foobar2000
foobar2000: A free, highly configurable music player with deep library and network controls. Ranked #11 of 75 in Media Player Software by our editors (8.1/10); pricing: Free plan; best for audio-focused users needing deep library control.
At a glance
- Editor score8.1 / 10
- PricingFree plan
- Best forAudio-focused users needing deep library control
- Free planYes
- Paid fromFree
- Network playbackYes
- Facts checked21 Sep 2026
Where it wins
- Advanced tagging, metadata editing, ripping, and transcoding
- Gapless playback, ReplayGain, DSP, VST, and Audio Unit support
- UPnP, FTP, SMB, WebDAV, and Radio Browser integration
Where it doesn't
- Primarily focused on audio rather than general video playback
- Linux support runs through Wine
- Subtitle, 4K, and hardware-accelerated playback are not central features
Our verdict on foobar2000
foobar2000 is a free audio player for people who want detailed control over local music libraries across desktop and mobile platforms. It supports Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS, while Linux use is provided through Wine. Its scope goes beyond basic playback: users can organize metadata, rip audio CDs, transcode formats, apply ReplayGain, process sound with DSP effects, and add decoder components for additional format support. The result is a particularly strong fit for solo listeners and small setups centered on an owned music collection.
Its ecosystem is a major part of the product. Local-network streaming and remote playback control extend listening beyond one device, while UPnP playback and indexing for FTP, SMB, and WebDAV shares connect it with network-based music libraries. Radio Browser adds internet radio, and FFmpeg, VST, and Audio Units broaden format and audio-processing support. Windows and macOS also offer customizable interface layouts, giving users more control over how the library and playback tools are arranged.
foobar2000’s free model keeps the full feature set accessible without a paid tier structure. That makes it a practical choice for listeners who value library management, audio processing, and network playback over a polished general-purpose media hub. It is less suitable for people seeking a video-first player, since its focus is audio and its documented feature set centers music formats, radio, metadata, and sound processing rather than subtitles, 4K playback, or hardware-accelerated decoding. Linux users should also account for the Wine-based platform path.
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foobar2000 pricing
foobar2000 fact sheet
| Free plan | Yes |
|---|---|
| Paid from | Free |
| Supported platforms | Windows, macOS, Android, iOS; Linux via Wine |
| Network playback | Yes |
| Subtitle support | Not verified |
| Format support | MP3, MP2, MP1, M4A/AAC/Apple Lossless, Ogg Vorbis, Opus, Musepack, Speex, AC3, DTS, WMA, FLAC/Ogg FLAC, WavPack, Monkey's Audio, TAK, WAV, Wave64, RF64, AIFF, AU/SND, Matroska/WebM, MPEG Transport Stream, Audio CD, HLS radio |
| Hardware acceleration | Not verified |
| 4K playback | Not verified |
| License model | Free |
| Deployment | Desktop, Mobile |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Linux |
| Support | Community, Docs |
| Built for | Solo, Small business (editorial estimate) |
| Integrations | 8 integrations: Radio Browser, UPnP, FTP, SMB, WebDAV, FFmpeg … |
| Pricing | Free plan |
| Website | foobar2000.org |
| Facts checked | 21 Sep 2026 |
foobar2000 integrations
foobar2000 lists 8 integrations on its own site.
- Radio Browser
- UPnP
- FTP
- SMB
- WebDAV
- FFmpeg
- VST
- Audio Units
Alternatives to foobar2000
- 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
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Also Ranked In
foobar2000 is ranked in 4 of our directories.
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Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
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