media player · mpv project

mpv

Free, open-source media player built for the command line, configured with text files and scripts.

67/100

#3 of 12 media players
Facts checked 9 Oct 2026

In short

mpv is free and open source under GPLv2 or later^1,4.
The manual lists hardware decoding through D3D11VA (Windows 8 and later) and DXVA2 on Windows³.
It plays DVDs and Blu-ray discs, and Blu-ray ISO files, though DVD menus are not supported³.
It opens HTTP and HTTPS addresses, HLS streams and RTSP streams³.
The project's site lists no official Windows or macOS binaries; its first-party CI builds are meant mainly for testing².

mpv suits people who want a free player with hardware decoding, HDR handling, disc support and a scripting interface, and who do not mind configuring it^1,3,4. It is offered free of charge^1,2. The catch: its project page calls the Windows and macOS binaries third-party builds, and it has no media library^2,3.

Best for: People who want a free, scriptable player and are fine without a built-in library.

Where the points come from

Systems3 of 12

Video29 of 31

Streams, audio and library15 of 25

Ads and privacy8 of 20

Price12 of 12

Systems 3 of 12 points

Rule	What is published	Points
Other systems	AndroidInstallation page links an Android app on Google Play; its Windows, macOS and Linux builds are third-party or test builds².	3 / 12

Video 29 of 31 points

Rule	What is published	Points
Disc playback	YesManual documents DVD playback without menus, and Blu-ray playback including ISO files³.	5 / 5
No codec pack needed	YesHomepage says mpv supports a wide variety of codecs¹. README says it is built on the FFmpeg libraries, linked statically by mpv-build⁴.	6 / 6
Hardware video decoding	YesManual lists d3d11va (Windows 8 and later) and dxva2 (Windows) hardware decoding³.	7 / 7
HDR playback	YesHomepage lists HDR among video output features; manual documents HDR output and tone mapping^1,3.	5 / 5
Subtitle features	External subtitle files, Embedded subtitle tracks, Styled ASS/SSA subtitlesManual covers external subtitle files, selecting embedded subtitle streams and ASS/SSA options; no in-player subtitle search found³.	6 / 8

Streams, audio and library 15 of 25 points

Rule	What is published	Points
Network streams	HTTP or HTTPS URLs, HLS, RTSP or RTMPManual lists http/https addresses, an HLS stream option and an RTSP transport option; DLNA and RTMP not named³.	6 / 8
Audio features	Gapless playback, ReplayGain or loudness levelling, Exclusive audio output (WASAPI or ASIO)Manual documents gapless audio, ReplayGain and audio exclusive mode with WASAPI; no audio equaliser found³.	6 / 8
Media library	Not publishedNot published on the vendor's manual³.	0 / 6
Plugins or add-ons	YesManual describes user scripts in Lua and JavaScript and C plugins as the way to add extensions³.	3 / 3

Ads and privacy 8 of 20 points

Rule	What is published	Points
Open-source apps	YesSource is on GitHub; licence is GPLv2 or later by default, LGPLv2.1 or later when built without GPL parts⁴.	8 / 8
No ads or bundled offers	Not publishedNot published on the vendor's homepage¹.	0 / 8
States no tracking	Not publishedNot published on the vendor's manual or repository page^3,4.	0 / 4

Price 12 of 12 points

Rule	What is published	Points
Price of the player	$0Homepage calls mpv a free, open source media player¹; the installation page lists downloads with no price². Counted as $0.	12 / 12

The rule behind each line: how we score media players.

Plans and prices

As the vendor lists them, before tax. Prices are in US dollars unless the plan shows euros; the points use US dollars, with euros converted at the ECB rate.

Plan	Price as listed	Per month	Notes
mpv1 person	Free^1,2,4	$0	Open source; no paid edition listed

Strengths

Free, with source code under GPLv2 or later^1,4.
Supports Lua, JavaScript and C plugin scripts as user extensions³.
Documents gapless audio, ReplayGain and WASAPI exclusive output³.
Names HDR among its video output features and documents HDR tone mapping^1,3.

Limits

Windows and macOS binaries listed on the project's page are third-party builds; the first-party CI builds are meant mainly for testing².
DVD menus are not supported³.
The manual does not name DLNA support or a media library³.
Most Linux packages come from distributions, and the installation page calls them unofficial².

Other media players

1
VLC media playerPeople who want one free player for any file, with no ads
86/100
$0price of the player
2
KodiPeople who want a free, open-source player with a library and add-ons
76/100
$0price of the player
4
PotPlayerWindows users who want many playback settings in a free player
60/100
$0price of the player
5
5KPlayerPeople who want a free player that also streams to and from Apple and DLNA devices
56/100
$0price of the player

mpv vs VLC media player · mpv vs Kodi · All 12 media players

Sources

mpv.io, mpv project. Accessed 9 Oct 2026.
Installation, mpv project. Accessed 9 Oct 2026.
mpv manual (stable), mpv project. Accessed 9 Oct 2026.
mpv-player/mpv, GitHub. Accessed 9 Oct 2026.

Website: mpv.io · Markdown version · We are not affiliated with mpv project.