Top 13 Best Free Video Players
Need a good free video player because preinstalled players don’t satisfy your requirements or don’t support a specific video format? Nowadays, there are many free video players ranging from simple programs to interactive media services with video editing capabilities.
I have selected the most popular options, which support a maximum number of video formats and included them in this rundown of 11 best free video players.
1. VLS Media Player
- Plays any media format
- Customizable playback quality
- Free and open source
- Audio-video filters and synchronous subtitles
- A confusing UI
- Doesn't support external filters and MIDI
- Tagging is worse with large files
Verdict: Video VLC Media Player is universal software with support for HDR, 360˚ video with a resolution of up to 8K, and many compression formats for audio/video. It plays DVD, Blu-ray, streams video by URL in real time.
You can download VLC Media Player for Windows 10, Android or Mac and use it as streaming media player for YouTube, MPEG and DivX. This software synchronizes subtitles and creates playlists.
However, an extended set of options is too big for a custom interface. You can improve the quality of playback, apply audio/video filters, download plug-ins, and try integration with other programs.
If you need a video player for all regular tasks with the support for the majority of formats, then VLC is the top video player among cross-platform options.
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2. KMPlayer
- Cloud and search option
- Highly customizable
- Smooth playback
- Supports VR and TV
- Auto set as a default player
- Pop-up ads
Verdict: KM Player is a multilingual media player with support for most formats, 3D and 4K video. It has pre-installed codecs, but you can add third-party ones. It comes with many audio/video effects: equalizer, video rendering, and hardware acceleration.
You can mark video fragments as favorites, repeat them, reassign keys for the remote interface, and even edit subtitles directly in KM Player Pro. The interface is simple and easy to customize, looks smooth and works without crashing and freezes.
KMPlayer is available in 36 languages. Developers have recently released KMPlayer for Android and iOS beta versions. Users called it one of the leading sources for content search and a functional stand-alone media player.
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3. GOM Player
- You can view corrupted or uploaded files
- Screencasting Support
- Minimalistic interface
- Advanced playback features
- Installs additional software
- GOM Player Plus is paid if you want to remove add
Verdict:GOM Player is a media player with built-in support for most formats and 360˚ video up to 8K. It comes with a wide range of codecs and has a library of codecs with a search. You can import playlists using .PLS and .ASX file types.
Playback settings aren’t so extensive; they are more beginner-oriented. There are several advanced features: repeats, screen capture, speed control, audio/video effects, and subtitle synchronization.
Like a video player for PC, it supports screencast: you can connect your computer to a TV to watch videos on YouTube. The interface layout is fully customizable. Due to its usability and simplicity, it helps inexperienced users to master the basic video playback settings.
4. Plex Media Player
- Media management
- Chromecast streams video on a TV screen
- Cloud service and remote access
- User-friendly interface
- Installation requires registration
- Free version with ads
Verdict: Multifunctional streaming service with free channels, programs, films from Warner Bros, Lionsgate, and MGM. Supports all advanced formats and can automatically transcode into another format without prior converting.
This PC player uses your device as a convenient media library for managing media collections on all adjacent devices: it detects and organizes your media files, adds covers and descriptions to videos. You can choose files that will be visible to other people, provide access or set parental controls.
Plex uses a universal cloud server to store media on Dropbox, Google Drive and OneDrive: you can synchronize content and take advantage of remote access from any gadget.
5. Kodi
- Interactive media center
- Live sports broadcasts
- Widescreen TV interface
- Many settings and plug-ins
- Complicated for beginners
Verdict: Kodi is a streaming media player with media center capabilities. It plays all popular video and audio formats, podcasts and other digital media. It is called one of the best free video players as it can enhance video quality up to 1080p and allows you to record TV shows with the PVR add-on.
You have to watch videos in this player on a full-screen display because of the interactive 10-foot TV interface. You can look through images and listen to music while watching a movie.
You can customize Kodi’s interface with a variety of skins and add-ons, such as streaming plug-ins for online sources, Netflix, YouTube, screensavers, themes, weather forecasts, web interfaces. Its add-ons allow you to remotely browse the library to manage playlists.
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6. DivX Player
- Quick scene and chapter navigation
- DivX To Go function
- DLNA streaming support
- Tracking and auto adding of media files
- Some functions are paid
- Free version has advertising
Verdict: DivX offers free HEVC playback with UltraHD (4K) support. It works as a streaming multimedia PC player with a built-in media server that allows you to transfer streaming music, videos and photos to any DLNA-compatible device.
Its smart media library allows you to organize playlists and monitor local media content. This video player has advanced features such as Trick Play, which make it easy to navigate to your favorite sections.
Multiple audio support enables switching between different audio tracks, and with the resume function, you can go to the point where you have stopped. Audio Enhancer is one of the notable features for fine-tuning dialogs and sound.
7. FastVideoPlayer by FastPcTools
- Play 360° videos
- Supports 4k, 8k, Full HD & HD video
- Easy-to-use UI
- Social media compatibility
- Limited advanced features
- Only Windows OS
Verdict: In the world of video playback, FastVideoPlayer by FastPcTools is being put forward as a great choice for Windows users looking for some versatility and ease of use. I recently got a chance to try this software out myself, and ever since then, I just can't seem to rid of thoughts surrounding its comprehensiveness and straightforwardness.
