You just downloaded a video file, double-clicked it, and... QuickTime refuses to play it. Sound familiar? Or maybe you're watching a 4K movie and it's stuttering like a slideshow. Perhaps you want to stream that video to your TV but can't figure out how.
If you've ever faced these frustrations on your Mac, you're not alone. QuickTime Player might come pre-installed, but it's woefully inadequate for modern video playback needs. The good news? There are several excellent video players that blow QuickTime out of the water.
I've spent weeks testing the top video players for macOS, throwing everything at them from obscure codecs to 8K HDR content. In this guide, I'll walk you through the seven best options, what makes each one special, and help you find the perfect player for your needs.
What we tested (and why it matters)
Before diving into the players, here's what I evaluated:
- Format support: Can it play MKV, AVI, WebM, and modern codecs like HEVC, AV1, and VP9 without installing extra software?
- Performance: Does 4K and HDR content play smoothly, or does your Mac sound like it's about to take off?
- macOS integration: Does it feel native, or like a Windows app awkwardly ported over?
- Streaming capabilities: Can you easily cast videos to your TV or other devices?
- User experience: Is it intuitive, or do you need a PhD to adjust subtitles?
Now, let's get to the players.
The 7 best video players for Mac in 2025
1. IINA — The modern Mac lover's dream
Best for: Mac users who want a beautiful, native experience without sacrificing power Price: Free (open-source)
If someone designed a video player specifically for Mac users in 2025, it would be IINA. Built from the ground up with Swift, it looks and feels like a true macOS app. You get Dark Mode support, Touch Bar controls, trackpad gestures, and even Picture-in-Picture mode. It's what QuickTime should have been.
Under the hood, IINA uses the powerful mpv engine, meaning it can handle virtually any video format you throw at it. But unlike mpv (which is command-line based), IINA wraps all that power in an interface that's actually pleasant to use.
What makes IINA special:
The interface deserves special mention. Instead of cluttering your screen with controls, IINA puts a semi-transparent control bar right on the video itself. When you're not using it, it fades away, giving you maximum screen real estate. Hover over the timeline, and you get thumbnail previews, just like YouTube.
Subtitle support is excellent too. IINA can automatically search online subtitle databases and download the right subtitles for your video in seconds. You can adjust timing, size, position, and styling without digging through menus.
The verdict: For 95% of Mac users, IINA is the best choice. It's free, beautiful, powerful, and feels right at home on macOS. Start here.
2. Infuse — The elegant Apple ecosystem player
Best for: Users deeply integrated into the Apple ecosystem who want Spatial Audio and seamless sync across devices Price: Free | Pro: $9.99/year
If you own an Apple TV, you likely already know and love Infuse. Long considered the gold standard for video playback in the living room, Infuse brings that same polish and power to the Mac. It's arguably the most beautiful app on this list, with a metadata-rich library interface that rivals Netflix.
What makes Infuse special:
Infuse is one of the few players that fully embraces Apple's Spatial Audio. If you have AirPods Pro or AirPods Max, Infuse delivers a theater-like surround sound experience with dynamic head tracking. Watching a movie with Dolby Atmos or 5.1 surround sound becomes significantly more immersive—something most other players struggle to replicate properly.
It effectively bridges the gap between a simple file player and a media center like Plex. Drag and drop a folder of movies, and Infuse automatically fetches high-quality artwork, metadata, and subtitles, organizing everything into a gorgeous library. And thanks to iCloud sync, your watch history syncs perfectly between your Mac, iPad, iPhone, and Apple TV.
Format support is rock-solid, handling almost anything including 4K Dolby Vision files effortlessly.
Where Infuse falls short: While the core features are free, getting the most out of Infuse (including support for certain 4K formats and some Dolby Audio codecs) requires a Pro subscription. However, a single subscription covers all your Apple devices.
The verdict: If you want a premium, "it just works" experience with best-in-class audio features for your AirPods, Infuse is unbeatable.
3. VLC Media Player — The reliable workhorse
Best for: People who need to play absolutely anything, no matter how obscure Price: Free (open-source)
VLC is the Swiss Army knife of video players. The VideoLAN project started in 1996, and there's a reason it's installed on hundreds of millions of computers worldwide: it just works.
Got a weird video format from 1998? VLC plays it. Need to convert a file? VLC does that. Want to stream from a network drive or play a scratched DVD? VLC handles it. It's the player you install when everything else fails.
