Alternatives to Music Player Daemon

Run a music playback server controlled through separate clients. 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 Music Player Daemon.

  • Music Assistant

    Bring music libraries, streaming sources and players into a shared music server.

    FreeOpen sourceSelf-hosted

    Music Assistant is an Apache-2.0 self-hosted music server that unifies libraries and streaming sources and controls playback across compatible players, rather than relying on separate clients.

  • Roon

    Organize a music collection and send playback to supported network audio devices.

    PaidProprietaryWindowsmacOSLinux

    Roon combines library browsing, metadata and streaming services with playback to network audio devices, but it requires a paid licence and is closed source.

  • Mopidy

    An extensible Python music server that plays local files, Internet radio and streaming services.

    FreeProprietarymacOSLinuxSelf-hostedCommand line

    Mopidy works with existing MPD clients and adds extensions for internet radio and streaming services, though no Windows support is mentioned.

  • Lyrion Music Server

    An open-source music server, formerly Logitech Media Server, that streams to Squeezebox and compatible players.

    FreeOpen sourceSelf-hosted

    Lyrion Music Server is open source and built around Squeezebox and compatible players, with plugins, internet radio and a JSON/RPC interface.

Also worth comparing

These listings name Music Player Daemon as their own alternative, so the relationship runs both ways.

  • moOde audio player

    An open-source audiophile music player and streamer operating system for Raspberry Pi computers.

    FreeOpen sourceLinux

    Music Player Daemon is a bare playback server on Linux or macOS, so switching means installing it yourself and choosing a separate control client instead of moOde's ready-made system.

  • OwnTone

    An open source audio media server that streams your music library to AirPlay, Chromecast and DAAP clients.

    FreeOpen sourcemacOSLinuxWebSelf-hosted

    Music Player Daemon is a plain playback server controlled through separate clients, so moving to it means configuring audio outputs yourself without OwnTone's AirPlay and Chromecast streaming.

Similar software

Related functionality, not a direct replacement.