One feature stands out when it comes to FastPcTools - the fact that it can support quite a range of video formats. Ranging from the familiar AVI and FLV to WMV, MP4, MKV, and 3GP, this application embraces all of them. Such compatibility therefore ensures that you'll play any video file that comes your way, hence saving you the stress of having to look for even more software or codecs.
Fast Video Player does not disappoint supporting 4K, 8K, Full HD, and HD resolutions smoothly. It means that you will be able to play any latest cinematic masterpieces with it. With mounting popularity for 360° content, a tool like FastVideoPlayer provides nothing less of an awesome experience.
8. PotPlayer
- Support for 3D oriented features and glasses
- Ability to download and update codecs
- Built-in hotkeys and screen recording
- Constant updates without ads
- Windows-compatible only
- Proprietary (closed) software with the redundancy of functions
- Problems with aspect ratio and high bitrate
Verdict: Video PotPlayer is a powerful free video player for Windows 10 with 3D support and 360˚ video up to 8K. It has many built-in codecs and will automatically download the necessary ones. It contains a screen recorder, equalizer and some tools typically available in video quality enhancers: pixel shader, filters for brightness/contrast, hue, and noise reduction.
The program can detect files in the directory automatically and create a playlist. It is possible to download subtitles, create bookmarks and previews. CUDA, QuickSync, and DXVA methods provide maximum performance for fast downloads and resource saving.
This Windows video player handles Blu-ray, DVD, URL server well and supports live streaming. The interface is customizable with the help of PotPlayer skins, logos and color themes.
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9. Media Player Classic
- Toolbars and filter library
- Supports main commands and keyboard shortcuts
- Open-source and ads-free
- Plays from discs, external devices
- Poor UI
- Official version is for Windows only
- Doesn’t support formats which appeared after 2017
Verdict: Home Cinema is a community-updated version of an old Windows Media Player Classic. It supports almost all standard media formats, including 360˚ video and 8K. The developers have achieved high performance, low resource use, and small size.
This is also a DVD player for Windows 10, which supports some advanced features, such as downloading subtitles, video capture and integration with Skype.
It has customizable toolbars with many playback settings. Actually, this is the best video player for Windows 7 with open source that can operate as a home cinema for users, who need a program with minimum settings.
10. ACG Player
- Fully customizable interface
- Fast import and export
- Well-developed masks and layers
- Requires good PC configuration
- Difficult for beginners
- Suitable for professional retouching
Verdict: This is a specially designed video player for Windows 10. AGG is a lightweight player with no codec add-ons that plays common video formats. It supports playback from external devices and discs.
ACG has a simplified interface and touch control with support for touch tablets. This is the best video player for Windows 10 with such advanced features as gesture settings, multi-window mode, playlist management, streaming video and background music.
It is possible to customize how subtitles and animations look: audio and video effects, a music visualizer, and subtitles for artistic fonts. There are some functions for adjusting the design, such as changing skins and panel buttons, and control of the scrolling speed.
11. Elmedia
- Supports multiple audio tracks
- Full-screen mode
- Customizable playback speed
- Advanced looping
- Streaming to Sony devices may be tricky
- VOB video file conversion issues
Verdict: Elmedia is a feature-rich media player created for Mac users. It works lag-free with lots of formats including MP4, MOV, FLAC, and MP3 to name a few.
With this program, you can take advantage of customizable playback speed and rich streaming options. Besides, it is possible to stream local files to such media players as Roku, AirPlay, Chromecast, and DLNA devices. Another advantage is that users can arrange their videos into thematic playlists.
The subtitle control is well-thought-out. You can adjust the way subtitles look during video playback. Moreover, you can choose automatic or manual subtitle loading. There is huge database of subtitles that is accessible right from the player.
12. 5KPlayer
- Video downloader and media streamer
- Hardware acceleration
- HD video recorder
- Telephone recording
- Has ads
- No video editing features and plug-ins
- Some features require registration
Verdict: 5K Player is a functional option to search for video libraries. It supports most modern formats, DVD, 360˚ VR video up to 1080p 8K, without using plug-ins or computer resources. DLNA and AirPlay sharing support enables wireless streaming to multiple compatible devices.
5K Player supports online radio and websites such as YouTube, Facebook, and MTV: enter the URL of the stream or use the shortcuts BBC Sport, Kiss FM, NBC, and 5KPlayer will analyze and determine the ability to download a video.
The interface is minimalistic and easy-to-use with smooth navigation. You can enable or disable audio tracks and subtitles, change the look and sound of this HD video player for Windows 10.
13. Cisdem Video Player
- Smooth playback
- Not resource-intensive
- No spyware, adware or tracking
- Available for Apple devices only
- Some functions are paid
Verdict: If you don’t need additional codecs or plug-ins, Cisdem Video Player for Mac is a great option with built-in support for about 50 video formats up to 5K HD video. You can automatically or manually add subtitles in .ASS and .SRT formats.
The video player can convert multimedia files into various formats for any device, such as iPhone, iPad, Android phones, etc., and also offers deinterlacing and snapshot functions.
If you're looking for a convenient navigation tool with a simple interactive user interface that can provide you with a good HD viewing experience, then this is the best video player for your Apple device.
Ann Young
Hi there, I'm Ann Young - a professional blogger, read more
