Alternatives to SMPlayer
A front end for mpv and MPlayer that remembers where you stopped in every file you have ever opened. The listings below can replace it for an important use case. Each note says what changes if you switch.
The original
SMPlayer
A front end for mpv and MPlayer that remembers where you stopped in every file you have ever opened.
Replacements
Listings that take over the same core job as SMPlayer.
VLC media player
A free player that opens almost any video or audio file, disc or stream without installing a codec pack.
VLC media player uses its own engine instead of mpv or MPlayer, adds Android and iOS builds, and does not download subtitles inside the player.
mpv
A minimal, scriptable media player with high quality video output and no real interface to get in the way.
mpv drops SMPlayer's graphical interface for an on-screen controller and hand-edited config files, but is lighter and adds Lua and JavaScript scripting.
IINA
The mpv engine wrapped in a macOS app that actually looks and behaves like a macOS app.
IINA uses mpv with a native macOS interface and online subtitle search, but runs only on macOS 11 or newer.
MPC-HC
A small, fast Windows video player with a classic interface and DirectShow filter support.
MPC-HC is a small Windows-only player with a classic interface built on DirectShow filters rather than the mpv and MPlayer engines.
MPC-BE
A lightweight Windows media player descended from Media Player Classic, with its own independent development.
MPC-BE is a Windows-only player descended from Media Player Classic, very small and quick to start, with frequent releases but no macOS or Linux builds.
Celluloid
A simple GTK front end for the mpv video player on Linux.
Celluloid is a simple Linux GTK front end for mpv only, reusing mpv configuration and keybindings but dropping the MPlayer engine and Windows and macOS builds.
Haruna
An open-source KDE video player built on libmpv with automatic playlists and configurable shortcuts.
Haruna is a Linux libmpv player designed around KDE, with automatic folder playlists, seek bar previews and online playback through yt-dlp.
MPC-QT
A reimplementation of Media Player Classic built with Qt and libmpv.
MPC-QT reimplements the Media Player Classic interface with Qt and libmpv for Windows and Linux, reproducing most but not all MPC-HC functionality.
Also worth comparing
These listings name SMPlayer as their own alternative, so the relationship runs both ways.
5KPlayer
A free Windows and Mac media player with AirPlay and DLNA streaming and an online video downloader.
SMPlayer is an open-source front end for mpv and MPlayer on Windows, macOS and Linux that remembers playback position per file and downloads subtitles from OpenSubtitles.
Clapper
A GNOME media player built on GStreamer and GTK4, designed for simplicity and ease of use.
SMPlayer uses mpv and MPlayer engines on Windows, macOS and Linux, remembers playback position per file, and downloads subtitles, though its Qt interface looks dated.
DivX Software
Free video software to play, convert and cast DivX, AVI, MKV and HEVC files up to 4K.
SMPlayer is an open-source mpv and MPlayer front end for Windows, macOS and Linux that remembers position per file and downloads subtitles, without a built-in converter.
Dragon Player
A simple KDE video player that plays video files and streams with minimal controls.
SMPlayer uses mpv and MPlayer on Windows, macOS and Linux, remembers playback position per file and downloads subtitles, offering far more features in a dated Qt interface.
Elmedia Player
A macOS video and audio player with native Apple Silicon support and AirPlay and Chromecast streaming.
SMPlayer is an open-source mpv and MPlayer front end with macOS Intel and Apple Silicon builds, remembering position per file, though it lists no AirPlay or Chromecast.
GOM Player
A Windows video player with built-in codecs, subtitle search and support for 360-degree video.
SMPlayer is an open-source mpv and MPlayer front end for Windows, macOS and Linux that downloads subtitles from OpenSubtitles and remembers playback position per file.
Infuse
Apple-platform video player that connects to Plex, Jellyfin, Emby and network shares.
SMPlayer is free and open source on Windows, macOS and Linux, using mpv and MPlayer engines and remembering position per file, with no iOS version.
KMPlayer
A free Windows and macOS video player with built-in codecs for most formats, including 4K and 3D.
SMPlayer is an open-source mpv and MPlayer front end for Windows, macOS and Linux that remembers playback position per file and downloads subtitles from OpenSubtitles.
mpv.net
A Windows media player built on mpv, adding a modern graphical interface and themes.
SMPlayer is a Qt front end for mpv and MPlayer on Windows, macOS and Linux that remembers position per file, with a more dated interface.
Parole
A lightweight GStreamer-based media player written to fit the Xfce desktop.
SMPlayer is a Qt front end for mpv and MPlayer on Windows, macOS and Linux that remembers position per file and downloads subtitles.
Screenbox
A LibVLC-based video and audio player for Windows built on the Universal Windows Platform.
SMPlayer uses mpv and MPlayer engines, remembers position and tracks per file, downloads subtitles, and also runs on macOS and Linux, with a dated Qt interface.
Showtime
GNOME's video player, with simple playback controls, subtitles, multiple audio tracks and screenshots.
SMPlayer is a cross-platform front end for mpv and MPlayer that remembers position, audio track and subtitles per file, with a dated Qt interface.
Zoom Player
A customizable Windows media player with a media library, streaming, skins and keyboard control.
SMPlayer is free and open source, runs on Windows, macOS and Linux with mpv and MPlayer engines, and remembers position and subtitles per file.
Similar software
Related functionality, not a direct replacement.
Syncplay
Keep video playback synchronized across a group.
Jellyfin Media Player
A desktop client for Jellyfin built on libmpv, with hardware decoding and audio passthrough so fewer files need transcoding.
