Alternatives to MPC-BE

A lightweight Windows media player descended from Media Player Classic, with its own independent development. The listings below can replace it for an important use case. Each note says what changes if you switch.

Replacements

Listings that take over the same core job as MPC-BE.

  • MPC-HC

    A small, fast Windows video player with a classic interface and DirectShow filter support.

    FreeOpen sourceWindows

    MPC-HC is the other Media Player Classic line, also Windows only and GPL-3.0, with DirectShow filter support, but its maintainer does not accept new feature requests.

  • VLC media player

    A free player that opens almost any video or audio file, disc or stream without installing a codec pack.

    FreeOpen sourceWindowsmacOSLinuxAndroidiOS

    VLC is free and open source on Windows, macOS, Linux, Android and iOS and plays most codecs out of the box, but buries advanced options in preference dialogs.

  • mpv

    A minimal, scriptable media player with high quality video output and no real interface to get in the way.

    FreeOpen sourceWindowsmacOSLinuxCommand line

    mpv is free and open source on Windows, macOS and Linux with high quality output and scripting, but relies on config files instead of a graphical interface.

  • SMPlayer

    A front end for mpv and MPlayer that remembers where you stopped in every file you have ever opened.

    FreeOpen sourceWindowsmacOSLinux

    SMPlayer is free and open source on Windows, macOS and Linux, using mpv and MPlayer engines and remembering playback position per file, with a dated Qt interface.

  • MPC-QT

    A reimplementation of Media Player Classic built with Qt and libmpv.

    FreeOpen sourceWindowsLinux

    MPC-QT reproduces the Media Player Classic interface on Qt and libmpv, adding Linux builds, though it covers most rather than all of the original functionality.

  • mpv.net

    A Windows media player built on mpv, adding a modern graphical interface and themes.

    FreeOpen sourceWindows

    mpv.net keeps you on Windows but swaps the DirectShow approach for the mpv engine with a modern graphical interface and customisable colour themes.

  • GOM Player

    A Windows video player with built-in codecs, subtitle search and support for 360-degree video.

    FreemiumProprietaryWindows

    GOM Player is a closed-source freemium Windows player with built-in codecs, subtitle search and 360-degree video, but it heavily promotes paid upgrades.

  • KMPlayer

    A free Windows and macOS video player with built-in codecs for most formats, including 4K and 3D.

    FreeProprietaryWindowsmacOS

    KMPlayer is a free closed-source player for Windows and macOS with built-in codecs and 4K and 3D playback, replacing MPC-BE's open-source GPL-3.0 license.

Also worth comparing

These listings name MPC-BE as their own alternative, so the relationship runs both ways.

  • DivX Software

    Free video software to play, convert and cast DivX, AVI, MKV and HEVC files up to 4K.

    FreeProprietaryWindowsmacOS

    MPC-BE is an open-source Windows-only player descended from Media Player Classic that plays almost any format, starts instantly and ships installer and portable builds.

  • Screenbox

    A LibVLC-based video and audio player for Windows built on the Universal Windows Platform.

    FreeOpen sourceWindows

    MPC-BE is an open source GPL-3.0 Windows player that is very small, starts instantly and ships portable builds, with a deliberately old-fashioned interface instead of a UWP one.

  • Zoom Player

    A customizable Windows media player with a media library, streaming, skins and keyboard control.

    PaidProprietaryWindows

    MPC-BE is a free, open source Windows player that is very small and fast, with a deliberately old-fashioned interface and fewer customisation options than Zoom Player.

Similar software

Related functionality, not a direct replacement.