Best Media Players for Linux of 2025

VLC serves as a free, open-source multimedia player and framework that operates across various platforms, capable of playing a wide range of multimedia files, DVDs, Audio CDs, VCDs, and supporting different streaming protocols. As a project under VideoLAN, it is categorized as open-source software, inviting anyone with the necessary skills and motivation to enhance its offerings to contribute their improvements and innovations. This collaborative approach fosters a vibrant community dedicated to continuous development and enhancement of the software.

Clementine serves as a contemporary music player and a tool for organizing your music library efficiently. This versatile music player is available across multiple platforms and draws inspiration from Amarok 1.4, prioritizing a user-friendly interface that simplifies the process of searching for and playing music. Users can explore and enjoy their personal local music collections while also accessing various internet radio stations, including popular services like Spotify and Soundcloud, among others. Additionally, Clementine allows for the playback of tracks stored in cloud services such as Box, Dropbox, Google Drive, and OneDrive. The application supports the creation of both smart playlists and dynamic playlists, enhancing the listening experience. Features like tabbed playlists, as well as the ability to import and export various playlist formats like M3U and XSPF, further enrich its functionality. Users can also take advantage of CUE sheet support, play audio CDs, and enjoy visualizations through projectM. Moreover, Clementine provides lyrics, artist biographies, and photos, alongside options to transcode music into multiple formats including MP3 and FLAC. It offers tools for editing tags on MP3 and OGG files to help maintain an organized music library and can automatically fetch missing tags from MusicBrainz. Additionally, the software enables users to discover new podcasts and download missing album cover art from Last.fm and Amazon, making it a comprehensive solution for music enthusiasts. With its diverse set of features, Clementine stands out as a powerful companion for anyone looking to manage and enjoy their music collection seamlessly.

JRiver develops innovative networked media solutions tailored for both individual users and corporate clients. Their offerings encompass a variety of services such as streaming, downloading, and subscription options for audio and video content, along with exceptional support for portable devices, P2P, DLNA, and DRM functionalities. Additionally, JRiver provides software that facilitates network connectivity between Windows and Unix/Linux systems, boasting a user base exceeding two million across 50 nations. The company promotes its ICE product line through extensive global distribution channels, ensuring accessibility for a diverse clientele. This strategic approach has enabled JRiver to maintain a significant presence in the competitive media solutions market.

Deepin Movie offers a user-friendly interface with extensive keyboard shortcuts that allow for seamless navigation without relying on mouse clicks. This video player supports a variety of file formats, making it possible to play both local and online streaming content effortlessly. Developed by Deepin Technology, it is equipped with a comprehensive set of features aimed at enhancing the viewing experience. Users can enjoy the convenience of accessing a wide array of video resources online, along with the ability to play different media formats locally. The latest beta version is derived from git code and built using an automated program, which may result in some instability during use, but it also introduces exciting features for users to explore. As such, those who appreciate innovative software might find experimenting with the latest version both valuable and enjoyable.

Parole is a contemporary and straightforward media player developed using the GStreamer framework, specifically tailored for seamless integration with the Xfce desktop environment. This player supports various forms of media playback, including local files, DVDs/CDs, and live streaming. Furthermore, Parole can be enhanced with additional features through its plugin architecture, with detailed guidelines available in the Plugins API documentation along with practical examples in the plugins directory. Designed with an emphasis on user-friendliness, performance, and efficient resource consumption, Parole allows users to enjoy local media files, complete with subtitle support for videos, as well as audio CDs, DVDs, and live content. As an entirely free application, Parole is available for anyone to use, share, or modify in accordance with the GNU General Public License. For its standard operations, the GStreamer Base plugins are essential, while the GStreamer Good plugins offer a collection of high-quality add-ons available under the LGPL license, enhancing Parole's capabilities even further. This makes Parole an excellent choice for users seeking a versatile and lightweight media player experience.

