Alternatives to MPC-HC

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

  • MPC-BE

    A lightweight Windows media player descended from Media Player Classic, with its own independent development.

    FreeOpen sourceWindows

    MPC-BE also descends from Media Player Classic and stays Windows only and GPL-3.0, with more frequent releases, but requires an SSE2 CPU and has mostly Russian documentation.

  • 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 without extra filters, 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 reimplements the MPC-HC interface with Qt and libmpv, adding Linux builds, but it reproduces most rather than all MPC-HC functionality.

  • mpv.net

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

    FreeOpen sourceWindows

    mpv.net stays on Windows but uses the mpv engine with a modern graphical interface and colour themes, keeping mpv configuration and command line compatibility.

  • 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, while promoting paid upgrades heavily.

  • KMPlayer

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

    FreeProprietaryWindowsmacOS

    KMPlayer is a free but closed-source Windows and macOS player with built-in codecs for most formats, including 4K and 3D video.

Also worth comparing

These listings name MPC-HC 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-HC is a small open-source GPL-3.0 video player for Windows only, with a classic interface and DirectShow filter support, and no converter or casting.

  • Screenbox

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

    FreeOpen sourceWindows

    MPC-HC is a small open source Windows player using DirectShow filters with a classic interface, and its maintainer does not accept new feature requests.

  • Zoom Player

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

    PaidProprietaryWindows

    MPC-HC is a free, open source Windows player with a classic interface and DirectShow filter support, and it takes no new feature requests.

Similar software

Related functionality, not a direct replacement.