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The Best Video Player for Mac: Top 7 Solutions

Nataliia Paraskeva Nataliia Paraskeva Feb 15, 2024

When it comes to watching videos on Mac, it should be able to handle any form of media and content you’d like to use it for. The default Mac video player - QuickTime Player - has its limitations so finding a more suitable alternative player may be your best option. In this article, we’ll cover some of the best media players for Mac that you should be considering in 2024.

Top choice
Elmedia Player Free
4.5 Rank based on 119503+ users, Reviews(11950)
 
Direct download
Elmedia - Best Video Player for Mac

Users situation:

Any suggestions/recommendations for a best media player on MacOS which would play virtually every format? I like SMPlayer on Windows. Used to use VLC but because of the security concerns stopped using it a long time ago. Any player based on mplayer/mpv for macOS I would like to try besides any other suggestions — VideoHelp Forum

The Best Choice for Mac - Elmedia

Our Top choice of best video player for Mac

Elmedia Player is the best video player for Mac. Enjoy your content in a plethora of various formats, ranging from AVI, FLV, SWF, WMV, MOV, MKV, to MP3, and more. This video player for Mac comes with an incredibly friendly user interface, and lets you customize virtually any aspect of your viewing experience from playback controls, subtitle support, advanced audio controls, and picture modes, and tons more.

For only $19.99 you can upgrade your free Elmedia Player to the PRO version, and enjoy features such as wireless connectivity, and streaming to Smart TVs, Chromecast, and DLNA-enabled devices. Fine-tune your audio and video to the absolute last detail to get the perfect picture and audio experience you can have.

Supported OS: macOS

Price: free (PRO upgrade is for $19.99)

User rating: 4.5 out of 5 on Mac App Store

Latest update: Nov 29, 2023

icon pros Pros

  • Multiple video and audio formats supported
  • Wireless video streaming
  • Screenshot features, picture-in-picture, playback controls, etc.
  • Playlist creation options for creating, managing, and enjoying your content

icon cons Cons

  • Only available for Mac

Supported media formats

This media player for Mac has native support for a large number of multimedia formats, including:
MKV
AVI
WMV
MP4
MP3
FLAC
VOB
H264
TS
MXF
Blu-Ray
MPEG
MOV

How to Play Videos on Mac

1. Download Elmedia Player – get the app from our website and install it on your Mac.

Stream to Chromecast from Mac with Elmedia Player PRO

2. Choose how to open you media files:

  • Directly drag and drop the video onto Elmedia’s window or dock icon.
  • Go to File - Open to locate the video file.
  • Use Finder to identify the video then press right-click to select “Open with” and pick Elmedia Player from the list.
Stream local media to Chromecast

3. Sit back and enjoy your videos!

Try Elmedia Player Free

JustPlay

JustPlay - media player for Mac

JustPlay is the next entry on our list of best media players for Mac. It’s so compact and simple, you’ll be surprised by the functionalities it has to offer. It boasts a massive list of supported file formats, without the need for codecs and plugins, and can even handle your 4K and 8K videos. This media player offers cool features such as a deinterlacing option, audio equalizer with presets, picture-in-picture mode, plus it’s perfectly integrated with macOS.

Supported OS: macOS

Price: $5.99

User rating: 4.3 out of 5 on Mac App Store

Latest update: Nov 13, 2023

icon pros Pros

  • Support for a broad range of file formats
  • Effortless 4K and 8K playback
  • Lightweight and compact
  • Mac-specific controls, i.e. Touch Bar integration
  • Various audio and video options available

icon cons Cons

  • No free version available
  • Blu-ray capabilities are limited

VLC Media Player - A Solid Contender

Free video player for Mac

VLC player for Mac is one of the oldest and longest-standing apps around today. This video player for Mac lets users watch content in virtually any file format you can imagine - without the need for additional codecs and downloads. It includes great features like streaming, video, and audio playback with the highest levels of optimization and user experience, and allowing users to also use ZIP files without having to unpack each file individually.

What’s great about this app is that it’s also free to use - which is something everyone loves. While this app is old and can feel outdated to some, its usability features far outweigh any aesthetic downfalls it may come with.

Supported OS: macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android

Price: free

User rating: 2.5 out of 5 on Trustpilot

Latest update: Nov 02, 2023

icon pros Pros

  • Supports virtually any file format you throw at it
  • Optimized video and audio playback
  • Support for plug-ins

icon cons Cons

  • UI can feel outdated to most people who are used to more modern interfaces
  • Can run into some troubles with files that require higher processing power like 4K video

IINA - A Viable Mac Video Player Worth Considering

One of best video player for Mac

Now when it comes to an aesthetically pleasing user interface, this app does it right. IINA is a Mac media player that takes on a completely opposite approach to other apps you may have used before. IINA takes after the native Apple design language and incorporates it into its app in a beautiful and seamless way. Mac-specific features such as Force Touch, Touch Bar, Picture-in-Picture, and Dark Mode are some of the many examples of how IINA stands out as an exemplary video player for Mac.

