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Andrew Love • 2020-02-08T07:11:06 -
Eltima Team • 2020-02-11T09:09:55
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Most Mac users will feel underwhelmed by the default videoplayer Mac has to offer. And there is certainly room for improvement. They’re looking for something more robust and versatile, without sacrificing QuickTime’s characteristic user-friendliness. To soothe this need, here’s a list of the top 10 best video players for Mac that you should seriously consider getting in 2021.
Our top spot for the overall best free video player for Mac goes to Elmedia Player. First off, it supports a wide range of different media formats like MP4, MOV, MKV, AVI, FLV, SWF, WMV, MP3 and more without any need for additional codecs or plugins. Elmedia Player focuses on your viewing experience, above all else.
With Elmedia Player, you can fully enjoy HD quality videos without facing problems like video slowdowns or unsynchronized sound. This can be credited to hardware acceleration and a huge variety of playback settings present in Elmedia Player.
And if you get Elmedia Player PRO, your options expand further. In the paid version of Elmedia, long hours of video streaming can be enjoyed with no interruptions.
Elmedia Player supports virtually any video or audio format; it streams via AirPlay, Chromecast and DLNA. The PRO version allows you to fine-tune video playback and use an equalizer to get the best video player Mac experience. Also, it allows you to take screenshots and fully customize any subtitles.
It comes as no surprise that Elmedia Player is loved by more than 2 million users all over the world.
JustPlay is another top contender in the list of top video players for Mac. With its compact size and powerful capabilities, JustPlay packs a surprising punch. Gain access to a massive list of supported file formats, complete with the ability to play HD 4K and 8K quality videos. With its built-in codeсs and algorithms, you’ll be surprised at the versatility of this video player for Mac.
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One of the most popular alternative media players for Mac is VLC. There is no denying the fact that VLC is a big player in this category. This video player for Mac is known to play all formats. As a plus, there’s the possibility to install additional extensions and individualize your viewing experience. Coupled with the fact that VLC Player maintains a high level of privacy and security for its users, it’s not surprising that it’s one of the more popular alternative video players for Mac.
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5KPlayer is another Mac video player option. Most users will enjoy it for several reasons. It’s very simple to use, and it shares many features with higher-quality video players. AirPlay connectivity, audio equalization, download and conversion functions for YouTube, Dailymotion, Facebook and Vimeo - these are some of the highlighted features of 5KPlayer. It’s a go-to multimedia player that finds common use on Mac.
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If you’re looking for an all-in-one Mac video player, check out IINA. Created with macOS users in mind, it creates an impression of authenticity with the smooth gesture controls, TouchBar support and Dark Mode. This app wouldn’t feel out of place in the standard Apple lineup. In addition, IINA runs equally smoothly on older and newer versions of macOS, making it a good choice for legacy devices.
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Here’s another app you can pick up on the App Store. It may seem a bit familiar - of course, the standard feature set is all here. The interface isn’t too shabby - after all, there’s gotta be a reason for it to be on the list. You can expect broad format support and in-depth subtitle settings, and also playlist management - creation included. It’s a brilliant little app that doesn’t disappoint - even when it comes to the price tag.
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Cisdem Player comes with its very own set of elite features as well. The app supports over 50 file formats out of the box, and installs in a flash. With no need for additional codec packs or software updates, you can play 4K and 5K HD videos effortlessly. No worries about buffering or lagging video. Best of all, it’s free with zero ads, no spyware or user tracking, so your viewing is completely private.
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We've curated the best video players for Mac in one easy-to-remember chart. Find the right one for you right here!
Top features
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VideoDuke
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Elmedia
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JustPlay
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VLC
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Cisdem
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5KPlayer
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IINA Player
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Omni Player
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Complete support for several video formats
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Complete support for several video formats
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yes (AVI, FLV, SWF, MP4, WMV, MOV, DAT, M4V, MPG, DivX, MKV.)
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yes (MP4, AVI, MOV, SWF, DAT, MKV, etc.)
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yes (MKV, MP4, VOB, WMV, MPG AVI, etc.)
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yes (MKV, AVI, FLV, AVCHD, WMV, etc.)
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yes (MKV, M2TS, MP4, AVI, WMV, FLV, etc.)
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yes ( AVI, MP4, FLV, SWF, WMV, MKV, M4V etc.)