Kaffeine serves as a versatile media player, distinguished by its outstanding capability to handle digital television (DVB) seamlessly. Its intuitive interface allows even novice users to quickly dive into playing various media formats, including DVDs—complete with menus, titles, and chapters—as well as VCDs and other files. This media player supports various digital television standards such as DVB-C/S/S2/T, ATSC, and CI/CAM, enhancing its functionality. Moreover, Kaffeine can now be launched directly from Docker, eliminating the need for a traditional installation on your local machine, provided that Docker is properly set up. By default, Kaffeine utilizes libVLC, which aims to leverage hardware acceleration for optimal performance. Additionally, recent updates have introduced support for xmltv files, allowing Kaffeine's internal system to effectively map channels retrieved by the grabber to its stored channel names. This combination of features makes Kaffeine a compelling choice for users looking for a comprehensive media playback solution.

Bomi, previously known as CMPlayer, is a user-friendly multimedia player that combines ease of use with a range of powerful features and convenient functions. Simply install it and start enjoying the experience right away, as it comes equipped with everything you need. For those who prefer customization, nearly every aspect can be configured to suit your preferences. This graphical user interface (GUI) player is built on the mpv foundation for Linux, leveraging its capabilities to offer a rich set of features. Users will find all available functionalities neatly organized within the context menu, with all settings manageable through a dedicated preferences dialog. By default, Bomi keeps track of your playback history, allowing for convenient resumption of viewing later. Additionally, it monitors playback states, including selected audio tracks and loaded subtitles. Bomi is also capable of generating playlists based on file names, and it automatically saves and restores the last played playlist, ensuring that you can pick up right where you left off. This makes Bomi not only a versatile choice but also an efficient one for media playback.

Audacious is a free audio player that allows users to enjoy their music without consuming excessive system resources, originating from the XMMS lineage. It offers a flexible interface where you can easily drag and drop folders or individual tracks, search through your music library for specific artists and albums, and create or modify personalized playlists. You can also enjoy listening to CDs or stream music online, while having the ability to enhance your audio experience using a graphical equalizer and various sound effects. The player features a sleek, modern Qt-themed interface, but also allows the option of customizing the look with classic Winamp skins. Additionally, Audacious comes equipped with plugins that can fetch song lyrics, showcase a VU meter, and provide more functionalities. The latest version includes numerous minor enhancements that have been implemented throughout the previous year and introduces the Qt user interface to Windows, alongside contributions from the community. This versatile audio player is compatible with Linux, BSD derivatives, and Microsoft Windows, making it accessible to a wide range of users. Overall, Audacious stands out as a powerful yet lightweight audio player that caters to diverse listening preferences.

Music Player Daemon (MPD) is a robust and adaptable server-side software designed for music playback. It utilizes plugins and libraries to support a diverse range of audio file formats while being manageable via its network protocol. An experimental version for Android can be found on Google Play, and upon installation and launch, MPD will automatically scan your designated music directory, allowing you to interact with it through any compatible MPD client. Typically, each plugin requires a specific codec library that you must also install, so it's advisable to consult the plugin reference for the necessary library details. While it may not provide the familiar experience of a traditional Windows application, MPD operates effectively on Windows systems. Its build process adheres to a "Linux style," which might be unfamiliar to Windows users who are not accustomed to compiling their own software. Additionally, audio outputs are the devices responsible for playing the sound generated by MPD, and while you can configure multiple audio output devices, it's essential to have at least one configured to ensure functionality. This versatility makes MPD a compelling choice for users seeking a customizable music playback solution.

Amarok is a robust music player designed for Linux, Unix, and Windows, featuring a user-friendly interface. It simplifies the process of enjoying your favorite tunes while also helping you explore new ones, all while maintaining an appealing aesthetic! Significant efforts in the development of Amarok 2 have focused on integrating Web services, allowing users to access a vast array of music directly online. This enhancement vastly increases the number of songs available at your command. With a powerful API, incorporating additional services requires minimal effort, making it user-friendly for anyone looking to expand their music horizons. Enjoy seamless integration with Last.fm to scrobble tracks and listen to a variety of radio streams. Purchase tracks directly from the integrated Magnatune store, thus supporting independent music labels. You can also connect to an Ampache music server remotely, enabling you to browse, search, and play your media files effortlessly. Additionally, you have the ability to discover, subscribe to, and download audio and video podcasts from a comprehensive podcast directory, and listen to streaming audiobooks directly from the Librivox catalog, enhancing your overall listening experience. Whether you're looking for mainstream hits or hidden gems, Amarok delivers an all-encompassing music experience.