While the highlight of this app is its eye-catching interface, it neither falls short of its performance and capabilities as a full-blown media player. Play any file format, along with subtitles, and benefit from similar playback controls and features that are found in many of the common video players today. In conclusion, this app is definitely worth a try.

Supported OS: macOS

Price: free and open-sources

User rating: 4.4 out of 5 on MacUpdate

Latest update: Jul 07, 2023

icon pros Pros

  • Aesthetically pleasing and easy to use, similar in feel to Apple’s native design language and UI
  • Support for various file formats
  • Subtitle support and seamless integration
  • Video and audio adjustment features for ultimate customizability

icon cons Cons

  • Heavy in storage usage and CPU over other similar apps
  • Inconsistency with playback of 10-bit H.265 full HD videos

5KPlayer

Mac media player - 5KPlayer

Don’t be too quick to discard this one: we only use the term "generic" in its best sense. Imagine watching a movie with no interruptions or discomforts, with no need to fiddle with settings. 5K is the perfect program to embody this image. It exists and it works, and it’s pretty damn good at it. The features are very subtle, and while unnoticeable in use, their absence would be very noticeable and inconvenient.

The perfect image is ruined, alas, marred by ads. That’s the major downside of the 5KPlayer, and who knows? Mayhaps it would easily take the spot of the best media player for Mac, had it not been for those pesky ads. Until then, it’ll stay a runner-up.

Supported OS: macOS, Windows

Price: free

User rating: 2.7 out of 5 5 on Trustpilot

Latest update: Oct 26, 2021

icon pros Pros

  • Supports high resolutions, Ultra-HD included
  • Streams from YouTube
  • Overall solid experience

icon cons Cons

  • Ads galore
  • Unoptimized CPU-wise

Cisdem Video Player - A Great Alternative

Watch video on Mac with this Mac video Player

Cisdem Video Player is another one of the great video players for Mac that you may have heard of. It offers many of the same features as other apps while supporting the latest versions of macOS.

Just like other similar apps, Cisdem Video Player allows users to enjoy content in a variety of file formats and resolutions - all without the need to download additional codecs and hardware. You can enjoy the benefits of high-quality 4K and 5K video playback that comes with a seamless subtitle experience as well. And best of all, this video player takes security seriously and ensures users that its app maintains a high level of security against any sort of malware and spyware that other apps may be more susceptible to.

Supported OS: macOS, Windows

Price: from $19.99

User rating: 4.1 out of 5 on Mac App Store

Latest update: 10 Jan 2022

icon pros Pros

  • Support for over 50 file formats
  • Playback customization for the perfect viewing experience
  • 4K and 5K seamless playback with subtitle integration
  • Supports latest macOS with ease

icon cons Cons

  • Additional features like the video converter are only accessible by paying for the premium version of the app

OmniPlayer - A Mac Media Player Worth Downloading?

One of the best video player for Mac

And finally, we come to OmniPlayer - a comprehensive and useful Mac video player that can easily be downloaded through the App Store. This app comes with the bells and whistles you’re probably familiar with. Rich features such as a beautiful design and user-interface, making it a breeze to navigate. Also, support for various file formats, 4K video, subtitle support, playlist management, and customization, and so much more. This is an app definitely worth trying.

Supported OS: macOS

Price: Free, $8.99 for Pro

User rating: 4.7/5 on Mac App Store

Latest update: Oct 24, 2023

icon pros Pros

  • Simple to use and a pleasure to experience the design and user-interface
  • Picture-in-picture allows for greater versatility and user-experience
  • Playlist creation and customization features

icon cons Cons

  • As with other apps, most of the better parts of the app are tucked behind the paid version of the app

Side-By-Side Comparison Table - Best Video Player for Mac

To make things easier for you, here’s a table of clearly listed items and the Mac media players that you should consider. It will help bring more clarity when you decide to choose the perfect player for you.

