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MPlayer review

Free#6 of 42 in Video Player SoftwareMedia Player Software

A free, open-source player for technical users who need wide format and stream support.

8.7/10Editor score
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MPlayer8.7 Visit MPlayer

Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026

MPlayer is a free, open-source media player for technical users who need broad compatibility across Linux, Windows, Mac OS X, and other Unix-like systems. It handles local files, optical media, television input, and network streams, while supporting native, binary, and platform-specific codecs. Its command-line orientation makes it a natural fit for users comfortable with command-line binaries and playback controls, while an optional GUI is available but not enabled by default.

Its strongest differentiator is breadth. MPlayer supports formats including MPEG, AVI, Ogg/OGM, WMV, MP4, RealMedia, and Matroska, alongside codec support for MPEG-1/2, MPEG-4 ASP, H.264, WMV, RealVideo, MP3, AAC, DTS, and other audio and video standards. Subtitle coverage includes MicroDVD, SubRip, OGM, SubViewer, Sami, SSA, VPlayer, VOBsub, Closed Captions, and more. Playback can come from HTTP, FTP, RTP/RTSP, MMS/MMST, and SDP streams, and the software includes DVD, VCD, and optical-media playback. Multiple output drivers include X11, OpenGL, DirectX, and CoreVideo; supported drivers such as XVideo, VIDIX, and VDPAU can provide hardware-accelerated output.

The trade-off is the technical setup and interface emphasis. Primarily distributed as source code and command-line binaries, MPlayer is better suited to users who value control, legacy format coverage, and configurable output over a polished default interface. Onscreen display and keyboard-control feedback, adjustable playback speed, and frame-by-frame playback add useful precision for playback workflows. Hardware acceleration is available through supported drivers, so output behavior depends on the platform and driver combination. Choose MPlayer for format breadth, streaming options, and low-level control; choose another player if a GUI-first experience is the priority.

MPlayer pros and cons

  • Where it wins
    • Plays a wide range of video and audio formats
    • Supports many subtitle formats, streams, and optical media
    • Offers adjustable speed, frame-by-frame playback, and hardware acceleration
  • Where it doesn't
    • Optional GUI is not enabled by default
    • Command-line binaries may not suit GUI-first users
    • Hardware acceleration depends on supported output drivers

MPlayer fact sheet, pricing and score →

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