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yes ( AVI, MP4, FLV, SWF, WMV, MKV, M4V, etc. )
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Plays many different audio formats
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Plays many different audio formats
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yes (MP3, WMA, AC2, MKA, OGG, FLAC, AAC)
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yes (FlAC, AAC, MP3, WMA, etc.)
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yes (AAC, AC-3, FLAC, MP3, ALAC)
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yes (MP3, OGG, ACC, WMA, AIFF)
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yes (MP3, AAC, AC3, WMA, FLAC, ALAC)
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yes (AAC,FLAC, MP3, WAV, WMA, etc.)
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yes (AAC,FLAC, MP3, WAV, WMA, etc.)
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Supports local file streaming of several different formats to TVs and other streaming-enabled devices
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Supports local file streaming of several different formats to TVs and other streaming-enabled devices
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yes (PRO)
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no
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yes
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no
|
yes
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no
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yes (PRO)
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Create and edit playlists
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Create and edit playlists
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yes
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yes
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yes
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no
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yes
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yes
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yes
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Features a video tuner
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Features a video tuner
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yes (PRO)
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yes
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yes
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no
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yes
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no
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yes (PRO)
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Built-in audio equalizer
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Built-in audio equalizer
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yes
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yes
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yes
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no
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no
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yes
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yes
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Includes support for Subtitles
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Includes support for Subtitles
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yes
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yes
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yes
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yes
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yes
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yes
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yes
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Supports Picture-in-Picture
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Supports Picture-in-Picture
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yes
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yes
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yes
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no
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yes
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yes
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yes
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Enables screen recording
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Enables screen recording
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no
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no
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yes
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no
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no
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no
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yes (PRO)
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No-cost version
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Free option
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yes
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no
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yes
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yes
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yes
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yes
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yes
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Many online video sites run ads, which get in the way of watching your favorite videos. These interruptions can happen at any moment, and anyone that uses YouTube regularly is familiar with how annoying these ads get.
With Elmedia, the online video player from URL you’ll have the ability to watch videos from YouTube, Vimeo or Dailymotion without annoying ads. This app allows you to simply copy and paste a URL from any video source online and play it in the Elmedia interface. It’s simple, easy to use, and geared towards Mac users. It won’t take up much space on your hard drive either, making it a great choice for those who have a MacBook Pro or MacBook Air, which generally offer less storage space.
Have MacBook Pro/Air? This lightweight player will run as smooth as possible. Once you ask yourself what video player is the best for your MacBook Pro/Air, consider the key factor to be the CPU load and how smooth it may work on the device. We recommend using Elmedia among all the above-mentioned ones or a native QuickTime Player. You can find all the other factors and criteria for choosing the best app above in the article.
Frequently Asked Questions
Watching videos on your Mac has never been easier -- as you can see, there are countless options to choose from. Elmedia Player is one of the most reliable, easy-to-use, multifunctional video players out there right now.
Here’s how to get Elmedia:
VLC Media Player is available for Mac OS X as a free download. If you’re interested in getting VLC installed on your Mac, please follow the instructions below:
VLC is considered to be one of the most popular video players for Mac because it has the capability to play nearly all file formats. It is an open-source, cross platform media player that was first developed around 1996, so it was one of the first media players available to the casual user. VLC can play almost any media file in existence, including webcam files, game records, streams, local files, DVDs, VCDs and other discs. The range of formats also includes MPEG-4, MPEG-2, WMV, MP3, WebM, MKV.
VLC is not the be-all end-all Mac media player, though. Elmedia is dead set on giving VLC a run for its money, and it offers many features that VLC cannot match.
VLC went through a period when it was considered a serious security hazard. Later, it turned out to be a mistake. This is what happened: CERT-Bund, a cybersecurity company, decided to test the player. They used an outdated version, installed on an outdated Linux distribution. To no one’s surprise, this retro-installation wasn’t secured from modern Trojans. Needless to say, after this fact was established, the accusations were quickly rolled back. These days, VLC is not considered to be a safety risk.
Here’s a full list of Macs that can play 4K video:
If you have any of these devices, then you’ve got nothing to worry about! You’re golden. But it’s still highly recommended to have a high-quality, reliable video player like Elmedia that can play all of your favourite HD movies and more.
When it comes to video players, most generally share similar features and experience, except by a few key differentiators: user interface, the libraries used internally and also any other stand-out feature that’s unique to that specific video player. Based on these three points, we’ve narrowed it down to the following video players:
There are many great video players for Windows you can use, but here are the top three that we think all movie and video enthusiasts will absolutely love: