VLC media player
Cross-platform media player with extremely broad format support.
Why it is included
Decades of maintenance, ubiquitous installs, and dependable playback across OSes.
Best for
Playing almost anything locally without codec hunting.
If you use Windows, Mac, or paid tools
Player alternative to Windows Media Player, QuickTime, Apple TV app file open, and PowerDVD for codec breadth.
Strengths
- Codec breadth
- Streaming
- Conversion features
Limitations
- UI is utilitarian
Good alternatives
mpv
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mpv
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MPlayer/mpv front-end with remembered settings, subtitles, and YouTube stream helpers.
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Spotube
🎧 Open source music streaming app! Available for both desktop & mobile!
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Feishin
A modern self-hosted music player.