14 rules in 5 groups, worth 100 points in all. They were set before any product was scored and apply the same way to all 12.
Version 1, published 9 Oct 2026
In short
Each rule is a yes-or-no fact, a list (such as the systems with an app) or a number with published thresholds, read from the vendor's own pages.
A fact the vendor does not publish earns nothing. A feature in beta or preview does not count.
The list follows the points. A tie goes to the lower price on "price of the player", then to the name.
Desktop video players for personal use that run on Windows. Players also play music. Music-only players, media servers, streaming-service apps and video editors are left out. Features count in the edition the price line names. Sources: the vendor's site, manual, wiki or official repository.
Systems 12 points
Rule
What it takes
Points
Other systems
A download for that system on the vendor's own site or official repository releases page. Third-party builds, Wine and builds meant only for testing do not count. Each one earns 3 points.
12
Video 31 points
Rule
What it takes
Points
Disc playback
The vendor's page or documentation names playing DVD or Blu-ray discs (or disc images) in the player.
5
No codec pack needed
The vendor says the player has its own decoders, built in or bundled with it, so common audio and video formats play without installing a separate codec pack. False if the vendor tells users to install a codec pack or external filters for common formats.
6
Hardware video decoding
The vendor's page, manual or wiki says video can be decoded on the graphics card on Windows (for example DXVA, D3D11VA, NVDEC or Quick Sync, or a plain hardware-decoding option).
7
HDR playback
The vendor's page, manual or wiki names HDR playback, either passed to an HDR display or tone-mapped for a standard one.
5
Subtitle features
Each one the vendor's page, manual or wiki names earns 2 points. Subtitle search means the player finds and downloads subtitle files itself.
8
Streams, audio and library 25 points
Rule
What it takes
Points
Network streams
Each protocol the vendor's page, manual or wiki says the player can open or play from earns 2 points.
8
Audio features
Each one the vendor's page, manual or wiki names earns 2 points.
8
Media library
The player builds a searchable library from your folders and organises files by tags or metadata such as artist, album, title or cover art.
6
Plugins or add-ons
The vendor documents a supported way to add plugins, extensions, add-ons or scripts.
3
Ads and privacy 20 points
Rule
What it takes
Points
Open-source apps
The source code of the apps is public under an open-source licence.
8
No ads or bundled offers
The vendor says on its own site that the player has no advertising and no bundled third-party software offers. If the vendor's own download page or installer description shows ads or offers, the answer is false.
8
States no tracking
The vendor says on its own page or in its privacy policy that the player collects no usage data or telemetry. A statement about ads alone does not count.
4
Price 12 points
Rule
What it takes
Points
Price of the player
The regular price in US dollars, before tax, for one person on one PC in the first year, for the cheapest edition with no advertising in the player (if no edition is ad-free, the cheapest edition). A player the vendor offers as free to download and use counts as $0; a one-time purchase counts in full. $0 earns 12 points, $10 or less 9, $20 or less 6, $40 or less 3, $80 or less 1.