Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

MPV VS SMPlayer

Compare MPV VS SMPlayer and see what are their differences

MPV logo MPV

MPV is an audio and movie player based on MPlayer and mplayer2. A free, open source, and cross-platform media player.

SMPlayer logo SMPlayer

SMPlayer is a free video and audio player for both Windows and Linux that allows you to play almost all media files without having to install additional codecs. Read more about SMPlayer.
  • MPV Landing page
    Landing page //
    2021-09-14
  • SMPlayer Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-09-14

MPV features and specs

  • Cross-Platform Compatibility
    MPV is available on multiple operating systems including Windows, macOS, and various Linux distributions, making it versatile for users across different platforms.
  • High Customizability
    MPV offers extensive customization options through its configuration files, allowing users to tailor the player to their specific needs and preferences.
  • High-Quality Video Playback
    MPV supports a wide array of video codecs and formats out-of-the-box, providing high-quality playback and smooth performance.
  • Minimalistic Interface
    MPV features a clean and simple interface that focuses on the video content without unnecessary distractions, appealing to users who prefer a minimalist design.
  • Active Open-Source Community
    As an open-source project, MPV is continuously improved by a dedicated community, which contributes regular updates, new features, and bug fixes.

Possible disadvantages of MPV

  • Steep Learning Curve
    New users might find MPV challenging to use initially, especially due to its reliance on command-line configurations and lack of a graphical user interface for settings.
  • Limited Built-In GUI
    MPV lacks a comprehensive built-in graphical user interface, which might be inconvenient for users who prefer GUI-based interaction for functionality like playlist management or detailed settings.
  • Dependency on External Scripts
    Some advanced functionalities require the use of external scripts and add-ons, which can be cumbersome to find, install, and configure.
  • Lack of Integrated Streaming Services
    MPV does not natively support integration with popular streaming services, requiring additional steps or tools for users who want to stream content directly within the player.
  • Occasional Stability Issues
    Being an actively developed open-source project, MPV can sometimes experience stability issues or bugs in new releases, impacting the user experience.

SMPlayer features and specs

  • Wide Format Support
    SMPlayer can play virtually any video and audio format without the need for external codecs.
  • Built-in Codecs
    It comes with built-in codecs, which means you don't have to install additional codec packs separately.
  • User-friendly Interface
    The interface is intuitive and easy to navigate, making it accessible for both novice and advanced users.
  • Customizable Interface
    SMPlayer allows users to customize the interface, skins, and even configure shortcut keys to suit their needs.
  • Playback Features
    It offers features like variable playback speed, audio and subtitles synchronization, and the ability to resume playback from where you left off.
  • Multi-platform Support
    SMPlayer is available for Windows and Linux, providing flexibility for users on different operating systems.
  • Subtitle Support
    It supports various subtitle formats and can automatically search and download subtitles from the internet.
  • Open Source
    SMPlayer is open-source, which fosters a community of developers and allows users to modify the software according to their needs.
  • YouTube Integration
    It offers the ability to play YouTube videos directly from within the player.

Possible disadvantages of SMPlayer

  • Advanced Features Complexity
    Some advanced features and settings might be too complex for casual users to understand and utilize.
  • Occasional Bugs
    Users may encounter bugs or software crashes, particularly with newer updates.
  • Limited Mac Support
    SMPlayer doesn't have a native version for macOS, potentially limiting its user base.
  • Resource Usage
    It can be resource-intensive, particularly when handling high-resolution videos or multiple tasks simultaneously.
  • Interface Design
    While functional, the design of the interface might feel outdated compared to other modern media players.
  • Infrequent Updates
    Updates can be infrequent, which might leave certain bugs or issues unresolved for longer periods.

