Systems0 of 12
Video23 of 31
Streams, audio and library10 of 25
Ads and privacy0 of 20
Price1 of 12
media player · CyberLink Corp.
CyberLink PowerDVD
Paid Windows player for DVD, Blu-ray and video files, sold in tiers from a limited free version to a yearly subscription.
In short
- PowerDVD 365 costs $54.99 a year; Standard costs $59.99 once, Pro $79.99 and Ultra $99.992.
- DVD playback is in every edition; Standard has no Blu-ray, which the comparison table lists from Pro up1,2.
- A free version exists, but premium features unlock for 7 days and then lock1.
- PowerDVD runs on Windows 10 and 11 (64-bit) only; the vendor says there is no Mac version3.
- The vendor's specifications list hardware acceleration for H.264, HEVC and AV1 video and HDR10 playback4.
PowerDVD suits people who want one Windows player for discs, with licensed Dolby and DTS audio1,2. The 365 subscription costs $54.99 a year and has the same features as Ultra, including Blu-ray, ISO files and HDR101,2. The catch: it is paid software, runs only on Windows, and the free version locks its premium features after 7 days1,3.
Best for: People who still watch DVDs or Blu-ray discs on a Windows PC.
Where the points come from
Systems 0 of 12 points
| Rule | What is published | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Other systems | NoneVendor says PowerDVD is Windows-only with no Mac version; its iOS and Android PowerPlayer is a separate companion app3. | 0 / 12 |
Video 23 of 31 points
| Rule | What is published | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Disc playback | Yes365 has the same features as Ultra; the table lists DVD, Blu-ray and ISO playback1,2. | 5 / 5 |
| No codec pack needed | YesVendor says it plays virtually any format; the table lists H.264, MKV, Dolby and DTS decoding; no codec pack mentioned1,2. | 6 / 6 |
| Hardware video decoding | YesSpecifications list hardware acceleration for H.264, HEVC and AV1 video on named Intel, NVIDIA and AMD graphics4. | 7 / 7 |
| HDR playback | YesComparison table marks HDR10 playback for Ultra and 365; the overview says 365 has Ultra's features1,2. | 5 / 5 |
| Subtitle features | Not publishedPage lists customized and multiple subtitles only; no file types, embedded tracks or subtitle search are named2. | 0 / 8 |
Streams, audio and library 10 of 25 points
| Rule | What is published | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Network streams | Not publishedNot published on the vendor's comparison page; no HTTP, HLS, RTSP or DLNA support is named2. | 0 / 8 |
| Audio features | Equaliser, Exclusive audio output (WASAPI or ASIO)Comparison table lists an audio equalizer and WASAPI exclusive mode; gapless and ReplayGain are not named2. | 4 / 8 |
| Media library | YesComparison table lists a media library for movies and TV shows, with a movie and TV info database2. | 6 / 6 |
| Plugins or add-ons | Not publishedNot published on the vendor's overview and comparison pages1,2. | 0 / 3 |
Ads and privacy 0 of 20 points
| Rule | What is published | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Open-source apps | Not publishedNot published on the vendor's overview and comparison pages1,2. | 0 / 8 |
| No ads or bundled offers | Not publishedNot published on the vendor's overview page; it makes no statement about ads or bundled offers1. | 0 / 8 |
| States no tracking | Not publishedNot published on the vendor's overview and FAQ pages1,3. | 0 / 4 |
Price 1 of 12 points
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free version | Free1 | $0 | Premium features lock after 7 days |
| PowerDVD Standard | $59.99 one-time1,2 | – | DVDs and video files; no Blu-ray |
| PowerDVD Pro | $79.99 one-time2 | – | Adds Blu-ray over Standard; no ISO files or HDR10 in the table |
| PowerDVD Ultra | $99.99 one-time1,2 | – | Adds Blu-ray, ISO files and HDR; marked down to $79.99 on the comparison page |
| PowerDVD 365 | $54.99/year1,2 | $4.58 | Same features as Ultra; keeps 100 GB of cloud storage while subscribed; priced here |
Ultra is shown at $79.99 against a $99.99 list price on the comparison page; the overview gives a range of $59.99 to $99.99 for the one-time editions. We price 365, the cheapest edition for the first year1,2.
Strengths
- Plays DVDs in every edition, Blu-ray discs from Pro up, and DVD and Blu-ray ISO files in Ultra and 3651,2.
- Lists licensed Dolby and DTS audio decoding, which the vendor says free players lack1,2.
- Includes a media library for movies and TV shows, an audio equaliser and WASAPI exclusive mode2.
- Specifications name hardware acceleration for H.264, HEVC and AV1 video and HDR10 playback4.
What CyberLink Corp. says
Vendor claims. We show them, but they earn no points.
- CyberLink says free players lack licensed Dolby and DTS audio, which PowerDVD includes1.
Other media players
- 1VLC media playerPeople who want one free player for any file, with no ads86/100$0price of the player
- 2
KodiPeople who want a free, open-source player with a library and add-ons76/100$0price of the player - 3
mpvPeople who want a free, scriptable player and are fine without a built-in library67/100$0price of the player - 4
PotPlayerWindows users who want many playback settings in a free player60/100$0price of the player
Sources
- PowerDVD overview, CyberLink. Accessed 9 Oct 2026.
- PowerDVD edition comparison, CyberLink. Accessed 9 Oct 2026.
- PowerDVD FAQ, CyberLink. Accessed 9 Oct 2026.
- PowerDVD specifications, CyberLink. Accessed 9 Oct 2026.
Website: www.cyberlink.com/products/powerdvd-ultra · Markdown version · We are not affiliated with CyberLink Corp..