VLC media player vs SMPlayer

VLC media player9.4Visit SMPlayer8.8Visit

Higher score VLC media player #1 in Media Player Software 9.4/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 4 of 4 features Visit VideoLAN

vs

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

• VLC media player fits best

  Anyone wanting a capable free all-platform player

• SMPlayer fits best

  Free open-source desktop playback

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Side by side

Feature	VLC media player 9.4/10 Visit ↗	SMPlayer 8.8/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score	9.4	8.8
Ranking	#1 in Media Player Software	#4 in Media Player Software
Best for	Anyone wanting a capable free all-platform player	Free open-source desktop playback
Pricing model	Free	Free
Starting price	Free plan	Free plan
Free plan	✓	✓
Free trial	—	—
Deployment	Desktop, Mobile	Desktop
Platforms	Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android	Windows, macOS, Linux
Support	Community, Docs	Community, Docs
Integrations	10 integrations	3 integrations
Built for	Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise	Solo, Small business
Features VLC media player 4/4 · SMPlayer 4/4
Network playback	✓	✓
Subtitle support	✓	✓
Hardware acceleration	✓	✓
4K playback	✓	✓
Specs
Supported platforms	Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android	Windows, Linux, macOS
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, ASF/WMV/WMA, QT/MOV/MP4, RealAudio/RealVideo, Ogg/OGM, Matroska, MPEG-1/2, H.264, MPEG-4, MP3, AAC, AC3, DTS, and more
License model	Free	Free
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	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
Cons	Hardware-accelerated decoding depends on platform support Media libraries with search and history are specified for Android Does not include AI features	Focused on desktop platforms rather than mobile playback Hardware-acceleration information reflects older support terminology Advanced features may require navigating a broad settings set
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 →	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 →

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

• 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

• VLC media player9.4/10 · Free plan

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

  Visit VideoLANFull verdict →
• SMPlayer8.8/10 · Free plan

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

  Visit SMPlayerFull verdict →