Audacious
Audacious: A free, flexible desktop player for local music, streams, playlists, and audio effects. Ranked #30 of 75 in Media Player Software by our editors (6.0/10); pricing: Free plan; best for open-source desktop music playback.
At a glance
- Editor score6.0 / 10
- PricingFree plan
- Best forOpen-source desktop music playback
- Free planYes
- Paid fromFree
- Network playbackYes
- Facts checked21 Sep 2026
Where it wins
- Free and open source across Windows, macOS, and Linux
- Supports local files, audio CDs, internet streams, and broad formats
- Offers playlists, search, ReplayGain, gapless playback, and plugins
Where it doesn't
- Primarily focused on audio rather than video playback
- Does not document subtitle or 4K playback support
- Hardware-accelerated playback is not documented
Our verdict on Audacious
Audacious is a lightweight, free, open-source desktop audio player for people who want control over local music and internet streams without a subscription plan. It runs on Windows, macOS, Linux, and BSD derivatives, and supports local files, audio CDs, and network playback. Its core tools cover custom playlist creation and editing, music-library search, a graphical equalizer, audio effects, visualizations, ReplayGain, and gapless playback. It also supports interfaces based on Qt, GTK, and Winamp Classic styles.
The published feature set is broad for an audio-focused player. Format support includes MP3, FLAC, Ogg Vorbis, Opus, AAC, M4A, WAV, WavPack, MOD, XM, FFmpeg-supported formats, and several specialized formats, including Ad-lib chiptunes, MIDI, Nintendo DS 2SF, and PlayStation Audio PSF. A plugin architecture extends format decoders, playlist support, transport protocols, lyrics, album art, and other capabilities. MPRIS and audtool integrations add control and interoperability options for compatible desktop workflows.
There is no paid tier to compare: Audacious is free and open source. Installation paths include Windows installers, Linux distribution packages, and macOS installation through Homebrew. The product is a strong fit for desktop listeners who prioritize audio playback, customization, and a wide format range. Users choosing a media player for video libraries should look elsewhere, since Audacious is primarily an audio player and its published capabilities do not document subtitles, 4K playback, or hardware-accelerated playback.
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Audacious pricing
Audacious fact sheet
| Free plan | Yes |
|---|---|
| Paid from | Free |
| Supported platforms | Linux, BSD derivatives, macOS, Windows |
| Network playback | Yes |
| Subtitle support | Not verified |
| Format support | MP3, FLAC, Ogg Vorbis, Opus, AAC, M4A, WAV, WavPack, Ad-lib chiptunes, Audio CD, MIDI, Nintendo DS 2SF, PlayStation Audio PSF, MOD, XM, FFmpeg-supported formats |
| Hardware acceleration | Not verified |
| 4K playback | Not verified |
| License model | Free |
| Deployment | Desktop |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux |
| Support | Community, Docs |
| Built for | Solo, Small business (editorial estimate) |
| Integrations | 2 integrations: MPRIS, audtool |
| Pricing | Free plan |
| Website | audacious-media-player.org |
| Facts checked | 21 Sep 2026 |
Audacious integrations
Audacious lists 2 integrations on its own site.
- MPRIS
- audtool
Alternatives to Audacious
- VLC media playerA broad, capable free player for local, network, and streamed media across major platforms.9.4
- mpvA flexible, scriptable player for users who prefer control over convenience.9.1
- KMPlayerA broad media player with strong format, network, cloud, and casting support.9.0
See all Audacious alternatives →
Also Ranked In
Audacious is ranked in 3 of our directories.
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Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
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