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Top features
VideoDuke
Elmedia
JustPlay
VLC
IINA
5KPlayer
Cisdem
Omni
Reliable support for all types of file formats:
Reliable support for all types of file formats:
yes (AVI, FLV, SWF, MP4, WMV, MKV, DAT, DivX, MKV, MP3, WMA, AC2, MKA, OGG, FLAC, AAC, etc.)  
yes (MP4, AVI, MOV, SWF, DAT, MP3, WMA MKV, etc.)  
yes (MKV, MP4, VOB, WMV, MPG AVI, FlAC, AAC, MP3, WMA, etc.)  
yes ( AVI, MP4, FLV, SWF, WMV, MKV, M4V, AAC,FLAC, MP3, WAV, WMA, etc.)  
yes (MKV, AVI, FLV, AVCHD, WMV, (MP3, OGG, ACC, WMA, AIFF, etc.)  
yes (MKV, AVI, FLV, AVCHD, WMV, (MP3, OGG, ACC, WMA, AIFF, etc.)  
yes ( AVI, MP4, FLV, SWF, WMV, MKV, M4V, AAC, FLAC, MP3, WAV, WMA, etc. )  
Video converting from multiple formats:
Video converting from multiple formats:
no  
no  
yes  
no  
no  
yes (PRO)  
no  
Subtitle support:
Subtitle support:
yes  
yes  
yes  
yes  
yes  
yes  
yes  
Hardware-accelerated and additional codec-free:
Hardware-accelerated and additional codec-free:
yes  
yes  
yes  
yes  
yes  
no  
yes  
Screen recording and capturing:
Screen recording and capturing:
no  
no  
yes  
no  
no  
no  
yes (PRO)  
Create, customize, and manage playlists:
Create, customize, and manage playlists:
yes  
no  
yes  
yes  
yes  
no  
yes  

Factors of the Best Video Player Mac Users Should Consider?

  1. Support for a variety of file formats in both video and audio - such as WMV, MOV, AVI, FLV, MP4, MKV, SWF, MP3, DAT, FLAC, and others.
  2. Support for latest macOS versions and run at high capacity to accommodate for advanced performance.
  3. Support Native Apple Silicon - M1 and M2.
  4. It should be pleasurable to use and interact with. If this is something you’re going to be using on a day-to-day basis or quite regularly, then user-interface and experience are of utmost importance. No one likes to use an app that feels outdated or old.
  5. Customizing your own playlists, managing them, and organizing them all within the app is a big plus to have - especially if you’re consuming large amounts of content.
  6. Reliability, consistency, and excellent performance. These are the important metrics to keep in mind if you want to enjoy your Mac media player.

Differences Between Free and Paid Video Players

Most Mac users naturally prefer a free video player if this option is available and the software has a decent list of features. However, these media players usually come short when it comes to advanced settings and functions.

If you want to enjoy high-resolution video content, tweak the video and audio, or search for subtitles online, you’ll have to go for a paid app. Other advantages of subscription-based media players include playing damaged files, building playlists, or streaming to another display.

Still, if you only need standard playback without too many options, there are plenty of free media players you can count on. And we’re exploring the best ones in this article.

What is a Video/Media Player?

In case you’ve never used a media player before and you want to know exactly what such a software is, we have you covered. Media players are applications that can be downloaded from websites and used to open and play different media files on a computer. Usually, video players can handle multiple formats and file types. If we’re referring strictly to movies, then you should expect to see a lot of AVI, MKV, and MP4 formats since these are the most popular.

Of course, there are dedicated apps for certain content or formats. A WMV player, for example, focuses on opening Windows Media Video files while a VOB player is better-suited for DVDs. Furthermore, a media player doesn’t limit to video files. Audio content can also be played with such software and it’s your choice to go for an MP3 player or other apps dedicated to different audio formats.

Verdict

Video players will always be relevant since they’re the only solution to play your favorite content. After going through the list of the best Mac media player options, you can now choose the one that perfectly adapts to your needs.

If you’re only interested in playing standard formats, a free video player should be more than enough. However, if you want extended features, subtitle support, streaming capabilities, and hardware acceleration, then you should look for the premium versions.

Frequently Asked Questions

If you still find yourself asking questions about the best video player for Mac or anything related to that, it might help you to look through our FAQ section below. We have answers to your questions, and if there’s something you still need clarity on, feel free to comment below and we’ll be able to get back to you as soon as possible.
VLC for Mac is by far the longest-standing app for Mac users - and for good reason too. But there are a few shortcomings you’ll find in this app simply because so many other apps have started to gain popularity and match many of the similar favorite features found in VLC. For example, one of those apps is Elmedia Player. This has quickly become the favorite app for most Mac users and after using it a few times, you’ll be able to see why. It integrates many similar VLC features, with an extra touch of novelty and additional features.
After carefully assessing the features and options offered by each of the best video solution, we can conclude that Elmedia Players stands out from the crowd. Its wide range of formats and advanced video settings make it more efficient than the competitors.
Depending on your needs, there are multiple players that are better than VLC. One of them is Elmedia Player because it has a friendly interface and numerous customization options. Also, Elmedia can stream videos to other displays wirelessly.
Indeed, all Macs come with QuickTime video player as the native application. While it’s a good option to play some of the most popular video formats, this app doesn’t support MP4 and has few customization capabilities. That’s why it’s best to go with a third-party solution like Elmedia Player.
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Elmedia Player Free
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Requirements: OS X 10.12+
Latest version: v8.17(3393), released 29 Nov, 2023 Release notes
Category: Video
Pricing: Free
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