing broad playback and network features.

  • VLC media player fits best

    Anyone wanting a capable free all-platform player

  • KMPlayer fits best

    Users needing broad playback and network features

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. Bought places stand at the number bought; this page and our disclosure say so. Paying vendors may get a fuller, more detailed review from our editors, and that review can change their score. How we rank.

Side by side

Feature VLC media player 9.4/10 Visit ↗ KMPlayer 9.0/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score 9.4 9.0
Ranking #1 in Media Player Software #3 in Media Player Software
Best for Anyone wanting a capable free all-platform player Users needing broad playback and network features
Pricing model Free Free plan + paid
Starting price Free plan Free plan · 3-day trial
Free plan ✓ ✓
Free trial — 3 days
Deployment Desktop, Mobile Desktop, Mobile
Platforms Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android Windows, macOS, iOS, Android
Support Community, Docs Email
Integrations 10 integrations 11 integrations
Built for Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise
Features VLC media player 4/4 · KMPlayer 4/4
Network playback ✓ ✓
Subtitle support ✓ ✓
Hardware acceleration ✓ ✓
4K playback ✓ ✓
Specs
Supported platforms Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android Windows, macOS, iOS, Android
Format support MPEG-1/2, MPEG-4, H.264, DivX, XviD, WMV, MKV, MP4, MOV, AVI, WebM, MP3, AAC, FLAC, DVD, Audio CD, VCD AVI, MP4, MKV, MOV, WMV, FLV, MPEG, MP3, AAC, FLAC, WAV, SRT, ASS, SSA, WebVTT
License model Free Subscription
Our review
Pros
  • Supports local, disc, device, webcam, network, and stream playback
  • Works across Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, and Android
  • Includes subtitle support, hardware decoding, and 4K/8K playback
  • Supports 4K, 8K, UHD, and high-frame-rate playback
  • Plays media from network protocols, URLs, cloud storage, and Chromecast
  • Available on Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android
Cons
  • Hardware-accelerated decoding depends on platform support
  • Media libraries with search and history are specified for Android
  • Does not include AI features
  • Android premium features require an in-app subscription
  • The product is proprietary rather than open source
  • Cloud playback is centered on Dropbox and OneDrive
Our verdict

VLC media player is a free, open-source multimedia player and framework from VideoLAN. It is designed for people who want one application for local video and audio, DVDs, Audio CDs, VCDs, webcams, devices, network streams, and a wide range…

Read the review →

KMPlayer is a media player from PANDORA.TV for people who want one application for video, audio, subtitles, playlists, and online playback. It supports Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android, with formats including AVI, MP4, MKV, MOV, WMV, FLV,…

Read the review →
  1. VLC media playerMedia Player Software 9.4Free plan
  2. KMPlayerMedia Player Software 9.0Free plan · 3-day trial

Strengths and trade-offs

  • VLC media player — where it wins

    • Supports local, disc, device, webcam, network, and stream playback
    • Works across Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, and Android
    • Includes subtitle support, hardware decoding, and 4K/8K playback

    Where it doesn't

    • Hardware-accelerated decoding depends on platform support
    • Media libraries with search and history are specified for Android
    • Does not include AI features

  • KMPlayer — where it wins

    • Supports 4K, 8K, UHD, and high-frame-rate playback
    • Plays media from network protocols, URLs, cloud storage, and Chromecast
    • Available on Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android

    Where it doesn't

    • Android premium features require an in-app subscription
    • The product is proprietary rather than open source
    • Cloud playback is centered on Dropbox and OneDrive
  • VLC media player9.4/10 · Free plan

    A broad, capable free player for local, network, and streamed media across major platforms.

    Visit VideoLANFull verdict →
  • KMPlayer9.0/10 · Free plan · 3-day trial

    A broad media player with strong format, network, cloud, and casting support.

    Visit KMPlayerFull verdict →

More comparisons

All media player software comparisons → · Full ranking →

Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026

Last updated · How we research and update