MPV videos

Best MPVs: Our top 5

More videos:

  • Review - Mazda5 MPV review - CarBuyer
  • Demo - MPV - A Lightweight Powerful Video Player for Linux
  • Review - What Car? reviews seven-seat MPVs - Vauxhall Zafira Tourer, Seat Alhambra & Citroen Grand C4 Picasso

SMPlayer videos

Review SMplayer on Linux Ubuntu

More videos:

  • Review - Review Smplayer youtube browser on Ubuntu
  • Review - SMPlayer A Free Media Player with Built-in Codecs

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to MPV and SMPlayer)
Audio Player
66 66%
34% 34
Media Player
62 62%
38% 38
Video Player
61 61%
39% 39
Music Player
67 67%
33% 33

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare MPV and SMPlayer

MPV Reviews

Best VLC Alternative Media Players
MPV is a highly acclaimed alternative to VLC media player that pretty much follows what VLC has started. It is free, open-source, cross-platform, and provides endless customization. It has a huge but still rapidly growing community and better shading and high-quality video rendering.
20 BEST Video Player | Media Players for Windows 10 PC (2021)
MPV is a media player tool. It is a free and open-source application released under GNU (General Public License). This tool supports MPV and MPEG-2 video formats.
Source: www.guru99.com
15 Best Media Players For Mac and Windows (2021 Edition)
MPV is an open source software that comes with streamlined CLI options. It supports video scaling with famous high quality algorithms, frame timing, HDR, interpolation and color management to give you the best experience.
Source: www.rankred.com

SMPlayer Reviews

7 Best PowerDVD Alternatives in 2021
SMPlayer is one of the most functional PowerDVD alternatives that is fitted with many features. The program is absolutely free for Windows and Linux users, and can read multiple file formats. You can navigate and manage the performance of this program easily.
Source: fixthephoto.com
20 BEST Video Player | Media Players for Windows 10 PC (2021)
SMPlayer is a free and open-source player that plays media files of any format. This software can remember the settings you have made. It enables users to stream videos from YouTube in resolution from 240p to Full HD.
Source: www.guru99.com
15 Best Media Players For Mac and Windows (2021 Edition)
SMPlayer is capable of playing almost all known audio and video formats. Apart from being an open source software, it features advanced audio and video filters, equalizer and configurable subtitles.
Source: www.rankred.com
Top 6 Best VLC Media Player Alternatives
SMPlayer is a completely free and flexible VLC media player alternative that can play all common media formats such as MOV, AVI, MP4, DIVX, MPEG and more with no codecs installed.
Source: www.dvdfab.cn

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, MPV seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 230 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

MPV mentions (230)

  • How I Built a TUI Without Leaving the Terminal
    The biggest challenge I faced was getting some sort of way to play music. So I picked the easiest route—I directly implemented it with mpv and I channeled logs of mpv (which had timestamps, which I needed) to a log file under the .sparklines folder, and managed it with a socket (a two-way communication endpoint to handle the custom commands). With the power of NodeJS, I made it work out and somehow it turned out a... - Source: dev.to / 19 days ago
  • Lua scripting in mpv video player
    I checked it and the mpv-cut script turned out to be a Lua script that lets you cut a video fragment directly while watching it in the mpv player. - Source: dev.to / 3 months ago
  • Qubes OS: A reasonably secure operating system
    Mpv is a free (as in freedom) media player for the command line. It supports a wide variety of media file formats, audio and video codecs, and subtitle types.[0] https://mpv.io/. - Source: Hacker News / 4 months ago
  • Firefox slow to load YouTube? Just another front in Google's war on ad blockers
    Https://mpv.io/ has yt-dlp support, if yt-dlp is installed you just need to throw the URL at it and it plays the video (without download). - Source: Hacker News / over 1 year ago
  • Video stops on furst frame, audio continues to play,seek works
    I apologise for not following procedure. I am in the middle of building mpv 0.37 from source. Irrespective of the outcome I will document what I had to do in addition to the instructions on mpv.io and if the problem perststs, where it happens and where not with kernel version, mpv version taken from the screen, and the terminal output. Source: over 1 year ago
View more

SMPlayer mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of SMPlayer yet. Tracking of SMPlayer recommendations started around Mar 2021.

What are some alternatives?

When comparing MPV and SMPlayer, you can also consider the following products

VLC Media Player - VLC is a free and open source cross-platform multimedia player and framework.

PotPlayer - Potplayer is a minimalist media player that has an extensive range of configurable options to...

KMPlayer - KMPlayer is a freeware and supporting 36 different languages with 300 million users globally. PCKMPlayer is a freeware and supporting 36 different . ConnectKMP Connect allows you to connect your.

MPC-HC - MPC-HC, the free, open source media player for Windows. DownloadsNote. Supported Operating Systems: Windows® XP SP3 .

MPC-BE - MPC-BE is a free and open source audio and video player for Windows.

AIMP - AIMP : Free Audio Player : Официальный сайт программы