Best Free Media Player for Android [1]
Introduction
Ever since it was possible to play videos on a computer, it seems like people have always been looking for an alternative to the built-in media player, and with reason. Often built-in video players will only provide basic functionality and often a limited codec support. That, well, let's call it "tradition", continues today on mobile form factors. Ever since the iPhone came out, people have been looking to be able to play files like flv files on it. Same with Android, and that's why we're here today. So, if you're looking for a fresh interface for enjoying your media, some broader codec support, or just something plain old new, keep reading.
Rated Products
[4]
VLC for Android [4] [5]
VLC has a rock solid reputation on the desktop, and while it had a rocky start on Android, it has gotten a good deal better, and I now recommend it as the best media player for Android.
Platforms/Download: [field_blackberry_download] | [6]
Version reviewed: 3.0.13
trainman261 [7]
| Our Rating: 4/5 |
|
While VLC for android aims to be what it is on the desktop, it doesn't quite achieve its goal yet. While it supports a wide range of codecs, has a good basic music player and a range of interesting features, it still has a few problems - but it's good enough to get the top spot. Please note that as of version 3.0.5 Android Auto has been disabled, though it is promised to be back in version 3.1 - so if you rely on that, it might be best to wait until the 3.1 is released (there don't seem to be any security vulnerabilities that would be left open by not updating).
Read more... [5]
While VLC for android aims to be what it is on the desktop, it doesn't quite achieve its goal yet. While it supports a wide range of codecs, has a good basic music player and a range of interesting features, it still has a few problems - but it's good enough to get the top spot. Please note that as of version 3.0.5 Android Auto has been disabled, though it is promised to be back in version 3.1 - so if you rely on that, it might be best to wait until the 3.1 is released (there don't seem to be any security vulnerabilities that would be left open by not updating).
Read full review... [5]
[8]
MX Player [8] [9]
MX Player is a solid media player that will support just about any format you can throw at it, but that just overdoes it with the ads.
Platforms/Download: [field_blackberry_download] | [6]
Version reviewed: 1.10.3
trainman261 [7]
| Our Rating: 4/5 |
MX Player is an excellent media player, with one glaring problem. Initially meant only to play videos, it expanded to audio and can play a huge range of media formats. Recently they've put their intrusive video ads back in, so I can no longer recommend it.
Read more... [9]
MX Player is an excellent media player, with one glaring problem. Initially meant only to play videos, it expanded to audio and can play a huge range of media formats. Recently they've put their intrusive video ads back in, so I can no longer recommend it.
Read full review... [9]
[10]
MoboPlayer [10] [11]
MoboPlayer has always been a little half-baked, and while much has changed, that point still stands.
Platforms/Download: [field_blackberry_download] | [6]
Version reviewed: 3.1.147
trainman261 [7]
| Our Rating: 3.5/5 |
MoboPlayer is a media player that tries to do a lot, but doesn't do it well. While it has many features including advanced features, such as a gif creator, support for DLNA streaming, and a floating video player, many of them don't work properly.
Read more... [11]
MoboPlayer is a media player that tries to do a lot, but doesn't do it well. While it has many features including advanced features, such as a gif creator, support for DLNA streaming, and a floating video player, many of them don't work properly.
Read full review... [11]
[12]
QQPlayer [12] [13]
QQPlayer was an interesting video player with some interesting features, although it is currently in disrepair.
Platforms/Download: [field_blackberry_download] | [6]
Version reviewed: 2.1.436
trainman261 [7]
| Our Rating: 3/5 |
QQPlayer is an interesting video player - and only a video player. While it doesn't have any hardware codecs, it does have a wide range of codecs. It also has an interesting "private list", which lets you put certain videos in a password-protected list. However, it is far from efficient, and has enough problems with lag. It also has not been updated since 2013, and I've had problems getting it to work without crashing on newer devices.
Read more... [13]
QQPlayer is an interesting video player - and only a video player. While it doesn't have any hardware codecs, it does have a wide range of codecs. It also has an interesting "private list", which lets you put certain videos in a password-protected list. However, it is far from efficient, and has enough problems with lag. It also has not been updated since 2013, and I've had problems getting it to work without crashing on newer devices.
Read full review... [13]
[14]
mVideoPlayer [14] [15]
An interesting app organizes your videos into movies and TV shows automatically.
Platforms/Download: [field_blackberry_download] | [6]
Version reviewed: n/a
Gizmos Freeware [7]
| Our Rating: 2.5/5 |
Read more... [15]
[16]
RealPlayer [16] [17]
Only for phones with a version of Android older than 4.0: Finds your music, videos and photos very well and plays multimedia files supported on your device.
Platforms/Download: [field_blackberry_download] | Windows (Desktop) [18] | [6]
Version reviewed: 0.0.0.61
trainman261 [7]
| Our Rating: 2/5 |
Read more... [17]
Related Products and Links
You might want to check out these articles too:
- Best Free Media Player [19]
- Best Free Android Apps [20]
- Best Free iPad Apps [21]
- Best Free iPhone Apps [22]