Rage is a multimedia player designed with the Enlightenment Foundation Libraries (EFL), featuring an array of engaging capabilities. This user-friendly video and audio player aims to be both sleek and straightforward, similar to Mplayer. You can operate Rage through the command line to play your media files, or effortlessly drag and drop files into the Rage interface to add them to your playlist. If you launch Rage without any command-line options, it will take you to a video browsing mode. Here, by pressing the / key or simply moving your mouse to the right side of the window, you can view a graphical representation of your entire playlist. Rage is equipped with comprehensive keyboard shortcuts for easy navigation. When you play music, it automatically searches for and showcases album artwork, provided the images are not already stored in its cache. Additionally, it generates thumbnails for video timelines and allows you to preview clips by hovering over the position bar at the bottom of the screen. Any album covers that Rage downloads will be stored for future sessions, ensuring a seamless experience. With its engaging interface and practical functionalities, Rage stands out as an efficient choice for media playback.

Baka MPlayer is an open-source multimedia player that operates across various platforms, utilizing libmpv for its functionality. Its design emphasizes simplicity, creating a user-friendly environment for enjoying television shows. Features include gesture-based seeking, intelligent playlists, a dimming option for the desktop, and support for hardware acceleration methods like vdpau, vaapi, and vda. Additionally, it accommodates playback from YouTube and other sources while offering multilingual capabilities, and the development team is actively seeking translators to expand its language support. The player is thoughtfully designed using the Noto Sans font, chosen for its open-source characteristics and comprehensive Unicode support, ensuring that users see text as intended. If no specific language is chosen during installation, Baka MPlayer defaults to English, making it accessible to a wide audience. For more detailed customization options, users can reference the configuration source file or consult the included manual for guidance. Ultimately, Baka MPlayer strives to create an enjoyable multimedia experience without overwhelming its users.

Snappy is an open-source media player that combines the robust capabilities of GStreamer with a sleek and minimalist user interface, making it both powerful and user-friendly. Its design prioritizes simplicity while ensuring an enjoyable media playback experience.

Transitioning from iTunes to Miro is incredibly straightforward and requires no file duplication; simply direct Miro to your music and video directories, and it will automatically display those files. If Miro doesn’t meet your expectations (which is hard to believe!), your original setup remains unchanged. Choosing a music player that doesn’t sync with your phone is simply not wise. Miro stands out as the top choice for music and video playback on Android devices, whether they are phones or tablets. When two instances of Miro are connected to the same Wi-Fi network, they can effortlessly stream and share music and videos with each other, making it convenient to enjoy media in any room. Unlike some other media players, Miro doesn’t impose unnecessary restrictions on your usage. Furthermore, Miro is completely free and open-source, developed by a non-profit organization, which means you can enjoy a fantastic media experience without being tied to a single corporation. This level of freedom enhances your enjoyment and allows you to explore your media without limitations.

MPlayer is a versatile movie player compatible with a variety of operating systems. It has the ability to play numerous file formats including MPEG/VOB, AVI, Ogg/OGM, VIVO, ASF/WMA/WMV, QT/MOV/MP4, RealMedia, Matroska, NUT, NuppelVideo, FLI, YUV4MPEG, FILM, RoQ, and PVA, utilizing many native and third-party codecs like those from XAnim and Win32 DLLs. Users can enjoy movies in formats such as VideoCD, SVCD, DVD, 3ivx, DivX versions 3, 4, and 5, WMV, and even H.264. One of MPlayer's standout features is its extensive selection of output drivers, which include X11, Xv, DGA, OpenGL, SVGAlib, fbdev, AAlib, and DirectFB. Additionally, it offers compatibility with GGI, SDL (along with all their respective drivers), VESA (on any VESA-compatible hardware, even without X11), and several low-level drivers specific to graphics cards like Matrox, 3Dfx, and ATI. Many of these output drivers support both software and hardware scaling, allowing users to enjoy their movies in fullscreen mode. Moreover, MPlayer can also utilize hardware MPEG decoder boards, such as those produced by Siemens DVB, DXR2, and DXR3/Hollywood+, enhancing the viewing experience further. This broad array of supported formats and output options makes MPlayer a flexible choice for movie enthusiasts.