What makes VLC special:
The format support is unmatched. VLC includes every codec imaginable built-in, so you never need to hunt down codec packs. MKV, AVI, FLAC, WebM, HEVC, AV1, VP9 — VLC plays them all without breaking a sweat.
Where VLC falls short: Let's be honest: VLC looks dated. It doesn't feel like a native Mac app, and the preferences window is overwhelming.
The verdict: VLC isn't pretty, but it's incredibly reliable. Keep it installed as your "fallback player" for those rare files that nothing else can open.
4. Vidi — The truly native Mac experience
Best for: Users who want a native Mac player with modern audio features Price: Free | Pro: $19.99 (one-time)
Vidi is a modern macOS video player built from the ground up specifically for macOS. It's designed around Apple's native frameworks, so it looks, feels, and behaves like a first-class Mac app.
What makes Vidi special:
Spatial Audio creates an immersive 3D soundstage on any headphones, particularly effective with surround sound content. You also get "Cinema Effect" for theatrical punch and "Voice Boost" for dialogue clarity.
The Picture-in-Picture implementation is outstanding, including full timeline scrubbing and seek controls without minimizing the main player.
The verdict: If you want a player that feels truly native to macOS with exceptional audio features, Vidi is an outstanding choice.
5. Elmedia Player — The streaming specialist
Best for: Anyone who wants to stream videos to their TV or needs rock-solid 4K/8K playback Price: Free | Pro: $19.99
Elmedia Player is a Mac-focused video player that excels at streaming to external devices. If you frequently watch on a big screen, this is the player you want.
What makes Elmedia special: Streaming is where Elmedia shines. With just a few clicks, you can stream any video to your Apple TV, Chromecast, or any DLNA-compatible device. No complicated setup, no quality loss.
The verdict: If you stream to TVs frequently, the $19.99 for Elmedia Pro is money well spent.
6. Movist Pro — The videophile's choice
Best for: Users with HDR displays who want the absolute best picture quality Price: $7.99 (Mac App Store)
Movist Pro has been the gold standard for high-end playback for a decade. If you care deeply about picture quality, specifically HDR, this is the player to get.
What makes Movist special: The HDR support is the best you'll find on macOS. Movist Pro properly handles both HDR10 and Dolby Vision, and the colors look stunning on compatible displays. Even on non-HDR screens, its tone mapping makes high-dynamic-range content look great.
The verdict: If you have an HDR display, Movist Pro is worth the price of admission.
7. 5KPlayer — The all-in-one solution
Best for: Users who want a free player that also downloads videos Price: Free
5KPlayer tries to be everything: a video player, a YouTube downloader, an AirPlay receiver, and even a radio player. Surprisingly, it does most of these things quite well.
What makes 5KPlayer special: The built-in video downloader is incredibly convenient for saving videos from YouTube or Vimeo. It also handles 8K and VR 360° videos surprisingly well.
The verdict: A solid choice if you need an all-in-one tool for downloading and playing content.
Comparison at a glance
| Feature | IINA | Infuse | VLC | Vidi | Elmedia | Movist Pro | 5KPlayer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free/Sub | Free | Free/Paid | Free/Paid | Paid | Free |
| Native Feel | Excellent | Excellent | Poor | Excellent | Good | Excellent | Fair |
| Spatial Audio | No | Yes | No | Yes | No | No | No |
| Streaming | No | AirPlay | Chromecast | AirPlay | Excellent | No | AirPlay |
| Best For | Most Users | Apple Ecosystem | Power Users | Native Experience | Streamers | HDR Quality | Downloads |
Which one should you choose?
- Choose IINA if: You want the best overall experience on Mac. It's free, beautiful, and handles 99% of use cases.
- Choose Infuse if: You use AirPods and want Spatial Audio, or if you also use Apple TV and iPhone and want your library to sync everywhere.
- Choose VLC if: You have an obscure file that won't play anywhere else.
- Choose Vidi if: You want a modern, native alternative to IINA with great audio boosters.
- Choose Elmedia if: You stream to Chromecast or DLNA devices.
- Choose Movist Pro if: You obsess over HDR picture quality.
- Choose 5KPlayer if: You need to download videos from the web.
Final thoughts
You don't have to settle for QuickTime's limitations. Whether you choose IINA's elegance, Infuse's ecosystem magic, or VLC's raw power, you'll have a dramatically better watching experience.
My personal pick? I keep IINA as my default player for quick files, but I use Infuse for watching movies with my AirPods Pro to get that immersive surround sound experience.