Clementine review
Clementine pairs local music management with playlists, radio and cloud-service playback.
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
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 a remote-control option. Library listeners can search and play music, edit MP3 and OGG tags, fetch metadata from MusicBrainz, and organize music with smart, dynamic and tabbed playlists. CUE sheets and audio CDs are supported as well.
Its breadth is the main distinction: alongside local playback, Clementine handles podcasts, lyrics, album-cover downloads and internet radio. It connects with services including Spotify, SoundCloud, Subsonic, Box, Dropbox, Google Drive and OneDrive, as well as SomaFM, Magnatune, Jamendo and Icecast. Playlist import and export covers M3U, XSPF, PLS and ASX. Transcoding supports MP3, Ogg Vorbis, Ogg Speex, FLAC and AAC. The remote-control choices—Android, MPRIS and command line—extend playback control without changing its focus on music libraries.
Clementine has no paid tier in its stated free model, so there is no plan ladder to weigh against its features. Its support channels are documentation and community, which may suit listeners comfortable finding help through those routes but may be less suitable for buyers who need a dedicated support channel. Android appears as a remote rather than a listed full player platform, so listeners seeking a mobile music library app should distinguish that from desktop playback. Choose Clementine if you want a free desktop library manager with playlist, tagging and cloud-service features; look elsewhere if Android is your primary playback platform or you need support beyond documentation and community.
Clementine pros and cons
- 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
Clementine fact sheet, pricing and score →
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