The playlist is generated automatically from the folder where the currently playing file resides. Users can access the playlist by positioning their mouse toward either the left or right side of the player, with the default being right, or they can use the designated keyboard shortcut (P by default), or click a button if mouse activation is turned off. Additionally, the playlist can either overlay the video, push it, or adjust its size. In Haruna, nearly all functions can be executed using customizable keyboard shortcuts that users can modify to their preferences. Furthermore, users have the option to assign various actions to different mouse buttons, including single and double clicks for left, middle, and right buttons, as well as scrolling up and down. This flexibility allows for a more personalized user experience, catering to individual workflow needs and preferences.

TagSpaces is a cross-platform, privacy-aware file manager and browser that has some note-taking capabilities. It allows you to organize your files and folders using tags and colors. You can download it for Windows, macOS Linux and Android. The TagSpaces Web Clipper allows you to collect web pages, bookmarks and geo-coordinates as well as screenshots from the Web. The built-in Markdown editor allows you to create notes that include tables, math formulas, todo lists and diagrams. TagSpaces can be connected to any folder on your hard disk and allow you to quickly browse its contents. You can add labels also known as tags to any folder or file. In the Pro version, you can also add descriptions and geotags to files and folders. Geo-tagged files or photos can be placed on a digital map. In the Pro version you can also turn every folder into a Kanban board, which allows you to represent process with the help of cards(files) and columns(folders). Cross-references can be achieved by using tags in the folder hierarchy. You can search for files using any combination of tags with the built-in search. TagSpaces can also browse files placed on S3 compatible object storage like from Wasabi or AWS S3.

Discover your music library in an entirely new way with our UltraBlur backgrounds, a plethora of mesmerizing visualizers, and four distinct themes to cater to your individual preferences. Create personalized radio stations sourced from your own collection and those of your trendiest friends. Journey through different eras, select a specific style or mood, or enjoy listening to albums in a purist fashion. Utilize the Mix Builder to experiment and create your ideal musical fusion. Delve into your personal charts to revisit your favorites from last Fall or uncover your top albums from the 1960s. With just a few taps, you can easily access hours of your favorite playlists or radio stations. Download a custom mix or artist-themed radio station for your travels, ensuring you have entertainment even without internet connectivity. Enjoy robust offline support for when you're in remote areas or when cellular data is limited. Experience features like loudness leveling, true gapless playback, Sweet Fades™, smooth transitions, a customizable preamp, and tailored EQ profiles, all designed to satisfy audiophiles and casual listeners alike. Enjoy seamless music playback with pre-caching, ensuring your tunes continue to flow uninterrupted. Now, immerse yourself in a sound experience that truly elevates your listening pleasure.

Clapper is a sleek and contemporary media player designed for the GNOME desktop, developed utilizing GJS in conjunction with the GTK4 toolkit. This media player operates on GStreamer as its backend and utilizes OpenGL for rendering. It is compatible with both Xorg and Wayland systems, ensuring seamless functionality across different environments. Furthermore, Clapper takes advantage of hardware acceleration, supporting VA-API on AMD and Intel GPUs, NVDEC on NVIDIA graphics cards, and V4L2 for mobile devices. The player features an adaptive graphical user interface (GUI) that adjusts when switching to "windowed mode," predominantly using standard GTK widgets to align with the native look of your operating system. In contrast, the "fullscreen mode" alters the GUI elements to become darker, larger, and semi-transparent, enhancing your viewing experience. Additionally, it offers a "floating mode," allowing the video to remain visible above all other applications, resembling a picture-in-picture (PiP) experience. The transitions are also optimized for mobile devices, making it user-friendly. Recent enhancements have improved the automatic selection of the GL/GLES context, and the player includes several patches, which provide better performance or exclusive features in the Flatpak version, enriching the overall user experience. Moreover, Clapper's continuous development aims to incorporate user feedback for future updates.

