--- title: SMPlayer canonical: https://saasranked.com/software/smplayer/ category: Media Player Software points: 43 rank: 7 of 12 facts_checked: 2026-10-09 --- # SMPlayer Free, open-source video player with built-in codecs, DVD playback and subtitle search. 43 points out of 100. #7 of 12 media players. Vendor: SMPlayer project. Website: https://www.smplayer.info/ - SMPlayer is free to download and use, and its source code is on GitHub under GPL-2.0 [1][7]. - Downloads exist for Windows, macOS and Linux; version 26.8.29 has a changelog dated 29 August 2026 [2][12]. - It plays DVDs, including encrypted ones, and needs no external codecs [1][6]. - It searches for and downloads subtitles from opensubtitles.org [1]. - The Windows installer lets you pick MPlayer, mpv or both as the playback engine [8]. Verdict: SMPlayer suits people who want a free, open-source player on Windows, macOS or Linux, with DVD playback and built-in subtitle search [1][2][6]. The catch: the vendor's pages do not name HDR or hardware decoding on Windows [1][10], and its privacy policy covers only the website [9]. Best for: People who want a free player for Windows, macOS and Linux with subtitle search. ## Points | Criterion | Line | Value | Points | Note | |---|---|---|---|---| | Systems | Other systems | macOS, Linux | 6/12 | The vendor's site has macOS disk images (Intel and Apple Silicon) and Linux packages. It offers no Android or iOS download [2][4][5]. | | Video | Disc playback | Yes | 5/5 | The supported-formats page lists DVD, including encrypted DVD, as input [6]. | | Video | No codec pack needed | Yes | 6/6 | The home page says SMPlayer has built-in codecs and needs no external codecs [1]. | | Video | Hardware video decoding | Not published | 0/7 | Not published for Windows. The mpv page names hardware decoding only as VAAPI, VDA and VDPAU [10]. | | Video | HDR playback | Not published | 0/5 | Not published on the vendor's home page or mpv page [1][10]. | | Video | Subtitle features | Subtitle search in the player | 2/8 | The home page says SMPlayer searches and downloads subtitles from opensubtitles.org. External files, embedded tracks and ASS are not named [1]. | | Streams, audio and library | Network streams | HTTP or HTTPS URLs, RTSP or RTMP | 4/8 | The formats page lists streaming via HTTP/FTP and RTP/RTSP. It names no HTTPS, HLS or DLNA; counted HTTP as the URL line [6]. | | Streams, audio and library | Audio features | Not published | 0/8 | Not published on the vendor's home or mpv pages; only a video equaliser is named [1][10]. | | Streams, audio and library | Media library | Not published | 0/6 | Not published on the vendor's home page, which says only that it remembers settings per file [1]. | | Streams, audio and library | Plugins or add-ons | Not published | 0/3 | The home page names only an optional YouTube search plugin and skins, not a way to add plugins [1]. | | Ads and privacy | Open-source apps | Yes | 8/8 | The GitHub repository lists the GPL-2.0 licence, and the home page says SMPlayer is free and open source [1][7]. | | Ads and privacy | No ads or bundled offers | Not published | 0/8 | Not published on the vendor's download and installer pages [3][8]. | | Ads and privacy | States no tracking | Not published | 0/4 | Not published for the player. The privacy policy covers only the website [9]. | | Price | Price of the player | $0 | 12/12 | The home page offers SMPlayer as a free download; donations are optional [1][11]. | ## Plans | Plan | Price | Per month (USD) | |---|---|---| | SMPlayer | Free [1][11] | $0 | ## Strengths - Free software under GPL-2.0, with the source on GitHub [1][7]. - Plays DVDs, including encrypted discs [6]. - Built-in codecs, so no codec pack is needed [1]. - Downloads for Windows, macOS (Intel and Apple Silicon) and Linux [3][4][5]. ## Limits - No Android or iOS download is offered [2]. - The vendor's pages do not name HDR playback or hardware decoding on Windows [1][10]. - Subtitle formats and embedded tracks are not described; only subtitle search is named [1]. - The privacy policy covers the website only and says nothing about the player [9]. ## Sources 1. [SMPlayer: Free Media Player with built-in codecs](https://www.smplayer.info/), SMPlayer, accessed 2026-10-09 2. [SMPlayer downloads](https://www.smplayer.info/en/downloads), SMPlayer, accessed 2026-10-09 3. [Download SMPlayer for Windows](https://www.smplayer.info/en/download-windows), SMPlayer, accessed 2026-10-09 4. [Download SMPlayer for macOS](https://www.smplayer.info/en/download-macos), SMPlayer, accessed 2026-10-09 5. [Download SMPlayer for Linux](https://www.smplayer.info/en/download-linux), SMPlayer, accessed 2026-10-09 6. [Supported formats and codecs](https://www.smplayer.info/en/supported-formats-and-codecs), SMPlayer, accessed 2026-10-09 7. [smplayer-dev/smplayer](https://github.com/smplayer-dev/smplayer), GitHub, accessed 2026-10-09 8. [SMPlayer Windows installer](https://www.smplayer.info/en/installer), SMPlayer, accessed 2026-10-09 9. [SMPlayer privacy policy](https://www.smplayer.info/en/privacy-policy), SMPlayer, accessed 2026-10-09 10. [SMPlayer and mpv](https://www.smplayer.info/en/mpv), SMPlayer, accessed 2026-10-09 11. [Contribute to SMPlayer](https://www.smplayer.info/en/contribute), SMPlayer, accessed 2026-10-09 12. [SMPlayer v26.8.29 release](https://github.com/smplayer-dev/smplayer/releases/tag/v26.8.29), GitHub, accessed 2026-10-09