Often integrated by default into operating systems, we use them daily to play our various media, whether personal or downloaded content. A good video player is therefore essential for comfortable use of our digital devices. Here's an overview of the best players available for free on Android and PC in 2021.
The best free video players for Windows 10 (2021)
1) VLC: the benchmark for completely free media players on PC
It has stood the test of time and remains remarkably reliable: VLC Media Player is undoubtedly the number 1 reference for computer media players.
Completely free, it can play virtually all existing and commonly used media formats: no risk of encountering an error message as can happen with other players sometimes pre-installed on your devices. No encoder is needed for video formats such as MP3, WMV, WebM, MKV, H.264, MPEG-4 and 2 (…).
In short, VLC can do everything, for free, without user tracking, annoying ads, or other spyware issues. What more could you ask for?
2) GOM Player: your subtitles made easy!
Also available for free, it can be downloaded and used immediately via the internet. Like VLC Media Player, it supports most multimedia formats (MOV, WMV, FLV, MKV, MP4, AVI, etc.). Its distinguishing feature is a highly effective subtitle functionality, allowing for easy adjustment of subtitle synchronization, size, and placement.
It can also play 360-degree videos and be controlled directly from your mouse or keyboard. In addition, it offers several extra features: video effects, playback speed control, and screenshot capture, among others.
3) PotPlayer: a versatile player with advanced features
Still among the free players, PotPlayer stands out for its advanced features that will delight the most technical users: like the previous player mentioned, it can play 360-degree, 3D, and even 8K videos.
It offers excellent graphic clarity and very good performance thanks to its use of the latest available drivers and technologies (CUDA, DXVA, QuickSynch).
PotPlayer also allows you to download and integrate all the additional codes necessary for your use. Furthermore, you can choose which sound card to select if you are using more than one.
4) 5K Player: download content from YouTube, Vimeo or Dailymotion.
Combine video playback and downloading: that's what 5K Player offers. It ensures smooth playback in 8K, 4K, 1080p, or 360-degree formats. In addition to being a video player, it also plays your music and allows you to download from platforms like YouTube, Vimeo, and Dailymotion, as well as stream your media.
It detects a wide range of sound systems (Dolby, DTS, RStero) and utilizes CUDA, AMD, Intel, and DXVA 2.0 hardware acceleration, allowing for minimal CPU usage. Finally, it supports numerous subtitle formats (.srt, .ssa, .sub, .ass, .aqt, .json, and more).
The best free video players for Android (2021)
1) AC3 Player: lightweight and efficient
No need to install any additional plugins to play your files on AC3 Player, it also supports most subtitle formats, and offers automatic synchronization, gesture playback control, history, sleep settings and playback control.
Finally, it has the very interesting advantage of taking up very little space on your mobile and offers a fast start-up.
2) KM Player: a rising star
It recognizes most audio and video formats, and its user base is constantly growing. KM Player gives you easy access to shows, movies, animations, video files, mobile phone videos, and homemade content.
Available in 30 different languages, it can play video files that are unreadable elsewhere or incomplete, as well as ZIP albums without needing to be extracted. It supports HD content. Its performance makes it a serious rival to VLC.
3) MX Player: complete and powerful
Its simple interface and high-quality rendering make it easy to use, and it supports most audio and video formats. It is known for being one of the first Android video players to support multi-core decoding.
Among its additional features are subtitle management, scrolling and zoom to adjust text size, and a range of gesture controls. Another feature is a screen lock for children.
The app is free, but you'll have to put up with ads. Adding plugins will allow you to expand the basic functionality. MX Player has also recently launched a streaming service with its own original content and content from other labels.
4) VLC for Android: the king of mobile media players!
As mentioned earlier at the top of the list of PC media players, VLC also offers a mobile version with the same advantages: it's open-source and handles both video and audio files in multiple formats. Streaming is supported, and you can easily organize your media in the library.
The playback window lets you control the volume and brightness in full-screen mode using gesture controls. Multitrack audio and subtitles are supported, and it features a five-band equalizer. VLC is a comprehensive software program designed for everyone. If you're looking for an efficient, ad-free player, it will meet your needs.
Beyond the eight video player options for Windows and Android listed above, you'll find many other potentially satisfactory players. To ensure you find the right one, carefully consider your usage needs and choose a player that specifically meets them. These free players offer a range of features and performance often lacking in default built-in players.