Kodi is a game-changer for any smart TV, surpassing its capabilities by supporting nearly every type of media while maintaining an impressive visual appeal. Your music library has never been so visually engaging, boasting support for various formats, playlists, and party mixes, making it a far superior option compared to traditional DVD collections. Kodi revitalizes your movie collection by providing rich artwork, detailed cast information, and genre categorization, which is ideal for both binge-watching marathons and catching up on beloved shows. Additionally, it excels at organizing your TV series like no other platform can. With its user-friendly interface, Kodi allows you to effortlessly watch and record live television, and it’s compatible with numerous popular backends, such as MediaPortal, MythTV, NextPVR, and Tvheadend. Beyond just streaming media, Kodi also offers a gaming platform where you can choose from a wide array of emulators or enjoy stand-alone games, complete with comprehensive support for various game controllers. Overall, Kodi not only enhances your viewing experience but also transforms your entertainment setup into a versatile multimedia hub.

mpv is a command-line media player that is free in terms of user freedom. It accommodates a vast array of media formats, video and audio codecs, and subtitle options. With its video output supporting OpenGL, Vulkan, and D3D11, mpv offers numerous features that appeal to video enthusiasts, including advanced video scaling using high-quality algorithms, color management, precise frame timing, interpolation, HDR support, and more. Additionally, mpv can utilize various hardware decoding APIs across all operating systems, allowing for hardware decoding to be activated as needed during playback. Moreover, a user-friendly C API has been meticulously crafted to ensure that mpv can be incorporated seamlessly into other software applications. This makes mpv not only a versatile media player but also a powerful tool for developers looking to integrate rich media functionality into their projects.

SMPlayer is a free media player designed for both Windows and Linux that comes with integrated codecs, allowing it to handle nearly all audio and video formats seamlessly. There’s no need for additional external codecs, as installing SMPlayer equips you to play any format without the annoyance of searching for and installing codec packs. Notably, one of SMPlayer's standout features is its ability to remember the settings for every file you play. If you start watching a movie but need to step away, you can rest assured that when you return to the film, it will resume exactly where you left off, preserving your chosen audio track, subtitles, and volume settings. Serving as a graphical user interface (GUI) for the acclaimed MPlayer, SMPlayer is capable of playing almost every known video and audio format. Beyond simply providing access to MPlayer's essential functionalities, SMPlayer also incorporates additional exciting features such as the ability to stream YouTube videos and download subtitles directly. This combination of capabilities makes SMPlayer an incredibly versatile tool for media consumption.

Videos, often referred to as Totem, is a media player specifically created for the GNOME desktop environment, featuring the ability to support plugins. It has been included as a core application since the GNOME 2.10 release, automatically compiling all your video files for easy access; you just select one to enjoy. Users can conveniently access multiple video channels directly through the Videos application. Its straightforward interface allows you to concentrate on what truly matters: enhancing your viewing experience. Additionally, Fluendo has sponsored the contributions of Ronald Bultje and Tim-Philipp Müller in developing the GStreamer backend, while Collabora has also supported Tim-Philipp Müller’s work in this area. This collaborative support underscores the community's commitment to improving multimedia playback on GNOME.

Strawberry serves as a music player and organizer specifically designed for music enthusiasts and collectors. It allows users to play and oversee their digital music libraries while also offering the option to stream beloved radio stations. Released under the GPL, Strawberry is open-source, with its code accessible on GitHub. This software originated as a fork of Clementine and is developed in C++ utilizing both the Qt framework and GStreamer. It supports both versions 5 and 6 of the Qt toolkit, making it versatile for different user needs. Strawberry is completely free in terms of both cost and user freedom, although it relies on user donations for sustainability. While it has garnered a substantial following with hundreds of users in recent years, the development team is relatively small, with much of the work being managed by a single individual. Maintaining the app, operating various services, delivering updates, and addressing bugs and other technical challenges represent a significant investment of time and effort. As Strawberry continues to grow, the commitment to enhancing user experience remains a top priority for the developer.

Dragon Player is a multimedia application that prioritizes ease of use over an abundance of features. It specializes in a singular task: playing multimedia files. With its straightforward interface, it ensures that users can effortlessly enjoy their media without distractions. Additionally, by utilizing Solid and Phonon, Dragon Player remains versatile, functioning independently of any specific multimedia framework or hardware abstraction layer. This independence allows for a seamless experience across various systems, making it a reliable choice for users seeking simplicity.